Box Blinds and Scent

How much do you suppose a box blind covers scent? Let's say that the blind is set at approximately 100 yds west of the feeder/food plot. So, even with a north or south wind, it's not blowing directly toward the feeder. There is high fenced land to the direct south of you, so deer tend to move in from the west and north of you.
Wind shouldn't have as much of an effect as sitting outside of it, but how much would you concern yourself with being scented? Would you use spray, bathe in scent free soaps, use other technology, etc? How far would you go in this scenario to be concerned about being winded?

I don't believe in any of those scent free scams. I've been busted in box blinds(when windows are open) but mainly when they are close to the feeder for bow set ups, not so much at 100yrds. Playing the wind is your best option

Kind of my thinking as well. Obviously, I'm not gonna spray a bunch of cologne or use super smelly deoderant or anything, but if you just play the wind and don't do anything stupid, a guy should be fine. I just wanted to see how much concern everyone else has with this.

At a 100 yards the scent has dissipated, you more likely to get busted by movement or sound.

Yeah agree with dogcatcher. At 100 yds and prevailing winds not going toward the feeder you will be completely fine, could do whatever you want scent wise and be fine. Movement, shadowing/silouetting and that kind of stuff you need to worry about, but not scent.

If you have your box blind/feeder set up on the east/west direction you are doing good as it avoids the prevailing winds. I don't think you have much to be worried about them winding you from the blind.

That said they will smell where you walk etc. I sat opening morning in our tank stand. I had sever deer come very close to the stand. One a spike buck picked up the scent where we walked in from on the road/sendero that goes to the tank. He followed my scent trail around to the base of the stairs on our blind looked around and then followed it around the edge of the tank and over to another sendero where I had walked and thrown a bucket of corn. He wasn't spooked or alarmed but he would walk nose down smelling for a few steps then stop pick up his head and look around. I have seen deer do this many times. More warry deer I have seen cross my foot path lock up smell the ground and turn and run.

I also do not believe the scent free soap, spray, detergent, deodorant etc. will do anything.

I would imagine it would stop scent a lot better than sitting out in the open, but as long as you have windows there's going to be some scent movement so I try to still be careful about it. agree with redchevy with the walking in being a bigger factor, used to hunt with a guy that would literally walk within 5 feet of his feeder when going to the blind and he never could figure out why deer where feeder shy

Open only the window in front of you, that'll def help

I hunted a box blind Sunday am, light to very little wind. Walked in as it was lighting up (we made a mistake on time) and had about 15 minutes until feeder went off for legal time. Got settled in, opened windows (2 out of 5) facing feeder and waited. Within 5 minutes after feeder went off had deer at feeder. Then more. The deer walked over where I walked in, they didn’t care. More deer show up (I have a doe problem) and then more showed up from behind me. They came within 15-20 yards of my stand, never knew I was there. I shot one at 35 yards (xbow), they didn’t even know what happened. Several blows due to the dead deer they watched fall, and they actually came back. There were doe and fawns within 20 yards of me the whole time, before, during, and after shot.

If you set up right and don’t make a lot of noise, movement, the deer will be good.

I love these posts. Myself and my sons set in a pop up at 35 yards with the feeder west wind slightly blowing out of the north and my 7th grader dropped a great buck. It’s all about wind and silence. Academy and cabelas loves y’all’s money on scent control

for the scent control folks, cover yourself in the scent control stuff and hide in your house and see if your dog can find you!

Two bowls of Chile with beans is always a good idea!............Fritos too.

This is why I asked the question. It seems really silly to me to be that concerned about it. I know guys that spend tons of money on products to control scent, and then take all kinds of snacks, chew gum, etc. Just be smart about wind and where you walk.

There is a bunch of cow manure all around my pop up, seems to be great cover scent. Had several deer at about 35 yds and one dumb little yearling buck that has a horn like the Grinch's dog at about 15 yds Saturday morning. I do keep my clothes in a tote with some leaf smelling stuff, don't use smelly soap when I shower, and use unscented deodorant. I try to hunt the wind but I am on a hill and it swirls some. My efforts seem to work just fine, have not been winded yet...

Hunt the wind correctly. If light swirl winds, I'll take my gloved hands and pull on some green cedar which releases a natural aroma but I mostly bow hunt on a lock on, ladder or tripod. Minimal and very slow movement is what hurts more than scent control even in the open

I think the issue of scent is more important to a bow hunter. For a rifle hunter taking shots at 100+ yards, I would not worry about it. I have been in a box blind and had deer walk right by it, without showing a reaction. The blind appeared to control my scent. As others have stated, they do notice movement.

Is your box blind on the ground or elevated? If elevated, how far?



Their goal is to not smell likely people. Smelling like food is fine.

I don't use any of those products and was sitting in a tree stand about 14' up and had animal crackers for a snack. The baggy slid off my lap and I caught it from the bottom and most of the contents flipped over and spilled out the top and onto the ground. Later than night I had deer under my stand eating animal crackers and after that, the raccoons, one of which decided to try climbing the ladder to see if any more were up top, LOL.

Just make sure you wear full camo in the box blind, lol.

I just spray tan my self camo. That way I'm always prepared and can hunt commando. It's very refreshing.

Bwahahahaha! Now that was funny. Made me laugh

That is funny right there! I hunt in Carhart pants and a Carhart jacket most of the time if I am just sitting in a blind. A friend stopped by one day and asked if I was going to change into camo before hunting - I said no, deer do not have xray eyes, so they can't see thru the walls.

Hah!

Always giggle when I see a group of hunters wearing full camo when all are hunting in blinds. I mostly hunt blinds and just throw on whatever is closest and clean.