Members of the deer family and predators need their sense of smell to survive, so they are equipped with far more olfactory receptors than those animals that do not rely on their sense of smell. So they are pretty impressive. Of all the whitetail’s superior defenses, the most reliable is its sense of smell. ... whether it is a spot in a funnel, a food plot, or just simply a white oak flat, they create shot opportunities that you can designate. I hope you did too. It can be a bit confusing to determine the best deer bait to use while you’re out hunting. A deer’s sense of smell is arguably its best survival adaptation, followed by hearing. I think when a buck is cruising he is just heading … Make sure you follow a meticulous scent control program each and every time to head afield, and always hunt with the wind in your face. Deer Scents to Use: If the scenting conditions are perfect (humid with a light breeze), it can even be farther. Jalin from Pennsylvania asks, Topic: How Far away Deer Smell Human Scent: Hello Bill, several of the farms I hunt on here in Western Pennsylvania have quite a bit of timber/bedding cover with very little terrain features to funnel the deer to a point where hunting in this timber and still playing the wind in my favor is really possible. Usually when they are working an area they are looking for ground scent, not airborne scent. Though not proven, it’s believed white-tailed deer can smell eight to 10 times better than people. Vanilla is a food scent choice that’s hard to beat for hunters from Kansas all the way down south in Texas. How far away can deer smell food? They can use air currents and smell food, danger and other deer all instinctively. You look ahead for a clear path. A deer smells ahead for a clear path. They Can’t See Me: Human’s are about 2 inches. People who think they are tricking the deer by reducing their scent are kidding themselves. If they smell something they want or is danger they know how far away the danger is. You can see why hunters are at such a disadvantage when they head to the woods. The Science Behind a Deer's Sense of Smell & Scent Control Understanding the science of a whitetail's scenting ability might not guarantee you a filled tag, but it definitely can't hurt. 3. Rich,We did have a great Thanksgiving. It is so far above our ability to smell, it’s hard to get a grasp on what their world must be like each day as they interpret the world around them with their nose. Fortunately, we know a lot more than ever about how deer smell. I am not sure on the first question. ANSWER: Under normal conditions, a deer can smell a human that is not making any attempt to hide its odor at least 1/4 mile away. Most whitetail hunters have no idea how well a deer can smell, and that they use their noses as their first line of defense—always. Cable Smith, the host of Lone Star Outdoor Show, shares his favorite food deer attractant scent! I think the airborne scent is easy to detect for them. I am guessing that they can smell a hot doe for a ways, maybe 200+ yards, probably much farther. However, people have their opinions about what will give you the edge in the field. A whitetail has 6-8 cubic inches of nasal surface area compared to a human’s 1 ½ inches. We cannot fool the deer’s sense of smell, but we can use it to our advantage. Food Scent: The Cherry Versus Grape Debate . The ability of a deer to smell danger is legendary, and it stands at a level that we humans cannot even comprehend. That amazing nose that often tips them off to our presence can … But there is far more you can use deer scents for before, and during the hunting season. They are looking for ground scent, not airborne scent is easy to detect for them opinions about will. 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