Aside from the excessive movement, drinking coffee in a deer stand does little in the way of spooking deer. Below are the questions and concerns one might commonly have about drinking their favorite cup of Joe while deer hunting.
Do Deer Smell Coffee And Does It Spook Them?
Yes, obviously deer can smell coffee. With their supreme sniffer how could they not. The better question would be, does coffee spook deer? Perhaps it does, perhaps it doesn’t. Regardless, a deer is likely going to smell you if it can smell your coffee. A whiff of human scent is far more likely to send a deer running than the smell of coffee.
Have I ever actually poured a cup of coffee and placed it in the middle of my food plot or by my corn feeder to see if the deer mind? No, I haven’t, but maybe that’s actually a good experiment for this fall. I might just try it.
5 Concerns With Coffee In A Deer Stand
- Coffee makes you pee
- Drinking anything means more movement
- Possibly stimulating a #2
- Excess caffeine can make you jittery
- Fumbling around with where to put your cup down
1. Coffee makes you pee
There are a few concerns I have with drinking coffee when deer hunting. First of all it will make you have to pee more frequently. More importantly than the spread of your scent, peeing means you’ll be moving around more.
2. Drinking anything means more movement
The simple act of drinking anything means you are moving more often. Obviously, the more you move, the more likely it is you’ll spook deer.
3. Do you have issues with coffee and #2?
Some people have an issue with coffee stimulating an emergency #2 bathroom break. If that’s you, you may want to bypass the coffee while in stand.
4. The jitters
If you drink too much caffeine, it can make you jittery which can then become a distraction.
5. Excess equipment and noise
It can be inconvenient to deal with a full cup of coffee when a deer comes out. I’ve had that happen multiple times. Being able to quickly and quietly place down a drink, while at the same time gathering your weapon can be a lot to handle.
Human pee does not spook deer. In fact, it might even serve as an attractant!
Should You Pee From A Deer Stand?
One of the most common adverse effects of drinking coffee when hunting is the need to pee. For me, back in the day, that meant climbing out of my stand and walking a distance away from my hunting area. That’s because I used to think, incorrectly, that human pee spooked deer. These days I know better, and I have no problem just peeing right from my deer stand.
There are many sources I could cite to back up the fact that human pee doesn’t necessarily spook deer. I’ll just link to this one article here that is short and to the point. American Hunter Magazine – Deer Myths
Use a quality double walled insulated coffee container, such as a Yeti Rambler, to keep your coffee warm for extended hunts.
Best Container For Drinking Coffee In A Deer Stand
You might find yourself wondering if it’s better to drink coffee from an enclosed container vs a standard coffee cup. While it’s logical to assume an enclosed container would lock in scent better, I don’t personally worry about it.
I use both coffee cups, as well as double wall insulated containers, such as a Yeti tumbler with slider lids. I never feel as though deer spook from smelling coffee.
Brewing Coffee In A Deer Stand
One of the reasons I love deer hunting from box stands and ground blinds is the freedom of movement they provide. I sometimes utilize this luxury of movement to brew coffee while actually in the deer stand.
Old school coffee percolator’s, such as the one shown above, in combination with a backpacking stove, work great for working up a fresh pot of coffee while hunting.
I’m sure for most hunters, packing in extra equipment just to make coffee seems very unnecessary. To that, I will not disagree. However, it sure is nice to have a piping hot pot of coffee during those long cold December sits.
Drinking Coffee While Bowhunting
Where I do draw the line on having coffee in a deer stand is when bow hunting. I have never taken coffee into the woods when bowhunting.
It always seemed like too much hassle to deal with coffee during bow season. Also, I hunt in the Deep South and it’s just too hot during bow season to be drinking coffee.
Take it for what it’s worth, but It seems to be the consensus on the web that most bowhunters bypass the coffee drinking while in the stand.
Conclusion
Simply put, I don’t think drinking coffee when deer hunting is a problem, at least not because of the scent. However, you will need to manage the movement and noise associated with drinking anything in the stand.
If I’m going on a cold morning hunt, I’m taking coffee to the stand. Call it an addiction if you like, but hunting is supposed to be enjoyable, and relaxing in a deer stand with a nice cup of joe is something I look forward to each fall.
I don’t personally think a deer smells the coffee I’m drinking and then freaks out. If they can smell my cup of coffee, they most assuredly smell me too, which is far more likely what actually spooks them away.
Hunt the wind and the thermals, and I think you’re fine with partaking in your favorite cup of joe in the deer stand.
Happy Hunting!
Augustus Clay
