Cigarette Smokers

[BLASTMASTER]

Just how bad is it to smoke while hunting?

I don't smoke myself, and neither does anyone else I hunt with, except for my BIL. Every time he's gone hunting with us, he refrains from smoking in the field, but smokes in camp sometimes. We have never been sucessful while he was hunting with us. In fact, I can say that we have seen far fewer pigs when he is hunting with us, even if he is hunting in a different area.

He quit smoking about 2 months ago, and we were so happy we invited him to go up to FHL with us in March. Well, this past week he started up again.

I guess my real question is...can the smell of residual smoke from his clothing transfer enough smell to us, that it would be significant?

Opinions?

 

[Speckmisser]

If you can smell it, pigs can sure enough smell it... it's probably one of the biggest ways to handicap yourself as a pig hunter, especially if you're hunting in close quarters. Not only that, but it handicaps the people around you.

It isn't just the clothing, but the smoke lingers in your hair and your skin as well. Everything in the area will also pick it up. Unless you're very careful, it'll cover your gear too.

Does this mean you can't be successful if you smoke, or if you're around smokers? Of course not. Lots of smokers score every season. But it means that everything you do to fight scent has to be doubled and the wind becomes even more critical.

 

[Shot]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BLASTMASTER @ Feb 19 2008, 03:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Just how bad is it to smoke while hunting?

Every time he's gone hunting with us, he refrains from smoking in the field, but smokes in camp sometimes.[/b]

Do you have camp fires or BBQ when back at camp? Do you wash your hands with scent free soap? Do you pack your cloths in scent free containers? Well, I can go on and on with this, what I am trying to get at is you are never 100% scent free, and you will never be. Stop trying to fight scent control and worry more about the wind.

I have a perfect example. I recently got into bowhunting. Starting readying Cameron Hanes's books. If you don't know who he is Google him and just see the amazing animals he has taken. I have seen pictures of him drying is cloths in the back-country with a fire, sweating over hard hikes and sleeping in his cloths for days, how bad do you think his cloths smell afterwards? He probably sinks like old cheese. And somehow Cam has great success almost every time (and with a bow).

Play the wind right and you will be fine.

 

[Isolated Addiction]

I agree with "SHOT" its all about the wind. I have read his books and used alot of his advise, even talked with him for a while at the sprorts shows. Using alot of his tactics has given me I feel, an edge. Though i have yet to connect on a BUCK, i have had my chances and screwed those up all on my own. "PLAY THE WIND AND KNOW YOUR AREA" those are the most important keys to opportunities, not always success. I do believe scent plays more of a factor in "STAND" hunting. I have also been the culprit of the wind while in the trees and there is not a thing you can due at the time."LIVE AND LEARN, GET OUT THERE AND PUT SOME MILES ON THOSE BOOTS"

 

[bux-n-dux]

I have had blacktails walk within 15 feet of me while I was smoking a Marlboro upwind of them. No lie. I thought that the hunt was over, was waiting for my pal to come and get me in the truck, had just called him up on the two-way when I lit up and watched a 3 does walk up to me fro the very canyon I had just walked through. My dad has had the same experience. On the other hand I know elk hunters that say if you smoke a cigar in camp you will be left in camp the next morning. And they have heads on their walls. So go figure.............

bux-n-dux

 

[BLASTMASTER]

Thanks
I guess what you're saying is to not get paranoid over the cigarette smoke, and to just be careful as reasonably possible, and to pay extra attention to the wind. Everything should be fine. It's hard not to be a little concerned, though. I remember seeing the little orange dot of another hunter walking along a ridge far away, and I could smell that he was smoking.