Not worrying 'bout scent control?

NBK · September 18, 2012, 05:10:00 PM

My scent control consists of three things, other than just playing the wind.
1) I do wash my clothes in baking soda and change into them when I hit the woods.
2) I typically wear the old school hip boots if my access is less than ideal.
3) I use the powder wind checker when in the tree so than I can get a pretty good gauge on where my scent stream falls which tells me where I'd have to take the shot before they hit it.

Bjorn · September 18, 2012, 06:10:00 PM

I don't even think about it anymore. Walk in cow pies and pay attention to the wind.

briarsdad · September 18, 2012, 06:53:00 PM

My dad told me a long time ago if the deer were downwind they are probably gonna smell you. I try to get the wind right and don't worry about it.

Notso · September 18, 2012, 07:12:00 PM

I clean my clothing in a scent free hunting soap - more to preserve the color than remove the scent. I store it in a plastic container, but put it on at home before leaving in my truck. I plan my hunting locations based on the wind direction. I do use scent eliminating spray when convenient.

I took a whiff of the inside of one of my rubber boots last week. Then I sprayed the inside with scent spray. There was a definite decrease in the smell!!! Not sure it will fool a deer's nose- but it did eliminate the smell for my sniffer.

Greg Clark · September 18, 2012, 08:09:00 PM

I try to stay clean and wash my clothes in unscented detergent but that is pretty much it. The lengths some folks go is just too much of a hassle and takes much of the fun out of it to me.

SELFBOW19953 · September 18, 2012, 08:10:00 PM

I wear clean clothes washed in baking soda, take a shower, and play the wind. Any deer downwind will smell you no matter what you wear or wash with!! Sometimes, the deer are curious and will come looking for you, sometimes, they can't get away fast enough.

customcrester · September 18, 2012, 08:41:00 PM

I don't shower before i hunt,i wear leather boots,i don't wear camo half the time,i use my own urine in my mock scrapes,i don't hunt with the wind in my face half the time and i hunt from the ground most of the time.I do everything your not supposed to do and i kill deer every year and have for the last 27 years.Just get in the woods and hunt and enjoy it!

cuboodle · September 18, 2012, 09:06:00 PM

A guy asked about fox urine I use to use it about 20 years ago not sure it worked but I did bag 3 red foxes trailing it to my tree. It's also good for office pranks a few squirts in a colleagues trash can gets a few laughs

buckeye_hunter · September 18, 2012, 09:47:00 PM

People smoke meat to keep bacteria from spoiling the meat. I figure if bacterial excretions are what make people stink then smoke might inhibit bacterial growth on humans and their clothes?

Also, carbon suits obviously have carbon in them. So does smoke.... I may be shooting in the dark, but I figure it can't hurt. Right?

Finally, wood smoke contains lignin and formaldehyde (basically). Lignin and formaldehyde kills and prevents the future growth of bacteria.

Just some thoughts,
Charlie

Red Beastmaster · September 18, 2012, 09:57:00 PM

I bought a nice custom recurve with the money I saved by not buying scent control products.

I hunt the critters that are upwind of me. Whatever is downwind ain't gonna die today.

griffin73 · September 18, 2012, 10:26:00 PM

Like someone said earlier, just be cautious going in, dont let all the scent control hype ruin it for you, its all about the fun and relaxation of the hunt, if its meant to happen it will

GrayG · September 19, 2012, 11:33:00 AM

You can put perfume on a skunk, but you still smell the skunk.

gringol · September 19, 2012, 11:37:00 AM

I always get a kick out of the hunting shows that push all the scent control products and then tell you to hunt the wind also. What's the point of all that spendy scent control gear if you have to hunt the wind anyway? Seems like a scam to me...

Jeff Strubberg · September 19, 2012, 11:47:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by gringol:
I always get a kick out of the hunting shows that push all the scent control products and then tell you to hunt the wind also. What's the point of all that spendy scent control gear if you have to hunt the wind anyway? Seems like a scam to me...

Exactly.

Bob B. · September 19, 2012, 12:49:00 PM

Like many of the others, I wash my clothes in baking soda or sport wash. I keep the clothes on a line under my porch. I think most animals smell human breath and spook from that much more readily than any other human odor. I brush my teeth and occasionally use eat pepermint candy. Whenever possible, I breath through my nose.

This strategy, along with playing the wind and wearing rubber bottomed boots, has served me well for many years.

Bob.

Sean B · September 19, 2012, 01:00:00 PM

I wash my clothes in baking soda, I shower using plain old Ivery soap, and just play the wind.

September 19, 2012, 01:03:00 PM

All of the stuff about scent free clothes, deer attractants and cover scents that we see on TV must be all true, otherwise it would not be on public airwaves or published so boldly about how good it all works. All the evidence is right on their tv shows, especially the ones that hunt in Iowa with governors tags every year. We should not be such skeptics and believe more of what we are told to believe. Can someone pass me the blue coolaid now?

mickeys4 · September 19, 2012, 01:20:00 PM

I've always felt that the average person can't begin to comprehend the ability of an animal whose very life depends on it's olfactory system.I've taken this next bit from a webpage describing the deers' sense of smell.
(Dogs can smell human fingerprints that are a week old. If dogs can do this then you must know that a whitetail deer's ability to smell human scent must be far greater. That is why one shouldn't be checking game cameras all the time or continue to ramble through your hunting area out of sheer curiosity. Estimates state that a whitetail deer can detect human scent for up to 10 days after it's left.) All this being said you can minimize your scent,but if you are upwind the deer will smell you period. I've known of successful hunters who smell of diesel fuel,urinate or spit tobacco from their stands etc, Go figure.I've found the best scent control is the proverbial small feather tied to the bow tip.Hunt the wind. Here's an interesting link on Whitetail sense of smell.
http://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/info.php?id=243

Iowabowhunter · September 19, 2012, 02:32:00 PM

I wash and dry my clothes in scent free detergent and "earth" scented dryer sheets, store them in tubs with earth scent wafers, shower with scent free soap, use unscented deodorant and spray down with cover scent. Does it make one bit of difference to a deer? I have no clue. But what all that preparation does do, for me at least, is add to my anticipation and excitement for the hunt. It makes me feel as prepared as I can be. I use my wind checker powder as much as I can not only to know where my scent is going, but to try and anticipate which angle the deer is going to come in from. I was taught that "most" mature bucks like to quarter into the wind-theory is still out on that one as they have come from each and every angle.

September 19, 2012, 02:42:00 PM

I have the wind checker bottle of powder as well. Dr. Schulz travel size foot powder. I have found that it works the best on my American Leathers shooting gloves to aid in a cleaner release. It has all of the essence of chemicalized clean feet. Glove powder and/or wind drift powder should come in a Tink's doe in heat formula. That way one will always watch to make sure that it is not used upwind of ones self, like grizzly spray.