Scent Control

[Goose]

Some of us are scent control freaks, and have strict routines we do before each hunt, so please share your routine and tips with us here.

[USN_Sam1385]

1. I bought a plastic tupple ware type bin. Made sure it was big enough to hold all of my hunting clothes, and a few of the smaller items I carry into the woods. (Flashlight, Knife, Safety Harness, etc.)

2. Wash all of your clothes in your washing machine with some scent free laundry detergent, and baking soda. Or, buy some of the detergent specifically made for hunters.

3. Once your clothes are washed line dry them if this is possible. When line drying tho, make sure that your neighbor isn't like grilling on his back deck. It would suck to get all of those scent free clothes covered in rib smoke. If you can't line dry, (Which I can't) then dry your clothes in a dryer with a special dryer sheet. They sell them for a few dollars that have wood scents, like fresh earth, pine, etc. I go with the fresh earth because it is a scent present everywhere you go. If you use something like pine cover scent dryer sheets, and then hunt in an area with no pine trees... well you get the point.

4. After my clothes are dry I take them out of the dryer, or off the line, and put them into giant scent lock ziplock bags. I have a 36 x 24 in. that I got for a few bucks from hunter's specialties. You can use any large ziplock type bag however. Do not use a garbage bag though, as many of those are scented even if you don't know it, and they don't seal out all the air.

5.Then I put the giant zip lock bag, and the things I am going to carry into the woods with me into the big plastic tupple ware bin.

6. Finally: The secret I use. I place a 57 cent refrigerater box of Arm and Hammer Baking soda in the plastic bin. This will soak up and eliminate any possible scents that creep into the bin, or are still on your gear.

7. As for my body, I wash the towel I am going to dry off with in the same laundry detergent stuff I wash my clothes in. I then use the hunter body wash/shampoo, and brush my teeth with some baking soda. (Scent free and cleans your mouth good, 80% of scent comes from bacteria in your mouth and your head (or so they say)

8. I throw the plastic bin in the back of the car or truck, and get dressed in the place where I am going to hunt.

9. I also make sure that I wear rubber boots, and I spray the bottom of the boots with my scent eliminator spray.

*NOTE:

During Rifle season I don't worry too much about scent. Particularly if I am hunting over a field. Last year, I shot my deer with a cigar in my mouth. I thought I was done hunting for the day and my buddy talked me into walking back out to the field for one last shot at it. 2 minutes later my deer ran across the field.

[danowak]

I count myself as fanatical about scent control. I do all the standard things with my clothes and gear, like washing in scent free detergent, spraying with scent control products, keeping my stuff in scent free containers with scent wafers, avoid anything that smells, etc. But I mostly bowhunt in the swamp in South Florida, and in September it is hot - approximately 75 to 80 degrees at night and 90 to 95 degrees most days. Truth be told it is warm most of the rest of the year too. The place I hunt is walk-in only, and I have to carry a lot of water in with me which is heavy. So there is no way to avoid sweating getting to my stand.
 
From what I have read, most human odor is caused by bacterial growth in a relatively few places: the head, the mouth, underarms, genitalia and feet. Also, bacteria thrive in a dark, warm moist enviornment. Can't do anything about dark under my clothes and can't do anything much about warm either. Synthetic clothing, especially underwear, helps with the moist part by wicking moisture away from your skin, unlike cotton (for example) which retains moisture. Along with everything else, I also spray the inside of my boots before I put them on, just before walking in. I usually walk through shin high water, so leaving scent on the ground is not a big problem. However, there is tall grass and brush everywhere so I have to be careful about that.
 
The other thing is that I use one of the bacteriacide lotions on my head, underarms, etc. which keeps the bacteria count down even when I am sweating. It will work most of a whole day. I also use a mouthwash just before starting in to kill the bacteria in my mouth. I haven't tried any of the other breath products. I used to spray myself down periodically during the day, but I stopped doing that a few years ago when I saw someone else doing it and noticed how much commotion was involved.
 
Because everything I take out with me has to be waterproof, I also keep things in ziploc bags, which also helps with the scent. I mean everything that can't get wet, like wallet, cell phone, check station pass, and everything I don't want to get wet, like food. I also climb high in most trees, and when it heats up, the thermals carry whatever scent there is up above me. At least that's the theory.
 
I have watched a lot of deer walk around my stands without suspecting anything, so I have a lot of confidence in in what I am doing in this regard. Getting them within bow range, now that's a different story.
 
 

[OHhunter]

1. Roughly a month before season starts, we start washing all our clothes, towels, bed linens, everything in scent free detergent.  We continue this throughout the season.

2.  I also about month before season I began washing in only scent free soap and shampoo, as well as only using scent free deodorant.

3.  I wash all my hunting clothes scent free soap, store them outside in rubbermaid containers, except for my Scentlok it is kept in Large Ziplock bags.

4.  I dress in the field, I then spray down myself and all me equipment before going to my stand.

5. I only where rubber boots while deer hunting.   

6.  After getting to my stand I put on any clothing I packed in to keep from sweating on the walk in and spray down again. 

Almost forgot I only hunt stand when the wind is right, I try to only hang or move stands directly before a rain, and when I get to my stand I pull my pants down over my boots to catch any odors that might escape out the top in my scentlok, and I always spray down with scent killer again before exiting my stand.

[buckhunter21]

Maybe we should bring up the old thread on this from last year!! [:D]

[OHhunter]

If I recall didn't someone gargle doe urine as part of their routine.

[OHhunter]

http://forum.deeranddeerhunting.com/tm.aspx?m=7003&mpage=1

Here's  the link to last seasons discussion, very entertaining.  Woods Walker eats dirt and leaves as well as gargles doe urine, JPH's breath smells like fox urine, a persons chemical make up directly relates to the odor they put off and wether they get winded or not.  Yes, it's a must read.  [:D]

[DeanoZ]

I have scent lok so I "just forget the wind and hunt"!!!  (that was for your WW [;)])  Seriously though my routine is about to change a bit as a result but for the most part I will take the same precautions as most above....

The other thing is that I use one of the bacteriacide lotions on my head, underarms, etc. which keeps the bacteria count down even when I am sweating.

..now that's a new one I had not thought of before, but makes good sense...what brand do you use?  I'm assuming its odorless?

[Woods Walker]

Deaner: I'm sorta like you, only for me it's "Just MAKE wind and hunt..." [;)]
 
That was a good thread for sure.
 
I do have one question for those who employ rigid scent control measures....
 
How many of you also ride an ATV while hunting?

[OHhunter]

No ATV here, many reason for not owning one.  But scent is definately a reason among many not to use one for hunting.