Scent Killers

[OkKeith]

Shan,

Spot and stalk, still-hunting or just plain attempting to sneak up on a deer and make a good shot; is about the hardest thing you can do. AND, in my opinion the most fun/exciting!

When moving through the woods and stalking deer, the wind is the MOST important consideration! The suggestion of adding a small feather on a thread to one tip of your bow is an excellent thing to do. It can tell you instantly whether you are good to go or about to be busted. I have one on all my hunting bows.

My standard method is to take 3-5 steps and stop, listen and look. Mentaly disect the forest ahead of you. Tree trunks are vertical, most limbs and brush are vertical, grass is vertical. Watch for horizontal movement across the field of view. Pick everything apart piece by piece until you pick-out a piece of a deer, then put the puzzle of the whole thing together to see it.

After picking everything apart and not seeing a deer, take a few more steps and go through the process again. You really can not go too slow.

As far as deer hunting being a tree stand monopoly, NO WAY! I hunt stands when the terrain or conditions call for it (or I feel like it). I hunt ground blinds or pop-up blinds when the conditions require (or I just feel like it) and I love to stalk and still-hunt when I can (or I feel like it, getting the picture?).

There are as many ways to hunt deer as there are people hunting them. There are certianly some basics to pick-up on that can flatten the learning curve a little, but the BEST way to learn deer-hunting, is to go hunt deer. These wonderful animals that we are so devoted to are really the best teachers. They will let you know what works and what doesn't.

Just stay focused on the good hunt, not the final kill. That way you won't get discouraged. It will all come together in the proper time. Enjoy the journey.

OkKeith

[Shan]

Wow, you gentlemen truly have a wealth of information!
Congratulations to you Mr.Pearsall on your 'avatar' dear. That must have been quite the experience. I hope to emulate such a feat.
Mr.Owen, it's great to hear that you enjoy switching it up and the thrill of the stalk. It really seems like the purist form of the hunt, not to detract from any other method, but the skill required and the double dynamic aspect (both you and the deer are moving) really make it exciting. I've employed 'the stalk' successfully on rabbits back at home but I feel like the Whitetail is a slightly more formidable quarry.
Like you said, the best way to learn is to go out and do it. I don't get too much time off here at the Naval Academy but hopefully in the upcoming weeks I'll be able to squeeze out into those sacred woods again for a little soul repair and of course some deer hunting.

[boznarras]

How much baking soda per wash load do you guys use?

[toddster]

just sprinkle in about a 1/4 of it in wash.  Like okkeith said.  I have stalked whitetails and turkeys.  Hard to do but fun as heck.  If you take your time and watch the wind, you will be suprised at how close you actually can get to a deer, but throw the clock away and take your time.  turkey's are a different story.  Main thing is to enjoy and have fun.

[Shan]

Thank you all for the informative discussion!

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

The most important thing is to play the wind.  It doesn't hurt to shower in scent eliminating soap and use deoderant and spray but that won't get you 100% scent free.  If you're breathing you're going to produce scent.  Don't waste money on scent lock clothing.  I buy my hunting clothes at wally world and shot my first deer from the ground at 8 feet and have actually had them closer than that.

[gjarcher]

I'm not an advocate of scent-control clothing. To use it effectively requires much more than jut putting it on. Total body coverage, breath containment, contamination free, etc. Also, it has a much shorter life span than most believe and certainly after one season it is no better than regular camo clothing. I say this after two years serving as the Chemical Warfare Training Officer, Surface Forces, Pacific Fleet.

Basic common sense scent control coupled with hunting skills, such as minding wind direction and thermals will put you 'in the hunt'. Usually after several days of hunting, I'm digging into the bottom of the dirty cloths bag to find something that doesn't smell as bad as what I have on. Last season I used the Silver Scent products for body order, hair, and breath control and noticed a real reduction in body orders and clothing smells after strenous hunts in Rocky Mountain terrain.     http://www.silverscentproducts.com/  

90% of ordor orginates with your breath. If you don't have $$ to spend on breath control products, just fill a squeeze bottle with Hydrogen Peroxide mouth wash and use it about every two hours to 'freshen up'.

Another factor to pay attention to is UV signature. Laundry brighteners can make you appear as a blue, glowing alien to deer. Check for UV signature with a black light. Eliminating UV signature from your clothing and gear will eliminate getting busted when the wind is in your favor.
   http://www.atsko.com/products/uv-protection/u-v-killer.html  
   http://www.atsko.com/products/uv-protection/ultraviolet-flashlight.html

[Gatekeeper]

I see you’re 19 so women and having a lot of them around you is probably pretty high on you priority list…right?     Too much of this stuff, IMO, has got to permeate your skin and stick with you for days. Look for products that don’t have perfume additives…there out there. They are usually marketed to people with sensitive skin. Even without all of these things you’re still going to stink like a predator. So like many have said, watch the wind and thermals. If the wind or thermals change for your setup…move or you’ll get busted and possible blow that spot for a very long time.

I carry two puffer bottles filled with sifted fire place ash. There is a feather tied to the tip of my bow and I carry milk weed seeds with me. The feather and the puffer bottle get used the most. The milkweed seed get used when I’m in a treestand.

Another trick that may help is vanilla. Carry 6 or so cotton balls soaked with vanilla into the field with you in a pill bottle or 35mm film canister. When you setup your ambush spot, place one or two vanilla soaked cotton balls up wind of where you want the deer to stop. This may get the animal to turn its head away from you and stand long enough for you to compose yourself and make the shot.

Here are directions for making homemade scent killer

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=078333

This stuff is recommended for use to get the skunk smell out of dogs after they have been sprayed, so it must have some scent eliminating properties to it.


Good luck brother and welcome    to the site. You’ve already made a great choice by signing up on TG. There are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful people here.

Another thing…always…always carry a camera into the field with you and take lots of pictures when you down an animal. Don’t ruin you hunt by taking a picture of your trophy laying in the back of a truck, hanging from a rope or laying on a concrete slab. Be prepared. Clean up the animal and take the time to pose it and yourself in the field so you can have a memorable picture to look back at 20, 30 or 40 years from now.  

[Dave Earley]

Call me compulsive or OCD, but with my system, I have deer downwind of me (treestand), without being busted, on a regular basis, and have for years.  None of these were big bucks, but lots of does and medium - smaller bucks.  Here is my formula, basically the same as you will get from Steve Bartylla :

rubber boots, only used for hunting and stored and treated as has been noted above.  Shower with unscented soap daily, clothing washed in same, aired out outside, and stored in plastic bags, same with pack, bow haul line, rattle bag, etc etc.  Scent lok clothing on the outside, finally ASAT 3D leafy suit over top of everything.  I spray down my bow, arrows and quiver lightly with some type of anti-scent spray.  No: scented deodorant, shampoo, hair gel, etc.  Brush my teenth & tongue with baking soda before going out.  I keep everything in totes or scentproof bags and no matter the weather, strip to my whitey tightys while standing at the back of my truck, and redress from my gear boxes & bags.  LW climber treestand is stored outside starting in about August.

My conclusion is that my scent is reduced to the point where the deer conclude whatever human is responsbile is very far away.

Since I went to this system about 10 years ago, including the ASAT 3D suit, I have increased my deer sightings by roughly 50%.  My kill rate has also gone up.

Some folks, including my family, think this system is waaay crazy, but hey - it works !

Got two does so far this fall with my new Fedora HP recurve - shoots like a dream.  Keep passing up small bucks - maybe I will get lucky this weekend.

Good hunting everyone

[Huntschool]

Here is a tidbit...  If you are hunting farm country and horses or cows are present..  find a pile of #$%@& and step in it.  Really... get your boots covered a bit.  It is an odor the deer are aquainted with and will help cover your own.  Just an old country trick.

How did you get from CA to the east coast for school?

[njloco]

Two things come to mind, most of your scent comes from your head, hands, and your mouth. I use Dead Downwind body soap and shampoo in one, Dove soap for sensitive skin unscented for the rest of the body, then I use Arm and Hammer deodorant unscented. I wear rubber boots and spray everything with Dead down wind, or any of the other scent killer sprays, I wear a scent stopper type hat and face mask but still spray them with a scent killer, and I still try my best to use the wind.

Hope that helps.

[Lone Ranger]

Bump for an old thread as I got busted at less than 5 yards last evening by a mature doe. She couldn't see me but when she went straight downwind she blew, stomped and did everything she could to get me to move! I was set up properly and did not know she was going to go that direction- I'll re-evaluate next week when I go back out!

L.R.

[huntin_sparty]

Originally posted by erierik:
I use hickory smoke,has always worked for me.They even offer a commercial smoker now I see.I just burn some hardwood chips,blow on it and wala,douse yourself in the smoke.I think it kills some of your scent and deer in my area are use to burning leaves and woodburners.I still always try to keep wind in my face of course.

Right on what I do.  I tried for years to be scent free...Its impossible we STINK to animals!  Anyhow hunt the wind and then use natural cover to your area I use smoke too a lot of woodburning stoves in my area so nothing to alarm them if the wind goes out of my favor.  If near apple orchard or hickory grove I rub those all over me too.

[Autumnarcher]

No matter what gimmick product of the day may claim, you cannot eliminate your scent.

I wash my hunting clothes in plain water, and hang them outside on the clothesline to dry. I keep them in a plastic tote, and do not wear them anywhere but hunting. When the leaves start to drop, I put a few handfuls of them in the tote with my clothes.

I do not use perfumed soaps, deodorants or shampoos. I dont want to add any extra stink, just reduce it as luch as possible.

I keep track of the wind. Take a couple milkweed pods, and open them up. remove the seed for the bottoms of the fluffy stuff. I release a couple of those from my stands, and watch where it goes.

Like water flowing around rocks and obstructions in a creek, wind does the same. It swirls and wanders as it encounters trees,brush, hills and dips. sunny areas vs shaded areas will effect the flow of air. Watch that milkweed fluff and see where it goes, you may be surprised to see it end up totally opposite of where you think your scent is blowing.

Reducing your stink may halp somewhat, but know that if enough molecules of you reach a deers nose, its game over. Every time.

But dont waste your money on scent killer soap, scent lock suits, scent killer gum, or other magicc potions.

[Autumnarcher]

One other thing that will make you stick out is your face. All the camo clothing in the world is useless unless you do something to reduce that shining face. It sticks out like a headlight.

I use camo makeup, or burnt cork. If I dont have any of that, I use a piece of blackened wood from the campfire pit. If you prefer, use a face net. But cover your face.

[cahaba]

I wash my clothes in unscented detergent. Then I have a big zip lock bag that I store my clothes in. I hang them up at the barn. In the bag I use some cedar that I cut. You can also throw some hickory chips in there as well. I am a firm believer in the puffer bottles and keep a close watch on the wind. Some days its amazing what the wind is doing. I would say out of it all the puffer bottles are the best arsenal for me. Does any of the other stuff work? I don't know but it gives me a little more confidence and that keeps me more mentally in the hunt.

[Mudd]

If I were close enough to apply any scent killer to a deer, I'd have a shot.

Other wise I rely on bathing and wind direction primarily.

I have been known to carry a small glass container with some cotton balls soaked with ammonia.

I know that all kinds of critters seem to get interested in figuring out that smell.

God bless,Mudd

[Dogbyte]

as with all deer hunting ive done, the best scent block is being downwind of your prey. If YOU are upwind of the prey, you are in the wrong spot. Sometimes its avoidable with planning, but sometimes there is nothing you can do to outguess a nanny, or that big buck.

You might be able to mask your scent, and im sure the retail industry will tell you that you most certainly can. But its been my experience that even sometimes ive had deer trail me where ive walked in, but nearly every single time, they bolt at first chance. Play the wind into your advantage, not only will you be a better hunter because of it, you'll see more game even if you dont get a shot. a 2 yr old buck on a WMA will show you what he thinks of scent block, a 2 yr buck on priv property thats never seen a hunter, or even been shot at, may not spook and give you a second shot, or might even trail you up just to see what you look like.

[LC]

Ok here's my take on this, take it for what you think it's worth. period. Yes I believe I CAN fool a deer's nose as for smelling me while in a tree stand. Maybe not 100% but 99% of the time. Nope not selling anything, and don't ask me how but it's entirely possible. It's a combination of several things plus my own homemade scent killer. Yes the same scent killer is sold on the market (nope it's got NO baking soda or any combo of) but to use it like it needs to be done you'd have a fortune in it and nobody uses at such. The same commericial spray is like $8 and I have maybe 30cents in it. But like I said it's part of a package. Now with that said I don't care what you wear for foot wear the deer can tell where you've walked. Some better than others. I compare them to dogs, some have a knack for tracking that you can't beat while others could care less. I've been using my system for about 5 years now and could care less how the wind is blowing while on stand. PERIOD.

I love watching those videos and reading books saying never hunt a stand if the wind is wrong. LOL Here in WV you'd either never hunt or be changing stands quicker than Obama says I won't raise taxes. lol

Please no PM messages for the "secret" potion just consider there is one!

[JamesKerr]

I am not the most experienced hunter but I found that any type of scent suppressing system does help but if the wind is wrong they are no match for a whitetail's nose.