scent and hunting

[hannibal]

just found this youtube video on another site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXp3kv8fs_0

really makes one think about scent control, especially in bow season. The questions are:
-Is playing the wind the best choice?
-Is it worth while buying all that de-scenting crap?
-do cover scents actually work?
-If you're 300+ yards away shooting from the truck does any of this matter?
-are you really gonna wear rubber boots, gloves and hoodies while creeping through the bush?

Personally I don't use any of the stuff, I just keep my clothes clean and try to keep down mind of the wind and step in natural cover scents- just like a dog does.

Let the debate begin.

[KevinB]

I think your link is wonky - I get an article called "How to Use Holistic Cures for Allergic Rhinitis".

I won't ask...:-P

BUT yes this thread should be fun.

[BiG Boar]

http://www.ehow.com/how_2044107_rid-human-scent-hunting.html

I think this is the link he means.

[Steeleco]

I can't imagine it wouldn't work, some of the online vid's of close encounters just go to show how well they do work. But I'm not about to go out and drop a ton on moola on the stuff, I'm lucky if I can get under 200yds from game!!

Seriously, I like the clean clothes and using the wind idea, its cheaper!!

[BiG Boar]

I have a hard time buying products that do something like that personally. However, I guess I like hunting the dumb animals, with a bad sence of smell

[Wild one]

I do use coverscent I don't know if it works but it makes me feel good. I still think you should keep clothes clean and watch the wind as well.

[goatdancer]

You still have to breathe. Breathing causes scent continuosly. The wind is your worst enemy. It is the most important factor. I still use detergent that has no scent and has no UV additives. I guess if you use a skunk scent to cover human scent it might work. On the other hand, maybe critters don't like skunks either.:-P:-P

[Salty]

I don't use any scent or scent cover but I'm starting to rethink that. Several times this year I've followed active game trails in new to me areas.. Kinda gotta do it right? To see if you can find where they're bedding, when they're moving etc.. I'm pretty sure I've buggered up a few in situations like this as in following days - no traffic..

The breathing, farting thing lol - ya we are constantly emitting scent. But airborn stuff would disapear quicker me thinks. Putting scent on the ground another story. For next near I'm going to look in to doe and or buck scent to be sprayed on my boots or whatever both to mask me and hopefully put down some more friendly odors on the trails. ..

[Seabass]

I'm too cheap to buy scent cover for hunting. Buy the time a deer gets a wiff of Old Spice Deoderant its already to late!!!:razz:

Cheers

Seabass

[gamehunter6o]

What a great money spinner this odour blocking crap is. These products are only bought by those who think man has designed something that blocks out human scent. It's marketed to the gullible. I've seen deer pick up my scent at 600m and yes I do wash. I read a story written by an old Virginian the other day, about hunting in his youth. He, like I, is amazed at all the unnecessary gear, gadgets and potions a hunter must have just to shoot a wild animal. You can even buy Gum-o- flage to hide the smell of garlic breath. It's all bollocks. Save yourself a lot of money and increase your success rate by hunting into the wind.

[Ron.C]

No matter how hard you try in some of the mountains here in BC, it's impossible to always keep the wind in your face. This year while hunting some alpine area, I had the wind blow from almost every direction in a very short time period. The way I see it, every little bit helps and reducing your scent as much as possible can only help when the wind unpredictably swirls on you. Sure it costs money for some of these products and given some of the results I've seen seen and had, I beleive it helps, especially if you are bowhunting and need the game in close.

[doubled]

I do not use a cover scent but I use Tinks 69 to ATTRACT whitey bucks and it WORKS well. This year I had a monster with 25 yards of me with his nose to the ground and I was convinced it was because of that scent. Don't ask me if I got him as I do not remember what happened once I saw him.

[Piperdown]

I do use the oder free detergent and bag my clothes with some cedar/spruce /fir bows. I also hang a wafer or two on my person (buck/doe) and find that helps and if I do find some fresh piss I dam near role like a dog in it. I find it works well for 2 things one is to mask my scent somewhat and 2 the wife won't come near me for a week!!!

[boxhitch]

If cover scents are to be effective at all, they have to blend with the human scent and result in a scent which is not offensive to the critter.

Apples + BO = a hunter from an orchard

Skunk + BO = a hunter dumb enough not to keep his distance.

Doe Pee + BO = a hunter offended by a deer.


Use the wind.

[GoatGuy]

If cover scents are to be effective at all, they have to blend with the human scent and result in a scent which is not offensive to the critter.

Apples + BO = a hunter from an orchard

Skunk + BO = a hunter dumb enough not to keep his distance.

Doe Pee + BO = a hunter offended by a deer.


Use the wind.

What about the guy who forgets to move his straps on the suspenders for the morning ritual?

After a week in the bush w/o a shower I think you could be put in a bubble and the stink would still leak out. Clothes ain't gonna stop that.

[BCrams]

Scent works...... amazingly well actually.

In Saskatchewan, I dumped a whole bottle of doe in heat urine on a rag, tied a rope to it and onto the bumper of the truck before driving through a couple miles of fields / bush to where I was dropped off on a small ridge that gave me a good view for bucks on the move......

soon - this buck comes into view a half a mile or so away nose down following the track we drove in on and the scent ... he walked right on by me following the rag line from behind the truck! I didn't get long to observe whether more deer would follow the scent line as I shot my buck shortly after the first buck went by.

I have also put buck scent / waffers on trees within a couple scrapes on a scrape line and those spots were literally destroyed over night with a pissed off buck.

[boxhitch]

Shitty pants + BO = a hunter walking home

[Stone Sheep Steve]

This is "thee" only way to control your scent. Get's a tad sweaty after a few hours but it works8).
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/cid_003d01c954da_4b9d3f10_d3834418_betty.jpg

I'm all for "positive scent"....scent rags etc ..even cover scent but I'm not a believer in trying to eliminate your own scent.

Play the wind.

SSS

[BCrams]

I'm all for "positive scent"....scent rags etc ..even cover scent but I'm not a believer in trying to eliminate your own scent.

Play the wind.

SSS

hmmmm ..... maybe we should try leaving your hiking boots on for the duration of a sheep hunt next time! Thats it! :rolleyes:

[farside]

Don't ask me if I got him as I do not remember what happened once I saw him.

:frown:oh I know this senario all too well.

[eastkoot]

A lot of BUNK. Piss on your shoes in the morning and your good to go.. What ever you smell like, covered with scent or not, it's not natural.. Go with the wind and smell like you do..

[nomad]

My question would be... How did the Indians do it? Old style with bow and arrow! Or even natives with just a spear! No cover scents on the market back then!! No showers or so much as soaps or fresh wipes to clean up!

That said I do like attractants for scents but nothing goes on me but the natural scents around me. Maybe rub some aromatics together (from the area I'm hunting in). That pulls the most scent out of it and then I can use some of that to blend in.

Have also had success as others have, with the attractant scents. Was quite amazed really! Had both whitetail and blacktail come within 40yds just on scents. The wind of course is what makes or breaks it! A big blacktail buck came charging through the forest only to stop on the other side of a thicket about 30 yds away! I was in my tree stand recurve hunting so I had to have a close shot! The wind was just starting to change at the end of the day when this was happening. Wind came around from behind me and straight through scent cloth to Buck! When he halted behind the thicket he remained there for about 10min. just stomping around snorting and breathing in the scents! Must have caught abit of my scent in there but without the bush in the way he would've been real close to within my range!! Very intense! Keeps me addicted!

[hannibal]

oops. But if any of you have allergies I hope it helped. This is the link I meant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXp3kv8fs_0

[Wild one]

Note to self sent lock will not help in a jail break

[Phil A. Bowl]

I think the idea of covering myself in piss is crazy. I thought about what is the strongest smell i can smell in the bush(besides my own ass).So i went an bought some pure pine oil extract,a few drops of that and i smell like a xmas tree work for me. :razz:

[nomad]

Great video! was just thinking that type of test would show what really works!

[Will]

I remember awhile back the Company ( "Scent lock" maybe or ??? )was being sued for False advertising or similar ? Wonder how that went ?

[huntwriter]

The biggest misconception about scent control is that some hunters think of scent elimination. Control and elimination are two totally different things. Human scent cannot be eliminated it is impossible to do. The only way we could totally eliminate human scent if we would surgically remove every single glad from our bodies, but that would also mean certain death.
What we can and should do is to control how much human scent we leave in a hunting area, especially bowhunters.

A shower before every hunt and wearing fresh clean clothing will go a long way to reduce excessive human odor. But it will do no good if we get dressed in hunting clothing at home and then drive in the human odor “polluted” truck and stop at the gas station to fill up the tank.

After I showered I dress in a coverall and the on the drive to the hunting area the truck seat is covered with a plastic cover. The freshly laundered and air-dried hunting clothing is stored in an airtight rubber maid box. Once I am on the location I step away from the truck and get dressed.

As I walk to my stand I try to avoid touching anything with my bar hands and wear disposable rubber gloves to handle any deer scent and related products. Still I leave some human scent in the area but it minimal. Deer still can smell it but because it is minimal it fools them into thinking it is old scent or that I am still miles away when in fact I might sit right on top of them.

Somebody mentioned Native hunters. They too used scent control and so did the old European hunters. Natives use to roll over on the ground, very much like coyotes wolfs and dogs to, to cover their human scent. Old European hunters, like my father, stored their hunting clothing in a separate wardrobe and hung pine twigs with them. In the woods I would take plants and grasses, which they rubbed on their face and hands to cover human scent.

Do we need all the products available these days? Not likely, there is nothing a ordinary soap bar and unscented laundry detergent can’t do just as good. Having said that these products do work in controlling human odor, how well they work is up to the hunter. Like I said before using human odor control and then ride around town and visiting the gas station or Tim Horton’s before a hunt will render the best product useless.

[huntwriter]

I remember awhile back the Company ( "Scent lock" maybe or ??? )was being sued for False advertising or similar ? Wonder how that went ?

It has been thrown out of court and quite rightly so. It's bad enough that every idiot can take anybody to court just because they are not happy with a product and then are stupid enough to purchase the same product twice. If that court case had gone through it would have open up the gates for all sorts of lunatic cases. Like the idiot who wanted to sure Federal Ammunition because he couldn’t hit a bulls eye after shooting five boxes of ammo. He lamented that it said on the box “The most accurate ammunition,” and that this is false advertising.

[hunter1947]

Most all you have mentioned play a big roll when it comes to hunting wildlife.
I don't where rubber boots ,I where real good hunting boots that have some kind of a rubber coating on the outside for complete water proofing.

I proved it just the other day when a black bear came in to me within 40 yard and he saw me waving my arms and yelling but still kept coming toward me .mind you the wind was in my favor .
No matter how hard you try to hunt into the wind it will always change other ways.
The only thing you can do is hunt into the way the wind is normally blowing.

I have had more animals then you can shake a stick at that has caught my scent and disappeared before I can count to 5 seconds.

[GoatGuy]

A shower before every hunt and wearing fresh clean clothing will go a long way to reduce excessive human odor.


It certainly would - after 10 days in a tent things get pretty ripe especially with polypro. Your hunting partner would thank you.

[boxhitch]

I proved it just the other day when a black bear came in to me within 40 yard and he saw me waving my arms and yelling but still kept coming toward me .mind you the wind was in my favor .
.So then you didn't really prove anything ??



No matter how hard you try to hunt into the wind it will always change other ways.

Yeah some days I hardly can get away from the truck. The wind circles, I circle........

[hunter1947]

So then you didn't really prove anything ??

Yeah some days I hardly can get away from the truck. The wind circles, I circle........

Who know what the wind was doing about 3 minute befor this bear came in on me ,maybe the wind did shift to the bears favor and my scent I had on did its job ??????.
I know one thing I was prepared with what I had on to cover my scent up :roll:.

[rockdog]

I think yer link is still wonky. I get an article called 'How To Hook Your Slovak Up To A Standard Plow.' See ya in the morning Hannibal.

[Fixit]

i wash with a scent free detergent and use a dove scent free pit stick(for chicks) I also hang my gear outside the day previous to the hunt.