Are you scent free?

[GoatT]

So on the mornings I hunt near home within driving distance to my area (25-50 miles), I get up and take a shower with scent killer soap/shampoo/bodywash...put on unscented deoderant, throw all my hunting stuff in my truck and go.

How do you all manage your odor while driving? Do you think about it at all or just throw on your hunting clothes and go? You are probably the same as me in that your hunting vehicle is the same one you drive to work, eat McDonald's in, air freshener's, etc...Seems like a waste of time spent on unscented washing, unscented bathing, etc.

What is your thinking? Does it matter that much? I know you cannot really eliminate 100% of your scent, but any little bit helps.

 

[Craig]

I just put my stuff on and hunt. I do use unscented wash but that is about it. No spray or special bags or any of that stuff. I don't go get gas, or other stinky stuff on me but I don't worry about it much.

While elk hunting a couple years ago we were camping in my wall tent and is was snowing lightly out and we asked a guy camping next to us if he wanted to come over and warm up and hang out for a while. He would not even come over to my wall tent because we had the wood stove going and he did not want to smell like smoke. It was nice and warm inside.

 

[WRJ]

I usually drive to the hunting location and then I change into my hunting clothes. Distance doesn't really matter. I also spray down with scent eliminator when I change into my hunting clothing. I know I can't eliminate my scent completely but I like to think it helps. The most important thing about my scent is to keep it down wind.

 

[legacy]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-17-09 AT 06:37PM (MST)[p]Yup, I wash my clothes in scent-free detergent, and then put them in a bag usually with an HS Scent wafer or something like that. I also spray down with scent killer spray after I take them out of the bag and put them on. I put them on in the field, and take them off before getting back the the four wheeler or truck.

 

[gb22]

None of those things are bad ideas. I used to go so far as to abstain from eating meat for 6 to 8 week prior to hunting season; didn't want to "smell like a predator".

HOWEVER, walk uphill (in Idaho EVERYTHING is uphill) for a couple of hours (just to get into glassing position)......I think the only scent control that really works is to watch the wind.


Within the shadows, go quietly.

 

[kilowatt]

My wife says NO.

 

[OutdoorWriter]

There is no such thing as being "scent-free."

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

 

[mozey]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-18-09 AT 08:26AM (MST)[p]That's probably true, but I still try.

I pack my hunting clothes in a scent free bag and stash 'em close to where I'm going to start hunting. When I get up in the morning, I'll first hike to my clothes and then strip down and use unscented towelettes to wipe myself down (it's usually dark and below freezing when I'm doing this, and it'll really get your blood pumping in the morning if it isn't already). Then I'll apply the unscented deodorant and again spray myself down with an earth scent, and take one of those scentless "mints" to knock my breath down. Then I'll put on my unscented-washed hunting clothes. Finally, I'll try like crazy to stay down wind of my quarry, but in the swirling winds here in NM where I hunt, that's just about impossible, too.

So in the end I just hope to get lucky... ;-)

 

[mozey]

oh...last year I did have a small 5x5 elk at about 10' staring directly at me for about 45-60 seconds. Seemed like the one moment during the whole day that there wasn't any wind at all. He finally spooked when he saw me blink, but even then he only ran about 20 yards and then stopped to stare at me again for another couple minutes, before he slowly walked away. I don't think he ever figured out what I was, but I'm pretty certain that had he smelled human on me he would have stampeded on to the next county...

 

[400bull]

When I use to archery hunt alot I paid alot of attention to trying to control my sent. Did the laundry detergent, soap, deoderant, etc thing. I even went to the extent of breaking of sage brush and pin tree branches and placed them in a plastic bag with my cloths several weeks before the hunt started. Now that I mainly muzzleload and rifle hunt I don't pay as much attention to how I smell but I do pay attention to the wind.

400bull

 

[firemedic56]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-19-09 AT 02:29PM (MST)[p]Look at the people telling you that you can be 'scent free'...the folks that are making the stuff or the ones on TV that have them as a sponsor! It's really quite funny to watch all that these 'celebrity' hunters do to sell a product. Why would a deer or any animal that we hunt be afraid of the slight smell of wood smoke or even gasoline for that matter? I agree with 400bull about the wind. Just my thoughts though.

 

[hank4elk]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-19-09 AT 06:07PM (MST)[p]Do all I can as stated above, but it's the wind....and not being seen or heard.

 

[fatrooster]

If you do any walking your gonna sweat so I feel that its a no win situation. I just watch the wind. fatrooster.

 

[polarbear]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-20-09 AT 06:18PM (MST)[p]I wash everything from my clothes, bedding, towels, gear etc in scent killer and keep them in a vacuum bag with some crushed fir needles. I also clean out my rig and spray the hell out of it with scent killer. I will not wear my hunting clothes anywhere other than in the woods. I change into them after I have driven to where I am going to start hiking and once again, spray the crap out of everything. I hike very slowly so as not to sweat. I'm probably the most anal person around when it comes to scent control. I also do not believe in cover scents other than crushed fir or pine needles. If done right it pays off big time. I have had big bucks walk within 10 feet of me never knowing that I am there. You can't always depend on the wind so you need to be ready. I bowhunt exclusively so I need to get as close as I can without being detected and for a 6'-2" 280 lb tub of crap I need all the help that I can get
Eric

Ultra liberal, wolf loving, illiterate, gay, hippie midgets on crack piss me off!!!!

 

[BLooDTRaCKeR]

I could care less what I smell like, I haven't had much of a problem finding game and filling my tag due to scent issues and I do nothing at all to eliminate what I smell like. Play the wind. They can't out-smell the bullet thats comming at them!

 

[LuckyShot]

I'm a big-time believer in taking everything that can be offered to cover up your scent as much as possible. I'm not sponsoring any particular product nor am I on anyone's "pro-staff" etc., so here's my two-cents worth. I shower every morning that I plan on hunting with scent-shield soap and shampoo. Then I rub down with scent-shield deoderant. I dont put on my hunting clothes until I am within a few hundred yards of my intended hunting area. I dont want them getting un-necessarily sweaty befoe I am even hunting nor do I want my clothes ppicking upi sscents and smells from my car that could be carried into the field. Now most of what I do is back-pack in high country bowhunts. I normally have a water source nearby so I can shower the night before to be fresh for a morning hunt. But I have showered off in the cold mountain mornings as well if needs be. I also always wear scent-blocking clothing too. In my opinion it does not hurt to take these precautions. This year, after taking these measures I was in a stand and had eight muleys within 5 yards of me on multiple occasions and I was never smelled. Is it excessive???? Maybe. But when bowhunting, it's almost always the wind that gives you up. Since I have become extreme in my efforts to control my scent, I have been in on animals I had no business getting in on and my success has improved on harvesting trophy animals with my bow. Can you totally eliminate your scent?? Simple answer....no. But can you control your scent to some degree and possibly use it to your advantage...IMO, yes.

 

[D13er]

....do you scent free guys hold your breath the whole time you're hunting ??

great post/pic, thanks for sharing

JB

 

[OutdoorWriter]

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

 

[tageater]

I switch to "Light" cigarettes...less offensive to deer, than "Full flavored".

oh, and of course, play the wind right as much as i can.

 

[JakeH]

I spray down really good with H.S Earth blend scent killer. and this year I had several elk down wind of me that didnt smell me, or I didnt smell enough to scare them away.

And cover sents do work, my buddy wears those cow elk urine waffers while hunting and one year he had a cow walk right up to hem smell the waffer on his hat and then bark in his ear at 5"s away witch scared the crap out of him and made him jump witch scared the elk away LOL.

I dont go over board but I do spray down with scent killer really well on my archery hunts, I dont worry about it on rifle hunts.



Jake H. MM Member since 1999.

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

Yep . . . I hold my breath and don't fart. I'm completely scent free! What a bunch of crap. You can do things to REDUCE your scent but you will NEVER be scent free. Just walk 100 yards from the truck. I don't know any hunter that doesn't sweat.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[nickman]

Funny stuff here.....sort of like the camo issue. Whatever makes you happy, go for it.