Skunk scent for deer/elk?
Contributors to this thread:Mule Deer
From: David A.
17-Dec-19
What have your results been using skunk scent for deer/elk as a cover scent?
I had one negative experience where I had a mature mule deer turn around and trotted off from my stand location when he hit the scent trail. It could have been my own scent, but he was directly downwind of where I put the skunk scent.
From: jstephens61
17-Dec-19
The only time a skunk will spray is when it’s threatened or in danger. Kinda lets other animals know there’s a predator around. I’d rather smell like nothing than something.
From: AaronShort
17-Dec-19
Everyone in the late 70's and early 80's used skunk scent as cover up. I never did understand it.
From: Fuzzy
17-Dec-19
my favorite ex-wife used to keep a bottle of skunk scent and open and sniff it occasionally. She liked the smell. She'd also roll down the car windows and sniff road kill skunks. Maybe that's what attracted her to me.....
From: Whocares
17-Dec-19
Jeesh!!
From: GBTG
17-Dec-19
1970's in my High school in Wisconsin in the middle of winter someone? poured skunk scent on the heat radiator element WOWSER I'll never forget that best prank in school history ....even better than greased pigs and pigeons in the hallways................
From: GF
17-Dec-19
Given the choice, I think I’d choose a cover scent that I found inoffensive. Sounds like NoseJammer works, although if it works as advertised, I have have some philosophical concerns with it....
From: Supernaut
17-Dec-19
Never used skunk scent as cover, used fox urine in the early 80's. I used to get sprayed enough by skunks checking my trap line as a kid that I sure didn't want to voluntarily put it on me. Only plus to getting sprayed checking my trap line before school was I got to skip school that day.
From: tinecounter
17-Dec-19
"The only time a skunk will spray is when it’s threatened or in danger. Kinda lets other animals know there’s a predator around. I’d rather smell like nothing than something." jstephens61
I agree with Jim, but have used racoon urine scent on boot soles going to my tree stands for many years. Watched an Ontario Black Bear follow my trail (I'd been on stand for about an hour) to my tree stand and sniff around base of tree for several seconds before proceeding unalarmed to bait barrel. Made a believer out of me.
From: elkmtngear
17-Dec-19
I tried skunk scent back in the 80s...until I noticed that the does would "blow", as soon as they caught my wind.
If nothing else...they'll know exactly where you're at ;^)
From: Vonfoust
17-Dec-19
Used to use fox urine in the 80's. An old timer said "I know deer aren't real scared of foxes but they aren't exactly going to try to find one either." Quit then. I imagine a deer isn't going looking for a skunk either.
From: jstephens61
17-Dec-19
Tinecounter, bears eat coons. I use a coon pup distress call when the bear hunting is slow. Never thought of using color urine for bear “cover”.
From: stagetek
17-Dec-19
It was somewhat popular in the mid to late 70's. For me, it didn't work then and I doubt it will work now. Why let them know where you are ?
From: David A.
21-Dec-19
Thanks for all the replies. I agree it was a fad in the 1960s and likely was counterproductive.
From: newfi1946moose
21-Dec-19
Live trapped one and released it in our brand new high school in 1959. Interesting couple of extra days off!
From: Bou'bound
21-Dec-19
Unnecessary to use. Better options all over the place
From: HUNT MAN
21-Dec-19
Yes . Love the smell of a skunk!
From: Shuteye
21-Dec-19
JTV I also think the faint skunk smell is good. I also worked at a skinning house for years and miss the smell of the muskrat glands. That stuff was worth a fortune back in the day. I wonder how many women that used real expensive perfume ever wondered where that great smell came from?
From: Shug
21-Dec-19
A skunk always smells like a skunk weather he sprayed or not.
I think your one instance isn’t enough to make a decision. I’ve used skunk scent often and can’t remember a negative response
From: badbull
21-Dec-19
I did have one negative experience with it when I tried to take a bottle of it (that I had extracted from dead skunks) to school. It seems others do not seem to tolerate the smell as much as I do. I do not remember exactly what my intent was but I can tell you things did not go well for me that day. This was before it was sold as a cover scent. BTW, do not try to transport the stuff in your lunchpail.
From: BuzAL
22-Dec-19
I once had a small herd of whitetail does and young bucks come by and mill around 20-30 yards downwind of me sitting in a groundblind just after I'd gotten settled in after throwing a dozen or so q-tips full of it around my hiding spot. Seemed to jam their noses, I think they went right on about their business unaffected by me or it. Woulda worked real good that day if a deer I'd wanted to shoot was in that group.
I think it probably "works better" than other scent gimmicks as a cover, cuz it is just sooo loud. But it seems it didn't take shops too many seasons to realize "incidents" with that stuff were inevitable. You could immediately tell upon entry if a shop had any in stock.
From: Surfbow
23-Dec-19
There's something wrong with that chick Fuzzy, very wrong...
From: SBH
23-Dec-19
Colorado has a pretty good skunky scent in the air. I dunno....
From: Shuteye
23-Dec-19
Red Fox stinks like heck. I have skinned hundreds of them. When I was trapping I always carried red fox urine. Sprinkle some around where you set the trap and if draws them in like crazy. That is why once you catch a red fox, make a reset and it will almost always catch another fox quickly. It would probable be a good cover scent since deer smell it all the time and it is a whole lot easier to get than skunk scent. I never use a cover scent.
From: Matt
23-Dec-19
"There's something wrong with that chick Fuzzy, very wrong..."
Hell yeah, I didn't have to read past the part where she married him to figure that out. ;-)
From: rallison
23-Dec-19
In high school I worked for a veterinarian...mostly large, farm animals. He still did house pets as well...he'd descented several skunks, which make pretty cool pets. One time, after removing the scent sac, he ruptured it...spilling the entire content over the floor! Most overpowering...for months...lol.
From: hawkeye in PA
24-Dec-19
Agree, it alerted deer instead of calming them from my experiences.
Lol on that lady.
From: Shuteye
24-Dec-19
When I was a kid I lived next to a bar. The owner had a pet skunk and it was huge. It had been descented. It was as tame as it could be. The bar was segregated, blacks on one side and whites on the other. What was funny to watch was when someone stopped in there that hadn't been in there before and their actions when the skunk came strolling around. It was hilarious. I was just a kid but the bar owner let me come in anytime I wanted. I used to pick up soda bottles along the road and trade them to the bar owner for hot sausages that were in a big jar on the bar. He had another jar of pickled eggs too. I think the reason the skunks was so big is he knew how to beg for snacks.
