human urine spooking deer

[ehampt]

did anyone else read the article in N.A. Whitetail about human urine probably causing deer to actually be more curious and not scaring them off? makes sense i guess, but i am still going to have my gatorade bottle with me. has anyone tried what the author said other hunters had done; which was actually urinating in scrapes on the way to stand? what do y'all think? :eek:

[Shadow]

I have heard of this being done, but have never been gutsy enough to try it myself. A guy I used to hunt with swore by it. His theroy was testosterone was testosterone, no matter what its source. I agree, but I doubt many deer drink coke, coffee, or anything we do which might also be excreted. I am not really sure how they would react. I bet it would be pretty safe to say that it would depend on the deer, and how fired up he was. I will keep my pee bottle for the time being.

[CHEVELLE]

Ive read the same thing in a different magazine once.It said that in a test they done they made mock scrapes.They put doe urine in some,human urine in some,and nothing in the others.The survey said that more deer visted the srapes with no urine most,followed by human urine second,then doe urine.I am still very skeptical of this theory.When I encounter a scrape while hunting,I try not to disturb any part of it or around it.I just let the deer decide what they want to be done with their scrapes! :D

[Dan Jackson]

I don't think human urine bothers deer at all - a high percentage of it is water anyways. If you've ever read any of Fred Bear's adventures you'll know he advocated and practiced urinating in scrapes made by big game.

I really don't take time to urinate in scrapes simply because I've never had any luck in hunting over a scrape - but if I have to go I'll go whever I am - ;)

[ncboman]

It just don't scare them. I've killed too many after letting it go right from my stand.

I often freshen scrapes with it just to see how bad things get tore up around it later. I seldom hunt scrapes so it is just a novelty to me, but man they will sure tear the place up for some reason and keep coming back too.

[Twanger]

I concur with NC - I just wizzed at the bottom of my stand on Thursday, and two hours later a doe came in and walked right up to my stand (from down wind) and looked right up into the tree :eek: from a range of 4-yds. I was frozen like a statue, saying to myself "don't see me, don't see me..." after about 5-minutes of giving me the evil eye, she walked off about 30-yds and bedded down. The urine didn't seem to bother her a bit.

[Fitter]

I agree with the majority on this. Although I wouldn't make it a habit I have never hesitated to go near the stand when I needed to. I have never carried a container of any type for the fact that it would be one more thing to fumble with in the woods.

[John Maynard]

Here in Colorado the Division of Wildlife has asked hikers to carry urine bottles and not go on the ground because the Mt. Goats come and lick the spots for the salt and they damage the fragile ground cover.

[Dennis Defrese]

I have always kept my liquid intake minimal and held it until I left where I was hunting. After reading some of these posts and having a wildlife biologist confirm that pee is pee, I decided to let 'er rip out of the stand the other day. Had a doe come past me about 20 minutes later at 20 yds. Never paid any attention to it.

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: 10scn ]

[hatracked]

Old habits die hard ! Everyone I know says human urine spooks deer well I am here to tell you I dont buy it.I killed my biggest buck ever with my fly down. :eek: Sitting there zipping up after letting it rip and here he comes into 20 yards.Come to think of it I had just butted a Marlboro too.

Ive tried pissing in scrapes and they still use em. Ive also killed a bunch of deer outa stands that I have pissed out of. Ill admit I dont go around promoting it cause it is a good way to get you uninvited from a persons land but my opinion holds, it doesnt spook em a bit.Matter of fact Ive seen doe urine spook em more!

[swest]

One afternoon a couple of years ago, I went right beside my truck which was parked about 50 yards from a neighbors' house. On my way back to the truck after the evening hunt a very nice buck had his nose stuck in it and the only thing I could hope for was that he didn't spook and run into my truck. This year I went from my stand and a young doe came right to the spot and smelled it and walked away unbothered. I agree, a bottle would be one more thing to lug around. I hold it if possible, but sometimes nature just calls. :D

[GilaMonster]

I watched a video on trophy hunting for whitetail a couple of years ago, and the host explained that he would urinate in scrapes to keep them active. I had heard that before.