Scent Control and guns

[PostFrontal]

I've always wondered about this. We use all these scent control products like carbon spray, laundry detergent, Shampoo, scent control clothes. But then we use gun cleaning oils that obviously have a strong scent to them on our guns.

What are your thoughts on whether this smell would alert deer or not?

[Bear55]

I would say yes, it would be a foreign odor and it could spook some deer, maybe not the young ones but I think any mature deer will bust you.

I try to be as clean as possible when I step into the woods, however you can never be 100% scent free. I guess someone could take apart their gun and clean it with scent killer but I would never advise it.

[picksbigwagon]

I use Hoppe's elite gold for my slug gun at deer season time. It doesn't have an odor until I pull the trigger....

I normally use Sweets 7.62 to clean my rifles and slug barrel at least twice a year, usually spring and late summer. That is when I do most of my shooting, then I switch to Elite when the seasons roll around. Sweets does a great job of taking out the copper, but is pretty strong smelling (ammonia)

[Splake]

What happens when a deer smells bore cleaner, gun oil or WD 40? There is usually a loud noise and one of his buddies goes missing.

[Archerysniper]

Right on Splake if you are really concerned clean it oil it and wipe it dry, then you could use some kind of light oil like sewing machine oil or even bore butter for blackpowder's it comes in a refreshing pine scent.

[Musky Buck]

Postfrontal, always wondered it to, thanks for bringing it up, no wonder my grandfather's always said try to keep the wind in your favor. The best scent killer for me was spending about a 1/2 hour in the dairy barn before heading out, the deer were used to the cattle and that scent.

[cupper]

To date, the DUMBEST thing I've ever done with regards to hunting is giving my gun a "once over" the week before firearms opener. I took it out of the case on opening morning and the smell of solvent almost knocked me over. I try real hard to keep everything scent free but I had a complete brain fart with this one. Needless to say I did not harvest a deer that season.

[BobT]

I don't believe odors really "spook" deer. I think all they do is alert them to the presence of something whether unusual or normal.

I feel the same about sounds and movement. I believe that for most deer they need to detect a combination of things before really getting spooked. There are those occasional skiddish ones but I'm talking about deer in general and I've seen evidence to support this in my encounters with deer and other wildlife.

[DoubleLunger]

Scent does make a huge difference. Though with gun hunting not as much, since you can drop them at 1/4 mile with a fine placed shot. The more secluded and off the beaten track you get, the more it matters. Deer around crowded farming areas and closer to towns are more used to smelling those scents, thus not as big a deal. But way back in the bush, not so much.

[Code-Man]

Well I think it does make a difference and this year I think I proved it. I ran to the woods a few times without spraying down. I hunt very close quarters and I got winded a few times they couldn't see me and I didn't have a shot but they winded me and took off. Never got winded a single time when sprayed down and only time I got busted was when he looked up and saw me move and he didn't know what he saw but knew it wasn't natural and if I had a gun I could have still gotten him since he just walked away.

[DoubleLunger]

Nice Avatar Code-man,

[Code-Man]

Thanks

[bigbucks]

I'll agree that the scent during gun season in farm country is not that important. We've cleaned our guns the night before season many times & shot plenty of deer. This is in shotgun zone, so we're not shooting them at long range. I've probably killed only a handful of deer over 80 yards with my shotgun.

[lungdeflator]

I clean my gun everytime I am done shooting it. I dont site it in the night before opener so I am not cleaning it the night before opener. Its a good habit to clean the gun after your done shooting it. I site in during the summer so by november the scents on it are moslty gone. I still spray it down with scent killer. There are probably scent free solvents and such out on the market too.

[Leaddog]

There is something to be said about maintaining your equipment, guns included. Remember shooting a deer is not the only eliment of deer hunting but rather the sum of the experience. Yeah, deer have great noses, we all know that. But, it often takes a secondary confirmation of danger (movement or sound) for deer to change their course. So, yes you should reduce odors including that from your gun but also pollish your other hunting skills. Way back when, my dad was in a group of moose hunters. It rained the whole trip. One guy never touched his rifle after each days hunt. Of course he was the one to get a shot opportunity and his gun failed. You need to keep your gear in good working order. That deer will last you a year but that gun should be in your family for generations...if taken care of.

[skee0025]

I dont think it matters that much. I have had them come right into me while i was burning a heater sitting on stand with the wind blowing the smoke right into their faces and its happened on more than 1 occassion. I think scent free this and earth scent that are designed to get more hunters than deeer.