How far will your scent bother elk?

[Chow_Hound]

Newbie question: How far away do you have to be from elk where you don't have to worry about your scent bothering them (or at least not blow them out)? I plan on glassing from a high point at the head of several drainages and expect thermals to be pushing my scent down. Will this only affect elk within a couple of hundred yards or blow out the entire drainage?

Thanks

 

[Elkhunter96]

Depends on how bad you stink

In my experience, it can affect elk further out than one would think. My dad and I were busted once at 300 yards when we had a stong down draft.

 

[Bman9900]

In my experience, elk are far more tolerant of suspicious movement than they are of human scent. Most elk will severely blow out of the area if they catch your scent on the wind - especially if they have been pressured. To get close to elk, scent control and playing the wind are a must.

 

[Zeke]

I agree with the above posts!

They hate the smell of YOU (and me)! They'll bust or at least sneak away at distances well beyond 300 yds. Get the wind right or don't go in for them. You'll end up blowing them out. I see it happen to hunters every year.

Zeke

 

[BIGJOHNT]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-17-11 AT 04:42PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-17-11 AT 04:41?PM (MST)

It depends on how the wind is blowing ? I have seen elk busted out from 1/4 mile. An elk will see you once,twice,three times . But he will only smell you once before he's gone!
I saw a herd of bision take off from a mile away. I swear they couldn't have smelled us.But they spooked and left the country.