Deer play the wind, so hunters should too
James Diesfeld’s biggest advice for other deer hunters is to manage what you can, and two of the easiest are working with the wind and eliminating human scent.
“I am a stickler for eliminating scent and paying attention to wind direction,” Diesfeld said. “I read about wind direction and decided it would be something I could work with pretty easily, so I started paying attention, and it has paid off. If I can’t approach a stand from downwind and sit facing into the wind, I hunt somewhere else that day.”
Diesfeld said he eliminates scent, beginning with his hunting clothes. He occasionally washes them in the scent-neutralizing detergent from Dead Down Wind, but most often washes them in baking soda. When they get dirty, some soap is needed, but just to stay fresh and scent-free, baking soda does the job and is far less expensive. He stores his clean hunting clothes in Scent Shield scent-proof bags, with an earth scent wafer from Hunter Specialties.
Diesfeld said baking soda naturally neutralizes scent rather than covering it. He wears only rubber boats, and he sprinkles a little in them before and after a hunt.
“Once at my hunting spot, I spray my clothes, boots and tree stand with Dead Down Wind scent neutralizer,” Diesfeld said. “I don’t use cover scents. This may sound a bit overboard, but I really try to avoid touching anything in my hunting area, or on the way to and from the truck, with bare skin. Even if I don’t see or shoot a deer, I don’t want them to know I have been there.”
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