Jim Kalkofen reveals the strength of a deer’s ability to smell.

Hunters with decades of experience in the woods tell story after story about deer that got the best of them. These deer season veterans are aware that the noses of deer are wonderful—and vexing—mechanisms.

Whether in deer camp or classroom, at work or at home, phrases like, “That buck winded me,” are repeated. Maybe it goes like this, “I got busted!” Or, “I watched him sliding through the brush, and when he caught my scent, he spooked off like a ghost.” Or, this, “I sat on my stand even though the wind was wrong. Never saw a thing.”

A deer’s nose knows. This is not just something to think about. It’s the truth! Scientists and researchers have tried to explain just how effective the deer’s best detection system really is. They say a deer’s nose is:

• 1,000 times better than the human nose
• More powerful than a dog’s nose by about 33 percent
• Loaded with about 300,000,000 intricate olfactory receptors—a dog has about 220,000,000 • Connected to its brain, and nearly half a deer’s brain is devoted to smell
• Its best defense mechanism.
• Able to smell a person hundreds of yards—or more—away

How can a hunter out-smart a deer’s nose? The first step is recognizing what a wonderful instrument it is. Respect it. Then, always try to place your stand where the deer never get downwind of your position. Have several “wind” options, and never use a stand when the wind blows your human scent across the area you expect deer to travel.

To learn more about concealing your scent from deer, look for the September Issue of MidWest Outdoors magazine, available the first full week of September at the newsstand or by subscribing on our website.