Opinions on dipping (chewing tobacco) while hunting?

Mainer · #1 (**permalink**) 11-15-2007, 07:36 PM

I love a good chew while I hunt, as I'm sure that many of us do.

Can deer smell it on your breath? Can they smell it on the ground from downwind and does it spook them?

I have heard many arguments about this between my hunting buddies (one of which is a registered Maine Guide.)

He argues that he would shoot me out of my stand when I hunt with him if he saw me dipping (chewing.)

His son thinks that he's full of it. He shot a few deer with a mouthful of chew in.

Our good friend sat on his property last year with a cigarette in his mouth, on his cell phone, with a beer between his legs and low and behold had to end the call early to shoot a 210lb. 9-pointer that walked up on him.

So, what are your opinions on chew?

timberghost · #2 (**permalink**) 11-15-2007, 09:52 PM

That's a tough one. To me a deers most important piece of survival equipment is their nose. Anything that a deer doesn't smell on an everyday basis is "foreign". But deer are curious animals, it may work for you or against you. I always try my hardest to smell like the ground that they walk on and the air that they breathe in, which is nearly impossible. So anyways, my opinion on this matter would be to leave the chew at home. But remember it's only my opinion. GOOD LUCK.

critter gitter · #3 (**permalink**) 11-15-2007, 10:22 PM

Some people will say not to or smoke either but 2 years ago I had just finished up a cigar and within minutes shot a doe.

buckfever · #4 (**permalink**) 11-16-2007, 10:26 AM

Being a full fledged dipper of tobac myself i have thought on this alot. Yes i think a deer will smell it. It might even make me not get a nice buck because it smelled my chew before i even saw it. But that the choice i make every time i get in the stand. and since i am hopelessly addicted i chew/dip anyway. I probably had a dip in everytime i have shot a deer. I do spit in a bottle though and not on the ground.

Sylanderxs · #5 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 08:23 PM

Well... this weekend, I was spitting out of my stand and had a nice 4 point wander in. He walked right under my stand, gave the spot where I had been spitting a sniff and kept walking. All with me sitting there watching him. I could have spit and hit him if I'd wanted to. I usually smoke but I dip when I'm on the stand to avoid doing that. In the end, I'm out there to enjoy myself and if I all I can think about for 4 hours is the fact that I want a cigarette, I aint having fun.

But then...
Opinions vary...
And that's just mine...

Hunt well, hunt safe.

TNHunter · #6 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 03:46 PM

I have a dip in every time i go to the stand and have shot 4 deer this year. 3 does and 1 nice 8. i am however very carefull to pay attention to the wind. i have the advantage to have a larger piece of land to hunt with several stands and when the wind is bad for one stand it is great at another and i just "go where the wind takes me."