I play the wind alot too. But I like to give myself any little bit of a help I canI spray my boots with scent killer but play the wind for my main scent.
I have noticed a difference up north where the deer don't smell people a lot. It seems to take the 'in your face' danger away. In Indiana they are more used to the smell I think. Up north where I'm at the deer are spooky as heck. Up here I wash my clothes and put them in bags with pine branches. In Indiana I don't anymore, but I always try to limit my scent going in and out.I play the wind alot too. But I like to give myself any little bit of a help I can
Its been my experience that mature does and bucks will rarely move with the wind completely at their disadvantage. Most of the older deer I've killed, including my two biggest bucks, were generally quartering into the wind when I killed them. Sometimes the wind does weird things depending on terrain, thermals or heavy cover and I've seen deer take advantage of those situations to scent check areas that would've seemed to be downwind based on the nominal wind direction.I am on the fence about scents. I use a 2 person blind that I think limits the amount emitted.
Shot a deer 3 years ago from my favorite spot that has 3 intersecting trails. Have taken several deer there over the years sitting on the ground under a tree. Wind was from the right so faced right. Had a deer approach from down wind and they only spooked when I turned. So faced to the left in the afternoon, had one approach from the right. Next day faced straight ahead and got a good shot. Have taken 3 at that spot facing ahead and not minding the wind.
I am not an expert but don't think it matters much, at least at that spot.
Don
This is your best bet. Pick the stand that has shooting lanes upwind of it. Use unscented soap. A little diesel or doe pee on the boots.I spray my boots with scent killer but play the wind for my main scent.
They don't get old bein' dumb.Its been my experience that mature does and bucks will rarely move with the wind completely at their disadvantage. Most of the older deer I've killed, including my two biggest bucks, were generally quartering into the wind when I killed them. Sometimes the wind does weird things depending on terrain, thermals or heavy cover and I've seen deer take advantage of those situations to scent check areas that would've seemed to be downwind based on the nominal wind direction.
That's what we attempt to do, knowing full good and well it's impossible to be scent free but doing our best. I believe it's helpful but I also still expect to get picked off if they're down wind.I now concentrate on lack of scents that deer relate to danger. No fuel or cooking smells ect. More of removing mine than using incense to cover up the smell of weed.
Now my neighbor uses cover scents corn and something called evercalm he does well for himself so maybe try one of those two.