Elk urine and scent use

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I was just curious....
When I am Elk hunting, I use my nose.
I have, on numerous occasions, smelled Elk before I have seen/heard them.
Also, when looking for fresh sign, I depend on my ability to smell, almost as much as I do my eyes.
You know what I am talking about,...
that faint whiff..getting stronger...
Whoah ! smells like a barnyard !
..............
I keep a couple bottles in my pack of scent.
I will put a drop or two on the bottom of my boots.,
When I am in a close encounter (and have time) I will mist some in the air to get wind direction, and (hopefully) add a little incentive if the Elk tries to get downwind.
Or hang a wafer on a branch when planning to spend any time in one spot, in the hopes that an animal will take a sniff at it and stop in a "shooting lane"
but I try to avoid having too much smell on me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Now I have stopped and talked, even hunted with other hunters in the woods that stank to high heaven of the stuff !
Drives me crazy ! I keep smelling it, and wanting to find where it is coming from...
...............................

I guess the idea is to "cover" or mask human scent, and hopefully try to fool the elk, but IMHO, that is almost impossible.
You might buy a second or two of hesitation, and that might be all it takes 
.............................

How do you use scents ?

Do you wear it as cologne, or spray the bushes like I do ?

[hunter360]

I've sprayed some on my hat, but that's about it.

[TheHunt]

I personally do not use scents any more.  BUT I have in the past....  Here are the scenarios that I have used elk urine.  The "Golden Estrus" seamed to get a better respose then the rocky mountain scent.

1.  Get a small jar and dump about 2 table spoons of NON Scented petroleum jelly (Vasoline).  Add as much Golden Estrus as you can to the jelly to still keep the consistency to stick to things.  Now get some slinky or parachute cord and make six inch long slinky's with weights on each end.  Use rubber gloves when building the slinky's.  Spray with scent killer and let dry.   With rubber gloves get that Golden Estrus Jelly all over the slinky.  Bring a "David and Golith" Sling shot to throw the slinky's in the trees.  Think like baiting bears...   Use this to get the smell of a hot elk in the area.  You do this in an area with elk with the idea that this will make the bulls more responsive to estrus cow calls and bull breading sounds.    It is a pain but I did think this actually worked.  BUT you also help other hunters who are poorer callers to get a response to the elk.  So it is a catch 22. 

2.  This hunting is blind hunting / field hunting.  Wear rubber scent free boots.  Use the same type of approach but pick up a stick with rubber gloves walk into the field where you want the elk to go or end up at put the scented jelly slinky on the stick, wipe jelly on the stick and plant in the ground.  The elk will focus on that smell. Hopefully the elk will walk to the stick for a shot.

[AKBowman]

Wow! That is pretty impressive I guess 

I just spray it on the bottom of my boots but if I was in real close (50yds or less) and felt the wind go bad I would spray it into the air in hopes to cover my scent or confuse a bull.

I am debating hanging a stand this year and if I do I will more than likely soak a cotton ball in scent and hang it upwind of my stand in a shooting lane.

[backcountry55]

i say no smell is good smell im not an elk but what if the elk piss you buy in a bottle is not elk piss its goat piss lol... you know....... use the wind in your favor and killem!!!!!!

[Nilehunter]

My hunting partner smells like an elk from the start of the season till two days after  .  He gets elk so... Definitely does not hurt your chances.

 

[Wiley]

i always try yo Play the wind right and use sent as a back up.

[yajsab]

I don't use elk scent but have ran into people that do.  Boy, some really make use of those cologne!  I can't stand talking to them even for 1 minute.

[flinger]

I have not found a bottle of elk pis/scent that comes close to smelling like a fresh wet pee spot on the ground,I will definately use the ground pee scent before anything in a bottle Rub a little here and there instant elk

[canyelk48]

I'll spray a little on my boots and when I get to where I'm going to set up, I'll spray some on low hanging branches or the side of a tree or two so if the wind shifts, it will hopefully mask my smell.  I shot a cow last year at 7 yards and have had others walk within 10 yards of me without busting me, so I'm convinced it works!  A few years ago while setting up for an ambush in Montana, I was actually overrun and surrounded by a herd of over 70 cows and wasn't busted until the cow that was feeding on some leaves over my shoulder looked down and saw my eyes; talk about all hell breaking loose, nothing like being in the middle of an elk stampede, lol!

[bench beast]

i say no smell is good smell im not an elk but what if the elk piss you buy in a bottle is not elk piss its goat piss lol... you know....... use the wind in your favor and killem!!!!!!

if you dont have the wind in your favor, your not hunting. I check the wind constantly.

[PA BEN]

The first time I used scent was with deer. A buck got out of his bed and was in my tracks looking for the doe. I shot him at 30yds. I use elk scent all the time. Keep the wind in your favor, but cover scent works. I've called in some big bulls and could have killed them, but where I hunted I had to draw a tag. HS Strut makes good wafers to pin on your hat and close. I've played with a lot of bulls and used scent all the time.

[Recurve-Elk]

I personally don't even bother.  I use scent killer, and or some earthy smelling cover, but no urine or attractants.  I don't believe in it.  I use my nose a lot when I hunt.  Last year I got in to a group of about 8 animals, solely by using me nose.  I smelt them and followed the smell for a quarter mile, and poof there they were!

I do on the other hand know a guy who swears by the wafers...  Its all just personal preference. 

[jstone]

Just be careful. Buddy shot a buck at about 10 feet or so. Late season mulie had love in his eyes and NOSE cause of to scent.

[Holg3107]

I only use scent killer no attractants, and as metioned really pay attention to the wind.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I seem to be getting a lot of advice, but the question was not about that...
I watch the wind.
I avoid scent on myself.
I like to test the wind for a scent of Elk.
I have smelled them from quite a distance, and would not have known they were there w/o smelling them first.
I usually only use scent to spray on /in an area, on bushes and stuff OTHER THAN ME.
I just have met, and hunted with others that take a bath in the stuff, and was wondering how many of "those guys" were on this forum.

[Holg3107]

Sorry stiknstring, Ill clarify a major reason why I only use scent blocker is so that my sence of smell is not inhibited. I hunted with a buddy in idaho who sprayed estrus scent all over himself, didnt smell like elk IMO but the biggest issue was that all you could smell walking around was him. Also we have set up scents around our game cams durring the rut in idaho and didnt see a spike in bucks coming in. Infact we had the opposite experience fewer bucks but did catch out first cougar on cam with scent laid out. Just dont think that farm elk urine smells the same as wild.

[Nilehunter]

i say no smell is good smell I'm not an elk but what if the elk piss you buy in a bottle is not elk piss its goat piss lol... you know....... use the wind in your favor and killem!!!!!!

if you dont have the wind in your favor, your not hunting. I check the wind constantly.

Ive hunted in situations where you would have to go in circles to keep the wind in your favor.  That's when cover scent and urine scent comes in handy.

[MtnMuley]

Personally, I could care less about my smell. Gotta play the wind 100 percent of the time.