I just got a recipe for scent killer you use 16oz peroxide 16oz distilled water 1/4 cup baking soda and 1oz scent free shampoo
Buy ahead of time. At the end of every season all the major retailers run all their hunting stuff on clearance, buy it then and save it.
I agree, the majority of scent free stuff is worthless. They did an article in Field and Stream this month where they proved that a person using that stuff was no harder to locate than one who had just woken up in his clothes and rolled into the woods. Even after proving that the scent elimination stuff did nothing, the author stated he'd still be following his scent control routine. The most important scent control measure is the wind. Play the wind and you'll never have to worry about what brand of spray you used at the truck. Another great scent control measure is rain. In addition to bringing scent to the ground, rain also adds the benefit of sound cover. Finally, the woods offer a plethora of scent that can help to cover or at least construe the one you're throwing off. Pine trees offer some of the best cover. I have a jacket that constantly smells like a real pine because of the amount of time it's seen in those trees.
Cool experience, Greg. I agree that nothing is full proof, but I certainly like to take every precaution necessary. Call is superstitious, but if it gives me just a little more confidence, I suppose it's worth it. As for the laundry detergent, I'm still on the same bottle 3 years running, so when that runs out I will most likely just wash in baking soda. Out of curiosity, I just read it. Interesting article, but I would like to see how the dog fared when a full scent control regimen was employed (washing, spraying, storage, etc).
I think my above story proves what would happen, Matt. As way of further proof... here's another first-hand account I experienced a few years ago: I was still in the routine of being in an absolute "full-scent control regimen" as you put it (which I still follow pretty much, I just am cognizant of the fact it's not really going to help, LOL). I was wearing knee-high rubber boots (Lacrosse Granges), which I ONLY wore hunting... ALWAYS took them off at the Jeep and drove in slip-on rubber camp mocs... even had Scentblocker socks with silver-thread technology imbedded in them. The boots had a couple seasons on them, and had NO discernible rubber smell to the human nose. I park 3/4 of a mile from my stand and have to cross the last 1/2 mile or so across a cut bean field with puddles of standing water in it... I can see my whole entry way from my stand once I'm situated. After I'd been in stand for about 10 minutes, I'm looking back at my approach route when I spot a black dot on the horizon... I keep staring as it gets larger. Curiosity got the best of me and I finally gave it my full attention; it's coming slowly right at me, but making occasional zig-zags. I throw up my Nikons on it and low and behold it's the landowner's black lab with his nose to the ground. I watched him follow my entry trail EXACTLY as I walked it, through the puddles and all... He ended up DIRECTLY beneath the tree I was in before he looked up. Do I still take precautions with scent control? Yeah, I do... I just know I'm not really going to fool an animal's nose if he's downwind of me and the thermals are taking my scent to it.... Which I believe is the key difference when people have experiences where they believingly claim "the animal was downwind of me"...
Greg/MO is right on regarding the thermals. People often think their scent control regimen is actually beating a deers nose when they have a deer come down wind. I believe you can't beat their nose. When they come down wind they are out of your scent stream, often because of thermals. If you have any question about this start carrying milk weed pods and letting those go in the stand. You can see how your wind current flows when you watch the milk weed blow through the air. If you haven't done it before you'll be surprised how the wind travels.
I use All Free and Clear laundry detergent with baking soda to wash my clothes , and air dry , spray myself down as i get dressed with my home made scent killer , baking soda / peroxide / chlorine stabilizer and distilled water , i picked up two aerosol cans of Scent Away at wally world afew weeks ago which is a good idea they came out with , and worked pretty good when i came home from a smoky casino the other night and sprayed my hat with it , it took the smoke smell right off of it , not only them but the aerosol in general is a good idea , gets in places the regular sprayer doesnt , its all basically the same ingrediance with a tweek here and there of something different , but i can assure you baking soda is the best eliminator ingrediant in almost all of them .
Only thing I'll be paying for this year is a butchering bill if I kill one. Best $75 I ever spent in my life to have a hassle free enjoyment period after the kill instead of panic mode to get things done. As for saving money, if shampoos and deodorants are how you intend to cut back spending, you need to re-prioritize how you look at spending money. Don't go out to eat the next time you plan on it, cook instead. BAM, saved enough to pay for a years worth of deodorant sticks. Don't drive a 11 mpg truck around everywhere, and your gas savings will pay for any hunting expense you thought possible. I used to be a gear junkie, now I literally look at what gear I can do away with. lol I HATE spending money on gear to go essentially sit in a chair waiting for a deer to walk by. Lavish gear spending won't increase my chances on a buck.
Funny Trevor how we all amassed so much stuff in the beginning and now it's "What's the absolute LEAST amount I have to take with me" these days...
Sign of the times unfortunately Guys , big cuts allround . When I come to Colorado next year , I shall only be buying Tags only ...... and not spend $1000 in Bass Pro Shop , on gear , Man toys and stuff within 45minutes of landing on American soil LOL " which I have done the last two times of coming over "
The last test in the article was a full scent control regimen. The dog did just as well as they guy who had just rolled out of bed wearing yesterdays clothing.
