I was thinking about this last night when it appeared that a doe and her two button-buck fawns were going to walk up to me and start licking my face as I knelt in some tall grass along the edge of a meadow. One of the little ones got within two feet before their attention turned to another group of does and their fawns. That was exciting and very hard to keep still - especially with the mosquitoes. I'm always thinking about scent control and I think that my fanaticism pays off. The three didn't smell me, and I rarely get busted anymore.

What do you do for scent control? Are you a fanatic, and do you think your method is effective?

Keeping the wind in your face is the most effective scent control I have found.

I can't afford scent lock clothes but what I do is keep my hunting clothes in a trunk with some of those fresh earth discs in it. Works good as they smell just like dirt all the time. Deer pass me without notice. I also chew spearmint gum while hunting.

I am by no means fanatical, but I do try to minimize odors. It is not a cure all, but I have been getting closer to game since minimizing odor. I wash anything that I will be hunting with in scent control and uv killing soap. When I get to the field I spray down with some Scent shield. This supposedly kills any human scent for the time being. And of course I always try to keep the wind in my face, but it is not always possible.
I really dont have to worry about the mosquetos any more. It seems to have snowed about 12" last night. It's time to pull out the white smock, there is nothing that gets me dialed up more then hunting in the snow!!

Weidmannsheil

Worse than fanatical,totally psychotic.
Mad

I just go out to the same spot over and over and over untill the deer know my name. After we know each other I invite them back to my place for dinner .
If I go to a new spot I wash all my stuff in sentfree and store it with cattle feed in a bag and do not take it out until I'm ready to go in the stand.
Turtle

Aquavit, That deodorant is good stuff isn't it? Hopefully you get yours in an organic food store so it is only 99 cents or so. It seems to last forever unless you drop it...

I'm not too fanatical about scent control, but I do usually keep my hunting clothes outside unless it is really cold. I also don't use toothpaste just a plain toothbrush and rinse my mouth out with water a couple of times if I remember. I think keeping still is one of the best things, and keeping yourself clean (as in showering).

Aquavit;I bought that a couple of years ago and detected a perfume type scent,might have been the brand and it was a "no-scent" type deal.
I swear by baking soda,brush my teeth with it,bath in it and wash my clothes in it.
I keep my hunting clothes in a rubbermaid tub with spruce branchs in it.
God forbid someone is smoking near me or I have to get gas on the way up,not a happy camper.
Mad

Mad,

I buy baking soda by the 5lb box. The stuff does not bother deer in the least, even when not washed off well.

Well now,

After over 30 years hunting whitetails I'm totally convinced there is NO WAY to fool their noses.

I've tried them all over the years and the only thing I use now is keep my nose pointed into the wind. I have over 20 permanent stands on my place and I only hunt certain ones when the wind is right.

I just bought scent-lok coveralls from Cabela's. I'm going bow hunting this weekend I'll let you know if they work. I bought them cause I got busted last weekend with a slight breeze in my face.I had showered with scent soap and sprayed with scent killer before heading into the woods.

I'm a scent control nut, I even keep my hunting camo in a scent bag until I get to my hunt area, rubber boots, scentlock suit, etc, etc, etc. but the main thing in your stand is wind direction.

I have been using "CONTAIN" cloths for 5 years now and would not hunt without it. It is made from CoolMax material that has been treated and the effectivity will last as long as the cloths. CoolMax material is used in athletic wear and wicks away moisture. Its perfect for warm weather like we have in Texas. I have a long sleeve T shirt and a pair of under shorts. I wear it in cold weather when I hunt Kansas nad Missouri. As an under garmet you can have what ever camo you need. Its much cooler and quiter than Scent Loc stuff! It runs about $45 for the T and $30 for the shorts.
I also wash myself and my cloths with scent eleminating soap and spray down with scent eliminating spray before, durring and after the hunt and before I leave the woods.
I stay away from cover-up scents. I would rather smell like "Nothing" then something.
I have hunted deer, bear, elk, hogs, javalina and critters in Africa and have had great luck with it.
IT WORKS!

[ 10-16-2002, 21:56: Message edited by: bo-n-aro ]

Aquavit,
I am fanatical about scent control during bow season. I take it to the extreme, usually annoying some of the other guys in camp. Everything I put on to go hunting has been packed scent free. I don't want to be around odors before hunting like cigarettes, gasoline, etc. I don't even want to be around cooking in camp after I have taken my secent free shower before heading out. The guys in camp think I'm psycho, but they can't argue with the results. I get a charge out of being extremely close to wild game and scent free is the way to do it. Keep up the scent free routine and enjoy the results.

Just got back from my bow hunt in Western Oklahoma. I got the scent-lok coveralls in time.Worked great for the first two days but last night I had 12 does within 30 yds of my stand with w/ 30mph wind. Everyone that went down wind of me busted me but I had used a supposed scent killing wipe on my head and I could smell it in the stand.I had not had a problem the other two days.The scent-lok suit is a new one that it very lite weight similar to regular cloth coveralls.

Spend your money on the gadgets if ya want. They may SEEM to work sometimes, however, they WILL let ya down. There is only one way to beat their noses.

BE FANATICAL ABOUT WIND DIRECTION AND STAND LOCATION!!!

I guess I should have read the directions first. I did today and found out that you have to activate the suit before hunting. Then it lasts a couple of weeks of hunting before you reactivate it in the dryer.You'd think they would have said that on one of the tags.It was in the laundry instructions. Well I have another hunt coming Thursday-Sunday. Maybe I can give you a better picture then.

Update on the Scent-lok coveralls. Sat. I had a nice 8 pt. buck come within 25 yds. downwind he never knew I was there and fed for a few minutes before moving on just stopped behind to much bruch for a shot. This time the coveralls were activated.