To pee or not to pee?

[RidgeHunter]

A bunch of semi-formal studies have been done and they seem to show deer not associating human urine with humans or danger. One of the ones I read was by a biologist from the University of Georgia, Dr. Karl Miller., but I can't find a good link on it anymore. He said there is nothing in human piss that neccesarily says "a human pissed here" to a deer.

This is often a thread on bowhunting forums and some pretty successful (on mature bucks) veteran hunters are pro-pee. Lots of them piss in scrapes.

I've had deer spook at residual scent trails my boots left, I had a deer spook 2 weeks ago at spot I had tripped and landed flat out on my face walking in that morning in the dark (ouch)....but I've never had a deer spook where I've peed.

I'm firmly in the "they don't associate it with danger" camp. They sniff it, say "something pissed here" and get on with life.

 

[ignerntbend]

I think your probably right about the "Different" scent causing alarm.
In any case, I suspect you're doing something right.

 

[ahamay6]

As a matter of fact, I think that peeing in the woods works like an attractant cause I've seen an awful lot of deer with the wrong rifle in my hand.

 

[dennishoddy]

A bunch of semi-formal studies have been done and they seem to show deer not associating human urine with humans or danger. One of the ones I read was by a biologist from the University of Georgia, Dr. Karl Miller., but I can't find a good link on it anymore. He said there is nothing in human piss that neccesarily says "a human pissed here" to a deer.
This is often a thread on bowhunting forums and some pretty successful (on mature bucks) veteran hunters are pro-pee. Lots of them piss in scrapes.

I've had deer spook at residual scent trails my boots left, I had a deer spook 2 weeks ago at spot I had tripped and landed flat out on my face walking in that morning in the dark (ouch)....but I've never had a deer spook where I've peed.

I'm firmly in the "they don't associate it with danger" camp. They sniff it, say "something pissed here" and get on with life.

You actually prove my point here.
My point being that deer may not know its a human, but there is something "different" in their house that is putting them on alert.
What says "human in residual scent trails on boots", that would be different than residual urine smells?
If they bolt on boot smells, what would be different than urine smells that are not common to the woods?

 

[r00s7a]

I agree... with both of you. Urine is a naturally occuring scent. There are pigs, squirrels, bear, coons, and other critters, and they all take a leak in the woods. Not being an expert on the smell of urine in all animals, I can see where a deer might notice the smell, but unless previously conditioned, it could possibly just ignore it and move on. That ol weary buck does not get big by being careless. Where a doe or spike may smell it and just proceed, a buck may not feel the same about it. I think it would be very careless to just go pull an R. Kelly on a fresh scrape. You are totally contaminating a natural occuring process with no benefit that I see. If the buck is visiting the scrape anyway, why take a chance and piss on it?

Boots are a whole other subject, that has human written all over it.

 

[Toney]

Then are we wasting our money on doe pee???

 

[dennishoddy]

Then are we wasting our money on doe pee???

I've only used doe pee one time. Last year during rut, I got a free sample, and put some on my pants legs, so that walking thru the tall grass I'd leave some scent.
When I got back to my truck, I made a phone call, and while looking around, noticed a nice buck, nose down, coming up the trail I had just walked down. He finally stood there 200 yds away, looking at me, and then just walked away, unconcerned.
So far this year, I still have not rushed out to buy any. Maybe it works, maybe not.
I haven't used it enough to make an educated comment on the subject.

 

[dennishoddy]

Boots are a whole other subject, that has human written all over it.

Just for discussion, I keep my boots seperate, and only use them for deer hunting. Never for anything else. They are not put on until arriving in the field, and taken off before getting back into the truck.
I'm pretty sure they should be as scent free as possible, yet last weekend, had some does cross my trail, and get real nervous and finally flag up and run off.
I try to imagine why they do this, when I can be in the same field a month earlier, fueling up tractors, walking the fence rows, etc and they don't seem to care.
I guess if we ever figure them out, these hunting discussion boards will be a thing of the past.
BTW, just had a small 6 point in my back yard, not 100 feet from the house, so these human smells are not always "danger"?
I did get a pic of him, that I'll post later.

 

[RidgeHunter]

If they bolt on boot smells, what would be different than urine smells that are not common to the woods?

All kinds of things piss in the woods, only humans wear boots. Only humans smell like "town". Only humans have human body odor. Unless you have deer that are so skittish the residual scent of any animals urine spooks them, I don't think wizz spooks them. It could be woodchuck piss for all they know.

When I had a deer spook at the spot I had fallen, my entire body made contact with the ground..including bare skin. That left a big "human" spot on the ground.
If I pee on the ground, it just leaves a pee spot. I firmly believe they don't know a human pissed there. It could have been one of many animals, they don't know. I think in the vast majority of circumstances, deer have not linked piss to humans like they have human body odor, etc.

There is nothing "different" about piss in the woods IMO. There is when it comes to boots, body odor and all that jive.

The pee debate is a debate that will go on into eternity. There are some very knowledgeable/successful hunters and biologists on both sides. I don't believe the smell of urine alerts deer in the vast majority of circumstances, and I probably never will.

I also think Dennis must have some smelly wizz.

I think it would be very careless to just go pull an R. Kelly on a fresh scrape. You are totally contaminating a natural occuring process with no benefit that I see. If the buck is visiting the scrape anyway, why take a chance and piss on it?

Now I wouldn't R. Kelly a scrape either, but there have been a lot of formal/informal experiments with interesting results.

http://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/info.php?id=213

 

[hard_r]

Does anyone dip in a stand?

Always. its breath scent cover.