While around the campfire this past weekend and planning for our trip deer hunting next week over a couple of beers, the subject of scent blocking clothes came up. A couple of guys swore by them while another couple of us thought it was one heck of a gimmick to sell clothes. One of the guys brought up a good point tho, if it's supposed to work so well, even tho you are wearing the scent lock suit we can always tell if that person had an extra helping of beans and chili the night before. Seems to some of us if we can smell it, it only stands to reason a deer can. We're hoping someone can shed some light on this dilemma.

You just never know what kind of subjects and conversations can come up around a campfire sometimes.

I'd hate to be the one doing the testing in y'alls investigation.

Speaking of campfires, I for one am usually wearing my hunting overalls around the fire if it's cold enough to justify them.

The way I have always seen it...the deer are familiar with the smell of smoke, which has usually saturated my hunting clothes.

That's all the scentlok I need. It may be different with bowhunting, but I don't see how.

All this muttering of course is just my .02

I think you'll get the same results here. Some will swear by it, and others will think it's a waste of money. To each his own.

As for me, I don't worry about scent lok, wind direction is how I hunt. It was just this subject came out of the blue and I have been involved in some in-depth discussions in the past. This thread was mainly about some of things that come up around a fire. One of the good things about deer camp.

I use the clothing spray, Weather it works or not I dont really know. For me its just a cheap form of reusureance.

Has anyone heard about the law suit going on over this issue???

In the Nov. 2007 issue of Texas Fish & Game, in Don Zaidles, Editors Notes, is an article about 4 Minnesota hunters filing a law suit, stating that "Scent-Lok" brand clothing does not work as advertised.

The suit was filed against ALS Enterprises Inc. of Muskegon Michigan, and lists Gander Mountain co., Cabela's Inc., Bass Pro Shops Inc., and Browning Arms Co. as co-defendants.

The hunters claim the "scent-Lok" products do not work and that the named companies have been defrauding hunters for years.

For a better description of the situation, check page 10 in the Nov. issue of Texas Fish & Game.

Here is a link to a news report (KDFW) that aired last hunting season on this topic:

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/Home....1.1&sflg=1

Deal or Dud: Deer Scent Blocker

Last Edited: Wednesday, 29 Nov 2006, 10:13 PM CST
Created: Wednesday, 29 Nov 2006, 6:19 PM CST

DALLAS -- A deer’s ability to detect scent is the stuff of legends.

If a pine needle falls in the forest, an eagle will see it, a bear will hear it, and a deer will smell it.That’s why something that can block a deer’s scenting ability is something consumers will buy, and our job to test.

Dave Korus is a self-professed, obsessive compulsive when it comes to preparing for the hunt.

He says to suit up with scent free products sets him back five to six hundred dollars and he’s not sure whether the carbon clothing designed to block scent really works.

The first test is whether or not a dog can sniff out a carbon-clad tester, and if the dog can, does that mean a deer can?

A representative from Scent Lok promises if you have a big game animal this is scent sensitive downwind, his products will leave the animal unalarmed.

Critics of the technology say there’s not enough carbon in scent blocking clothing to really make a difference and dispute claims from carbon clothing manufacturers Scent Lok and Scent Blockers ads that claim once the carbon is saturated it can be reactivated by simply throwing the clothes in a dryer.

In fact, at home dryer temperatures, the carbon is not reactivated.

The spokesperson from Scent Lok admits that the reactivation claim is a bit misleading from a scientific standpoint and says “de-sorb” might be a more scientific word to describe the process.

He also states the company’s honesty is in the guarantee and results the products produce.

Both companies say that lab tests and field tests prove their clothing works.

Scent Lok provided this video of a deer within yards of a carbon clad hunter. To test it, our tester follows all preparation and handling instructions and heads to a Police K-9 Training Facility where she dresses head to toe in carbon clothing from Scent Lok.

A Canine Officer sends a dog searching, and the dog picks up her scent as soon as he’s downwind from her hiding spot 17 seconds later.

Next, our tester dressed in gear made by Scent Blocker, and once again the dog finds her.

It seems even if the carbon catches most of her human odor, there’s more to scent than that. The Officer explains that the rubber of the boots have a scent, the glue in the boots, the cotton fabric and the charcoal itself all have scents.

The two scent blocking companies discount the dog test saying the dogs have been trained to detect very minute odors and are trained to follow it to that end. A deer brain, they say, will allow a certain amount of odor not to alarm them.

While it’s virtually impossible to run a controlled test with deer, our tester did mange to spot two doe just 35 yards away while dressed in carbon clothing, but both deer were upwind of her.


A third deer came in about 20 yards downwind of her. Leaving consumers to continue hunting for the only true judge.


To give you an idea of just how popular products like this are becoming, according to US Patent Office data, Scent Lok reported its sales from nothing in 1991 to $100 million today.

Im not sure if scentlok works, i dont own anything they sell. I normally just try to hunt down wind of the feeder or wherever im looking for deer.

Or you could rub your clothes down in a gallon of doe pee. im sure that would be a fun hunt!

No, it doesn't work! Was proven not to work scientifically a long time ago.

I don't worry about for two reasons.

1. I hunt with the wind in my face or in a cross wind.

2. I firmly believe that deer, in Texas are never out of sight/sound/or smell of humans, more so in some parts of the state then others. JMO.

Maybe you and your buddy's should invest in the fartloc underwear discussed in the "worst hunting products" thread ....I have never use spray or sentlok clothing or much camo for that matter....and I have had deer walk within 10 yards of me and either didn't care that they smelled me or didn't smell me at all. (The deer were however does and young bucks)...I just don't think you need it and these companies have made some big bucks off of all these hunting products.

I have been downwind from a mature buck 20 yards and he bedded down and stayed there for 2 hours until a couple of does came along and got his attention. I am certian it is not perfect though I would not put a price on that day super cool!

Here is the video proof that scent lok doesn't work

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/159381/deer_attack/

I heard that it doesn't work because it is made of activated carbon and in order to reactivate it it needs extreme heat which a typical house hold dryer does not provide.

I usually just throw mine in the fire and it's ready

lol.
I don't even know if that is true. I may have dreamt that I read that somewhere. I just know I am not buyin it because it is like 70 dollars just for an effin long sleeve shirt.