[TheRiverBottom]

Carbon; sprays, detergents, and soaps with special enzymes and chemicals = waste of money.

 

[bamarecurve]

Carbon; sprays, detergents, and soaps with special enzymes and chemicals = waste of money.

Agree. I wash mine regular and put them in a rubbermaid tub with cedar trimmings and acorns if I do anything. Which usually I don't do anything. I'm of the same opinion. They'll smell you anyway

 

[d_rek]

And HERE. WE. GO!

 

[Mike.Rotch]

And HERE. WE. GO!

Yep... Just gonna be a lot of "scent control is BS" or "complete waste of money".

People will be berated for believing that it works.

Then you'll have "you can **** on a bag of pot and shove it in your gas tank and a dog will still find it"

These topics are about as bad as mechanical vs fixed blades.

 

[useyourbow]

Scent control: Can you kill deer with out it? Yes, but not as often and your odds are significantly decreased. Most people will tell you to hunt the wind which is absolutely spot on but IMO you do a lot of harm to your hunting area via entrance and exit routes and the scent left behind. The sprays may neutralize the odors on yours clothes but if that spray does not contact your skin or your breath is all becomes mute.

Cover Scent: Old hunter asked me once, "if you fart in the kitchen can you still smell the bacon". His point was a whitetail deciphers hundreds of different scents with every breath. Oak, mushroom spores, raccoon, sage grass, auto exhaust, decaying leaves, pine sap, cedar, etc.... They are totally capable of recognizing human odor even if you spray on some buck urine or acorn scent.

The key is to keep your scent to a minimum, giving the deer the sense that you are further away than you are and that there is no perceived threat. My $0.02

 

[bamarecurve]

Yep... Just gonna be a lot of "scent control is BS" or "complete waste of money".

People will be berated for believing that it works.

Then you'll have "you can **** on a bag of pot and shove it in your gas tank and a dog will still find it"

These topics are about as bad as mechanical vs fixed blades.

Then don't participate?

 

[bamarecurve]

Scent control: Can you kill deer with out it? Yes, but not as often and your odds are significantly decreased. Most people will tell you to hunt the wind which is absolutely spot on but IMO you do a lot of harm to your hunting area via entrance and exit routes and the scent left behind. The sprays may neutralize the odors on yours clothes but if that spray does not contact your skin or your breath is all becomes mute.

Cover Scent: Old hunter asked me once, "if you fart in the kitchen can you still smell the bacon". His point was a whitetail deciphers hundreds of different scents with every breath. Oak, mushroom spores, raccoon, sage grass, auto exhaust, decaying leaves, pine sap, cedar, etc.... They are totally capable of recognizing human odor even if you spray on some buck urine or acorn scent.

The key is to keep your scent to a minimum, giving the deer the sense that you are further away than you are and that there is no perceived threat. My $0.02

He made a good point! I just think: people are everywhere and we make too much out of a deer catching some human scent. If its strong enough they think you're in their bedroom, that's a different story. That's why I'm saying I am in the "in between" camp. I think its overdone but I see nothing wrong with taking advantage of technology we have today

 

[Mike.Rotch]

Then don't participate?

I'm not, that's why i didn't give an opinion. People will be fighting here before long... Hopefully my comment will keep everyone from arguing so they wont be a statistic.

 

[Kighty7]

I have seen my success go way up since religiously using one product in general/ It is an all natural cover scent and I have had great success. I shower with scent eliminator soap, wash all my clothes as well. Any step I can use I do! Is it 100% no, nothing is! But I have killed some great bucks over the last 10 years while using this cover scent. I am a believer 100% that is helps. In the 2014 archery season, my 10 year old son shot a buck with is compound at 12 yards. There were 3 of us in the stand all with this cover scent on. The deer was down wind and never knew we were there. What works for one may not work for others. I am very anal about scent control even to what I put in my mouth.

This is an excellent question!

 

[cadguy2]

I wash my clothes in scent free detergent and hang them outside for a couple days. I also don't put them on until I am at the hunting property. I also store them in a plastic bag and plastice tote. I wear rubber boots and tuck pant legs in. I do hunt out of a treestand and fool almost all of the deer directly downwind of me. I wear a scent lok face mask also. Works for me.

 

[I like Meat]

No, not a waste of money...it can help, but is not 100% in reducing odors...you can reduce your scent stream, which in turn reduces the odors you leave behind on the walk in or from the stand...I will always do the shampoo's, body deodorant, clothing sprays(I'll go thru a gallon + each season, not that much $$ either), clothing wash(prefer Sportwash), hang out side, etc. and I have seen where it does work in reducing the chance of being winded or spooking critters...I'll use a DDW(Dead Down Wind or H&S) wipe to wipe my head, neck, upper body once I get in the stand if I sweat any going it.....it does help ....I'll still play the wind, but the deer dont read the play book and can sometimes come in from where you least expect it.... with over 120 deer killed and some BIG bucks, I feel I am doing something right.... those that dont do squat are some smelly SOB's and I wouldnt let them even ride in my truck....ukey:

 

[South Man]

I have seen my success go way up since religiously using one product in general/ It is an all natural cover scent and I have had great success. I shower with scent eliminator soap, wash all my clothes as well. Any step I can use I do! Is it 100% no, nothing is! But I have killed some great bucks over the last 10 years while using this cover scent. I am a believer 100% that is helps. In the 2014 archery season, my 10 year old son shot a buck with is compound at 12 yards. There were 3 of us in the stand all with this cover scent on. The deer was down wind and never knew we were there. What works for one may not work for others. I am very anal about scent control even to what I put in my mouth.

This is an excellent question!

What are you using? Sounds like you need to share the wealth brother!

 

[Fulldraw1972]

I used to be taken scent elimination very seriously. Then about 5 years ago I got into elk hunting. I packed into the mtns for a week plus. I wasn't going to pack in everything I needed to eliminate scent. My pack was heavy enough with tent, sleeping bag, pad, food etc.
After sweating Dailey, not being able to shower for days on end I was still able to get close to elk as long as the wind was in my favor.
So I quit using the stuff for my deer hunting as well. In that amount of time I still have shot 1 to 2 bucks every year. Had numerous other chances at shooting deer every year. I just chose to let them walk.
Most of the time I am walking into stands through crop fields. The only thing touching the cover or the ground is my boot soles. I think the amount of scent being transfered is very minimal.

This year I actually decoyed with out any cover scent at all. Let alone trying to eliminate any scent on the decoy. I still had bucks interact with the decoy.

I have always hunted with the wind in my favor. I have always been busted a time or two every year if a deer gets down wind if me. So why spend the money. I have it now to be able to hunt more often. Granted I don't hunt a whole lot before the rut. Maybe a handful of times. I think during the rut a bucks senses are not what they are earlier in the year.

 

[Kighty7]

I use Nature's Essence products. The company has been around for over 25 years and is an all natural cover scent! Have introduced it to many other friends and they love it as well. In the past two years, I have shot a 166 inch non-typical, 128 inch typical 10, 125 inch typical 8, and a 181 non-typical 15. Here is a look at my wall and the majority of these deer have been taken in the past 10 years in Ohio and PA.

 

[TheRiverBottom]

I put faith in scent control right up there with faith that virgins give birth. It's faith...that's all. People are quick to tell the stories about deer coming from down wind and the like. It reinforces their conclusion that the products work - confirmation bias. But, people that don't use it have the SAME experiences! Notice you will never hear the people that buy these products tell the stories of getting winded...never. I used the stuff for years...I know you get winded using it. But, since that does not support their conclusion...they never talk about it.

 

[Kighty7]

I put in a lot of time just like everyone else on scouting, hanging stands, making mock scrapes, funneling deer with terrain, but when it comes down to it, I like to take risks and hunt bedrooms of bucks. To do this and be successful, scent control is a must. i put a lot of time and effort into being invisible in the woods. It has paid off for me in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.

 

[Michael Myers]

I use it but i keep all my clothes in a action packer with cedar branches at all times and i only hunt my stands on the correct wind.....not sure if it works and dont really care,i spend my money on what i choose too and i use what i want too....I dont care what others think or do.....Grizz

 

[Bowguy867]

Hunt the wind, it's 101

 

[flinginairos]

Ive tried the sprays and cover scents with little luck. Got busted a lot! The last two years I have smoked my clothes and gear in wood smoke with great results. Cheap (free) and seems to work for me.