Okay...

I'm having scent issues. I've been winded more this year than ever. I've also seen more deer this year than ever. (explain that?)

By this date last year (hunting the same spots) - I saw 12 deer.
This year, hunting the same hours, same spots - I'm up to 37.

Problem is, I keep getting winded. Now, we're not talking deer freaking out and blowing their sinus cavities out (that only happened once). We're talking about deer coming in to 3, 5, 10 yards and just changing their body language, getting nervousand walking away.

I know they smell me. I've hunted long enough to read their body language and know what's going on. The fawns ignore it. The older deer are catching something.

I do play the wind to the extent possible, but it changes and swirls, and it's outside my control. A soft uphill breeze can turn into a still, downhill thermal in any given evening. Just happens, I guess.
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Before you go off saying that I'm a scent slob, hear this:

I shower before every hunt (except for the after-work hunts, where I don't have time to shower)with scent-free soap (washing body and hair)and slather myself with scentkiller deodorant. I'm hairless from the neck down. Crew cut hair for deer season. I even brush my teeth with scent free soap. Borderline neurotic, I know.

Alpha burly knee-high rubber boots.
Anti-microbial base layer.
Scent lok suit.
Scent lok hat.
Scent lok gloves.

Still getting winded. Not bad, but they know. I see them hit my footprints and change their whole demeanor. They know something isn't right, and they leave.

For scent spray, I use Scent Killer (unscented)and the home-made stuff (Peroxide, scentkiller soap, baking soda).

Now another thing to consider is that the deer that I'm hunting - they get a lot of pressure. Way more than normal. They're really high-strung, and tolerate nothing in the line of human presence.

One other consideration is that my AlphaBurly boots are demolished. Camo worn off the toes, pulling apart at every seam, probably 10 holes in each boot. May 1/8" of tread left. I know I'm having some scent get out, but it CAN'T be that much.

So - for you guys who are confident in your scent control regimen, tell me where I'm going wrong, or tell me what kind of scent spray I need to switch to.

Do you spray your boots down with scent killer type spray?

I used Scent Killer or HSScents spray. But I am a bad example I set everything up so deer can come where i walked in for most of my stands. The above sprays have not failed me. I used walk in with Fox Urine on my boots, it seem to work. I also keep my boots in an air tight container like my clothes.

Do you ever wash those boots? If they have been worn that much and not washed much or ever you can spray all you want but it won't do the trick. Wash with a good amout of scent soap inside and out. If they hit your tracks and can tell it is got to be the boots..

Yeah, I slather the boots down with scent killer, and I've even scrubbed them with scentkiller soap. I keep them in the same bin as my clothes, too.

These are the products that I'm using:

Just the spray (not the soap)- I go through it by the gallon.




This is the soap. I've got about 90 bottles of this stuff.

It's simple,

They smell your feet, and chew the gum on the market that kills the odor in your mouth, and they notice your body shape (silohette)

product is ok and will work. Maybe just some new boots do to all the holes? Cost less than a few gallons of spray!

What about any other gear that you carry to your stand with you? Fanny pack? Backpack? Etc. From the sound of your scent-control routine you're pretty much in line with what I do, and have had success with, so I would imagine that you've thought of this already. But just in case, it cant' hurt to ask.

I spray my pack down before every hunt, and keep an HS Earth Scent wafer clipped on my pack for some extra cover scent as well. I also store it in a plastic rubbermaid container when not in use. I know it's not scent-proof, but it's better than leaving it lay around in your truck, garage, or house.

As you pointed out, the boots could be a pretty good contributor to your problem as well. It doesn't take much of a hole for a fair amount of scent to squeeze out as your' walking. Especially as your feet begin to perspire. I would definitely replace the boots if they have holes in them. It certainly cannot hurt.

The last piece of puzzle I didn't see mentioned - a facemask and some Gum-O-Flage. Scent-Lok hats are great, but if you don't have something covering the rest of your face, and especially your mouth/nose you might as well not have anything on at all.

That's all the insight I have for now. I don't think you'll EVER totally eliminate your scent and since these deer aren't freaking out and running to the next county I think you're on the right track to being effective. I would try my suggestions and see what happens. If you've got the same results, it could just be that you're hunting some nervous, pressured deer. In that case, any amount of human scent is going to put them on alert.

My boots are wrecked. But seriously, how much scent can really squeeze out of a few holes in a neoprene/rubber boot? I guess a few of the holes are pretty big...

Justin - I do spray my stuff down too - stand, seat and backpack. Boots are definitely ready for replacement. These ones are beat.

I don't do a mask, b/c they just drive me nuts. No gumoflage either, but I probably will start taking chlorophyll tablets. I meant to do that before the season, but forgot all about it.

Anybody have a gently used pair of Alpha Burly (sz 10) that they wanna sell? LOL

Not much you can do with swirling winds but if they are getting that close before they bust you, they are well within shooting range.

smell the inside of those alpha burly's Quik. Mine stink horribly, but my feet sweat a lot. Last year I switched to a plain, breathable cordura boot. I only wear them bowhunting. I know, sounds crazy. But my feet stay dry, and dry feet don't stink, there fore the inside of my boots stay relatively stink free. I sprinkle some baking in them once in awhile also.

I, nor anybody else could ever convince me that rubber boots do what everyone says they do. They may keep scent off the ground, but that inside boot odor .......how can you mask that up???Rubber traps moisture/sweat, sweat encourages the build-up of bacteria, and bacteria stinks. Maybe for trappers and such, rubber boots work well where you're in and out of a site quickly. But one whiff of the inside of a pair of well worn rubber boots made me think twice about it, and I decided to experiment with other boots. So far, since mid last season, I haven't had anyrun-ins with deerthat made me regret it.

One other thing I learned is that carbon clothes don't seem to breathe well. I sweat a alot period, and on chilly days, that moisture gathers up in that carbon shirt or pants, and just stays there all day. Then like an idiot, I'd throw that shirt or pants in my air tite bag. Guess what? .........Yep, stinky clothes too. I strive to keep all my clothes as dry as I can, and if I sweat it up, it goes inthe wash. And if you've been hunting the past 2 weeks in Pa like I think you have Quik, it's been HOT!! Now we got some real weather finally!!!

Take care Quik!