having a fire while hunting?

[muledeerarea33?]

I think we had this topic last year but dont really remember? what is everyones opinion on having a fire while on a hunt. if you are camping within a few miles of your prime hunting area because if you dont the prime spot might be taken by another hunter is it ok to have a fire? if you are several miles from where you are hunting is it ok? what do you guys think

[huntech]

I chose to never have a fire on the first few days of a hunt. Especially if you have to be close to where you are hunting. Now on the other hand if you are far enough away then what the heck

[tjhunt2]

Didn't know the two could be seperated.

[coueswt]

Some friends of mine will never have a fire in camp when they are scouting, hunting or guiding and they usually never hunt around camp. They do not have a fire as they do not want the smell on them or their clothes.

 

I on the other hand love to have a camp fire at night, have a drink, talk about the days events, etc... But I also take a shower every morning before i leave camp and change clothes daily. No matter how much I try to be scent free, and I do my best to be scent free, if you don't have the wind in your favor it doesn't matter what you smell like.

 

I sometimes camp within a few miles from a area that i want to hunt incase it rains so i can walk to a good area right from camp, don't want to tear up the roads and make the land owners/ranchers mad like in New Mexico or even Arizona and the Elk bugle all night around camp with a camp fire going. Even had them move right in camp one time with a fire going and us setting around it.

[Idahocoueshunter]

I think as long as it is wood smoke it does not bother them. After all of the fires around the country, they would get used to it. Now if you start burning paper, plastic spoons, styrofoam and other garbage, those are "unnatural" smells, and you'ld be in trouble. I've seen elk and mule deer in an active forest fire situation, just feeding as normal, when it was so smokey, you could barely breathe your self. I don't know if it is historicly accurate, but I've read where some native americans used smoke for scent control and cover.

 

 

 

Craig.

[Couesdeer]

I love the comfort that a campfire adds. Part of the experience. I guess thats why I can't ever seem to find deer.. I smell!

[Outdoor Writer]

Reality check folks:

 

No matter what you do or how much money you spend on "scent eliminator" products, you will NEVER eliminate enough scent to matter, especially when it comes to the highly developed scent of ungulates. The mere act of breathing puts out enough scent to alert any critter a 1/4-mile away IF you are upwind of it. And you don't need to eat garlic cloves for it to happen.

 

Just think of what a bird dog or a hound can smell. The latter will pick up a scent a day or more after the fact.

 

Now, some of you here have seen the walls in my two trophy rooms. I can't guess how many of those critters I killed after being near campfires or even smoking a cigarette mere minutes before. In fact, I can recall shooting at least three of them when I still had a lit cigarette in my hand just before pulling the trigger. I even had elk and deer come within a few yards of me while I was smoking, but they didn't spook until they got where the breeze carried my scent to them. That would have happened with or without the cigarette.

 

The ONLY way to keep from alerting game with your scent is to be downwind. - PERIOD! And don't argue with me. -TONY

[Snapshot]

I feel campfires are part of a hunting tradition and I certainly enjoy a nice cozy fire unless I am

out spike camping with a backpack in a good area then I won't light one.

[tjhunt2]

Reality check folks:

 

No matter what you do or how much money you spend on "scent eliminator" products, you will NEVER eliminate enough scent to matter, especially when it comes to the highly developed scent of ungulates. The mere act of breathing puts out enough scent to alert any critter a 1/4-mile away IF you are upwind of it. And you don't need to eat garlic cloves for it to happen.

 

Just think of what a bird dog or a hound can smell. The latter will pick up a scent a day or more after the fact.

 

Now, some of you here have seen the walls in my two trophy rooms. I can't guess how many of those critters I killed after being near campfires or even smoking a cigarette mere minutes before. In fact, I can recall shooting at least three of them when I still had a lit cigarette in my hand just before pulling the trigger. I even had elk and deer come within a few yards of me while I was smoking, but they didn't spook until they got where the breeze carried my scent to them. That would have happened with or without the cigarette.

 

The ONLY way to keep from alerting game with your scent is to be downwind. - PERIOD! And don't argue with me. -TONY

 

Yes Dad!

[Lance]

Reality check folks:

 

No matter what you do or how much money you spend on "scent eliminator" products, you will NEVER eliminate enough scent to matter, especially when it comes to the highly developed scent of ungulates. The mere act of breathing puts out enough scent to alert any critter a 1/4-mile away IF you are upwind of it. And you don't need to eat garlic cloves for it to happen.

 

Just think of what a bird dog or a hound can smell. The latter will pick up a scent a day or more after the fact.

 

Now, some of you here have seen the walls in my two trophy rooms. I can't guess how many of those critters I killed after being near campfires or even smoking a cigarette mere minutes before. In fact, I can recall shooting at least three of them when I still had a lit cigarette in my hand just before pulling the trigger. I even had elk and deer come within a few yards of me while I was smoking, but they didn't spook until they got where the breeze carried my scent to them. That would have happened with or without the cigarette.

 

The ONLY way to keep from alerting game with your scent is to be downwind. - PERIOD! And don't argue with me. -TONY

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amen to that!

 

Light up those fires (if it is safe) and have a good time!

[elmergoo]

Reality check folks:

 

No matter what you do or how much money you spend on "scent eliminator" products, you will NEVER eliminate enough scent to matter, especially when it comes to the highly developed scent of ungulates. The mere act of breathing puts out enough scent to alert any critter a 1/4-mile away IF you are upwind of it. And you don't need to eat garlic cloves for it to happen.

 

Just think of what a bird dog or a hound can smell. The latter will pick up a scent a day or more after the fact.

 

Now, some of you here have seen the walls in my two trophy rooms. I can't guess how many of those critters I killed after being near campfires or even smoking a cigarette mere minutes before. In fact, I can recall shooting at least three of them when I still had a lit cigarette in my hand just before pulling the trigger. I even had elk and deer come within a few yards of me while I was smoking, but they didn't spook until they got where the breeze carried my scent to them. That would have happened with or without the cigarette.

 

The ONLY way to keep from alerting game with your scent is to be downwind. - PERIOD! And don't argue with me. -TONY

You the man Tony.

[Outdoor Writer]

I did post a message to the SCENT thread in the Bowhunting section for a homebrewed scent eliminator. -TONY

[monstercoues]

I agree, If the conditions are safe, light one up. Camp fires are part of the hunt. I personally won't get too close to it and try not to get too smokey because I can't handle the smell. I have called elk right into camp with a big fire burning, It didn't bother him one bit.

[muledeerarea33?]

thanks for all your posts. I was planning on a cold camp the day before the hunt since we are gonna be right in our hunting area on opening day then having one the next few days we are there. my buddy thinks I am being the hunt nazi. to each his own i guess

[ultramag]

Campfire smoke is a great way to hide human scent. The problem is not spilling beer on my clothes when I am around a fire.