Straight up busted.

[Skoaltender]

After some rattling sat morning, a rather large 5x5 come running in downwind from me at full speed. jumped the fence 30 yards from my stand and followed my trail in. He came to a quick stop put his nose to my boot print and boom he took off. Is there anything that could have been done to prevent this?

On a side note this guy was pretty beat up, left ear was ripped apart and some nasty scars on his neck. Looks like he was ready for round two with another big boy.

[SonofDixie]

How old was your track?

[Leather burner]

Keep dedicated rubber soled hunting boots in a bag until getting out of your vehicle. Step in fresh cowpies if you can find some, or something natural to the area that will overpower other scents - spruce boughs, etc

[davis77]

I love a good old cow patty myself if there around. i spray my boots down also.

[SCHOOCH]

Love a fresh cow patty like the others, but i do keep my boots just as scent free as my camo. I also like using a felt strap on the sole that i usually put doe pee pee on.....had several animals follow my path without getting spooked.

[Koschenk]

Now I feel real silly for time spent scrubbing cow patty off my boot with hot water and a toothbrush

[BigRackLover]

all good tips above. Spray lots of scent eliminator as well.

However the best thing to do is not walk directly on top of game trails - step over or beside and avoid the trails they use all together to get to your stand.

[antler1]

I will share what I have been using for years, and have watched work time and again. Just saw it work again for my buck this Nov. 1st.
I order a fresh bottle of coyote urine from Halford Hide every fall and put it in a squirt bottle that goes out with me every day. I have sets of boots I wear depending on the temperature that don't get put on until I exit my truck at my parking spot. When I get fairly near my stands I squirt some on the soles of my boots. The deer can walk in on the same trail and don't pick up any human scent. Easy as that.
The local coyotes do not like it and will bolt when they cross the trail. But that's a good thing.

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by antler1

I will share what I have been using for years, and have watched work time and again. Just saw it work again for my buck this Nov. 1st.
I order a fresh bottle of coyote urine from Halford Hide every fall and put it in a squirt bottle that goes out with me every day. I have sets of boots I wear depending on the temperature that don't get put on until I exit my truck at my parking spot. When I get fairly near my stands I squirt some on the soles of my boots. The deer can walk in on the same trail and don't pick up any human scent. Easy as that.
The local coyotes do not like it and will bolt when they cross the trail. But that's a good thing.

Won't the coyote scent disturb the deer?

[antler1]

No- they smell it in the bush all the time.

[CNP]

Why not urinate on your own boots? Urine is urine. It's the pheromones in animal urine that give it distinction. I urinate in mock scrapes and the deer seem to like it, in the least they are not bothered by it. An absence of pheromones in human urine does not reveal that it came from a human.........at least under the scrutiny of animals that do not have laboratories. Don't get me wrong, I like using mare-in-heat urine during the moose rut. The scent that a deer picks up is not necessarily coming off your boots? Think of your body as a big scent cloud. I like really cold temps...............the scent cloud is frozen..............frozen stink doesn't smell. It's impossible to determine what direction a deer will come from when rattling.......this deer came in from downwind.......on the trail used by the hunter........temp was mild.

[calgarychef]

If you do a big loop and come back onto the trail where you think they might come in from downwind sometimes it works. It's hard to describe really but think about it and it'll make sense eventually.

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Originally Posted by Koschenk

Now I feel real silly for time spent scrubbing cow patty off my boot with hot water and a toothbrush

Lol... thats funny right there...

When I was guiding I used carry a MT beercan box full of fresh cow paddy and tell the hunters to do a dance in the box before heading to the stand...got some looks and even some refused...

But IMHO its the best scent cove rup availible!!!! and its free....

Neil