Myth Busters-Bloodhound-Human Odor

[kumprey]

Let's face it, nothing will eliminate 100 percent of our odor. However, diligence and preparation can pay off. I am not an odiferous lad, yet, when I go elk hunting, I do everything I can to help eliminate my scent. I use hunter specialty pills for a week before the hunt, chew gumoflauge during the hunt, spray dead down wind mouth spray as needed, and spray scent blocker over everything before and during the hunt, including my hair neck chest back etc. I wash all my clothes in scent-free and UV blocking detergent. Before and during the hunt I also store everything in scent proof bags, use an earth cover scent, and wear rubber boots. I also wear carbon and silver lined undergarments, camo, hat, gloves, etc. In addition, when I wash up, I use scent free body wash, shampoo, hand lotion, lip balm, and underarm deodorant. I watch what I eat and try to keep it natural. I don't drop a deuce in the woods, but only do so at base camp. And guess what, when I see a heard, I immediately bust my butt to get down wind from them anyway. When I set up a whitetail stand with the same preparation, I still play the wind, and set my stand high (over 20 feet) to carry my scent far and above the prey. All these products make a difference... I've gotten within feet of heard bull, and have had plenty of mature deer approach my stand from downwind. Have I still spooked and elk or buck, yes, but way less often than before I took scent seriously. Certainly, some of the claims made by the manufacturers are unrealistic, but the products work. Carbon is an issue in that who can charge it after every hunt, or store it by itself in a scent free area until the hunt. the silver lined products do seem to work. If you question this, go work out in the back yard on a hot day with a regular t-shirt and take a whiff of yourself at the end of the day. Then wear a antimicrobial shirt and do the same... noticeably less stinky! Either way, scent strategy today is far better than where it was, but you cannot ignore the wind with 100 percent effectiveness. My advice to anyone not wanting to spend big money would be to by 1 set of antimicrobial undergarments that can be worn under any cheap, quiet camo, does not need to be recharged, and will last the whole hunt. Wash your clothes in a scent free wash, and store it in a big plastic bag when not wearing. Buy a cheap pair of rubber boots, and use a scent eliminator spray that is scent free or fresh earth or autumn. Use a scent free deodorant and soap, don't smoke or eat spicy stinky unnatural foods in the stand, crap at home, and call it a day! That's far better than most hunters, and will help immensely. The bloodhounds may still find you, but we're not hunting blood hounds! Good luck you stinky humans~

[Woods Walker]

Carbon clothing has been found by the court that IT CANNOT BE REGENERATED IN A DRYER as advertised, and there's a permanent injunction against Scent Lok for this. Basically it becomes pretty much worthless in a short amount of time.

[kumprey]

that's why, if you're deciding what to buy, the antimicrobial undergarments and a scent-blocking spray is much more cost effective and works better. certainly, someone wearing ANYTHING that is supposed to help with scent will be better off than they were before even thinking about scent. it's like people that go on the latest rave workout program or buy the latest situp device, and then talk about their amazing weight loss success. these people are not just doing an exercise, but are changing their diets, their routines, their outlook on life. it is more than just a device. by starting to think about scent, these people are likely thinking about more than just outer clothing... and finding success in doing so.

another important choice is camo pattern. for me, a big break up pattern like ASAT and Predator has been far better than the tree patterns. Check for yourself, look at a friend in one vs the other at 50 yards... the mossy oak or realtree blends into one brown human shaped object, whereas the bigger blotchy patterns disappear. from 5 feet away, the tree patterns are far better. this, however, is not where you need to fool the deer! wearing predator and asat, i've had elk sneak around a pine that i am standing behind and look at me from 25 yards away with nothing in between us, trying to figure out if i am anything at all, to then keep on walking by like i am not even there.

here's a good question (s)/ thread....
who takes scent much less serious during gun season? is this warranted, or is supreme scent control just as important?!?
who takes pattern less serious during gun season, eg- not wearing face camo??? is this warranted, or is supreme pattern control just as important?

[Woods Walker]

here's a good question (s)/ thread....
who takes scent much less serious during gun season? is this warranted, or is supreme scent control just as important?!?
who takes pattern less serious during gun season, eg- not wearing face camo??? is this warranted, or is supreme pattern control just as important?

Good questions! For me, my scent control regiment is the same reagrdless of season. It's so much of a habit with me now that to NOT do it would be an effort.

Of course, the answer to both questions depends a lot on WHERE you are hunting during gun season. Obviously it certainly can't hurt do do it all the time, but there is a bit of a difference between someone hunting on the ground in thick cover during gun season, and someone perched 25+ feet in the air on a ridge top or a field edge where the expected shots can be 100+ yards or more. Most of the places I gun hunt I can't see much past 50 yards, no less take shots at 100. But then I do like to get in there "amongst 'em".

[CB375HH]

As a paralegal student I would be careful quoting court decisions as a matter of sciencetific fact. I am not sure if it was a bench trail or a jury trail but either way it is a lay person making the call. It is important to note that you only need to meet a perponderence of evidence(a majority) it is not like a criminal case (beyond a resonable doubt). Also the plantiff's (the guy sueing)  attorney would have tried to select the most uneducated jury possible because the would be the eastiest to confuse and fool. Plaintiffs attorneys do it all of the time the take a very complicated subject create a little doubt and win big money!!   As for scent lok I use it it helps but it is not a majic bullet for sure. My experiance is that The deer smell you still but they are not sure if you are danger close therefore giving you time to get a shot off. But to rely on it to the point of ignoring the wind is a huge mistake!!!!!!!!!

[mrbiggkid]

Being new to hunting I do appreciate the information, but as for a debate, it seems to me that scent blockers look to be ineffective. No need to really debate. plenty of people do and have been harvesting deer without scent blocking technology for ages. Lots of people out there want to make a quick buck. It's an interesting topic, but more interesting that these companies do not have enough faith in their product to accept challenges to prove their effectiveness. I say buy the stuff if you believe in it, and don't if you don't believe in it.

I just purchased Under Armour's Ridge Reaper series. It does boast scent control qualities, but I got it more for the lightweight, weatherproofing qualities, as I intend to do most of my hunting in the fall while temperatures are still up. I also plan to be on the move and not sedentary in a stand, so that seemed best for me. If it is able to control my scent, then that's a bonus =)

[bmorris]

ORIGINAL: CB375HH

As a paralegal student I would be careful quoting court decisions as a matter of sciencetific fact. I am not sure if it was a bench trail or a jury trail but either way it is a lay person making the call. It is important to note that you only need to meet a perponderence of evidence(a majority) it is not like a criminal case (beyond a resonable doubt). Also the plantiff's (the guy sueing)  attorney would have tried to select the most uneducated jury possible because the would be the eastiest to confuse and fool. Plaintiffs attorneys do it all of the time the take a very complicated subject create a little doubt and win big money!!   As for scent lok I use it it helps but it is not a majic bullet for sure. My experiance is that The deer smell you still but they are not sure if you are danger close therefore giving you time to get a shot off. But to rely on it to the point of ignoring the wind is a huge mistake!!!!!!!!!

The decision was made by US District Court Judge Kyle. This was a decision based on a matter of law. The evidence is over whelming when you read the depositions.No lay person was involved.

[CB375HH]

[left]Here is a qoute from the opinon issued by Judge Klye [/left][left] [/left][left]"While the parties’ experts have different opinions regarding the extent to which carbon-embedded clothing will REDUCE odor, all agree that the clothing cannot ELIMINATE odor, even when new."[/left][left] [/left][left] [/left][left]"In this case, while a consumer may understand[/left][left]these advertisements to mean that carbon-embedded clothing can eliminate odor based[/left][left]upon slogan usage, the qualifying language may lead reasonable consumers to understand[/left][left]that the clothing can only reduce odor."[/left][left] [/left][left]So in no way is the court saying it doesnt work at all it is just saying it is not 100 percent effective at eliminateing scent. That is the only thing that gets them in trouble the 100 percent cliam. [/left][left] [/left][left]Here is a link to the opinion issued by the court.[/left][left]http://www.heinsmills.com/cases/Scent%20Lok%20SJ%20order.pdf[/left][left] [/left][left] [/left]

[Woods Walker]

The "100%" scent free" issue IMO is the lesser of the two. The other ruling that the court had was that carbon clothing CANNOT BE RECHARGED TO "LIKE NEW" IN A DRYER. Which is more damning, in that how do you know when it's "charged out" and basically worthless as advertised? 10 dryings? 6? 4? 1? Never? Right now, that's anyone's guess, and taking Scent Lok/Block's word on it is well.........worthless.

See for yourself.....

Defendants have also published numerous advertisements stating that purchasers
can “reactivate” carbon-embedded fabric in a standard clothes dryer after the activated
carbon becomes saturated with odor. (Id. Exs. 16, 21-22.) Some of these advertisements
claim that carbon-embedded clothing can be reactivated for further use without
describing the extent to which odors can be removed from the activated carbon. (Id. Ex.
21.) Other advertisements state that reactivation will make the clothing “like new” or
“pristine.” (Id. Exs. 16, 22.)
Plaintiffs claim that all of the above-referenced advertisements are false and/or
misleading because Defendants’ carbon-embedded clothing cannot “eliminate” odors and
cannot be reactivated to be “like new” or “pristine.” Both Plaintiffs and Defendants have
consulted with experts who have conducted extensive laboratory testing on Defendants’
clothing. While the results of such testing differ dramatically, Plaintiffs’ and Defendants’
experts agree that carbon-embedded clothing cannot eliminate 100% of a hunter’s odor.

(Leach Decl. Exs. 28, 38; Hartman Dep. Tr. at 213, 225-29; Turk Dep. Tr. at 101.)
Moreover, the experts agree that carbon-embedded clothing, once saturated with odor,
cannot be reactivated to be “like new” or “pristine.” (Hartman Dep. Tr. at 168; Leach
Decl. Exs. 38, 41.)

[werner.reiche]

ORIGINAL: Gulfcapt

lol Bmorris i never said a bloodhound, but since you brought it up! jump on the internet and check out bloodhound tracking!
every breed of dog has a different number of receptors giving some better sense of smell then others!

But I can tell you for a fact Deerdog WALKERS, BEAGLES have their nose to the ground when trailing I have had both breeds..

I currently have 10 GreatDanes

Not sure about walkers. Beagles will use air scent only once they have started trailing something. For whatever reason, they do not like to start trailing on air scent only, but once they pick up a track they will go on air scent if it is there - they do this a lot on big stinky animals like deer. Rabbits which do not leave a lot of scent, they tend to stick to ground scent trailing. Been using beagles on deer for 20 years now.