Heaters in the blind

So I have a small heater in my blind I use it from time to time. Now a buddy said that the smell of a hearted would warn deer off. Any truth to that?

I would say no. Many hunters have small Dearborn heaters in their blinds.

We have a little buddy heater, deer don’t seem bothered by it.

If they can smell a heater, they can smell you I'd think. If it keeps you hunting, turn that bad boy on and enjoy yourself

Depends on how close they are to the blind. I run a heater when necessary.

We run Buddy heaters in both blinds as necessary. The windows are usually closed if it's cold enough for heat, Never noticed a problem with deer being bothered.

I run a heater when I need one, never saw a problem.

If you can shoot a deer while smoking a cigarette, you can shoot a deer with a heater running.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Someone will be along to say heaters are ruining deer hunting. I have my Buddy plumbed up inside with a propane tank on the ground. I do pay attention to the glow until after sun comes up.

Long live Mr. Buddy!

I'm with JB1316, if it keeps you comfortable and out there hunting, use it. All of my box blinds have a heater in them. I bought them to use to keep my kids warm when they were young. They are all grown now and I don't hesitate to use them on a cold day.

We use buddy heaters also

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, vent your blind and cabin!! People die every year accidentally. I’ve seen it happen. And yes, they work fine.

I use a little buddy heater. Never had any problems with it scaring animals away - though my blind is positioned in a way to accommodate the typical southerly wind. If you are hunting an area that's close and the wind is not in your favor... I'd suspect animals will smell it... though they'd also smell you too.

As Huntmaster posted - ALWAYS make sure you vent when you use a gas heater. These little heaters work well but can be extremely dangerous if not used properly.

I have a Buddy heater that I use when needed - I guess there is the possibility the scent might warn deer, but if I can stay in the blind longer and be more comfortable, good trade to me. I agree on being safe, and guessing for most of us, our blinds are pretty well vented anyway - at least mine are no where near air tight. Also, I believe on the Buddy heaters they have a low O2 shutoff and a tip over sensor. Need to confirm.

They do.

I too use a Mr Heater, never had a problem with it running deer off

Sad for me to admit but I rarely go to the blind dressed for the weather anymore. If my heater doesn't work I will probably head back to camp sooner rather than later.

There are two basic types of propane heaters. One is the radiant type which is basically just an open burner. These will produce carbon monoxide and can be deadly if used indoors. The other type are catalytic heaters and do not produce carbon monoxide. These will typically have some type of ceramic grate that the flames go over. You can see it in the Mr Buddy heaters and the old Dearborn style heaters. If the room is sealed up tightly, you can still get oxygen depletion with the catalytic heaters, but you don't have to worry about CO poisoning.

Unless the deer is in the blind with you, it will not make a difference.

The only deer not shot with a heater going in my blind was if it was too hot. In Texas that does occur, which in that case the Thermacell is cranking. Many a deer has been harvested with that little device going.

I have an OLD Coleman heater that is about as noisy as you can imagine, puts off a very loud hissing sound even on low ... My son has a Mr. Buddy heater that runs much quieter and I also have a Coleman that just screws on the bottle ... deer don't pay any attention to any of them.

I hunt the wind....and when its cold I hunt with a heater....my old bones don't like cold....I get more than I want at work....not gonna be cold hunting if I don't have to....

If you vent the blind through the roof the heater will actually make you less likely to get winded. Cold air comes in, gets warm and drafts in much the same way a chimney does. The warm air carries your scent up and away. The larger the differential in temperature between outside and inside the blind the better it works.

+1

What Hirogen said, I trust him on this one...he hunts where is really cold that most of us Mr. Buddy users would not even think about venturing out in. But, I too use a Mr. Buddy in my shooting house blinds. Vented, of course.

No heater for me. Of course, I'm in an open tower blind . . .

My blind behind the house has electricity. Nice not having to open a window.