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Elk & The Human Scent!

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Elk & The Human Scent!

Postby ElkNut1 » 06 03, 2012 •  [Post 1]

ELK & HUMAN SCENT
Just what can a hunter get away with? Do elk ever tolerate the human scent? The answer is yes, but where & when?
When in an elks feeding/watering area during daylight hours, you'll find they will not tolerate human activity & stick around leisurely unless you're in an elk refuge or something similar. Scent will give a hunter away quicker than anything!
But, by the same token, elk will tolerate human scent in many hunting areas such as around camping areas, especially ones used for many years, it's places as this, they are more likely to tolerate it. Heck, many nights you'll find elk right outside a hunters tent & at times you can step out & they do little to even run off. I've had them standing right inside a fire pit that had been there for years, it wasn't hot but that's how close they were to our camp. It's pretty plain to accept that our human scent was everywhere yet elk were not alarmed in the least at that time of the night. However, take those same elk & fool with them where they live in the daytime & try slipping in on them or calling them & they smell you, then they're out of there in a heartbeat! It just shows what they will accept & what they won't & where!
As a hunter you want to be aware of wind direction 100% of the time, never trust scent lok type suits to even remotely let you push the envelope no matter what advertisement says. I'm not saying they won't knock your scent down, but they will in no way remove it entirely & elk do not need much to spook them, anything foreign to them in their areas is a cause for alarm, be it your pack, bow or anything you're carrying, never buck the wind!!!!!
So, as there are areas elk will tolerate scent there are also areas they will not & that's when it's the most important!
ElkNut1
ElkNut/Paul
 
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