Making Sense of Scents
Text and photography by R.G. Bernier
As I sat in the restaurant enjoying a fine cut of rib-eye, oblivious to the din of chatter going on around me, ignoring the various aromas commonly associated with an eatery, my pallet was drinking in all of the allure associated with a steak practically melting in my mouth. When suddenly, without warning my senses were immediately heightened with a much different, but extremely pleasant odor. It was not the stylish dress, nor was it the attractiveness of the female that passed my table that caused me to take notice; it was the scent that she was casting. Not an overpowering perfume, but certainly one that got my attention as it lingered in her wake. Scent is a powerful substance that plays a vital role in its influence; and none more so than in its effect on both whitetails and those that pursue this animal.
The Whitetail’s Nose
Before we can decide how best to use a scent or if it is even practical or necessary, we first must understand how a deer’s nose works. And let me assure you, his olfactory gland is far superior to ours. By way of a comparative, the nose of a deer has up to 297 million olfactory receptors, dogs have 220 million with humans limiting out with just five million. A whitetail’s life is governed primarily by its nose; the scents that it smells plays a vital role in its decision making process.
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