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Natural Cover Scents

Old 06-07-2010, 03:56 PM
  #1  
Spike
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Default Natural Cover Scents

Anyone else use natural, rather than store bought, cover scents? I tend to be old school when it comes to deer hunting and have been hunting over 30 years. I usualy pack my hunting clothes in plastic unscented trash bags. Mixed among my clothing I put fresh clippings from Cedar Trees. By the time season rolls around the scent is very much impregnated into the cloth. It is strong, yet pleasant, smelling and can be refreshed easily by putting your clothing back in the bag after each hunt. You can also simply rub up against live Cedar Trees while hunting to further refresh the scent if needed. Even better that Cedar is wild Mint. It too not only has a strong scent but I'm convinced the smell actually attracts deer. Using this systom I've had deer get close enough to touch, using nothing else, and by just sitting still. Give it a try. It really works and doesn't cost but for the bag.
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Old 06-08-2010, 06:06 AM
  #2  
Nontypical Buck
 
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No such thing as any scent that can cover or hide human scent to a deer. They have the ability to process many orders at once. Using a "cover scent simply means they smell that order and you instead of just you.
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Old 06-08-2010, 06:31 AM
  #3  
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true, ya cant hide the human skin cells...but smellin like somethin else helps...for me, i use natural doe urine ...its a bit messy tryin to get the bladder out sometimes....it can pop like a balloon, but its cheaper than buying, and at least i know this stuff is real.
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Old 06-08-2010, 08:06 PM
  #4  
Nontypical Buck
 
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My Uncle use to store his hunting clothes in a container or barrel with a few apples cut up and laid in between the layers of clothes a few weeks before Hunting Season....he always got a nice Deer each year!


I'm sure Spirithawks idea would work great if a person would wash their clothes in scent-free soap and wear rubber boots.When I got out to hunt I spray the scent-killer spray on my clothes and hunting boots....then if possible I walk on some fresh persimmons to help hide my scent when walking!
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Old 06-08-2010, 08:20 PM
  #5  
Typical Buck
 
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Default Yep, yer right.....

never took a deer before what 85-86...until someone came out with some 19.95 snake oil that said can't hunt w/o it.....check yur states history...it was close to being hunted out prior to a moritorium....think about it, wind, sent....did I say wind and intell????????
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Old 06-09-2010, 03:35 AM
  #6  
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whatever you choose to use, always play the wind(which i'm sure you already know). last year i didn't use any type of cover scent after going through 1 smaller bottle of scent killer in about 3 weeks and took 3 does. missed out on a huge bodied 9 pt. because i moved over another 40 yds from where i was orig. sitting . and also passed on several small ones. i even smoke(which is a big "no no") and pee where i sit.
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Old 06-09-2010, 06:08 AM
  #7  
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Default Scent free does and donts

Would like to start off with explaining to everyone that human scent starts....where else? with the human. humans shed skin cells at a very rapid rate, even though you cant see them. they are lighter than dry baby powder and invisible to the naked eye.
So imagine yourself covered in baby powder and walking on a black carpet. same thing with scent. Now think of ways you cant put on items to keep the powder totally in. Now ya got all these items on, now imagine if someone was to come up and start patting on you, would there be a puff of baby powder comin out? i would think so. can we keep all the scent in? probably not, but we can try.

wash your clothes you will be wearing and a towel in scent free detergents, sure you can find some here at HNI...put your clothes in a scent free bag, read the directions on your bag and take care of properly. I put a lil bit of stuff from where i hunt in my bag, i.g dirt, leaves and pine needles. and yes i just washed the clothes but o well

ya dont wanna do the following and then go get in your truck!!!!!! i am allowing no travel time here...sorry....no way you will stay scent free..unless your truck came from Texas Instruments and is clean room ready, and i will still have my doubts..i am lucky at one of my grounds i have showers available, and am able to walk right into the field...but others i dont and have to take a frigged shower buck naked in the woods and it sux..i aint gonna lie.

take a friggen shower...use something that will loosen all the skin cells possible while you shower. an umfa thingy ..wash rag . ex foliation is the key here...but dont just use your hands and the soap.

this is not the time to smoke cigeretts and eat breakfast, walk the dog...
this is the time to get as far away from everyone as you can, try and be upwind of your livin area, downwind of natural wildlife. make sure you have all your gear and its scent free. You dont need a buddy with ya, you dont want him contaminating you, this means grandma too.
open the bag, get your gloves on and spray them, put on your hood, then your top tucking in the hood, you dont want the hood ever comin over your top, it will be shedding skin cells on the outside of your gear and this is what we are tryin to prevent. i use a 1 piece, but if you have a 2 piece, its time to put on the bottoms tucking the top into the bottoms, same way, ya dont want skin cells falling on the outside of your gear. you guessed it boots...i know it sux, but ya need to tuck your pants into your boots...otherwise you are sprinkling skin cells out the bottom of your pants, and you just cant tie it off imo..waterproof/snakebite and/or rubber boots help keep the scent in better imo.

this is the time to spray down..if its real windy its hard to get your back i know, but ya have too, and with out your smelly buddy who just dropped a bomb and ate breakfast with his morning cigarette ...do it your self..unless of course your buddy is this gung ho about it too, and he probably dont want your stinking butt near him right now lol
spray head to toe and the bottom of the boots as well and plan on sittin fer a few minutes to let it dry. (bottom of the boots)

spray your bow, arrows, quiver, pack ( i dont carry one they are scent bombs unless you are really careful), .hopefully you keep your gear scent free, there are skin particles all over this stuff from practice the day before or whatever..what about the stuff in the bag, is there gonna be this big baby powder smoke bomb goin off when you open it up in the field.i spray my bow the night before and
leave my bow in a tree upwind from us and downwind of nature, its saturated from the dew sometimes . i also use scent free oil if ya can believe that. its real cheap, once again HNI can probably help ya with that.

remember keep that hood on tight and try not to bend over and look down because your downfall now is the opening for the eyes, ears and mouth, which you guessed it, smoke bombs of scent falling to the ground.

remember to take it off in reverse, spray your gloves before you start, always rewash your gloves when ever possible.

i have ruined a couple calls washing them, but have found a few that make it. what ever your taking out needs to be scent free and treated just like the clothes....if your gonna use a washer and dryer, then do a few loads of regular laundry with scent free detergent before your "real load"...empty that dryer vent every time. i do mine in the same scent free cooler fer years and dry them in the woods.i also use the creek water where i hunt, and they dry there too. right into my scent free "dirty bag"... you don't wanna be shedding skin cells on your clothes right outta the dryer or off the tree, so use your gloves, put the bag close to the dryer and fill it up dont be leaning over the clothes droppin skin cells in/on the clothes and bag, close it , and then hand wash your gloves then turn wrong side out to dry . then i put it in the bag. with them wrong side out, you dont get scent on the outside of the glove when you start gearing up.
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Old 06-09-2010, 11:47 AM
  #8  
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lots of cows and horses in the areas I hunt ... usually step in pile on the way in and it seems to work well enough ... by I always try to be downwind of my target area anyway
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Old 06-09-2010, 03:52 PM
  #9  
Spike
 
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I typically do not use any cover scent at all and have no problem getting deer within range beit with a bow or gun. I do rely heavily on Tinks 69 during the rut as an attractant. I almost hunt exclusively from ground blinds (except with a bow) constructed out of natural timbers and such an I can honestly say I routinely have deer pass by me at ranges as little as 10 yards and never be the wiser to my being there. It's not that I dont think cover scents help, it's simply Ive never felt the need to use them if I have deer that close and not spook. The areas I hunt are densely wooded and hilly so you'll rarely have a shot over 70 yards. I have found while we camp for 1-2 weeks during the season I'll wear some of my hunting clothes around the camp fire which tend to get that fire smoke smell and my buddies are pretty amazed that I can hunt in those and be successful. Why? Well,there are houses here and there in the areas I hunt and most people are burning wood stoves. The deer in those areas are used to the smell so why would one alert if it smelled something it smells all winter in those areas?
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Old 06-09-2010, 06:00 PM
  #10  
Fork Horn
 
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I dont use any scent block either, I also have had deer pass within 10 yards and not be the wiser I am there. I dont know why, these same deer pass by the farm houses and barns, and wont give a second look to a guy on a tractor in the field, maybe they are already used to the scents from the area.
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