Unusual but true

[Redhawk1]

My buddy and I went bow hunting last night. Well after coming out of the woods he told me a story about the deer that came under his stand. He said he had to pee real bad and just went from the climber. About an hour later a small buck came toward his stand. He said he used his bleat call once and the little buck came right to his stand and smelled where he urinated. Then the little buck defecated where the urine was and then walked off.
Now we have been watching scrapes, and in all of them we found deer droppings. I know deer urinate in there scrapes, but other deer must be coming by and leaving droppings in the scrapes.
I found it kind of strange. Has anyone else seen this?

[HuntenNut]

Never seen droppings in a scrape before that I recall.

As to the urine, thats very strange. Common sense would dictate that human urine would be a big red flag to most deer. I usually carry a "pee bottle" for this reason so I don't pollute my hunting area, especially while on stand.

[Redhawk1]

Never seen droppings in a scrape before that I recall.

As to the urine, thats very strange. Common sense would dictate that human urine would be a big red flag to most deer. I usually carry a "pee bottle" for this reason so I don't pollute my hunting area, especially while on stand.

I have to disagree. I use to think the same thing. I would never relieve myself anywhere's near my stand or hunting area. But the last couple of years all of my hunting buddies just go in the woods and by our stands. We have got deer every year.  

[Graybeard]

Have to agree. Once I used to think it mattered. No more. When in a treestand I still use a bottle as it's easier than trying to go off the side of stand but I always dump it near my stand. If anything I'm seeing more deer since I began this practice. I am convinced a deer cannot tell the difference between one urine and another and this is especially true 24 or more hours later.

[New Hampshire]

I actually know a guy who makes mock scrapes using his own urine.  Another buddy has told me he was messin around one day while hunting in New York with a friend.  They buried a gut pile and then urinated on the spot.  Next day the deer had torn that little patch into holy hell.
Brian M.

[longwinters]

This has been my opinion for years.  I was always taught not to "go" where I was hunting.  Finally got tired of it and went where ever was at (in the woods of course ).   I have shot many deer, some I have even taken a leak in their scrape.   :eek:

Long

[Redhawk1]

Glad to see I am not alone here.    

[HuntenNut]

Well, seems as though I'm in the minority opinion. Seems to me theres really no way of confirming it one way or the other. If deer are spooked by the smell of your urine, chances are you never knew they were there. Just because you fooled some of them some of the time, doesn't mean all are fooled all of the time. I guess I just don't think  its worth the chance. I'll continue to use my "pee bottle" as a precaution, as I certainly can't spook any deer by NOT peeing in the woods by my stand. I usually use one of those big drink jugs which I usually have bunches of laying on the floor of my truck anyway.

I do have to believe that deer and other animals can distinguish between urines, otherwise, commercially available urines wouldn't be so popular with hunters as lures and cover scents. Also, trappers have long used urines as lures in traps to attract certain animals.

Heck, maybe I should sell my pee bottle to the next guy on the way out as an "attractant scent".

[myronman3]

you guys have to be kidding me.  peeing is the best way to bring in animals to your stand.   i mean, the second you put your weapon down to do your business, that is when they show up.     i thought everyone knew this.

[insanelupus]

I once saw a study that had been done on this very subject.  At present, I don't recall the name of the publication (one of the hunting magazines).  Their study showed that after approximately 30-45 minutes on regular earth (not ice or snow), that the smell of human urine appeared not to be detectible by deer as human urine.  In one of the areas I hunt heavily on regular hunting trips, alfalfa is a big feed source.  So, I buy alfalfa pills at wal-mart and overload on them, as many as 6-8 a day.  Ever notice after a few big cups of coffee when you urinate you can smell the coffee?  Same for the alfalfa, literally,  you can smell it.  I've often relieved myself in other deers scrapes, and they continue to be used with no problems.  I'm sure that within the short term of an hour or so, the trace minerals might be distinguishable to deer, but after such time period, I think the point is moot.

[LMM]

Someone explain to me how deer would know where the urine came from??  How would a deer know if it came from another deer, fox, coyote, dog, squirrel, rabbit, human, etc....?  I suspect they would know it isn't there own.  I have read that a deer is a curious creature.  They will investigate that urine smell, not knowing it is human or what ever.

[Redhawk1]

Someone explain to me how deer would know where the urine came from??  How would a deer know if it came from another deer, fox, coyote, dog, squirrel, rabbit, human, etc....?  I suspect they would know it isn't there own.  I have read that a deer is a curious creature.  They will investigate that urine smell, not knowing it is human or what ever.

My thoughts exactly..

[huntsman]

There are actually chemical differences in urine from different animals and humans. It has to do with diet, chemical reactions in the body, and kidney/liver processes. Whether deer can detect these differences has not been studied as far as I know.

I do know that deer seem unaffected by the scent of human urine. I have observed many times deer directly downwind of urinated ground that were either curious or payed no attention.

Fecal material is another story entirely. Deer will alert and spook from even a small amount of it.

[hunt4570]

I also don't think it bothers them,however......I use a pee bottle,Makes a great handwarmer for about 5 min's after.20 oz pepsi bottle on a lanyard. My wife thinks it's gross but it work's great! SGB

[wvbowman04]

A year or 2 ago I was reading Bowhunter magazine and there was an article abotu a study done using human urine, deer urine or doe estrous(can't remember which), and new car smell in both mock and real scrapes.  The findings they showed where quite surprising to me.  The scrapes doctored with human and deer urine were visited almost identically as much and new car smell was a close third.  After reading that I say go when you gotta go.

[rickyp]

for a pee bottle try a 1 Lr. Pepsi bottle the one with the large opening. it makes things a little essayer to hit.

I do tend to pee close to my stand and at times from it. i have not noticed any deer running off from the smell. it will bereakdown fast

[HuntenNut]

Went out today to prepare my blind for Opening Day which is Monday.

A small 6 point came barrelling along at about 3pm. He was directly downwind of me and stopped to see what I was. Too bad I didn't have to go, if I could have whipped it out and given him a wiff, I'm sure He would walked right up to me. Instead, he snorted and ran off.