I thought I had a good thing going ....

[Bob B.]

Well, I have a lot to think about now.  I wash my clothes in unscented soap, I shower just before hunting with hunting soap ( the green stuff), my clothes are alway on the line out side when not being worn.  I use scent killer spray on my under garments and a solution of baking soda and water I step in with my hunting boots on.  My outer clothes have a slight "cover up" spay, fresh earth on them.

So, I finished hunting and walked out of the woods to my house.  My Dog ( a mountain cur) was sunning himself next to the house.  I wlaked next to the tree line and he nvere saw me.  I sneaked up to about 50 yards, when a hefty wind gust blew from me to him.  He instantly, wagged his stub of a tail and raised his nose up to "catch the wind".  He looked intently towards the woods where I was, but did not see me.  He kept wagging his tail and looking for me ... I moved a bit toward him, and he trotted over to say hello.

I thought I smelled near invisible, I guess I gotta fix something.

Bob.

[sam barrett]

I would have to say that all those products, which I also use only help mask your scent.  I don't think that they will completely eliminate any of it.  There are odor molecules constantly floating around in the air, plus our body is also giving off odor (hopefully not too bad. lol) all the time too.  I think those products may help a little, but will never be a panacea for scent elimination.

[Chris O]

haha, those mountain curs have some pretty good noses!

[John3]

These products may help... a bit.

There is no way to defeat an animals nose.  Either the wind is right or not.  I set stands/ground blinds always using a compass taking into account our prevailing wind direction and will only hunt those stands with a correct wind.

It is amazing that we ever do get deer killed. Their nose always knows!!!

John III

[frank bullitt]

Bob B., I don't believe in the scent-lok suits or such. I do believe in cleansing, playing the wind and such.

 I don't understand how those scent eliminators work! If a dog can smell drugs in a steel container! God gave our animals some great senses! Good shootin, Steve

[Bob B.]

Yeah, I never use scent lock suits, I think it is marketing hooey!!  Anyway, I try to be as celan as possible and try my best to reamin scent free.  Clearly, I do watch the wind etc, I guess all I can do is hope my scent is faint enough so as to "smell not too close", or "been here long ago".

Hey Chris O, My curr does have a fantastic nose.  If a coon is anywhere near out home, even with the windows closed, he gets crazy and starts to cry in the house, like he is on trail.  Incredible nose for sure!

Bob.

[Jeff Strubberg]

There is no such thing as smelling "invisible".  I wish there were!

The only realistic option is to hunt with the wind as close to "in your face" as you can manage.

[Apex Predator]

Play the wind, it's the only sure way.

[Bill Carlsen]

Have you ever noticed that on the hunting shows that are sponsored by all the scent killer stuff that the hunters never hunt a stand unless the wind is right? What does that tell you? I think you need to reduce your scent as much as possible but I doubt that you will ever go it 100%.

[bayoubowman]

"Forget the wind, Just hunt"  Nice marketing phrase, but as far from the truth as you could get. I try to be as "scent free" as possible, but you got to play the wind..

[straitera]

Deer noses can pick out the day of the week. Covers might confuse them a second or two, but don't fool yourself.

[todd smith]

I was just re-reading G. Fred Asbell's STALKING & STILL-HUNTING and I like what he says.  Something like the more you eliminate your scent by staying clean the smaller in width your scent trail will be.  If you don't pay attention to scent at all your scent 'footprint' will be much larger than if you do.  Still, if a critter gets directly downwind of you, they're going to get a snoot full of your scent.  

Yeah...  Always hunt the wind.              

todd

[lt-m-grow]

Along with what Todd said, I believe that reducing your scent as much as possible also makes it harder for the animal to know "how far" away you are.  

Sorta like how we would react when smelling a skunk.  If we smell strong skunk smell we start looking for it ASAP, but if the scent is less strong we may not be as concerned as we sense the skunk is further away.  Most of us hunt in areas where our game smells people all the time - so less strong is better.  Not perfect - just better.

[vtmtnman]

Like everyone said those products help,but there is no substitute for hunting the wind.

A deer's ears may not hear,a deer's eyes may not see,but it's nose will never lie.

[JoeM]

My guide in NM stated, "son I could put you in a Ziploc bag, and if the wind blows wrong he's gonna smell ya."    Always hunt the wind.  Joe

[robtattoo]

Read my sig. line  

[Guru]

Even if all that stuff did work, your dog would probably smell even a small amount of scent from your breath from that distance and recognize it as yours.

All that stuff helps, even a good fresh scent-loc suit will help a bit more(I've used it quite a bit), but in the end....if the wind is wrong, they'll probably smell ya....

On the other hand, I've had times when I was hunting that I swore I was gonna get picked up at any second....and then not a bit of reaction.....go figure......

[Covey]

I've hunted the hills and hollers of southern IN. most of my life and I very rarely have a dominant wind! if I moved every time the wind changed I would never get set down! I wish I lived in some of the places that you guy's do, so I could play the wind "so you say"!! I just take every precaution I can and hope for the best!! Jason

[shakey slim]

i've been busted so many times i almost got a complex!/ wind in face is only way i ever really know they won't catch scent ,its so much part of the hunt ! i love it .i watch my cat for pointers ( she is awsume! uses wind stealth/camo and wins the stalk often!)      

[Don Stokes]

My sister-in-law's cat followed me to my stand behind the farmhouse one afternoon, and climbed right up the ladder to join me in the stand. The cat missed nothing that moved in the area, which activated my speculatory glands, wondering about breeding a mute pocket-sized cat that could be used as a game-spotter... and a tom could provide cover scent!