In the wild, hunters protect themselves from blood-sucking insects such as mosquitos and flies using thermacell. Most of you might already know what thermacell is, but if you don’t, here is the explanation. 

Thermacell is a fuel-powered mosquito-repellent device with a butane cartridge and three repellent pads. It helps keep mosquitoes, gnats, and flies stay away from you.

While you may ward off the mosquitoes using thermacell, it raises concerns about whether thermacell fumes can also spook away the deer. To give you a short answer, although deer can smell thermacell fumes, they don’t get spooked by it.

Can Deer Smell Thermacell?

A deer’s nose is very sharp and has around eight hundred times more receptors than a human nose. Deer can smell scents from far away and can also easily smell thermacell fumes.

However, the good news is that deer do not usually associate thermacell fumes with human odor. Although thermacell is not strong enough to mask the human scent, a deer may still not be spooked away by it.

Deer are peculiar animals. When they smell anything new, being curious, they will want to check it out, which also applies to the fumes and scents produced by thermacell. 

Some hunters have even reported that they have witnessed deer sniffing the themracell drops during the hunt.

The good news is that deer have not yet associated this scent with danger. Although it may be a novel scent to the deer, its association with human activity is yet to begin. So, keeping this in mind, one can conveniently use thermacell while hunting without worry.

Does Thermacell Cover Human Odor?

As mentioned above, thermacell fumes don’t cover human odor as they are not strong enough to block human odors like various scent covers available on the market. 

Do Deer Run Away After Smelling You?

Hiding your smell from deer does not always work. And for some deer, even a mere sniffing of a person can startle them. In such a scenario, the question arises whether the deer will come back or not.

Well, that depends on how scared the deer is. If the deer is petrified, it can take a long time until the deer feel safe enough to return. Sometimes, it can take months for them to come back.

Where To Set Thermacell While Hunting?

Things you can do to set up your thermacell when hunting:

• Give your device enough time to warm up. It takes around ten to fifteen minutes to reach the proper temperature.
• Thermacells should always be placed upwind.
• It is better to keep the thermacell 15 feet away from you to avoid inhaling the vapors.
• Thermacell mat needs to be changed every four to five hours.
• While replacing the mats, keep your movement slow, as swift movements could spook the deer.

Which Thermacell is Best for Hunters?

There are various types of thermacell models available on the market. Some are excellent for hunting, while others are not — Radius Thermacell is one good option; its dense size and shape make it ideal for higher-altitude hunting. MR450 is another good option; it is a compact thermacell that hunters can easily hang with their waist belts or backpacks.

Is Thermacell long-lasting?

Before going hunting, you should check that you have the right resources. Luckily, thermacells are long-lasting. It often takes four to five hours before it requires a replacement. When the mat turns white, you should know it’s time to change it. A full-fuel cartridge will last approximately twelve hours.

Are There Other Ways To Keep Bugs Out When Hunting?

While Thermacell is a good option, there are many other ways to keep bugs away when hunting:

• Try wearing insect-repellent clothing.
• Cloths treated with permethrin.
• Another good option is to use a mesh. Sometimes garments may incorporate mesh. Otherwise, it can be a net around the booth or a blind. Insects cannot enter through the narrow holes of the net.

Is Repelling Insects Important?

Repelling insects is important because insects can transmit harmful diseases to the human body. A mosquito bite can cause diseases like malaria and dengue, let alone cause itch and discomfort.

Conclusion

When hunting deer, you must be careful about the odors you carry as deer have a powerful sense of smell and can smell scents from far away. Although deer can smell thermacell fumes, the good thing is they do not associate it with humans and danger, so if you were concerned about whether you can use thermacell while you are out hunting or not. You can use it without the risk of spooking your prey away.