Smoking and Hunting. Whats your thoughts, opinions, facts, stories, etc.

[RightPlace-RightTime]

Just wanted to hear everyones opinion on smoking while out in the woods,  How bad do you think it is? 
Example, do you think smoke will cover up true human scent etc.  Just a thought.  Personally i have not had a problem with it but would love to hear your stories, see pics, if any and any other stories related to smoking and hunting.  I know for some, going 4 hrs your burning to have one. lol.

[Ray]

I think that cigarette or tobacco smoke is a bad idea. Even with my human nose I can smell almost all people that smoke. It even permeates their clothes long after they had their last drag. I used to smoke for about 10 years. Quit about 4 years ago.

[jackelope]

as a die hard smoker-hunter, i say quit.
i tried real hard to not smoke while i was hunting and usually was pretty good about it, but occasionally just had to have a smoke. it was usually once we decided to head out to the truck, or after we killed a deer. i quit almost a year ago, and hunting this year i never felt better climbing those hills.
if you smoke, quit.
p.s. i would love to smoke a cigarette right now, but can not  allow myself to. it is the hardest challenge i've ever faced...i do it for me, my wife and my little girl.
i mean it. it is the greatest feeling in the world to know you don't have to smoke...
back on track...i think it stinks to high heaven.
 here's a pic that relates smoking to hunting. this joker almost burnt my truck to the ground. caused me to run a  real long ways as a smoker with my heavy backpack on because i thought my truck was burning to the ground.

[sisu]

I am real lucky...never developed a need for cigs or chew. I will smoke an occational good quality cigar, or one of those Natural Cigs (supposed to be no additives etc.). Enjoy them with a good strong cup of coffee or espresso.
As far as using any of these when hunting I believe they stink and will allow the critters to smell you even better. I leave my deer stuff outside so it will not absorb house hold smells why would I smoke when wearing them then?

[jjdavis2222]

 I think it all depends on what type of hunting you are doing. How close you need your pray to get to you. I dont really believe in all that scent soap and stuff. What ever makes you feel more comfortable in the field I suppose.

[billythekidrock]

I don't smoke and I hate the smell.
That being said, my father will smoke while hunting and he will always get an animal. He has killed more decent blacktails and rosies (in the thick stuff) than most will ever have a chance at.

[Hunting Cowboy]

I don't smoke or advise anyone to start. My dad did smoke and that guy killed more deer than any of us. Usually just sitting having a cig watching an area. He never killed a monster, but for many years he usually got his buck.

[runningboard]

my father will smoke while hunting and he will always get an animal.

An uncle of mine was the same way, he chain-smoked but always came home with usually the nicest buck.

I dont really believe in all that scent soap and stuff.

I have to agree with that, if it's really that big a deal how did we get animals before the influence of the media on "our" senses not the animals? did the animals read the soapmakers claims and then decide to use their noses more?

[ICEMAN]

Bad for you, bad for your family, bad for your friends, bad for your health, bad for your wallet. Name one good reason to smoke. Smoking can't possibly help the hunt. Only benefit I ever saw was my uncle nuke-ing mosquitos around camp. I can smell a smoker two ridges away during the hunt, I image game could smell them further, not sure if they care though...

[Hunting Cowboy]

I do tend to agree with the comment about the scent removing soap and so on. I think being mindful of your scent is important. For example spilling gas or deisel on yourself at the gas station on your way hunting isn't too smart. It may make some difference up close when bow hunting, but realistically, keeping the wind right and not sky lining yourself and extremely slow or non movement is probably more important than scent removal soaps and charcoal lined clothing, IMO.

[jjdavis2222]

 Iceman, I dont think we talking about if its bad for you ar not. I think we all know its not going to make us live any longer just if we think deer can smell it from a distance.

[edmondshunter]

I smoke on the way to hunting land.  I keep all my gear, pack and so on in a sealed plastic rubbermade tub.  If never had any problems.  Got some yote's into 50-60 yards.  I think they have better noses than a deer. 

As far as the scent control products all I use is Dead Down Wind pack wipes.  I just take one with me on the trail, just in my coat pocket, and wipe my face, hair, pits, ect., when I take a rest.  They are made w/plant enzymes, and seem to work well. 

Having said that I see guys smoking on the trail,  they always have the wind in their face.  Ive seen a few come back w/trophy's

[Palmer]

A friend of ours smokes while hunting.  He had a large 5 point whitetail come out onto the trail with the appearance of wanting to find the origin of the smell of the cig.  Needless to say it was his biggest buck to date that he has harvested.  

I've heard of similar stories with tobacco and gas.  The smells seem to spark curiosity in the deer.  For example, I had some gas leak from my car and after the hunt, the only fresh sign were tracks around my car that morning.

I still stick with the fact that you cannot let a deer smell you or you may not even know that it was in your vicinity.  I know from experience.  Soaps and scentlock work.  I've had whitetail feet from me and not gotten snorted at.  If you stay still they cannot see you.  Its like looking at a black and white TV show from their eyes.

If you use fragrant soaps, shampoos, or toothpaste without some parsley, you will smell of danger to them, more so than someone smelling of tobacco from what I've seen.  However, with scentlock and scent eliminating soaps I've harvested 5 deer, shot and missed 7 deer, and harvested one bear, to our smoker friend's one deer in the last 4 years.  He hasn't even seen any fawns or does.

I hunted for 22 years without scent eliminating soaps and harvested no deer.  I think I only shot at one deer in all that time.  I got tired of hearing snorts.  The whitetail were winning every time.  Now I did have a Muley doe and her fawn walk within 15' of me but I guess I was well down wind.

[huntnphool]

I am about as anti as you could get. One thing that really pisses me off is being 5 miles into a hike, enjoying the outdoors in all its splendor, wondering if anyone has ever stood here before, looking down and seeing a cigarette butt on the ground. Talk about no respect for the outdoors. Next time your at an intersection waiting for the light to change, take a look on the ground next to the concrete lane divider. I would like to see a $5.00 tax on all cigarette packs. This extra money should go to people the cities should higher to clean up this mess. Pay people $15.00+/hr to pick up nothing but these Butts.

[Skyvalhunter]

Everyone has their addictions just like everyone makes their own choice to smoke or not. I can't see where smoking would help when hunting any animal. We can't go around telling people what or what not to do unless there is a law stating so.  Alot of the old timers use to smoke that worked in the woods or other jobs and seemed do fine hunting. Main thing for sure is wind direction along with no scent but its their choice.

[jackelope]

Iceman, I dont think we talking about if its bad for you ar not. I think we all know its not going to make us live any longer just if we think deer can smell it from a distance. 

posing this question inevitably opens you up for that kind of response. of course they can smell it. i know why you smoke when you're hunting...i've been there. i don't know if it bothers a deer or not, and i don't care. i just know that you'd feel so much better if you didn't smoke. trust me...i know...i've been there.

[Buckshot Bill]

I used to smoke.  Gotten deer then and it didn't seem to bother them too much then.  My dad smoked too and got a lot of deer, elk, bear etc. in his day.  I quite for my own health and for my wife and daughter.  They hated the smell!  This was my first year hunting smoke-free and I got skunked but only hunted 5 days.  Like some have said prior, wind has a lot to do with it.  As far as my health goes I still had a tough time going uphill.  Guess that's what 26 yrs. of smoking does to the lungs.  I hope it gets better.

[boneaddict]

You crack me up.  There has to be one hell of a story behind that picture Jackelope.

Here is an anecdotal story for you...... I know one of the greatest woodsman alive today.  The real deal.  He quite smoking when I was 10 years old.  This is how he describes it.  After quiting, he realized that while he smoked he would fine any reason in the wor;ld not to climb the next hill, or tall mountain.  He would always choose the path around or come up with an excuse not to go to the next ridge.  He didn't realize this in his mind at all.  After quiting, he would climb that hill or that next ridge without thinking about it.  For reals, it screws up your breathing, and if you can't breathe you don't want to exert effort. The first time that really dawned on me was when shed hunting, I was going to climb to the top of this little hill.  I almost had myself talked out of it, but said BS, and climbed it.  Sitting right on top was a gorgeous 78 inch muley antler.....BROWN.    As for smell, that should be obvious.  Since I can't read deer minds, at least not yet, who knows how it bothers them, but I can tell you that they can smell it.  I don't buy this scentlock...soap....crap either.  Dawn one of those suits then light up, or go top off the tank.

[Broken Arrow]

I have been "smoking both elk and deer" for many years

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I smoke to piss off all the non smokers...


Just kidding i quit 4 years ago. And i still miss them and i still feel like crap...