Share Your Scent Control Routine

[Woods Walker]

JPH: You know, I reread your post about what measures you take, and the last line you stated, "And I still get busted", made me think about a theory I have on this scent issue.
 
So for what it's worth.......
 
I noted that you do take extraordinary steps to minimize your scent, going far beyond in fact, what many other hunters do, me included. As I mentioned elsewhere, I have never used any scent-loc either. From what you have said, you also pay close attention to wind direction, and I have no reason to doubt you, or any other hunter of experience, because wind direction is deer hunting 101. Yet you still  get busted. Now, I don't know how often you get busted, but if it's more than a time or two a season, then you are NOT that rare, as I have known several other folks over the years that DO take care to reduce their scent as much as possible and have the same problem. Some of these guys get busted in TREESTANDS often enough to complain about it.
 
I use the methods that I outlined, which are FAR less than what you do, and yet I can honestly state that I can count only 3 times in the past 30 years where I was busted while in a treestand, or at least busted by deer that I could see and could confirm that they did.
 
For the past 5 years I've ground hunted, and have even there only been busted twice, and that was when the wind shifted to my back when the deer was within 30 yards. I have deer every season within 5 to 10 yards of me on the ground, and they never knew I was there.
 
I have been busted FAR more by my errant MOVEMENTS than by anything else.
 
So......my theory is that we all have different body chemistry, and that must greatly affect ability of deer to wind us under various conditions. The only thing I do different than 90% of the other hunters I know, is that I take the chlorophyll tablets, but I don't think for a minute that that's the answer, because I've only been taking them since I started ground hunting. I don't really claim to know if they even work, but they obviously don't HURT, and at $15.00 for a full deer season's worth, it's a cheap investment.
 
What do you think?

[Lot to Learn]

JPH,  yep, Hunters Specialties makes the ones I use.  I bought them at Wal Mart. The 1st time I got them, I bought a kit for like $20 that had bottle of spray, small bottle for stand, clothing bag, soap, deodorant, detergent, and the dryer sheets.  Good investment, actually bought one a couple years in a row, but after that some of the stuff lasts much longer than the spray.  Pretty much everyone around here carries these and sells them seperate, and they have the autumn scent now.  I see you are in IA, don't know if you have Farm and Homes?? but I would sure check Wal Mart. If nothing else I know you can get online. I use WRC for most everything else.

[Lot to Learn]

Here you go, http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7731482 .  Out of stock on line of course!!

[Goose]

I do the same as JPH but no gum,no diet, and no p bottle. I use scentblocker as well, and then store everything in xtra lg ziploc bags (scentblocker stuff seperate) and then put them in sealed sportsmans trunks. I feel going to these lengths has helped alot.

[Squirrelhawker]

Unscented white soap or hunter soap in the shower

Baking soda "everywhere" after soap

Camos washed in baking soda and air dried outside on a line

Camos kept outside on the line unless raining really hard or traveling somewhere

Baking soda dusted in hat and socks

No gassing up during a hunt

Essence of Fall cover spray on everything

Bland diet as much as possible

Apples on stand

[msbadger]

I just pour a little of my earth scent-away on a bandana and toss it in with a dryer load....cheaper and I'm not worried about static cling

[buckhunter21]

ORIGINAL: Goose

I do the same as JPH but no gum,no diet, and no p bottle. I use scentblocker as well, and then store everything in xtra lg ziploc bags (scentblocker stuff seperate) and then put them in sealed sportsmans trunks. I feel going to these lengths has helped alot.

 
Goose...I do a lot of the same stuff as well.  As you stated though, I put my garments in extra lg zip lock bags as well, including my scentblocker garments.  Is there a reason you don't put yours in there as well?  You stated that you put everything in there but your Scentblocker.  This is my first year using the carbon garments...Every year before then I just had your usual camo, stored it in the usual way, but used the scent killer spray 'fresh earth' spray, which I cannot use now that I'm using Scentblocker.  Instead I have to use the regular scent killer that doesn't smell. 

[howhill1]

Jph ,  i think your right about the scent killer spray i just sue it to kill any scent left by my hands or fingers. one thing to consider before adding any cover scent to your clothing. i know you use scent lok , your suit doesnt differeniate between human scent and fresh earth. cover scents and especially dryer sheets can fill your suits pores and render it useless. dead down wind has intoduced some scentless dryer sheets this year that are supposed to be safe for carbon.

[JPH]

Great conversation! I'll address Woods Walker's post and hopefully touch on a few others comments while I am at it.
 
I would say that I get "busted" on stand about 4-6 times a season. By busted, I mean that I notice a deer react in a negative way to my scent. In every case, it is in a situation where the deer has gotten directly downwind and is alert. My treestands are between 12-30 feet in the air.
 
Fortunately, I seem to also get away with a fair number of deer passing downwind, or crossing my foot path, without catching my scent. But my scent control efforts have clearly only reduced my scent.
 
I agree that we all have different body chemestry. My wife, for example, could go w/o showering for days if she chose to and not smell. I, on the other hand, will sometimes need two a day in hot weather. Too much information, I know.
 
But I do not consider myself to be a smelly person (I know, they never do). I have just always seen getting busted from time to time as part of the game. I consider your track record on this to be amazing!
 
Like many of you have said, I do not intend to use cover scent on any of my garments. But I might consider putting an earth scent on my vest, safety starp, hat and other outside garments.
 
But while we are on the topic and rolling pretty well, what about wood smoke. It is more or less impossible to keep from smelling like a wood fire when I am hunting from camp. But the deer are used to this smell drifting across their noses. Do you think it is a problem or a good cover scent?

[buckhunter21]

JPH, that's a good question, and something I've always wondered too.  A chunk of land that I hunt at my parents, well, my parents has an outside wood stove and the wind has to blow a certain way for the smoke to get to where I actually hunt, but I wonder how they react to that.  I would assume that they are used to it, and it doesn't affect their movement.  As far as a deer camp, I would say that maybe they might be negatively affected by it.  They might put one and one together and put the stove smell with hunters?  Just my opinion.  Obviously this would just affect hunting close to camp...But then again if you have that smell on your clothes and you are farther from camp, that would be a negative as well.