What's everyone's scent control plan?
I try to keep this simple. I wash clothes in arm & hammer and use a hunting deodorant. Keep myself clean and use a lot of unsented baby wipes since I hunt after work a lot.
I am going to give the homemade scent eliminating spray a try this year (that's posted in the how-to section)
Heard of some guys using cover scents.....I've never really tried this though.
Scent away has always worked great for me
I've used scent away, scent-killer, the like. It can't really hurt. When I hunt in areas with sage I'll but a limb and rub my clothes with it.
I guess I must be a real poor folk. My scent control plan is to stay downwind, it's pretty cheap and renewable :rolleyes: :laughing:
Wash clothes is Sports wash. Double rinse with baking soda and air dry outside. Shower before each hunt with the green soap. Take chlorophyll . Use lavalin deodorant. Hunt the wind.
Chlorophyll - tell me more. Anyone else do this?
chlorophyll- yup I started using it when Charlie Lamb had a yote walk up same tracks he did and sit down at the base of his stand. If it helps beat their nose. It's got to help with deer.
When at home and my permanent camp I get my clothes clean. Then hang them outside. I leave mine hanging under my deck in mesh laundry bags at home and under a canopy at camp away from other smells so they are never inside collecting odors. Keep yourself clean and be sure your soap, deodorant, etc. are unscented. Following this method, it is not unusual to have deer travel the same trails to my stand that I take.
That being said, I have done backpack hunting trips with no changes of clothes so after a few days things have odor from sweat, cooking, campfires etc. I've done nearly as well hunting by just carefully watching the wind so believe that hunting technique is more important than scent control.
I wash my clothes in scent away stuff, spray down entering the woods and wear the heck out of those little dirt scent wafers that smell so loud theyll choke you. Does it work every time? Heck no. But no doubt it helps. My getting smelled rated dropped dramatically.
Before heading to the stand I use a beekeeper smoker. Works pretty well for my brother and I but we hunt near our parents' house with a wood stove. Those deer might just be used to it.
The wind.
I've been using a smoker last few years. Only problem is it doesn't seem to last.
My mindset is to limit my scent: Less is best IMO
I shower with a scent eliminating shampoo, use dead down wind spray, rubber boots and just use the wind to my advantage. I've had lots of deer young and old go bizerk crossing my scent trail so I'm pretty careful with how I get into the stand.
Sometimes if I don't have time I don't even bother with anything and play my approach
When I hunt Kansas I don't even bother...those deer don't seem to care
Great replies - thanks for the discussion.
Yeah the wind- I know - but it changes too much - and I always think back to fred Asbells diagram in the first instinctive archery book - the small cone showing the area a clean hunter affects and the much larger cone of a dirty hunter......
How much cloryphyll ?
I have a good friend & bow hunting buddy, who was a K-9 Officer for years, before they retired his dog, and he was promoted to Detective. I used to work with him and "Hudson" a lot!!! Tracking, Drug searches, Car stops, and "Big Sleeve" take downs. Numerous times we sprayed me down with the latest & greatest "scent killer" and odor eliminator products... Darn dog NEVER failed to find me!!!!!
I honestly belive, that those with success using them, were successful, because the wind, thermals, etc were favorable, and they would have been just as successful, without them.
Just one "old fart's" Oppinion.....
I dont think there is anything that actually works. A bear can pick out one scent molecule in 1 million. I dont waste money trying to cover that up. I choose stands based on wind
I agree Woodchucker. I used to run coon hounds and no matter what rubber boots I had on or how deep the water (up to waist deep) the dogs never failed to find me.
I have also seen deer and elk that were down wind of me and couldn't have cared less. One bull I shot crossed my wind twice to get inside 15 yds. Another Muley buck walked directly at me from down wind until he was 4 feet away and never spooked. I have also had deer at less then 5 feet when I had my ghillie suit on that knew I was someplace around there but since they couldn't see me I wasn't a threat. Doesn't happen all the time of course but often enough for me to question the whole scent killing product marketing.
Then again, if you believe it works, that's a lot of positive energy that goes along way towards success. Do what makes you happy.
I started using pure vanilla extract mixed with water as a cover scent on my boots for walking in. A buddy of mine told me that it is an old timers cover scent.It has seemed to work well so far.
Ive had real good luck with nose jammer which also seems to cut down on the bugs some. Also suprisingly while squirrel hunting ive had a couple does walk right up to me and one licked my boot while wearing buggins bug spray, they seem to like the sweet smell
Hunt the wind. All else is a gimmick, in my opinion. I know, because I have tried a WHOLE LOT of things that never worked. If the wind blows from you to the deer, he will smell you.
I keep myself clean as i can and i watch the wind explicitely.
I don't care what you do, it is little business of mine, but i will ask, of those that go to extremes in terms of gear....at what point is it your skill and your luck killing that critter and not the stuff you buy.
When hunting the ground I use local scented vegetation and dirt for cover scent. Early season I also carry a small bottle of earth scent cover scent. When showering during season I use odorless soap as well.
Use to play around with the gimmicks, never seemed to help any.
My experience (Mostly farmland whitetail) shows that as long as you're not too obtrusive, most of the time it takes a combination of two of the deers senses to really spook them. If they scent you, they'll try to see or hear you. If they see you, or your setup doesn't blend in quite well enough, they'll try to scent you. Most of the time if they don't pick you out after a few minutes they let their guard down a bit. The exception IMO is early season does, and of course after the gunfire starts blazing.
To me, wind is the most critical when your entering and exiting an area. Always pay attention to the wind, and set up accordingly when possible, but I've killed around a third of my archery bucks down wind. Two of the closest were 7 and 8 yards, one a young buck in early season from a brush blind, and one a mature 9pt from a 8' tree stand in pre rut.
The young buck was close by down wind of me for a good 5 minutes before I decided to shoot him.
As they say, your mileage may vary, but it works for me.
I use the scent killer soap for body and hair, wash clothes in scent killer soap, and keep them in plastic totes. use homage scent killer spray, and a great everyday deodorant by Arm and Hammer. Be sure it's the uncented. It has less smell to my nose than any of the deodorants marketed as hunters deodorant. It's cheap to.
I also watch the wind like I stink. Really think this all helps more with reducing the amount of residual scent being left as I go in and out of hunting area. So I freel it helps with keeping the deer feeling less pressured.
Tim: Tried to send you an email, not sure if it went. I get chlorophyll on line from GNC. On our property deer come in from 360 degrees because we are in the middle of nowhere and the only barrier is the small river than borders us. Anything we can do helps and I very rarely get busted because of scent or wind change. Originally got it because the Wensels used to sell it and recommended it. All I can say is it works for me. But you must be clean and your clothes need to be clean and aired out.
X3 on the bee smoker. I fill it with pine shavings.
But I'm always conscious of the wind. Why risk it? I figure the best I can hope for is for the deer to think I'm further off than I am if they catch my scent. Better to not let them know I'm there at all.
I use Lavalin year round, because it works. Use the the "green soap" all the time because it costs less then most other soaps. Wash everything in Baking Soda. But most importantly, I do what Pat said:
QuoteOriginally posted by Pat B:
The wind.
Downwind is free.
Smoke. For years, I've been purposely building a smokey fire and holding my clothes over it before and during hunts. I have had deer, elk and bear downwind inside of 5 yards and you can tell that they can smell the smoke (nose in the air) but they don't spook unless I move. My theory is that the carbon in the smoke traps my human odor and since they smell wildfire smoke all the time (at least out west), they have no fear of woodsmoke.
I do whatever I can to minimize my scent. I use unscented soap and deodorant starting 2 weeks prior to season. I never wear my clothes inside and leave them hang on my porch. I never wear my boots anywhere but in the woods and keep them in a plastic bag. I also spray red fox Pee on my boots and pants to cover incidental contact with vegetation. I try to enter and hunt stands downwind of where deer most likely will approach. I have been doing this for 20 years and it definitely helps. My theory is I've never smelled a possum driving down the road, but you can smell a skunk for hundreds of yards. I'd rather be a possum! I know it seems like a lot, but I hunt high pressure public land and this is what works for me.
More good discussion! Thanks
Bill -I updated my email - did to realize my old one was still showing - will PM you also.
I know ya can't fool the nose....but the difference in a clean hunter and a dirty hunter could make or break ya when the wind swirls when ya have a animal your trying to take nearly in range......
Woodchucker's experience with the K-9 Officer reminded me of a research abstract I read when I was in grad school. If I remember correctly, there was a researcher trying to train dogs to detect certain cancers on people. Any way, the dogs the researcher was working with reportedly could identify the maker of fingerprints on glass slides for well over a week after they were made.
So while I will continue to rely on airing out my equipment and watching the wind, I doubt we can do anything to prevent an animal from scenting us. Maybe you can fool the animal into not being alarmed with the use of smoke or cover scents, I can't prove it. Our sense of smell is so poor in comparison we can not relate to an animal that relies on scent detection for survival.
QuoteOriginally posted by Doug Treat:
Smoke. For years, I've been purposely building a smokey fire and holding my clothes over it before and during hunts. I have had deer, elk and bear downwind inside of 5 yards and you can tell that they can smell the smoke (nose in the air) but they don't spook unless I move. My theory is that the carbon in the smoke traps my human odor and since they smell wildfire smoke all the time (at least out west), they have no fear of woodsmoke.
X2!
This is me to a "T". I don't do it every time but I have tried it and had the exact same results. They smelled something but didn't spook.
I think the thing is that everyone has a limit on how much trouble they want to go thru to control their scent to kill a deer.
I guess one could wrap themselves in plastic shrink rap and breath through some kind of carbon filter if they wanted to.
Would probably help, but is it worth the trouble?
I have known hunters who would pack their clothes and boots in and change into their hunting clothes close to their stand. Probably helps, but to me killing a deer is just not that important. You can take all the fun out of anything by becoming too serious about it. I do some things that I feel help but also forgo other things I should be doing simply because I don't see them being worth the trouble.
What ever you do, you still got to watch the wind.
Mature deer are killed at close range when they don't smell you. Use the wind to your advantage. You will never fool a deers nose. Cover scents and minimizing scent on your trail is a good practise but better yet, sneak into your spot without crossing trails you hope to see deer using.
Actually I think removing sent from clothing probably really works and is an excellent idea. Just don't put them on, because the moment you do you smell like a human. :bigsmyl:
I like to take advantage of my stench at times and hang an icky T shirt from some brush along " another" path in my favorite funnel. If they go that way, they see, then smell "me" and often double around, past my alternate position while really fixated on "me".
I use the wind and limit my bean intake
So for the guys that take the cloryphyll - how much do you take?
I used to take it a few years ago and I think it says on the bottle either 1 or 2 pills a day but not positive on that.
How much Chlorophyll to use depends on the individual. For me it means increasing dosage over a period of a couple of weeks.
Usually you will take more than the suggested dose. You will be able to tell by the color of your waste... green is good.
There is no doubt in my mind that it's a game changer.
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
How much Chlorophyll to use depends on the individual. For me it means increasing dosage over a period of a couple of weeks.
Usually you will take more than the suggested dose. You will be able to tell by the color of your waste... green is good.
There is no doubt in my mind that it's a game changer.
That's interesting...definitely worth a try!!
Have used baking soda rather successfully since the mid 80's.
Scent free deterent, hang dry clothes then store in a bag or container with a large amount(1 large box of baking soda) of baking soda. WHen patting my clothes the baking sodas poofs out. Typically run thru 4 large boxes of baking soda per deer season.
Always interested in improving my scent control.
I agree with hunting the wind.
I'm like most of you. Simply wash my clothes in baking soda (ya gotta wash them anyways) then hang on a line to dry for a couple of days weather permitting. I shower with unscented soap which I do anyways.
Nowadays I spend more time on stand location and approach than scent control. Never killed a big buck that was downwind of me.
Triple Chlorophyll and activated charcoal. I've also heard going vegetarian can make a difference as your digestive system generates specific enzymes to break down meat, which marks you as a predator.
I know the chlorophyll and activated charcoal work to reduce the bodies waste scent, at least to my nose. I live on a sailboat and use a porta potti, so I know for a fact. It also makes a noticeable difference in armpit and foot odor.
I don't believe it's possible to completely eliminate our smell, but if it can be "diluted" the deer just might not be as alerted that it's fresh, as in that you are there now. I know a good beagle knows a fresh rabbit scent from an old one. Most deer are familiar with human scent and I'm sure they know when you're close, or were around in the recent past.
Anyway, only the deer know for sure about all that, but I do know that the things I mentioned do drastically reduce our scent, so I'll pop a chlorophyll pill and mix a bit of activated charcoal powder in my milk daily starting before the season until it's over, along with the usual methods of handling hunting clothing and personal hygiene. Then, most importantly, I'll play the wind and pray for good luck!
QuoteOriginally posted by Friend:
Have used baking soda rather successfully since the mid 80's.
Scent free deterent, hang dry clothes then store in a bag or container with a large amount(1 large box of baking soda) of baking soda. WHen patting my clothes the baking sodas poofs out. Typically run thru 4 large boxes of baking soda per deer season.
Always interested in improving my scent control.
x2 on the baking soda. I don't use detergent unless there is a lot of dirt to be cleaned but then run my clothes through a wash cycle with about a half box of soda.
The other half gets poured in to a bathtub of water and I take a few minutes soak.
You can also rub some of the local foliage on you to make yourself smell familiar to them.
Growing up on a dairy farm more times than not our barn clothes were our hunting cloths. Apparently this was a good cover up because there was seldom a time that our root cellar was short on venison.
Regards,
Grouse
LOL, that would be local foliage to the extreme.
When I was hunting near cattle I would stomp in a few cow pies on the way to the stand....a good cover there for sure.
Every little bit helps.....