Does anyone actually get "scent free?" The last two whitetail deer seasons (archery) I decided I am going to take every scent precaution to make myself scent free. Before every hunt I shower, use scent free deodorant, wash all my clothes in the recommended scent free laundry detergent, hang on line, put in plastic scent free totes, put on my hunting clothes in the road ditch before I walk in (starts getting cold this time of year), spray the mystical scent free solution over all my clothes, walk in, spray down again (everything, even my bow, boots, hat, face...). The only thing it seems I dont do is use scent free toilet paper (which gives me a business idea). And after two years of doing this, I see zero difference in getting smelled. The deer smell me every time when they go down wind, just as fast, just as spooky. The wind swirls bad where I hunt on the river bottom and I hear deer blowing 200 yards away getting spooked from what I guess is my scent. Yesterday I was out watched a doe walk right to the location I walked an hour and a half earlier, smell, turn around, and run. I wouldn't of shot her anyways, but she smelled me is the point. So does anyone have consistent success, with a method. Success does not count during the heart of the rut when a buck comes trottin through dogging a doe. I could jump up and down and not spook him. Does anyone use a cover scent that seems to work. I know play the wind, and that is what I do, but there is always one deer that seems to go downwind and catch my scent.
Hey Scent Freaks
- Thread starter hunttrap
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tdcour
Veteran member
I'm a believer, but I use one of the ScentLok suits when I whitetail hunt. I also hang my stands high. 20' is minimum for me. I killed my buck last year dead down wind from me and had 6 does and fawns feeding down wind for close to an hour. I did everything you did, but added the ScentLok suit and used a cover scent. I used doe estrus since it was the rut. I did a drag line behind me then hung it at the bottom of my tree. I've heard the Ozonics works really good as well. A buddy of mine swears by his, but he is a lot more serious than me.
I shower, use scent free deodorant, then just wear my shorts and shirt in the truck. change when I get out of the truck to my hunting stuff and spray down, then do my cover scent drag, then when I get to the tree I spray down again. Don't forget about your pack if you have one. Lots of smelly stuff in there. I also tend to leave my stuff outside in a tree overnight or in the middle of the day
I shower, use scent free deodorant, then just wear my shorts and shirt in the truck. change when I get out of the truck to my hunting stuff and spray down, then do my cover scent drag, then when I get to the tree I spray down again. Don't forget about your pack if you have one. Lots of smelly stuff in there. I also tend to leave my stuff outside in a tree overnight or in the middle of the day
I wasn't too sure about the scent control sprays until i used it on a pair of work boots that stunk so bad i couldnt keep them in the house. It wiped the smell out and now i use it on all my shoes and spray down all my hunting stuff. I still try to keep the wind in my favor tho.
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Wind is king...
However, anything that minimizes stink can't possibly hurt. The only disclaimer I have though is at the end of a 7 day elk hunt it doesn't matter how much spray you use, you will still personally have a lot of odor. Even if the clothes you are wearing are treated.
However, anything that minimizes stink can't possibly hurt. The only disclaimer I have though is at the end of a 7 day elk hunt it doesn't matter how much spray you use, you will still personally have a lot of odor. Even if the clothes you are wearing are treated.
Like kidoggy said it probably doesn't help. It works if you believe it works. Just another product being bought by hunters because it might help. You see these useless things being used on almost all of the tv hunting shows.
I always get a chuckle when the guide spots the animal and the camera shows the hunter stop and get out his magical spray and douse himself all over and then proceed to shoot at an animal which is several hundred yards away.
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Fink
Veteran member
I've never used scent free anything, and I've killed my fair share of nice deer, passed on bunches of 130" type deer, and had countless deer bed down right underneath me (in my 16' high stands. 20' is way too scary!)
It is interesting in hearing other peoples experience. I know hunting out of a tree would help, I just get to much of a pucker factor sitting up in a tree on a small platform. (not to fond of heights) I do 90% of my whitetail hunting from the ground out of ground blinds I make out of brush, grass, and leaves. The wind swirling just kills me. If the wind is not more than a ten mile per hour wind, I am skrewed. The crappy thing is, it always dies down and swirl the first and last half hour. That is hunting though.
Hilltop
Veteran member
The biggest (and only imo) advantage to using scent free products is to lessen the scent trail you leave when travelling to and from a stand. I have seen big game animals freak out when walking up to a trail a human recently walked down. I spray my lower body down before walking to any stand and haven't had any issues with animals crossing my trail. I also believe in wearing rubber boots to lessen the scent trail you leave.
Even if you completely eliminate your scent (almost impossible to do), your breath is still sending out a ton of human scent along with your exposed skin. As Scott said, wind is king. It doesn't matter how bad you smell when the animal is up-wind from your location.
Even if you completely eliminate your scent (almost impossible to do), your breath is still sending out a ton of human scent along with your exposed skin. As Scott said, wind is king. It doesn't matter how bad you smell when the animal is up-wind from your location.
When I use to archery hunt Whitetail in Wisconsin, this was the one thing that seemed to work, not saying it really did, but I think it did, well maybe. LOL!
I'd take a 5 gallon pail of natural water from where I hunted swamp, pond, river, whatever, then put a handful of leaves, and dirt from the same area in the bucket of water. Then I'd mix a whole box of baking soda in the water, put the lid on and let is sit for a month or so before season. A week before season I'd put a zip tie on the bottom of a pant leg on an old pair of pants, use it like a filter, and dump the water in, only trying to get out piece that will plug up a spray tube. The spray would smell exactly like the woods would smell, and after it dried the baking soda would help absorb your smell. Well, at least that's what I thought. I will say though after I started making my own spray, I rarely got winded.
I'd take a 5 gallon pail of natural water from where I hunted swamp, pond, river, whatever, then put a handful of leaves, and dirt from the same area in the bucket of water. Then I'd mix a whole box of baking soda in the water, put the lid on and let is sit for a month or so before season. A week before season I'd put a zip tie on the bottom of a pant leg on an old pair of pants, use it like a filter, and dump the water in, only trying to get out piece that will plug up a spray tube. The spray would smell exactly like the woods would smell, and after it dried the baking soda would help absorb your smell. Well, at least that's what I thought. I will say though after I started making my own spray, I rarely got winded.
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Thats real interesting godeep. In the past I use to put all my clothes in a plastic tub filled with cedar. They still smelled me, but I really think it worked good as a cover scent. They seemed less spooky when they would smell me.
Fink
Veteran member
Once, I tossed a walnut that had just dropped off the tree and was still green, into my tub of hunting clothes. I forgot it was there, and it rotted... Was pretty nasty.
That gives me an idea. Next time I'm out in deer country I'm going to collect a bag full of deer poop. then I can put my hunting clothes in the bucket with a little water and let it ferment for a few weeks. Then I will have natural deer cover scent. I can also keep my pockets full of nice fresh deer poop for added effectiveness.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Like Fink, I have never used any type of scent eliminator and I have killed a lot of animals in 60 years of hunting.
To my way of thinking, I would try a scent that attracts deer and leave it at that!
To my way of thinking, I would try a scent that attracts deer and leave it at that!