Scent control Q.

[Shutter Monkey]

Due to the location of my lease and the position of the game trails, it is very difficult to approach my stands from upwind (last years crazy weather was a nightmare!).

I've had success in the past couple of years, but I can't help thinking every time I go that almost every deer coming onto my lease can smell me.

I do all the normal scent masking tricks, scent free soaps and detergents, no bug spray (that's a tough one), high (rubber) boots, hunting from a tree stand etc. I have heard of some folks "smoking" their hunt gear over wood fires has anyone tried this or does anyone have any suggestions to reduce my stink?

Cheers!

 

[MacTavish]

When you are on a stand can you smell smoke coming from a house nearby? If so, smoking your clothes may mask your scent. One trick I use is to get an old T-shirt all sweaty in late Aug. and hang strips of it all over the hunting property. The deer will smell it, look for danger, and seeing none will continue their normal patterns. Then during hunting season when the deer pick up a faint smell of me on stand they are not as cautious and present a good shot from time-to-time.

 

[yellowhammer]

I spit snuff and pee out of the stand. Don`t use store-bought scent or lure. Killed over 200 deer. Lotta good bucks. The secret? Don`t pay much attention to hunting magazines.

 

[Bear44]

It depends on where you're hunting. If it's an area where the deer encounter humans in a non threatening way on a regular basis, sent doesn't mean much. However, if you're in a rather heavily hunted area, scent control is critical.

In your OP you said you approach your stands from upwind. Was that a typo? You should be approaching them from downwind if possible.

Two questions. Are you bagging your freshly de-scented gear and clothing? Are you changing into your hunting gear after leaving your vehicle? If you drive to the hunt in your hunting cloths and boots, you're defeating a lot of the effort you made to de-scent it in the first place.

I've been scent busted by deer before ever knowing they were there when I have slipped up on scent control and I have had deer dead down wind of me at close range that were oblivious of my existence when I've paid strict attention to scent control.

 

[BanjoJohn]

I wear deodorant. That usually keeps down the BO.

 

[Vincent Vega]

One thing that I do is store my clothes in a large plastic tote. However the trick is to bind small strong smelling native limbs with the leaves still on them and let the scent permeate the clothes. I use sweet gum, pine, and hickory fresh of the tree. I usually do this in August and by hunting season the clothes smell like the woods. I don't mind getting a little sap on the clothes either. It seems to work pretty well for me.

 

[Corpsman140]

The biggest thing about hunting is blending in. If you smell like smoke or a cheese burger you stand out. Think about this is another person or even yourself can smell you then you know that a deer can sure smell you. When I hunt I strap my coveralls to my pack then once I get near where I'm going to be hunting my clothes don't smell like sweat and it keeps me warmer bc there is no moisture in them.

 

[78Bronco]

When you are on a stand can you smell smoke coming from a house nearby? If so, smoking your clothes may mask your scent. One trick I use is to get an old T-shirt all sweaty in late Aug. and hang strips of it all over the hunting property. The deer will smell it, look for danger, and seeing none will continue their normal patterns. Then during hunting season when the deer pick up a faint smell of me on stand they are not as cautious and present a good shot from time-to-time.

Pretty cool idea.

 

[dixieammo]

Cedar chips or shavings in a box with your hunting gear

 

[Fisher7]

X 2 on the cedar chips. Got a ton of it at the house. willing to share.