Scent Control... how far do you go?

[Lost Arra]

Knawbone: I've always gotten closer to the deer around my house but I've always assumed they were just used to my smell since we both live there.

[Burnsie]

If it's good enough for Mr. Rothhaar its good enough for me - plain plaid wool and play they wind.  And to be honest, I don't have enough ambition to go through all the scent control rigamarole every time I go out - easier to throw some milk weed silk in the air and see where it floats.

[Knawbone]

Lostarra, I agree with you,they expect your sent to be there, but once your in their world ( away from houses ect.} its' a different story.Their sense of danger is relitive so to speak. When I'm up in my woods with my tractor cutting wood, they stand and watch me or stay bedded were they are.They understand Im doing something that means them no harm. But try to take a Sunday walk in the woods and its white flags.When Fall comes around and the Deer start smelling all these differnt human smells from incroaching hunters they know whats up. I try to avoid that situation in my woods buy limiting my scent.

[Knawbone]

Lost arra, My hunting land is up the hill about a quarter mile from my house. Just needed to clarify that.

[Hoyt]

If I can smell myself I start thinking about washing something. Other than that I attempt to hunt the right wind, but it's useless on the ridges and drainage's I hunt. The wind will blow in every direction every sit.

Had a decent buck come in right at night this afternoon..bout 20yds..could just see his rack..he didn't smell me anyway.

[traditional beagle]

I don't use the scent free crap. Your feet stink and your breath stinks and your butt stinks. The deer will smell you. Give it up and hunt the wind. If I was selling millions of dollars worth of the junk I would preach scent control to.

[Bjorn]

I don't go out of my way to stink; but I don't worry about it either-just pay attention to the wind.

[reddogge]

So if you scent control types have to let one out do you strip naked first?

[hawkeye n pa]

Watch the wind, clothes washed in baking soda and aired out.  The older I get the less camo I wear, and prefer wool if its cool enough.

LOL reddogge

[hawkeye n pa]

[RC]

I wash me and my clothes in baking soda and hope the wind don`t change. I do believe rubber boots are a must for scouting and deer hunting.RC

[Tsalt]

Thanks for all the responses guys.  That's helpful feedback.  I guess I'm not doing too bad.

[FOX SQUIRREL NUTS]

full scent free shower and clothes wash storage...i also use my copperhead base layers which has helped a lot this year.  i try to play the wind where possible but its not always due to small parcel sizes and permission issues.

[Knawbone]

All I can say is the proof is on my wall. Hows your wall doing? Scent control is just lowering your scent output, it doesn't mean you have to use all the rigamaroll, just lower and/or mask your scent. Of coarse you have to play the wind, but how often is that a constant.,Why does a dog role in dead stinky animals? How often have you had a Deer come under your tree stand, but he busts you at the last second because he smelled you. Maybe you could have harvested that animal with just a little scent control.Everyones free to hunt the way they see fit. If you think playing the wind is all you need to do then thats fine. But don't disrespect me for my methods

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Knawbone, maybe I missed something, but I don't think anyone was singling you out?  Lots of opinions here, and everyone is entitled to do as much (or as little) as they want.  

Experienced hunters know what works for their situation - like you said - what makes me sad is new guys buying into the TV hype and relying on "products" rather than woodsmanship to kill deer.  I think we're all good here.

Oh, and my wall?  I quit measuring deer 15 years ago, but I reckon I'd be in the "900 club" if I measured my 6 best.  

I prefer them with a snoot full of the hot doe they are behind when I shoots 'em - with their minds elsewhere you can sure get away with a lot!  

R

[Knawbone]

Thanks Ryan, I don't measure my deer either, Just making a point and it wasn't about size, it was about success. I was practicing scent control long before any products were on the shelf.To me "scent control" is just that scent control. It's part of good woodsmanship imo. I don't buy into all the hype either, just wish some people could be a little less crass about there opinions.I;m 53 so I j\\guess i grew up with a little different set of standards.Its all good  

[Sam McMichael]

I have read this thread pretty closely, and I don't think there is any sense of respect or disrespect in the comments. It simply seems that some tend to think scent control needs to be a major concern and some guys don't - no more and no less. One belief does not invalidate a differing belief, it simply differs from it.

I have enjoyed hearing the various points of view. I must admit that I am somewhat in the middle. I don't think you can really cover up your scent at all, but I still have spent a small fortune on deer pee, fox pee, skunk scent, sex scents, apple scent, acorn scent, vanilla,anise, garlic and just about anything else you can think of. Results have been negligible, but the one sure thing I know is that skunk scent stinks to the point of nausea, especially when you use the entire bottle under your stand at one time.

[Knawbone]

Sam, I re-read all the posts and your right-my bad. My apologies to one and all,I guess sometines I just get a little touchy.Carry on my fellow arrow slingers.  

[mwosborn]

Now I know why these guys don't advertise on tradgang!

 http://www.ozonicshunting.com/

     

I play the wind and try common sense scent control.

[Bjorn]

There are a ton of people who buy into stuff like ozonics; and even though scentloc, or whoever it was, lost that class action lawsuit a couple of years ago demonstrating their product failed to deliver claimed results; they just went right back at it and people continued to buy the product.
Most people like to 'buy' a solution rather than have to work at understanding the issue and how to approach it in the first place-like planning your hunt based upon wind forecasts and observed wind direction and then changing your hunt when the wind changes. It isn't always easy; but it is always fun.