(Tombo Martin is one of the stars of Buck Commander on Outdoor Channel, a former major league baseball pitcher, graduate of Bay High and resident of our area. If you have a question for Tombo send it to AskTombo@gmail.com)
Q: What is your take on scent left by walking on a food plot? My feeder only holds 50 pounds of corn so usually when I get up there I have to put corn in it before I hunt. I know hunters who say they walk all over their food plots and it doesn’t matter and some who swear you have to stay off it. Should I buy a bigger feeder or does walking across it not matter? - Steve
Tombo: Steve, I’ve frequently dealt with this very same dilemma. Every year it’s a popular topic of discussion and there are many differing views among hunters about whether or not to walk across a food plot.
I’ve been on both sides of the coin. I’ve heard the obnoxious sound of a deer blowing after she came across my tracks (that’s usually when I try, given the chance, to turn her into table fare). And on the flip side, I’ve had deer walk directly down the same trail I took all the way to the stand.
As far as filling a feeder in your food plot, I would say you have a few options. You could buy a bigger feeder, so you fill it up less frequently, leaving scent in the food plot less often. Obviously, the more times you are present at their dinner table, the higher the chances are you will put pressure on the deer. You could also move your feeder to the edge of the food plot so you don’t have to constantly walk through it. I would also take a few other precautions to minimize the chance of getting busted, like spraying down with a scent eliminator before walking through your food plot, and being sure not to touch any of the corn with your bare hands.
If you have an ATV, you can drive straight to the feeder and fill your feeder by standing on it, not allowing your feet to touch the ground. You could also wear rubber boots sprayed down with scent eliminator when filling your feeder or walking to the stand.
Deer often come into contact with rubber smells like tires on ATV’s, tractors, trucks and combines, etc. The general consensus is that rubber smells don’t offend deer nearly as much as human odors or scent that humans come in contact with (like that venison sausage biscuit you had on the way to the stand, gas fumes from filling up your vehicle or your wife’s buttercream cupcake potpourri burner). I’ve frequently had deer walk right in my fresh tire tracks as if they were following the yellow brick road.
In summary, I to try to give myself an advantage by taking every precaution possible. Let’s face it, it’s hard to kill a mature buck and the odds are definitely in their favor. I wouldn’t give them any more help.