Hi folks, new to the site and looks great. Lots of good info...(my plug for the day) That being said, I'm curious to know everyone's technique to scent blocking while in the woods. Bar soaps? Laundry detergents? Hang clothes outside for week(s) ahead? Nothing? Use esterus? Acorn scents? Just curious on what others feel as a standard technique/ritual. Personally, I hunt a heavily populated area and the deer are becoming accustom to human scent. Clothes in the garage (which is too small to put my pickup in, so it's virtually an extension of the attic) for a week or so, then a few days outside is it for me. Thanks ahead for any input offered...
Welcome to the board. You're right, there are a lot of very knowledgable and great people here. (with the exception of Vito. Ignore that guy.) First, realize that no matter what you do, hunt the wind correctly. Nothing we as hunters do can fool a bucks nose that well. Here is my "ritual". I shower with scentless soaps in the am. Put my under layers on and hit the woods. I do not wear my outer clothing in the truck, but put it on once I get out and prepare for the walk to my stand. I wear knee high rubber boots and spray them down with Red Fox urine for cover scent. I then spray down well with a Scent Killer. I wear as few of my out layers as possible while walking to the stand to keep from sweating. Remember, human odor is caused by bacteria growth on the skin. We can not stop it from happening, but we can do thiings to minimize or slow it down. Not getting all sweated up on your way to the stand is a good start. It also keeps you warmer when you remain dry. I wash all of my hunting gear in Sport Wash. I like it much better than any of the hunting specific laundry detergents. It doesn't leave a funky residue and really does a great job of cleaning and descenting clothing. All of this, once dry, gets stored in air tight rubber maid containers until I'm ready to hunt. I have my outer layers, like jacket and pants in one bin that I toss in the bed of the truck when I leave for a hunt. Then I dress on the tailgate. I also routinely hang my clothing outside during the season to allow everything to air out. I usually wash everything twice during season, especially the under layers and socks since they are getting the brunt of my stink.
Another little trick with the rubber maid containers, get some cedar branches or cedar chips in a open ziplock bag. Gives clothes a nice woodsy scent.
Here is what I do. Most important is the last one. In my honest opinion you cannot block your scent no matter how hard you try. You may reduce it but, never block or eliminate it. -Wash clothes in scent free laundry detergent with a cup of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda -Keep clothes in a tote that I sealed up with weather stripping which has a whole box of Baking soda dumped in the bottom. -Take a shower with dove scent free soap. -Use scent free deodorant. -When I am feeling really scent free I will brush my teeth with baking soda. -Spray down with Scent-A-Way fresh earth spray. -100yd from the stand, spray down again. -1importantinportant I hunt the wind no matter what. If the wind is blowing indirectionirrection and I can't figure out a stand to hunt, I don't go.
another tip to ad to your scent control. I also use rubbermaid containers to store my clothes after being scent controlled with that being said you can put charcoal ( like you use for grilling) in the bottom of your rubbermaid. It will help in further controlling odor after you have used your clothes a hunt or two.
Pure gum spirits of turpentine...put in a bottle sprayer and lightly spray garments and spray heavily on bottom of boots. Its so overwhelming with pine it covers the human and random oders a deer or dog will pickup. Killer cover scent...DONT SPRAY ON UNDERGARMENTS OR SKIN!!!!!!!!!!!! ACTUALLY, i spray it on my boots. Its so strong that you dont need to spray all over...
No scent control system is 100% effective, im definateley not saying dont use one... But most important to me is learning how wind and thermal current work together at your hunting sites. The air current isnt always the same on the ground as is 20' up.. On a fairly calm day try droppin milkweed seed from your stand. (or little pieces of cotton) Beats any powder store bought windicator, and you can see them for some distance. You'll b surprised. Playing the wind is the best form of scent control period.
A whitetail can smell multiple scents at the same time, so cover scents aren't scientifically based at all, just human based.
I find out which direction the wind is blowing and set up in a spot that reduces my chances of being winded by deer. I am not kidding, that is my only scent control technique other than washing my clothes in baking soda and hang drying them.
I wash my clothes in scent free detergent or baking soda and air dry them when possible. I bathe with green soap and use unscented deodorant. Don't use any sprays or coverscents. Mainly, I try to hunt the wind as others have said. Heck, there were some hunts this year where I reeked of Old Spice and killed deer. The wind is your best friend or worst enemy in this game.
Scented Hunt Another Tip When Troy 'aka' Shed 33 was up here on a hunt I noticed he used Scent-lok,after his hunt here I was totaly on board. Then 7 years later Will came along and I watched and was totaly dumb founded. Will never used the wind and could care less if he was scented at all. Why you say? Well I dropped him off in each location and said to myself screw this,this guy could care less of his scent. Joking ,not in the lease! I did my best to get him in my perfect location and he still wore his clothes on his way to location. I said screw this and went against all odds and did as he did. Shot my buck on the 2nd day with the buck coming in down wind!That was against all odds. 2 Days later we walked into the woods and again the wind was wrong and again the scent he brought was enough to detour the scents of the bucks nose to cause enough to enable the buck to follow the scent of what Will truly believes i n.The scent is called Timber Valley Estrus Scent. He's made me a beleiver.:nana Rocky PS So does cover scent realy work ? Against all odds ,Im back to doing as Troy showed me to do, go Scent-Loc! What Will has evens all odds
I don't know am I right, but i was told by the country inhabitans, that they use goose fat to get rid of smell, they use it for the traps.
A lot of good information. My biggest things for you not to forget.. 1.) hunt the wind correctly 2.) do not put any clothes on until out in the field, that goes for undergarments too. 3.) spray every layer as you put them on 4.) spray boots with coon urine (or fox) 5.) wear base layers to stand (depending on how long walk is). Then put remainder of outfit on near stand. If you sweat your hunt is OVER, especially if it's cold. Good luck!
I was wondering if charcoal would work. What do you guys do about your backpacks and safty harnesses?
