tree oils and scent cover ups

[bsoper]

I was reading Byron Ferguson's Become the Arrow last night and he said that he used cedar tree oil successfully as a scent cover up.

I was wondering if anyone else used such things. It would seem like a pretty cheap alternative. Of course it wouldn't work if you didnt' have cedar trees around, but If I used, say, juniper berry oil and sage brush, well there are plenty of those around here.

[BuckyT]

Originally posted by bsoper:
I was reading Byron Ferguson's Become the Arrow last night and he said that he used cedar tree oil successfully as a scent cover up.

I was wondering if anyone else used such things. It would seem like a pretty cheap alternative. Of course it wouldn't work if you didnt' have cedar trees around, but If I used, say, juniper berry oil and sage brush, well there are plenty of those around here.

I wash my hunting clothes in Scent Away laundry detergent.

I store them in large zip lock bags, then throw them in my rubbermaid container.

I wear my "street clothes" in the truck on the way to the hunting spot.

I put my hunting clothes on outside, then, spray down with some scent away spray.  I'm not trying to endorse Scent Away by the way..lol!  Just what I use and it seems to work.

And most importantly, I play the wind!!!  I will not hunt certain stands if the wind is wrong for that stand!

The playing the wind factor is the most important to me.  The other stuff gives me a little "piece of mind".  

[jamesh76]

I have put cedar clippings in with my clothese before, rubbed sage on my pants and boots. Stepped in every pile of cow crap on the way to the stand, sprayed down with scent away. IMO---No matter what you can not get rid of all of the human scent. I think of a deers nose as a dog. You can put the dope in with coffe beans, in a gas tank wrapped up. It still does not matter they smell it.

Take what ever precautions you would like but ALWAYS play the wind. It is your best bet.

[Hot Hap]

Cheap? At over $100 a gal. I wouldn't call it cheap. Hap

[Jim Wright]

If you think about it, even if you applied "scent cover" to every square inch of your body including your hair, what do you do about the relatively large ammount of air that you exhale with every breath? And even at that why would you expect a game animal with their superb noses not to smell YOU mixed in with the "scent cover"? Staying clean as possible probably helps a little and being down wind is huge.

[SteveB]

Again - hugh difference between reducing your scent and attempting to cover it. You can reduce. You cannot hide one scent (you) with another.

[SheltonCreeker]

Play the wind. Never used natural scents before but seems like an alright idea. I put the earth scent waffers in a tub with my clothes. I bath in Dead Down Wind soaps and shampoos. Wash my clothes in the same and spray down with the cover scent. Yes I know you cant eliminate your scent but I like to try and reduce it as much as possible. But as stated above wind is key. I think my scent process is more about getting me in the mind set for my hunt. Like an athlete that goes thro a pregame warm up or ritual. Thats mine scrub with high dollar soaps! It may not work but at least makes me feel better!  

[KevO]

It seems this topic has been discussed numerous times.  I still contend that everyone's body chemistry is a little different.  In other words, some of us stink to game animals more than others. I don't know how to prove this.  It's just a theory.  I think that all one can do is to keep as clean as possible & play the wind.  Earlier this year there was a discussion about the benefits of using wood smoke as well.  Some guys swear by it.