skeeter 7MM

I agree. IMO 100% scent free is a pipe dream, its ok to be scent aware and cautious but to think x,y and z product will make you invisible to their nose, I'd say your making a mistake. Use the wind and whatever else makes you feel more confident.

jack dube

im not saying some of the scent blockers dont work but. I think bakeing soda works just as well. main thing is watch the wind love aniamals they taste dam good

Jeff Ovington

Watching the wind is the most criticle......
I use my own cover scent formula...Baking Soda mixed Hydrogen Peroxide
vinella and water.
I wash my cloths in this,shower in this and spray on my clothing befor walking...
I also use scent glands off of mature deer as well.......
But I also hunt with smokers (used to be one and still am one after a "KILL") and they harvest as many mature animals as I do or anyone else for that matter...
Cover scent are not long lasting,(maybe 10-15min)the minute you work up a sweat on your bobyits absorbs into your clothing and animals smell it almost immediatly...
I do it cause the first 15min of my hunt is the most critical time for me
thats the only advantage I can see using them,
I always pay attention to wind thats whatgives me the success...

trouthunter

My personal run with scent control & cover has been an evolution of trial and error. When I first started hunting elk in my teens the big thing was using "elk in estrus" scent. Thinking that smelling like an estrus cow along with calls may lure a bull into bow range. I abandoned this approach when it didn't bear fruit, plus I was tired of smelling like urine (I'm sure smelling like dounuts, coffee, and doritos didn't help either). Playing the wind seemed to be the best approach back then.
In my early 20's, I found out that playing the wind was a must. Especially since I usually smelled like a stinky bar after a night out with the boys before the big hunt.
In my later 20's I was introduced to scent control. I say scent control because there is truely no way one can eliminate ones scent. My cousin, who is an excellent whitetail hunter, showed me some basic practices to keep your scent to the minimum possible. His whitetail hunting tactics modeled old trapper techniques of wearing rubber boots and gloves when dispersing attractants, and utilizing what was available on the market (carbon suits and sprays) to further reduce human scent in the treestand. The carbon suit was actually first employed by the military for chemical/biological warfare (keeping the bad stuff out) then by special forces personel in fooling a guard dogs nose (keeping the bad stuff in). Obviously the later use was noticed by the hunting market, and ScentLoc was born (among others).
As I employed these tactics I began to notice I was getting much closer to game. The carbon suits, rubber boots, and scent elimination sprays seemed to do the job when I was in a still hunting situation. When a spot and stalk was needed, I never seen total proof of scent control, but I was also still playing the wind. Experience I'm sure played a part in this too, as my hunting prowess grew with time in the field. I did find, as stated in this discussion, the ScentLoc suit I had on didn't breath very well, and I found myself quite lathered up by the time I reached my quary after a hard hike.
I have recently added a somewhat new technology to my arsenal of scent control with the X-scent silver weave found in some undergarmets (The X-scent weave takes odors from your body and nutralizes them, instaed of absorbing them like carbon garments). My wife bought me a pair of Medalist thermal underwear with the X-scent silver weave incorperated in the garmet for Christmas of '03'. I was highly skeptical of this "scent nutralization" garment, but they were warm and comfortable. I put them to the test on an '04' caribou hunt in Alaska. I spent 5 days out on the tundra, and I never smelled myself until I took off the garmets. They impressed me enough that it is now a permanent part of my hunting appearal.
The X-scent undergarment is a much better choice for the long hikes of spot and stock elk hunting as a base layer under my lightweight 3-D camoflage top layer. The breathable, sweat wicking, cotton garmet is great during the early season on warm September days. As the weather get colder, I add the ScentLoc suit as a middle layer.
I use the above scent control measures along with hunters soap, baking soda to wash my gear in, and scent control sprays. Once again, I do not believe that my scent is completely eliminated, but reduced enough to help keep from spooking game.
Playing the wind is always a must, and a tried and true practice as old as hunting itself. I just like using as much as there is out there to help give me an edge. I hope that my long winded post will help some decide to give scent control a try.

tsoc

Great post Scott! Pretty much hits the nail on the head as far as I am concerned.The products that I have found to be the best after many years of trial and error.Are Atsko sportwash for hunting clothing,atsko body wash and shampoo and either of these three spray on scent killers,Vanishing hunter,the home recipe of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water and hunters speciality liquid soap and baking soda or lastly Atsko NoOdor that you mix up yourself.
I am a big believer in the use of baking soda in the wash in the shower,in your boots,with water to gargle. I take the most precautions when stand hunting whitetails.
Acheiving scent free status is impossible,getting your odor down to tolerable limits is not.

game4lunch

Been hunting Wapiti in S.E. Wyoming for over twenty years. Harvested my share of elk and then some. I only use scents to determine wind direction. One spritz and you can see what the wind is doing. I put my FAITH in hunting skills, and nose to the wind, not scent blockers or cover scents. An elk has a long nose for a reason, to smell danger. Your sweat from hiking even level ground will still get through scent block clothing and mixed in with, not covered up by, elk pee.

I will, however, arm pits, hat brim, etc with dirt and pine needles right off the ground. Your head really stinks when it sweats. Back at camp, I hang camos outside overnight to "Freshen". I also use scent illiminating powders (baking soda base) in boots, hats, etc.

Keep your nose in the wind, and your head on a 360* swivel will do you moreto be successfulthan over priced accessories that do little or no good.

usa

Say what you will about using the wind to your advantage but if you have spent much time on the top of mountain's and ridges then you know what swirling winds are and that you can't stay downwind. I used HS elk urine wafers this year and yes they stink like the dicken's but I called in a herd of cow's and calves 3 different times and even though they were 20 feet from me on all side's they didn't bust me, but my buddy wearing scentloc and having sprayed himself with some kind of odor elimenator (sp) got busted right awaybecause of the swirling winds, so who knows but I will continue to smell like elk urine, actually it doesn't smell any worse then the cow's I used to milk !