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New to bow/crossbow hunting

2K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  25ft-up 
#1 ·
My dad bought me a crossbow for Christmas last year and I plan on using it this fall to hunt whitetail in northern Wisconsin. I am new to the idea of scent control clothing as in the past all i did was hunt deer with a rifle. All I did for scent control was spray myself with scent-a-way. I was wondering what clothing I should buy to control my scent. I don't want to break the bank as I am only 15 and don't have a lot of money to spend. I will also be hunting from a treestand. Thanks, Gunnar.
 
#2 ·
I definitely would not cut anything else short to purchase expensive "scent control" clothing. Comfortable and warm boots are a must. I go into and out of the woods in the dark and a good headlamp is one of the best purchases I ever made. They make life a lot easier by freeing up both hands. A face mask or face paint is a big help in avoiding detection. Either wear gloves or paint your hands. Practice shooting with both a face mask and gloves on!

Comfort is a high priority so be sure you have extra clothing, food, snacks and water. Sitting still for many hours will create many more opportunities than any specialty "scent control" clothing.

Early season mid-day temps can fool you into being complacent. Carry an extra jacket for early mornings and for the evening.

You will have to move at least a bit while the deer is close to shoot so it's important to set up properly and to have at least your face covered. I have put a piece of thin indoor/outdoor carpet on my stand to help with sound and to help avoid cold feet.
 
#3 ·
IMO I don't think you need to worry about scent control if you have seen/killed deer up there with a rifle. I spent a lot of time hunting up in Forest County and the distance of shots you take with a rifle are not much past what you will be taking with a bow. The trees are so thick up there, unless your shooting down a logging road of course. But any shot I took was within 50 yards usually with a rifle. You should be fine.
 
#4 ·
Thanks so much. I have seen deer there the last few years and there are always scrape lines and rubs in the area that is why I wanted to try bow hunting the area this year. Rifle season is always past the rut so I don't see bucks maintaining their scrapes. Hopefully that will change this year! Also, I was thinking about just using my dads old active carbon suit. It's old, and probably doesn't work very good anymore but it is camo and its better than nothing.
 
#6 ·
I have a leafy jacket and pants I put over my warmer cloths and a simple but comfortable leafy face mask, had them look right at me and not know what I was, I just wash them like normal, minus the fabric stuff that has a strong smell and hang them on a tree. Be a good idea to practice shooting from your stand, I always shoot a bit low and my feet sit 24 feet up.
 
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