Scent Control

[FLAvalanche]

Yes, doe urine, especially doe in heat, works well. I'm sure there are people who will say it doesn't but I've watched buck stop to lick the spots where I've put it.

To their undoing I might add.

While we're on the subject of scents and lures, another product everyone swears by is C'Mere Deer. Stuff doesn't seem to work for my deer. I had a pile of it in front of a camera and have pictures of deer walking right by it.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

lmao, yeah the guys that push that C'mere deer also push that junky "Thwacker" broadhead. Some deer may respond to it but like anything take what they advertise with not a grain, but a couple of pounds, of salt

 

[d2wing]

They can sometimes attract deer but they also attrack attention to you. 2 years ago I used Golden Estrus deer scent, a 14 pt buck came in and I got him. Used the same stuff last year and nada. IMHO they might work once in an area. But deer hard hard to fool twice with the same trick.

 

[hey_poolboy]

Never owned, nor do I plan to own any scent-blocking clothing. I use the wind. I use unscented soap and such just because ocean breeze or whatever else my wife has in the shower is probably a little more scent than I'd like.

Hunting clothes get thrown in a barn, or buried in the back yard for a few weeks. I have yet to try the "tea" method, but I may give it a shot this year for some of my new gear.

 

[jbkebert]

I am not going to spend the coin on scent blocking clothing. I do take a shower and spray my clothes with silver scent. i don't know how much it helps its just my routine. Main concerns for me is sudden movements and wind. You can move around in your stand get up stretch reach just do it slow. Pay attention to the wind and your golden. Heck i have urinated out of my stand i don't know how many times, smoked, drank coffee. All of my stands are 15' up or less. With all of my lack of scent controll I still arrow 2 or 3 deer a year. Most of my shots on deer have been well within 20 yards.

Camo in my opinion is another money trap. I have been able to spot and stalk within 30 yards of animals including turkey wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Uncle sams BDU's are just as effective as real-tree, mossy-oak, and seculsion asphalt 4-f. Which is the mall ninja's prefered pattern.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Camo in my opinion is another money trap.

Back when I first started hunting (I know I know back in the dark ages hush!!!) I dont know how many deer I killed wearing blue Jeans and flannel shirts and you know what??? I don't think I ever heard a deer complain about my wardrobe when I was killing it!!! While camo does aid in lots of situations, common sense is your best tool. Leafy camo really does help hide you though just by breaking up your outline if you do goof up so it's not TOTALLY useless.

 

[FLAvalanche]

For deer camo isn't needed. For turkey wearing camo was a safety thing because if you walked into the woods wearing anything red or blue you were pretty much a goner.

 

[Uncle Mike]

When we where young(er), we used to do the 'scent free' efforts, oh yeah, the special soaps, cover scents, hunting clothes in a sealed plastic bag with pine branches, pee into a bottle, spit chew into another bottle, wearing the latest in camouflage clothing, only to watch the old guys hit the woods in blue jeans, stinking of old spice and camel non-filters drag out deer time and time again!

Watch the air currents and spend your cash on ammo and UV blocker and non phosphorescent laundry detergent that tones down your clothing's 'glow'.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

UV blocker and non phosphorescent laundry detergent that tones down your clothing's 'glow'

Excellent point Mike. Deer see in a totally different "spectrum" than we do. They see the Phosphorescent glow from laundry detergents (most have them added for "color safe" washing).

 

[jbkebert]

Pee in a bottle or doe estrus is another huge waste of money IMHO. So what we are saying is wind is more important that gadgets. I don't care what ole Jim Shockey trusts his life to this week. Its probably overhyped crap that will not make you a better hunter.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

In all actuality, the only thing that makes them "better hunters" is the money to get into the good spots and the money to be able to dedicate full time to hunting. That money comes primarily from sponsorship of all these products that the makers try to make us believe we so desperately need. Plain and simple marketing.

 

[brettrow]

I will say this. If your going to use a permanent stand, you will have a tougher time shooting mature trophy deer if thats what you want. For younger deer you will be fine but trophies are not stupid and will change their pattern if they see or sense a permanent stand. Dont use any oil on the stand if its squealing unless its odor free oil. Stay away from urine like fox urine for cover scents because you never know what kind of experience that particular deer has had with foxes, skunks, etc. Hunt the wind even if it means staying home that day. Your best bet is to set up along a drainage if you can, finding a trail that leads to and or from a feeding spot. I only use scent free laundry detergent all year long so my dryer is not contaminated with perfume. Use scent free soap and deodorant a month before the season starts. Be careful what you eat as you will sweat out things like onions. Be aware of the gun oils you use as they can stink. I keep all my clothing in heavy duty trash bags with fresh cut foliage in the bag with the clothes. I too use scent lock clothing but the wind is the key. Wear rubber boots. Wear gloves while climbing the stand to keep your skin oil off the ladder. Dont wear your hunting clothes in the house or to go to walmart. Spray the bottoms of your boots with scent killing spray. If you dont mind heights, consider hunting higher if you can do so safely with harnesses attached. I make it a point to walk through mud on my way to my hunting spots if I can.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Brettrow, you have fallen under the spell of the "market" my friend. I was killing "trophy" deer before 3/4 of the stuff you said was out on the market with a Hand made longbow, wearing blue jeans and a flannel shirt. Just hunting the wind and using some common sense. I have hunted from permanent stands for many moons. Deer will avoid it for a short time, but once they see no danger for a couple of weeks they will fall back to that trail. Just build it a couple of months at least before season and it is fine. As far as the washing and drying, I line dry my hunting clothes. While cammo does help, the high dollar stuff is not as necessary as the "market" wants you to think. Anything that will break up your outline and help "meld" you in with your surroundings works just fine. As far as that fox urine statement, that may have some merit to it.

 

[hardluk1]

I never got anto all the clothing or aftermarket scent control prducts except body soaps. I have used plan oll Arm & Hammer as my scent control and cleaner / cloths wash. Add dry to your camo helps and mixed well then put in a spray bottle for basic scent control spray when hot or on the hunting gear. Even the unscented roll=on for you with the powder. To much junk on the market. I do use a little doe pee and tarsel when the rut comes time around the stand and on a drag BUT watch behind you as you walk. Put clothing in a bag with different leaves for natural scent on camo. Don't wash with the rest of your clothing useing regular cloth detergents. I know this works . I have had deer sleep with in 20 feet of my stands and woke myself up snorring to see several deer look'n at me but not jumpy way to many times. Even played with old does and younger bucks to see how much you can get away with when well como'd and have your scent controlled. I do cover my hands and face but all may camo as Old stuff.

 

[brettrow]

Lol, perhaps I have but I dont see anything wrong with using modern technology to hunt. Yes, the wind is your best friend or worst enemy. But I guess you could say buying camo and hunting gear to me is like shoes and purses to a woman, Im addicted to everything hunting. I have had good luck with carbon clothing and if whether I hunt on my farm or spend a few grand on a hunt I want to do all I can to raise my chances of success. Especially if Im bow hunting.

 

[RAT807]

You know your scent control is working when the trophy deer that has eluded everyone for years, trails you up more than once. Even made a scrape and peed in it right beside the tree where I hung my scent pads that I wore into the woods. Deer season was still weeks away on this encounter.

Like others have said, I try to eliminate any unnatural odors that could spook the wild life. That family of squirrels that plays all around my treestand can't find me unless they join me in the same tree. I'm generally more than 15 feet up and could get to 25 feet in an older tree climbing stand. I hunt the largest hill in the area (breeding hill). The thermals travel uphill in the mornings so my scent would not be a factor from how close I get to the top of the hill plus the height of my stand.

It was a 30 minute hike from the truck to the hill so I was covering a large area. I used rubber boots and had wool pads with just a general deer scent on them. Most of my clothes would be in my back pack so I would not work up a sweat on the hike in. Just before I walked into the area I could cover from my stand, I would spray more scent control on my clothes. I never noticed any deer getting spooked as they crossed my trail to the hill. In fact, that's how I got the trophy buck. He stopped on my trail and turn towards me. He was shot just outside the thicket I was in about 15 yards away. Several deer hungout in that thicket with me and never knew I was there. You could see the whole area from inside the thicket. Then the deer would ease out into the whiteoak trees to feed.