Poor folk scent control

[TIM B]

What's everyone's scent control plan?  
I try to keep this simple.  I wash clothes in arm & hammer and use a hunting deodorant.  Keep myself clean and use a lot of unsented baby wipes since I hunt after work a lot.

I am going to give the homemade scent eliminating spray a try this year (that's posted in the how-to section)

Heard of some guys using cover scents.....I've never really tried this though.

[mark Willoughby]

Scent away has always worked great for me

[BWallace10327]

I've used scent away, scent-killer, the like.  It can't really hurt.  When I hunt in areas with sage I'll but a limb and rub my clothes with it.

[Pete McMiller]

I guess I must be a real poor folk.  My scent control plan is to stay downwind, it's pretty cheap and renewable   :rolleyes:    

[Bill Carlsen]

Wash  clothes is Sports wash. Double rinse with baking soda and air dry outside. Shower before each hunt with the green soap. Take chlorophyll . Use lavalin deodorant. Hunt the wind.

[TIM B]

Chlorophyll - tell me more.  Anyone else do this?

[kennym]

chlorophyll-  yup I started using it when Charlie Lamb had a yote walk up same tracks he did and sit down at the base of his stand. If it helps beat their nose. It's got to help with deer.

[last arrow]

When at home and my permanent camp I get my clothes clean.  Then hang them outside.  I leave mine hanging under my deck in mesh laundry bags at home and under a canopy at camp away from other smells so they are never inside collecting odors.  Keep yourself clean and be sure your soap, deodorant, etc. are unscented. Following this method, it is not unusual to have deer travel the same trails to my stand that I take.

That being said, I have done backpack hunting trips with no changes of clothes so after a few days things have odor from sweat, cooking, campfires etc.  I've done nearly as well hunting by just carefully watching the wind so believe that hunting technique is more important than scent control.

[huskyarcher]

I wash my clothes in scent away stuff, spray down entering the woods and wear the heck out of those little dirt scent wafers that smell so loud theyll choke you. Does it work every time? Heck no. But no doubt it helps. My getting smelled rated dropped dramatically.

[KeganM]

Before heading to the stand I use a beekeeper smoker. Works pretty well for my brother and I but we hunt near our parents' house with a wood stove. Those deer might just be used to it.

[Pat B]

The wind.

[Matt Fowler]

I've been using a smoker last few years. Only problem is it doesn't seem to last.

[Michael Arnette]

My mindset is to limit my scent: Less is best IMO
I shower with a scent eliminating shampoo, use dead down wind spray, rubber boots and just use the wind to my advantage. I've had lots of deer young and old go bizerk crossing my scent trail so I'm pretty careful with how I get into the stand.
Sometimes if I don't have time I don't even bother with anything and play my approach  

When I hunt Kansas I don't even bother...those deer don't seem to care

[TIM B]

Great replies - thanks for the discussion.

Yeah the wind- I know - but it changes too much - and I always think back to fred Asbells diagram in the first instinctive archery book - the small cone showing the area a clean hunter affects and the much larger cone of a dirty hunter......

How much cloryphyll ?

[woodchucker]

I have a good friend & bow hunting buddy, who was a K-9 Officer for years, before they retired his dog, and he was promoted to Detective. I used to work with him and "Hudson" a lot!!! Tracking, Drug searches, Car stops, and "Big Sleeve" take downs. Numerous times we sprayed me down with the latest & greatest "scent killer" and odor eliminator products... Darn dog NEVER failed to find me!!!!!
I honestly belive, that those with success using them, were successful, because the wind, thermals, etc were favorable, and they would have been just as successful, without them.
Just one "old fart's" Oppinion.....

[Etter]

I dont think there is anything that actually works. A bear can pick out one scent molecule in 1 million. I dont waste money trying to cover that up. I choose stands based on wind

[Pete McMiller]

I agree Woodchucker.  I used to run coon hounds and no matter what rubber boots I had on or how deep the water (up to waist deep) the dogs never failed to find me.  

I have also seen deer and elk that were down wind of me and couldn't have cared less.  One bull I shot crossed my wind twice to get inside 15 yds.  Another Muley buck walked directly at me from down wind until he was 4 feet away and never spooked.  I have also had deer at less then 5 feet when I had my ghillie suit on that knew I was someplace around there but since they couldn't see me I wasn't a threat.  Doesn't happen all the time of course but often enough for me to question the whole scent killing product marketing.

Then again, if you believe it works, that's a lot of positive energy that goes along way towards success.  Do what makes you happy.

[Ray Johnson]

I started using pure vanilla extract mixed with water as a cover scent on my boots for walking in. A buddy of mine told me that it is an old timers cover scent.It has seemed to work well so far.

[Hoosierarcher88]

Ive had real good luck with nose jammer which also seems to cut down on the bugs some. Also suprisingly while squirrel hunting ive had a couple does walk right up to me and one licked my boot while wearing buggins bug spray, they seem to like the sweet smell

[Sam McMichael]

Hunt the wind. All else is a gimmick, in my opinion. I know, because I have tried a WHOLE LOT of things that never worked. If the wind blows from you to the deer, he will smell you.