What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Prior to going out I use scent sprays/powders on each layer the way have read about, I think I have that part covered..

What about the stuff I carry? Like a pop up blind? It has a foreign smell to it all on it's own. I have left it set up for days at a time in the back yard, covered it in sprays too.. Is that important? As important as the smell of a human body?
In my job I notice animal odors tend to adhere to certain materials more than others, for instance the odd time (OK, it's frequent) I get pegged by a skunk I can hang the clothes out and the odor is gone in a couple days, but my leather boots/belt/shoes hold that odor for months! So does that mean it is a bad idea to use the leather pouch for my binocs/range finder? I am assuming leather would hold human scent just as well.
What if I set a caged skunk in my pop up and angered it (I seem to be good at that, and I catch a lot of skunks). Would that be a suitable cover smell?

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

David, have you tried this?

Sport-Wash


What can ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda do to deodorize carpet and upholstery?

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Haven't tried that Reb, I use one from Hunters Specialties that promisies the same results..
I was thinking more along the lines of after I get my body taken care of, like stuff I carry, that won't fit in the washer.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

I use Arm & Hammer baking soda when I wash my hunting clothes, about a cup per load and it works great. Whole lot cheaper then the "NO" scent stuff. I also delutea cup or two in a spray bottle for my eq.
Bill

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

I also do like retiredarmy does. I wash my clothes in Sport Wash (explanation if needed), place in a tub of Water with Arm & Hammer for about an hour and then hang and let drip dry. Been doing this for many years.

Edit: Ok, I misread your post!:DFor the large objects, use a quart sizespray bottle with 75/50 water and Arm & Hammer!

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Do not get me wrong, but I believe that one can go over board with trying to eliminate scent. Eliminating as much scent as possible is a good thing, but they claim that 80% of your body oder comes from your breath.

The trouble is, everythng has a SMELL to it, even all the no scent soaps and stuff. Again the trouble is, us humans do not have the scent gathering ability that the animals we hunt have. Who actually knows what they can smell and detect that us humans can't.

I honestly believe that deer have been taught to ear the smell of humans. They come across different smells all the time, become alerrt to them, but do not fear them until they are given a reason to fear that smell (I have never had a problem with deer fearing the smell of new blinds, have actually watched them watching it). As long as it is not a human smell or another predator, then you should be ok. (Pydpiper, take your skunk sprayed clothing with you and place just down wind, best cover scent ou can have)

Again, your breathing and if you pass gas, will ruin all the precautions you have taken. Is all those precautions worth the cost and effort, that is up to you to decide, but I do not think so, not the degree that alot of people go to.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

I don't want to over prepare, I am just looking for as many opinions as I can so I have something to base my own decisions on.
I will have to try the skunk spray cover, that just seems too easy. Today I will be taking a skunk by hand (they never spray me like that) but I may try to contain some of the smell, with leather or wood. I have never tried to "keep" the smell, but it is worth a try.
Breath is a bit harder to stop, I can see getting light headed pretty quick;).. However, my carbon speedo should help with the flatulence.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Skunk spray is a response to predation, you'll more likely spook the deer than fool them. All you can really do with odors is reduce them to the point that you seem farther away, and therefore less of a threat, than you really are. I wash my clothes in Sportwash and baking soda and hunt the wind. If a deer busts you with it's eyes and/or ears it's first response is to circle downwind to check you out with it's nose.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

10-4, Good Buddy!:)

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

I wash my cloths in no scent at the beginning of the year and once half way thru.I keep all my gear and cloths in a tub(except bow).On the bottom of the tub I have a layer of dirt/leaves from the area I hunt.When I go out to the edge of the woods I just spray alittle no-scent on the bow and bottom of my boots....works great for me.......I used to be into all the differant cover scent products but The last few yearsIve kept it simple.

You dont wear fox scent into a area were thier are none and you dont wear apple scent into a pine forest....Ive heard of guys doing this and just laugh my ars off.........

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Good point too Kevin..

I went to an unnamed bow shop to get on top of this scent thing, explained where I spend my time and was sent home with some "pine pucks" to clip on my clothes, I now think they seen me more as a way to clear old stock than a customer.. The only pine trees I see are in my backyard.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

I used to play into all the scent stuff but I honestly think it is just all a big marketing success. I used to put on sprays, make a mud hole and work my boots in some cover scent and all the good stuff, but no more. All I do is I was my cloths in some non UV soap with no scents added, I think it is called whitetail institutes or something. Then I started to hunt above 20 feet and in the last three years I do not think I have been winded at all to my memory in my high stand. When I use to hunt on a 12 foot ladder I was winded some. But I use no scents at all going into the woods. I think all the scent stuff on TV is just a marketing reptelling a guy, "wear are stuff and brag it up and we will pay for your next high fenced hunting shoot". One thing I can add though is I think it depends on the guy and the area. I know guys at work that sweat like pigs by the time they are out of the locker room and by lunch they could make a skunk blush. Me, I do not sweat much at all, I think. LOL. But the individual may need more then others. Also the area, in my area I can see six or so houses from my stand. The human scent is all around where I hunt from all the people living in the country. I think it makes it harder for deer to pick you out if they are around it 24-7. Now if you where to go deep into a wooded area like up north or south of me where the deer are far away from anything and a person would be totally alien to the area, then maybe it is different, don't know. But I do know that since I started using non UV soap and went above 20 feet I started seeing alot more deer and had no scent sprays on.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

You got it Bro!:)Ibelieve those were my words to you a few months ago!;)

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Here is the link where we talked about it, Lots of good info in there on UV stuff David. I think I started using UV soap when I bought my first set of camo about four years ago.;)

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1708249&mpage=2&key=see&#172 0359

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Skunk spraying is a preditory response, but unless a skunk spray is over strong (extreemly fresh), it will not normally spook a deer. If it did, the deer would be constantly spooked from skunk smell. They grow accustom to the smell of skunk, but the left over smell is enough to help cover the human smell, but not fully cover your scen. Always play the wind, that is your best chance.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: GrumpyTom

Skunk spraying is a preditory response, but unless a skunk spray is over strong (extreemly fresh), it will not normally spook a deer.
[\quote]
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Tom, like the says, To Each His Own!;)

HuntingNet.com - Getting Grounded

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Sorry Reb... Its what I do best! Just ask my wifes family!!

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

have to agree with hotburn and the reb. people think i'm nuts. my stands have always been 25 ft high if possible.[8D]

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

No Shewe, you're smart!;)

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

Also, just as a cover, I don't knock ground hunting at all. I did more of it over at the new swamp spot then I have in the last five years. I just prefer the trees. Lots of guys kill deer on the ground every year. I just prefer being up high, its alot more forgiving for the mistakes I make IMO.

RE: What "scent" are we trying to cover?
 

I'm with you one this one hotburn, I like the trees also. A tower box stand is my perferrance though. It really forgives on the scent thingy. bUt when I was younger, I hunted all the time from a loc-on. I never used any cover scent, just keep clean and I never had a deer scent me. At least, none I saw near me. I used red fox urine once and had a red fox come across the trail and when he hit that scent, it was like I hit him across the nose with a hammer, and he ran like his tail was on fire. I never used any more of that stuff. Red Foxx was funner on TV. LOL.
Anyway, my opinion on scents: people are different, some stink and some don't. Body chemistry is different from one person to another. My wife can sit side by side in the front yard and the skitters will eat her up and I'm not bothered at all. I don't get chiggers, ticks, flees or kooties. But spiders love to scare the crap outta me. The good Lord put spiders on this great earth just to torment me I think. I'm only scared of four kinds of spiders though, Big ones, little ones, dead ones and live ones. I'm not askared of snakes at all. I dare a snake to cross my path. I hold a arrowed broadhead down for them to strike and they cut their mouth to ribbons. LOL.
BBO