Fight Scent With Scent

[Keuka]

I just finished an interesting post and replys on Scent Lok clothing. Now how about comments on using cover ups to mask our stink. What does amd doesn't work?

I've used crushed apples, onions, fox urine and skunk scent. The only real results I noticed is the skunk alarmed the deer but did keep hunters out of my stand.
 
Another thing is, my girl friend loves to tell stories about how I get up way before sun rise, shower and cover myself with fox piss. She says the only thing dumber is when I paint my face and go out and pretend I'm a turkey. Hmm, maybe she's got a point.

Anyway, what seems to work in your area and is the masking scent common in the places you hunt?

[Whip]

As a masking scent, no I don't use it anymore.   I'm not asying it can't work, and I'll bet it does work in some cases.  I have just decided that I try to go into the woods and not use anything to draw attention to myself or the fact that there is anything there.  Add to that the fact that in order for a deer to smell the scent they would need to be downwind of you, and are therefore likely to smell you as well.  

My goal when I enter the woods is to try to do everything I can to make sure the deer don't even know I was there, even after I am gone.

[Whip]

I should add that when I did use scents it did on occasion work tremendously.  When I first started bowhunting the first buck I ever had a shot at  was so enthralled with the scent I had out he gave me three different shots.  Missed every one.      I thought I had found the magic formula to take bucks, but haven't been able to repeat the performance since, so I finally gave up on them.

[ishiwannabe]

I agree with Whips ideals. However, if for some reason I cant be scent free...no time to shower...no access to clean clothes, I use racoon urine when in a tree, and earth scent when I am on the ground. I dont know if they work...but it makes me more comfortable.
I should add that I use Scent killer. A lot of it. I spray everything down, every time I go hunting. I have tried almost every scent elimination spray out there, and my personal experience shows it is the best for my needs....so far.

[Pat B]

One year at our club in GA the wild grapes were so thick my friend gathered a mess of them and put them and his hunting cloths in a large plastic bag and smished them together. It made for a good cover scent but his hunt was cut short by all the yellow jackets that were after the grapes. I used to have very good luck with fox pee but lately I don't use any cover or attracting scents. I just try to work the wind.   Pat

[V I Archer]

I agree with comment on it making us more comfortable.  Still I do use it, my preferance being Hunters Specialties fresh Earth spray.  Though normally I only spray myself once in the morning, and everything I have shot has been in the last hour of legal light.  This last season I hunted the entire season without using camo, evidenced in my avatar, but still used the scent elimination/coverup spray.  Wether it works or not, I won't be giving it up anytime soon.

[OconeeDan]

I hang my clothes in one of those zip up plastic laundry closets, and keep earth flavored scent wafers in there.  Year around.  All my clothes soak up the scent and I think it helps.  
Dan

[Deadsmple]

Earth scent, racoon piss, I agree whatever makes you feel comfortable. I prefer to use Scent Killer. If I have to smell like something I wanna smell like a fire  

[Bard1]

I for one don't think a cover scent works.  I do think scent eliminators do.  I don't use cover scents such as urine, or skunk, or dirt.  
As for scent eliminators I like Robinson's and I really like "dead down wind".

[Luke Vander Vennen]

I keep my hunting clothes in a plastic bag full of cedar branches. Even if it doesn't work, the smell of cedar brings me back to time spent in the woods.

[owlbait]

I occasionally use skunk paste 40-50 yards downwind of my stand. Don't want deer coming from there anyway. i've seen them get agitated from the smell and circle and come into range. I use Deer Dander and Border Crossing Labs Deer Herd in a Bottle as a cover scent that I spray into the air from my stand. Deer don't seem to spook from it and some actually settle down and investigate.

[mmgrode]

Everyone has differnet experiences with scents and such. I myself don't wear any scents or treat my clothes with anything besides the exclusion of dryer sheets when I dry them. I really do believe, however, that deer scents really do work during the rut to, in some way, both cover your scent downwind of your position and bring deer into the area. I really believe in them for stand hunting the rut. Other than that I figure that if the deer is downwind of you, he is going to smell you no matter what stuff you've sprayed on. I can see how it can give a guy confidence and perhaps it is worth it just for that aspect. Cheers, Matt

[MikeS]

Cover scents, in my experience, don't work!  But on occasion a curiosity scent around your stand, or a doe in heat scent around your stand do work.  The biggest buck I ever killed was killed with the aid of Kirchner's Trail Maker.  He had his nose right on the dab I had applied to a bush around my stand.  He was awsome!
Mike

[**DONOTDELETE**]

We had a chance to experiment with Doe in heat scent with a young buck that was so tame he'd walk right up to you. The little guy loved the snickers candy bars and was more interested in them than the scent....

On the other hand...when calling elk i use the cow in heat gel. it comes in a plastic tub and easily slips into your pack...this stuff has brought curious Bull elk into range for us for years. Especially used in tandem with decoys.
The beauty of this stuff is you dont put it on YOU at all.....i get set up, and just open the container....or maybe smear a little bit on some surrounding trees.....It does work! as far using it to "Cover your own scent" goes....nothing but the wind in your face will do that better in my opinion.....a lot of guys use it for a confidence placebo though....

[mark land]

1 thing that has worked very well for us when hunting farm country is to take a pile of freshly fallen oak leaves and build a small fire, just enough to get the leaves to smolder and get all in the smoke, work it thru your hair and all your clothing.  Works exceptionaly well for covering your scent and deer are very use to smelling smoke around farms and such, especially when we hunt the mid-west.  Has saved many a hunt when the winds got to swirling around.  Mark

[brent d.]

When hunting on the ground I like to clear as large of a circle as I can down below the top of the dirt where I am sitting. Especially black swampy soil. no crunchy leaves and the dirt has a distinct powerful odor that is a little stronger than my stink.

[Ga.boy]

I agree with Bard1, "Dead Down Wind" works! It's the only thing I use anymore.

[xia_emperor]

all crushed apples, onions, fox urine and skunk scent do is make you smell like a Human that smells like crushed apples, onions, fox urine, skunk scent and Human.

If a dog can smell drugs in a car (gas tank etc.) then the deer will still smell you. it is just better to work with the wind.

[Keuka]

Mark, You said you worked in farm country. When I was much younger I worked on a dairy farm nights after school and weekends. Thats how I earned money for bows, etc. Anyway, I tried all the cover scent. Nothing seemed to work very well. Then one day I had an idea. I knew the deer around the farm were use to smelling the cows so I tried hanging my camo in the barm. Bingo, It worked.

Now I'm not claiming that any mature doe would just come walking in from down wind but I do believe it helped. I tried it near my house where there weren't any cows and It didn't work as well. If you hunt near cows, give it a try.