Truth about scent is money in a hunter’s pocket

HUNTING — I love reading hunting how-to stories featuring successful sportsmen who aren’t owing to sponsors that supply them with gear or money.

You’re more likely to get the truth rather than a line.

Here’s a solid piece of advice from a hunter who isn’t likely to be getting kick-backs from a scent-blocking hunting apparel company.

In a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about bowhunting, Jody Maddock, manager for White Buffalo, a nonprofit wildlife management group, said:

“Wind is everything. In the morning, first thing I do is check the wind direction and look at my list of where I put stands. South wind, north wind, and I will not go to those stands when the wind isn’t right. It’s just educating the deer.”

And as for carbon clothing and scent-reduction sprays, Maddock has the same opinion year round:

“I think it’s all baloney. Be careful of your scent on the way in, and trust in your placement of stands.”