Scent Control and Camo, Your Thoughts...
11-20-2011, 08:24 PM
#11
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
I hunted for years in a red and black plaid wool jacket that was my fathers and probably his fathers before him. Never knew I was doing it wrong. But now we have to be blaze orange.
Now I have top of the line, fleece jackets and shirts, wool pants, Gore-Tex jacket with a waterproof canvas shell. All of them were washed in scent free soap. And I might stink but I never use soap two days before hunting. I want all that soap smell off me. These new man made fibers are amazing at shedding water, moving sweat off the body, and just keep you warm. But wool is hard to beat too.
I also am a believer in cover scents, but you have to be very careful what cover scents you use. For instance, when we hunted the hog farm, we'd take the manure spreader and put a good layer of pig manure around the blinds. With the wind in your face, you got used to the stink, but we had deer walk 20 yards out front of the hay bale blinds and never even notice us.
In the woods up here I have a scent that smells like a damp rotted log. I think its called earth scent. I use that as scent cover. Fox urine works but it can back fire. I like fox urine for putting on trails I want the deer to circle or slow down at.
Now I have top of the line, fleece jackets and shirts, wool pants, Gore-Tex jacket with a waterproof canvas shell. All of them were washed in scent free soap. And I might stink but I never use soap two days before hunting. I want all that soap smell off me. These new man made fibers are amazing at shedding water, moving sweat off the body, and just keep you warm. But wool is hard to beat too.
I also am a believer in cover scents, but you have to be very careful what cover scents you use. For instance, when we hunted the hog farm, we'd take the manure spreader and put a good layer of pig manure around the blinds. With the wind in your face, you got used to the stink, but we had deer walk 20 yards out front of the hay bale blinds and never even notice us.
In the woods up here I have a scent that smells like a damp rotted log. I think its called earth scent. I use that as scent cover. Fox urine works but it can back fire. I like fox urine for putting on trails I want the deer to circle or slow down at.
11-20-2011, 08:50 PM
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 228
I think the scent free stuff is all BS.
That being said, I do wear camo coveralls, but nothing fancy and I do have a bottle of Scent Away detergent I bought a few years ago I use. I also sometimes shower and use the soap if I'm going to take a shower before going to the stand, but I don't worry about it otherwise. I sometimes use the spray before walking into the stand and sometimes not.
That said, when I run out I doubt I will by more of this stuff as I simply don't think it works. The only reason I use it at all is I have some of it that I bought years ago and still am using it.
I have a friend who's Dad is into all of this stuff because he see's it on TV. He will see the latest scent free product and have to buy it, the latest camo, etc. He has to have it all to get that advantage. He pretty much lives to hunt and watches hunting shows and talks about it all year, until the season comes in. In fact, he buys this stuff rather than pay his bills quite often.
For example this year, he saw the new Mossy Oak Infinity camo on TV. I assume it's new as he told me it was, but I have no idea. He had to rush out and buy this stuff despite the fact that he probably has 20 other pairs of camo. He also bought 2 huge bottles of Scent Away and has several of some other stuff that comes in a orange bottle.
We all laugh at him because he has been hunting since he was a kid so probably 35-40 years, and he has never killed what most of us would consider a big buck even though he spends ridiculous amounts of money on this stuff and tells us what we are doing wrong. We really shouldn't laugh as it's not funny, but more so sad. So he spends all of this money, and it clearly isn't doing him any good. The only thing he has killed of any size was a mule deer and it was small for a mule deer, but would be about the size of a decent white tail.
That said, I have another friend that I hunt with that also bought all of this stuff we me several years ago and he also quickly formed the opinion that it was BS. He used it the first year and rarely saw anything. Since then he has quit using it, showers as normal, washes his camo as normal, wears normal camo, etc, and has killed more deer the last two years than he has in the rest of his life combined, so it's clearly just luck, not what you smell or look like. Infact, he was talking on his phone the first day of black powder season this year and a pretty nice 7 point buck walked out into the field as he was talking and never paid much attention to him. He shot that one, then a few days later shot a huge 13 pointer. He agreed with me that stuff is mostly a marketing scam. We don't think it hurts to use it, but it doesn't seem to help either.
I also had a similar experience last year. I had been helping someone hang plywood in their shop while wearing my hunting cloths before heading to the stand. I smelled of the fresh cut plywood and who knows what else. They told me I'd never see a deer smelling like that as the deer knew that smell didn't belong. Well, that evening I killed the biggest buck that any of us know of that's been killed in that area. They only one that's come close is the 13 pointer my buddy got this year about 500 yards from where I killed this deer last year. That's the point I realized this stuff doesn't matter.
That being said, I do wear camo coveralls, but nothing fancy and I do have a bottle of Scent Away detergent I bought a few years ago I use. I also sometimes shower and use the soap if I'm going to take a shower before going to the stand, but I don't worry about it otherwise. I sometimes use the spray before walking into the stand and sometimes not.
That said, when I run out I doubt I will by more of this stuff as I simply don't think it works. The only reason I use it at all is I have some of it that I bought years ago and still am using it.
I have a friend who's Dad is into all of this stuff because he see's it on TV. He will see the latest scent free product and have to buy it, the latest camo, etc. He has to have it all to get that advantage. He pretty much lives to hunt and watches hunting shows and talks about it all year, until the season comes in. In fact, he buys this stuff rather than pay his bills quite often.
For example this year, he saw the new Mossy Oak Infinity camo on TV. I assume it's new as he told me it was, but I have no idea. He had to rush out and buy this stuff despite the fact that he probably has 20 other pairs of camo. He also bought 2 huge bottles of Scent Away and has several of some other stuff that comes in a orange bottle.
We all laugh at him because he has been hunting since he was a kid so probably 35-40 years, and he has never killed what most of us would consider a big buck even though he spends ridiculous amounts of money on this stuff and tells us what we are doing wrong. We really shouldn't laugh as it's not funny, but more so sad. So he spends all of this money, and it clearly isn't doing him any good. The only thing he has killed of any size was a mule deer and it was small for a mule deer, but would be about the size of a decent white tail.
That said, I have another friend that I hunt with that also bought all of this stuff we me several years ago and he also quickly formed the opinion that it was BS. He used it the first year and rarely saw anything. Since then he has quit using it, showers as normal, washes his camo as normal, wears normal camo, etc, and has killed more deer the last two years than he has in the rest of his life combined, so it's clearly just luck, not what you smell or look like. Infact, he was talking on his phone the first day of black powder season this year and a pretty nice 7 point buck walked out into the field as he was talking and never paid much attention to him. He shot that one, then a few days later shot a huge 13 pointer. He agreed with me that stuff is mostly a marketing scam. We don't think it hurts to use it, but it doesn't seem to help either.
I also had a similar experience last year. I had been helping someone hang plywood in their shop while wearing my hunting cloths before heading to the stand. I smelled of the fresh cut plywood and who knows what else. They told me I'd never see a deer smelling like that as the deer knew that smell didn't belong. Well, that evening I killed the biggest buck that any of us know of that's been killed in that area. They only one that's come close is the 13 pointer my buddy got this year about 500 yards from where I killed this deer last year. That's the point I realized this stuff doesn't matter.
Last edited by slowr1der; 11-20-2011 at 08:57 PM.
11-20-2011, 08:53 PM
#14
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 228
It is the old whitetail bucks and does that will change your success rate by catching your scent downwind of your stand. They can figure out how far you are from them by scent dispersion. They may move in slowly looking for you, and if they catch you moving they will probably leave just as quietly. Now that they know your hiding place they will use the wind to scent check your stand area and see if you are there. If you hear deer snorting at you from a long way off downwind from you this is probably what has happened. The younger deer are slower to figure it out. Scent free or smelly they will find you. The ONLY thing that i feel truly helps is rubber boots for the walk in to the stand.
This year, I got WD-40 sprayed on me the first day of the season. Now granted we did dig out the bottle of Scent Away and spray me off in the area that got WD-40 on me, but sitting in the stand I could still smell the WD-40 so obviously the smell was still there. I sat there about an hour before 3 does came out. They never looked at me, never noticed me, and just flat out didn't care.
IMO the most important thing when hunting is to just have a good food plot planted for them to come to. If you have that, I don't think the rest of the stuff matters too much.
11-20-2011, 09:51 PM
#16
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 228
I learn something new everyday. I didn't realize they were illegal anywhere. Our state doesn't allow baiting in the form of pouring corn out or anything like that, but you can plant a food plot.
In all honesty though, I said food plot, and while some guys do plant stuff around here, I mostly hunt over bean fields or corn fields, but I call them a food plot like the rest. Although the ones I and the guy I with hunt over are going to be planted regardless of if we are hunting there or not, I'm just too cheap to buy a ton of of stuff to plant, when I can hunt in this fields for free. The guy I hunt with most of the time is a farmer, so hunting with him has it's advantages.
That said, if I wasn't getting to hunt over these fields, I'd probably pony up for a food plot too.
Can you all hunt over fields with beans and corn, and similar?
In all honesty though, I said food plot, and while some guys do plant stuff around here, I mostly hunt over bean fields or corn fields, but I call them a food plot like the rest. Although the ones I and the guy I with hunt over are going to be planted regardless of if we are hunting there or not, I'm just too cheap to buy a ton of of stuff to plant, when I can hunt in this fields for free. The guy I hunt with most of the time is a farmer, so hunting with him has it's advantages.
That said, if I wasn't getting to hunt over these fields, I'd probably pony up for a food plot too.
Can you all hunt over fields with beans and corn, and similar?
Last edited by slowr1der; 11-20-2011 at 09:53 PM.
11-20-2011, 10:54 PM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: arkansas
Posts: 3,163
My clothes get washed in unscented laundry detergent and I take showers in unscented soap. I dont believe that a hunter can rid himself of human scent, but I try to do everything I can to keep it down. Trying to stay downwind of the deer is the best way to keep them from smelling a hunter. I spray down with scent killer and have had mixed results with it. Do I believe it works? I think it helps, but I dont think it erases 100% of human oder. As far as deer smelling urine, the urinary tract is sterile, oder is caused by bacteria. I urinate from my stand when I need to and dont worry about it, I have never had a deer act scared or concerned to the smell of urine.
I have one set of scent blocker clothes that I bought several years ago and I have had deer walked directly down wind of me and never smelled me. Other times while wearing them they have winded me and take off like a scalded cat. My own personal experiences with scent blocker clothes were mixed as well.
I have one set of scent blocker clothes that I bought several years ago and I have had deer walked directly down wind of me and never smelled me. Other times while wearing them they have winded me and take off like a scalded cat. My own personal experiences with scent blocker clothes were mixed as well.
11-21-2011, 01:00 AM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Northern Chautauqua Co. N.Y.
Posts: 2,976
It is the old whitetail bucks and does that will change your success rate by catching your scent downwind of your stand. They can figure out how far you are from them by scent dispersion. They may move in slowly looking for you, and if they catch you moving they will probably leave just as quietly. Now that they know your hiding place they will use the wind to scent check your stand area and see if you are there. If you hear deer snorting at you from a long way off downwind from you this is probably what has happened. The younger deer are slower to figure it out. Scent free or smelly they will find you. The ONLY thing that i feel truly helps is rubber boots for the walk in to the stand.
I keep the Boots in My Garage in there own Rubber Tote. I also hose them off and scrub them with a Brush each time I get back from Hunting when the weathers not below freezing, if there's snow on the ground when Hunting that's usually good enough for the clean. I wear My Sneakers to the Hunt, change into My Boots at the Hunting Spot and spray them with either fox. coon or deer urine then go off Hunting. The Deer still find My Tracks and sniff them and these are only the ones I can see from My Stand, some Snort and Leave, others probably are just interested in the Scent I put on them but the Adult Deer just know that you've been through here, I've even had them smell My Tracks and leave after a foot of snow has fallen over them. I've also had other Deer not know I went through there so go figure, Im not 100% convinced that Rubber Boots are that Scent Free, and YES I have also NOT Put anything on My Boots but Washed them with Clean Well Water and still get the same results. I wear Rubber Boots to keep My Feet Dry Mostly, Im sure thy keep Scent to a Minimum and the Deer cant tell how Old the Scent is and Confuses them but Im not 100% Convinced they work as good as everyone thinks.
I 100% Agree with you about if an Adult Deer spots you one time from your Stand that they'll Scent Check that spot from downwind from now on to see if your there. Also say you take a Deer from your Stand and other Deer are there in the Group when you take that Deer. The Deer that Run away will remember that Spot and do the same thing and teach other Deer to avoid that spot. Eventually the Deer will skirt your Stand Spot and you'll wonder what happened, that's what happened. And also the Deer that never knew you were there befor (the ones that you done see) that have winded you from downwind will also do this.
That's why your Best Chance in a Stand to take a Deer is the First time in it, after that your sightings go down and down.
11-21-2011, 01:21 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Northern Chautauqua Co. N.Y.
Posts: 2,976
The first time I really was satisfied that all the Scent Free stuff did'nt work cost Me over $1500. I bought New Rubber Boots, New Mossy Oak Camo Gore Tex Scent Blocker Lined Clothes, a Sent Loc suit and new socks and long underware ect. Everything that needed to be washed was washed in scent free soap, dried outside and stored in plastic bags and a tote. I showered in Scent Free Soap, sprayed down with Scent Free Spray and should have been so scent free that it was'nt funny.
The Deer Down Wind of Me the first time I was dressed in all this new stuff still smelled me. You cant beat a Deers Smell, you can only confuse them for a few seconds and hope that you can get off a shot befor they leave. So I do believe that you can gain an extra few seconds but if you think your Scent Free than your wrong. So if you believe the extra few seconds is all that is needed to make everything worh Buying than buy it, or that it did it's job because of the extra few seconds and that's all it had to do.
Bottom line is I've taken just as many Deer as I used to take with or with out all this Scent Free stuff.
The Deer Down Wind of Me the first time I was dressed in all this new stuff still smelled me. You cant beat a Deers Smell, you can only confuse them for a few seconds and hope that you can get off a shot befor they leave. So I do believe that you can gain an extra few seconds but if you think your Scent Free than your wrong. So if you believe the extra few seconds is all that is needed to make everything worh Buying than buy it, or that it did it's job because of the extra few seconds and that's all it had to do.
Bottom line is I've taken just as many Deer as I used to take with or with out all this Scent Free stuff.
11-21-2011, 02:53 AM
#20
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 601
Breech,
Everyone that hunts onour farm is a scent control freak. This year we all bought http://ozonicshunting.com/. All I can tell you is this thing works. Sitting on our food plot field.... everytime ..you turn this thing off within a few minutes some doe will blow and the field clears. If you leave it running they will just feed. Does carbon type clothes work? It cant hurt. But on the other hand a lot of big deer have been killed by someone in jeans smoking a cig. So play the wind and hunt
Everyone that hunts onour farm is a scent control freak. This year we all bought http://ozonicshunting.com/. All I can tell you is this thing works. Sitting on our food plot field.... everytime ..you turn this thing off within a few minutes some doe will blow and the field clears. If you leave it running they will just feed. Does carbon type clothes work? It cant hurt. But on the other hand a lot of big deer have been killed by someone in jeans smoking a cig. So play the wind and hunt