When hunting with liquid scents and attractors, getting the scent airborne is key to success. Often when ambient temperatures are low, effective diffusion of these scents is a frustrating issue. The thermal scent generator described here alleviates those frustrations, and greatly enhances the effectiveness of your liquid scents.
The components for the scent generator are essentially scraps, so cost of these units is nothing at all! The central piece is common PVC pipe. Color is not important, and sizes from ½” to 1” diameter are equally effective. Cut the pipe into an 8-10 inch section, then drill a ¼” hole all the way through both sides of the pipe on each end. Through the holes in the pipe at each end, insert a 12-18 inch piece of either No. 12 or 14 gauge insulated electrical wire and affix to the pipe as shown in the photo. Both the PVC and the electrical wire may be found on construction sites as scraps or are found at home improvement centers and hardware stores for very modest expense. Also needed are electrical tape and a black plastic trash bag, as well as some sort of cloth or felt for wicking liquid scent (worn-out cotton socks work well when cut into pieces).
To deploy the thermal scent generator, simply hang the PVC tube from a tree limb using one of the attached wires, then, using the lower wire, hang a suitable wicking material thoroughly soaked with the liquid scent of your choice. Finally, bag the scent wick with the black plastic trash bag, and tape around the PVC pipe with a quick wrap or two of electrical tape. Then, cut a “V” shaped incision about two inches wide and two inches high at the bottom of the trash bag.
This thermal scent generator uses the black plastic trash bag as a thermal sink, and when the sun hits the black plastic, internal temperatures rise dramatically. The “V” shaped cut at the bottom allows air into the bag as temperatures rise, the warm air exits out the PVC pipe in the top, thus creating a chimney effect, drafting upward the warm air, using convection to create a continuous flow of warm air out the top, while cooler air enters the “V” slot in the bottom. The “flap” of the “V” acts as a draft regulator, allowing a controlled flow of air, providing significant warming of the air inside the generator. The warm air flows past the scent soaked wick, carrying and disbursing the scent over a wide area, being especially effective when used in conjunction with morning and evening thermals.
If you’ve never used one of these, they are very compact to carry, inexpensive, and extremely effective in enhancing the action of your liquid scent. Give it a try when bear hunting or in the fall when temperatures inhibit disbursement of doe-in-heat urine.
