what are some of your scent control techniques

I have tried just about everything and bought just about everything but still get winded constantly. What is everyones way to keep your scent down maybe there's something I haven't tried

Because all of those scent control products are baseless gimmicks. Recent studies have proven it. One of those manufacturers got sued recently and weren't able to back their claims of eliminating scent.

Personally, I just take a bath in the creek once a week, whether I need it or not.

One morning while walking to the stand I walked up on a big arse West Texas skunk. He sprayed me good. I went ahead and sat that morning and took a decent 8 pt trailing a doe. I stunk so bad that at times I was gagging.

Once I got out of the stand I quickly shed the Wall's Blizzard Proof (and apparently skunk proof) coveralls that I was wearing as my outer layer.

Now I can't say that the skunk odor aided me in killing that buck but I don't think it hurt either.

I have actually thought about having a skunk spray me before but wasn't sure if it would work. So you think washing my clothes and towels in scent free detergent taking a shower with scent free soap and using cover scent is useless? Oh I also use scent lok clothes.

Well Mr. Smith, you said in your original post that despite all of your efforts the deer still wind you.

I've been in law enforcement for a couple of decades. In my line of work we call that a clue.

I've tried all of the odor free crapola and found that, IMHO, it didn't do anything for me.

When I was a kid growing up I'd sit with my grandpa in the stand. He smoked a pipe the whole time. His tobacco was the richest smelling stuff you could imagine. We still managed to bring home deer.

I've stalked up on deer wearing blue jeans and red flannel shirts. I've had deer walk past me and never bat an eye, even after not bathing for the past 3 or 4 days.

I think a lot of these products pushed on deer hunters nowadays are nothing but snake oil. Some work but others don't give you the edge that is claimed by manufacturers.

i will tell ya, i dont take alot of precautions with sent control. i try to stay out of the smoke from the camp fire as much as possible and have my clothes just for going to the stand. heck alot of times i get up and hunt in what i fell asleep in. ive been winded before and it will happen again im sure. i see as many deer as my uncle thats covered in head to toe with the stores latest fasions of scent free stuff most of the time more. in rifle season i wear blue jeans and a hoody.just playing the wind right makes a huge difference!

What about dipping snuff and spitting it on the ground? Think that smell will scare them off. And rifle hunting is no problem I have never been winded while rifle hunting. I'm more of a bow hunter though and scent plays a big role when you have to be that close to them

When I'm the stand I'm always dipping snuff or chewing Levi Garrett. I've thrown the used wads out and watched deer walk right past without affecting them at all. I honestly don't think that it's that big of a deal.

Use the wind to your advantage. It is cheap and works very well. I do not put much merit in the scent control or eliminating gimmicks that are out there today. Nothing is 100% effective. Do not get locked into going to the same stand everytime or you will get busted. Don't hunt a place if the wind is not perfect you will do nothing but educate the deer. Use multilple sets around the same area to use the wind.

I don't eat beans or deviled eggs the day before

Well said

If you have cows, horses, goats etc..on your property, this can be helpful. When bowhunting or having to cross through my hunting area on foot, I frequently will step in their droppings to cover my scent of walking to the blind/stand. I've been known on swirling windy days to take the dry portions and scrape on the clothes. Its free, and a heck of alot better than looking like a complete dipstick chasing a skunk around.

Very well said...

When it comes down to it. Nothings going to ensure that you aren't going to be scented better than playing the wind direction. You should have multiple setups for different wind directions. I'm no fanatic in using scent control stuff, but I do try to myself in the best position possible to take a deer. I've been scented before, any hunter that does this for awhile is going to. There's always that rogue deer that shows up completely out of place and busts you.

I know this is a hot topic on this forum, but I am fairly religious in use of scent control clothing and products and growing more so. I understand that people have experiences in getting animals without using any, smoking cigerettes while drinking a cup of coffee. But if it gives me the smallest edge or covers up any of my mistakes and allows me to harvest a mountable animal, its all worth it to me.

I wash using scent free soap, put on scent free deoderant, use scent free foot powder. They put on my Tek4 base layer, light coat of fresh eart scent, put on my pants and hooded sweat shirt, heavy coat of fresh eath scent, then my safty harness gets another healty coat of fresh earth. Then I spray down my hat,gloves and mask with acorn scent(I hate the fresh earth smell in my face for hours) and spray my hands and head with the acorn scent. Drive out till I'm about 500m from my stand, spray down from head to toe in scentless spray. While out there I et mints at a steady pace to cover my breathe. At my stand I use natural pine discs, changing he disc once on Saturday mornings of any weekend I hunt. After washing my clothes in scent free soap I store them in a scent loc bag with discs of fairly fresh cut pine discs at the bottom of the bag, but I would use whatever type of tree my stand is in I just happen to be in a pine this year.

Now some will say I waste my time and money with all this, but I've not been winded in my stand since I started doing this. Be it luck of whatever, it makes me and the deer comfortable so I'll stick with it. Heck I had a small 4 pointer and 2 does walk a complete 360 under me, within feet of my stand on Sunday morning.

I do all this for bow season only. I just dress to be warm during gun season.

I make sure I blow my "smoke" up!!

I play the wind as already mentioned. In Texas, the wind is usually pretty easy to manage, when I am in the Rocky's, or other mountains like West TX, then it takes a bit more wind observation.

I did the whole scent elimination thing when it was getting popular in the 80's and I was bow hunting. Was such a PITA I quit. Go to all that trouble just to get in a smelly camp or truck.

Not to mention that the instant you begin to perspire you are producing scent. Can't be avoided.

Be mindful of the wind and don't be upwind or your feeder, trail, water, or whatever structure you're hunting over.

I think most on here know how I stand on scent elimination/contorl, im with landpirate, it is a load of bs, someone trying to turn a dime. Last year I sat in a lawn chair with a beer 25 yards from the feeder stuck in some thick grass after a long day of working... with no shower, my fiance could smell me, no hugs. I had 13 deer come in and feed with no issues, and the wind wasnt blowing straight at my back, but more at my back than my face.

Hunted way too many times at 15 yards out of a pop up just how I climbed out of bed to believe in scent controll. The heavily presured lease that I hunted for the past 20 years in the hill country from 30 yards to the feeder and never had a problem getting winded. Its all a gimick to me, its buck crack in another form.

I believe 100% in all the sent control/elimination clothes, boots, srays and gadgets!!! And it does not matter if it works as advertised or not. What I do believe is if people think it helps and gives them an edge it often does give them a boost in confidence, encourgement, and often ability. It is a mental thing, just like rally caps, luck objects, superstial rituals, ect. Dont get me wrong I know that gimics will not replace skills, but if smelling like a skunk gives you confidence go find a skunk.

You just go right on ahead and tell that to the convict running from the blood hound... that if he puts on his rally cap he will get away!

Some of the stuff on here is rediculouse, either it makes a diference or it doesnt!

I have a new product for deer hunters. It's the latest technology and proven over and over again, generation after generation. My hunter's kit includes a magic magnetic bracelet with a lucky rabbit's foot attached. Wear it on your wrist or ankle and you too will shoot a Booner. It's only $19.95. But if you order in the next 21.25 minutes I'll double your order. Operators are standing by.

I break off cedar on the way to my stand. Mash it up good then rub it on my clothes. Seems to work.

I bought one of the large ice chests and keep all of my hunting clothes in it after I wash them in scentless detergent. I also take showers with scentless soap as often as possible while at the farm. I don't believe that I am truely scentless, but I do think it helps.

play the wind brotha'. Gimmick or not but I hunted comanche county one year and the ranch was loaded with ton's and ton's of deer. If you didn't see 40 deer per set then somethin' was way wrong. I have alway's used Wildlife research center's 99% and I didn't have none with me this particular day so I used my buddies H.S. scent away stuff. I have never heard so many deer blowing and raisin' cane at once in my life. Honestly had to of been 20-30 deer blowing at me at one time for about 30 minutes straight. I made my way into town that night and got the good stuff 99% and the next day same wind and all and all the deer made their way to the feeder and never new I was there. I can say that I have sat in a bow stand alot of day's and to this day not one deer has busted me and dang sure has never blown at me while wearing it. Not saying deer haven't smelled me and I never saw them come out for that reason but I have never been actually busted with it. Even in Ground blind's I have em' walk 3-5 yard's from me all the time with no worries.

"Myth Busters" did a show on scent control products...a multimillion dollar industry in the hunting world. Obviously they could not use deer in the experiment but they used dogs with the assumption that a deer sense of smell was as good as a dog. Using all the control products and clothing they could find they ran the test with the dogs........not even close. The dogs had no problems finding their targets. This myth was "BUSTED".

If you take a bathe regularly and sit in a box blind, then I wouldn't worry too much about scent.

1) take shower with non-scented soap
2) wash clothes with non-scented detergent, no scent dryer sheets
3) no scent deodorant
4) spray clothes and gear with no scent spray
5) rub down clothes, boots, gear with cedar leaves
6) hydrogen peroxide mouth wash just before I close the door on the truck

*Dead Down Wind is what I prefer

I guess I'm ol fashion, i was raised by two ol salts that took me huntin,fishin,and my Grampa chewed cotton boll twist,my Dad smoked Roi Tan golfers cigars. We always set by the camp fire every night and been known to pass the jug around. Tuf-nut jeans and flannel shirt were my only huntin attire. Our blinds were a coupla 2x6's nailed in a fork of a tree,our ladders were short 2x4's nailed to the trunk. Our ground blinds were usally a wind break of somekind and a folding chair. One of the biggest bucks that i have harvested was in a groung blind smoking a Marlboro chewing on some jerky and tryin to keep my snoring down to a low roar. We always did try to place the blinds in a position that they were always on the south side of a well traveled path. Didnt worry to much about any south wind blowin in the dead of winter. Dont know to this day how we ever filled the freezer without all the scent control stuff, I guess the deer back then werent very smart. The new generation of WT must be asmatic with super noses.
Oh and we didnt have any scent free deodorant or soap or soap powders,cedar trees, sun and the wind were our dryer sheets and listerin was the only mouthwash i can remember

I don't know how Indians and Cavemen and Ooga Booga Men managed to kill deer with stone tools, spears and recurve bows. Heck they didn't bathe.

Make sure I wipe real good and walk thru cow pies

could you bottle that and sell it for $19.95?

I could but it would be pretty crappy for all involved

thanks but I'll take my chances

Scent Control is the key term, not scent blocker or lock. Wind can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. I do wear scent blocker clothes, but I'm not so naive to think they block all of my scent. The fact of the matter is, the scent blocker stuff is made well and hold it's color and integrity as camo/hunting clothes, at least from my experience. Copenhagen, Marlboro, pee, poo, none of it maters if the wind is in your favor.

If the deer smell you, you get busted, regardless of what color your camo is or scent lok or not. I do take the precautions with clothing though. I don't dip or smoke or drink any beverages in the stand either, mind you this is all for bow hunting. Any advantage I can give my self, I'll take. That's why I feed corn and protein. I'd hate to ride 5 1/2 hours to the lease, sit for 2 1/2 or 3 hours, practice all that time and spend all that money getting to and from the lease to get blown because I didn't "buy into it". People take advantage of hunters all the time. Ice, gas, beer, tobacco, CORN being the biggest one now. So I'm not gonna not buy clothing or take precautions because I think someone is making money on me.

They've got us figured out. Hunters are addicted and all of us are getting the run around one way or another, but it's not gonna stop us from buying products and goods.

Like I tell all my buddies bass fishermen and hunters are the biggest bunch of suckers there are. Pull up to the ramp and look at all the 75k boats and 55k trucks all financed to the max. As hunters we buy all the scent junk, thousand dollar bows, and 750 rifles and scopes. I'm guilty too, well I buy scent killer, but i see more deer outta my truck than my stand and I worry more about WIND DIRECTION than scent when I bowhunt.

This morning I sat in my stand with wind not in my favor and did not get busted. Deer walked right under me the first time to not get busted in that stand.
1) Washed clothes with fresh earth detergent and used fresh earth dryer dryer sheets. Then put them in some 2 1/2 gal. Zip lock bags

2) Took a shower with anti bacterial scent free soap and shampoo.

3) Sprayed down everything with fresh earth spray

4) Then say the bow hunters prayer

This works well for me too.

I use that scent blocker stuff, and keep my hunting clothes outside from October through deer season. I won't dip snuff or anything when I will bow hunt.


Rifle hunting I use zero scent control, dip snuff or whatever. Don't see the need.

Add me to the list for this technique.

I shower with Irish Spring. Wear scented deodorant. Wash my clothes in scented detergent. I cannot tell you how many times I've deer walk all around my stand and never spook because of my scent. I've also seen deer walk down wind and catch my scent and leave. Usually they reappear moments later somewhere else.

I honestly don't think it makes that much difference.

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Our videos speak for themselves.

I just use plain ol vanilla extract. put out a few drops around the blind and usually have good luck. I won't say I have never been winded, but more times than not, it works for me. A set of deer tracks in one of my natural ground blinds convinced the ranch foreman on one of the ranches I used to guide on. Its definitely a lot cheaper than some of these other gimmicks.

The secret is to get them used to your scent, then you won't have a scent problem.

One off the biggest 8's I've ever shot walked right over my emergency
Evacuation one morning. I was in a tripod on a cross sendero. Just as I got
Settled in the morni g constitutional hit. I flew down the tripod shedding
Coveralls,pants, and long johns. Was able to make it about 80 yards or so.
Got done and this old 8 walked right over I had just left and didn't even
Seem to notice.

I've always used skunk scent or coon piss with good results though
And the 99% stuff ever since I started bow hunting. But the doe I shot
Last weekend I was dipping in the blind and they were a little skittish but
I think had more to do with the little ranchettes next store that sound like
They raise fighting pit bulls.

This is all a touchy subject but here goes; I believe in scent control due to the fact that my lease has such limited human activity and as we all are in the oilfield cant hunt every weekend...for the last 7 years I havent even spotted in my rifle so I feel need to give myself every chance I can when the deer arent used to our scent...You cant cover up 100% scent so yeah if you sit in a lawn chair and doesnt chair but go out there everyday then they will get used to it.....Now saying that I have been smoking with deer of all ages coming to my feeder and just very few times it spooked, I believe this is more credit owing to the curiosity of deer rather than anything...However makes you a more comfortable hunter go for it....Good luck all this season and shoot em straight

Well it worked for me again. Took a doe Weds. Night hunting from a ground blind. The deer came out on a trail 10 yard's downwind of me cut across the front of my ground blind and smack right thru the heart at 15 yard's. So there's one more to the list and I have still yet to be blown at while covered in 99%. I spray everthing with it. Camera's clothes bow ..... everything. I was sure that one was gonne bust me but she never missed a beat just kept on truckin' right into the perfect window.

Maybe I'm just too "new aged", but if you smoke while hunting, you're not out there to hunt seriously. Scent control, camouflage, marksmanship, is all part of the preparation that goes into hunting. I'm not saying you should go buy all the scent control clothes and what not to be serious, but have some common sense about woodsmanship and the outdoors.

I think it also depends on where you're hunting. I hunt in the Piney Woods. I think that the deer here are infinitely more cautious when it comes to scent/sound. I've hunted in the hill country, and it seemed like they had no sense of smell or hearing. It was like a different breed.

In other words, it's just alot of things...

If you hunt around cedar trees, you can get a hand full of the cedar berries and boil them in water. Works real well and very strong, we took a little and added it to more water so it would make up several bottles. Doesnt cost a lot and it is natural.

Just because a deer scents you does not mean your are busted and they run off. I have had plenty of deer that could smell me and it made them cautious. But after stomping for a few minutes and seeing nothing, they relaxed and ate corn.

My feeder is typically 15-20 yards from my tree stand. 15' height. And try to do the basics of scent control, but beyond no colognes and using scent away soap... thats it.

Best scent cover I ever had was 'Pure Skunk Scent Gland" in a little old bottle from the 2 brothers out in the Hill country (Burnham Bros.) That was about 35 yrs ago. It finally dried up and I've never seen it again. All I would do is just open that little joker up and set it by my stand, never busted! Sure wish I could find the stuff!

When bow hunting, when i get off the 4 wheeler to make my decent i spray down from head to toe with dead down wind ... in side my hat to the sole of my boots, but when rifle hunting i don't do nothing when it comes down to scent control

You don't need any according to z71dustin.

Just need a magic deer feeder.

Looks like someone got butthurt

You really do need scent control though, it is a must along with camo

The pics below prove it. They were taken with a iPhone while sitting in a lawn chair listening to the A&M game

Why are you posting in a Scent thread? According to you, shooting deer is the easy. You don't need anything but a feeder and a stand.

Yeah, everybody lives with tame deer that live in their back yards.