Scent Control Revisited

[JPH]

Any regular visitors to this form know there is a divide regarding the importance of scent control and the use of scent control aids. You may also know me as one of the scent control freaks. I've long given up on trying to convince anyone that my way is the right way. The truth is that many hunters kill big deer without much regard to scent at all. All I can say is that for me, hunting small properties with the goal of killing older bucks and lots of does, I consider it to be essential. So for those who are interested, I'd like to offer a little update on some things that I have changed and how it is working out. 

To start off you should know that if it is out there as a scent control tactic, I've probably tried it. Some things have stuck for me and some things have not because they did not appear to be worth the effort. It is all trial and error. I make small changes each season and evaluate how hard they are to implement and how they have effected success.

This year I have dropped more from my routine than I have added, but I have had more success dodging deer's noses than I have for several seasons! Here are the changes I have made and a little about them:

[color="#000000"]I added TRU-Carbon h20: [/color][color="#000000"]This is an activated carbon dip that you soak your clothing in, with the idea of creating your own scent blocking suit. Thanks for the advice, Marc![/color] I started by soaking all of my outer garments but I have since washed it out of my hats and face covers. It makes a horrible mess, but I think it works!

I'm less reliant on my Scentlok shell: My scentlok shell has no insulation properties so I have only worn it on warmer sets. On cold days I've been using my gortex rain suit as my outer layer. I've had deer pick my off in Scentlok and I've had them directly downwind in gortex and have gotten away with it.

I dropped the pee bottle: I went to a new vest and ran out of pockets. Something had to go, so I decided I'd risk peeing freely. I've seen deer walk right through it three times. Twice it produced some nervousness but not general flight and once it did not seem to matter at all. What has been obvious is that deer have to stand right in it before they react at all. I may try Shaman's funnel and hose some time to control where it goes, but I'm done with the bottle. 

I've backed off on the chlorophyll: Last year I used the pills but this year I picked up a 32oz. bottle of pure liquid and overdosed myself. I'll spare you the details but this is NOT something you want to do! I had to go off it for a while in order to leave the house and it did not seem to matter.

This has been my most successful bow season ever and I have been pretty much undetected (with a few exceptions). I still do a lot of other kooky scent control things such as sit on plastic seat covers and dressing in the field but as I said, I've dropped more than I've added. So what gives? Well as much as the TRUCarbon folk would probably like me to give them the credit, they haven't cut me a check yet. My honest assessment of why my scent control has worked so well is that we have had a lot of dry air this fall. Yep, I think the combination of meticulous scent control, low humidity, and blind luck have allowed me to arrow six deer this year...so far.

[Woods Walker]

I've backed off on the chlorophyll: Last year I used the pills but this year I picked up a 32oz. bottle of pure liquid and overdosed myself. I'll spare you the details but this is NOT something you want to do! I had to go off it for a while in order to leave the house and it did not seem to matter.

So you mainlined it J'per???!!! [;)]

YOU, my friend, are my idol! I had though about the liquid too, but I guess I won't!!!

[DannyBouy]

I don't practice any real scent control and I consistanly have deer walk out under my stand without detecting me. I put my clothes on at the camp before/during/after eating bacon & eggs, drive in my truck to my stand and go shoot a deer & sometimes I smoke a cigar on the way! Up wind, down wind it doesn't really seem to matter. Does, bucks, big bucks it doesn't seem to matter. I wash my jacket before hunting season putting it the dryer with a bounce sheet. It sure makes it smell fresh!l[:)] Maybe all the different scents confuse them & their courosity takes over?

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

I've backed off on the chlorophyll: Last year I used the pills but this year I picked up a 32oz. bottle of pure liquid and overdosed myself. I'll spare you the details but this is NOT something you want to do! I had to go off it for a while in order to leave the house and it did not seem to matter.

So you mainlined it J'per???!!! [;)]

YOU, my friend, are my idol! I had though about the liquid too, but I guess I won't!!!

Yeah. It was not pretty. I'm just glad I didn't go with my first impulse and shoot-up.

[Cut N Run]

ORIGINAL: DannyBouy

I don't practice any real scent control and I consistanly have deer walk out under my stand without detecting me. I put my clothes on at the camp before/during/after eating bacon & eggs, drive in my truck to my stand and go shoot a deer & sometimes I smoke a cigar on the way! Up wind, down wind it doesn't really seem to matter. Does, bucks, big bucks it doesn't seem to matter. I wash my jacket before hunting season putting it the dryer with a bounce sheet. It sure makes it smell fresh!l[:)] Maybe all the different scents confuse them & their courosity takes over?

I promise the number of deer that you see and take would go up if you paid more attention to your scent. It matters where I hunt. I'm sure plenty of deer have been killed by hunters who didn't consider covering or reducing their scent, but we'll never know how many deer survived because they were tipped off by a hunter's odor before they could be seen. Give it a try & see for yourself. Good luck when you go.

Jim

[Vikinghater]

I dont practice any scent controll at all.  I have had deer walk by and not know anything about my being there.  One year about six years ago during the rifle season, I had a fork horn walk up to within 10 or 15 yards behind me ( I was sitting on a stump) during a misty drizzily day while I was smoking a cigg and playing blackjack on my cell phone!  I quickly turned my head when I heard him and stopped him in his tracks.  We did the staredown for a few seconds and then he just turned and walked/trotted in a different direction.
 
I used to hunt the big woods (several thousand acres) south of our farm in  central WI and the old timers would very often build a small fire by their stump to keep warm and routinely had deer walk by within 50 yards.  I wittnessed this several times personally and killed a spike buck with one of these small "warming fires" going on next to me.  I paced the shot at 33 yards.
 
Now the real question is  "how many deer have I NOT seen by not practicing scent controll?  Never will know I guess.

[JPH]

Guys, I've got nothing riding on whether you use scent control or not. I'm not out there trying to sell "JPH's special blend of scent-control herbs and spices". I'm just trying to provoke a meaningful conversation among those who are interested in scent control.  

[Vikinghater]

JPH, I completely understand.  I am truly curious as to how many mature bucks I have educated to my presense because of my lack of scent controll.  I am SURE I have.  My two largest bucks ar 120 to 130",  one was chasing a doe, the other was sneaking back thru a drive.  I have seen a 160" buck during the season that was also chasing a doe (my friend shot this deer)  but have never seen a large mature deer just moving thru the woods on his own.  Always moving because of pressure or rut activity.  I am sure scent controll has somthing to do with this

[shaman]

This is good stuff, JPH!     I'm glad to see somebody is . . . (how does Glenn Beck put it?) " To question boldly and hold to the Truth."   

[Jslotter]

I probably said this before on here but this year is officially the first year I used scent control in the last 17 years. I have had deer walk 15 yards from me and not even notice me. On top of that I have had an awesome bow hunting so far because I deployed a scent control routine and have seen more deer than the years before. Rifle seasons are different, I killed pretty much all my deer during the firearm seasons. I never used scent control and smoked cigarettes, and burned wood to keep warm, but alot of those deer I killed were running away from other hunters and not just out on an afternoon stroll.