Scent Killer

[mn_maverick66]

What are your thoughts on scent killer? I have read somewhere where they put scent killer to the test, with a K-9 unit and the dogs found the guy wearing scent killer spray faster than the guy without it. But I also have buddies that swear by it and say its needed. Just wanting to weigh in everybodies opinions on this subject.

[Bear55]

Tossed all mine in the garbage three years ago, it was a great feeling.

[InTheNorthwoods]

What are your thoughts on scent killer? I have read somewhere where they put scent killer to the test, with a K-9 unit and the dogs found the guy wearing scent killer spray faster than the guy without it. But I also have buddies that swear by it and say its needed. Just wanting to weigh in everybodies opinions on this subject.

At worst: I don't think it hurts. At best: I've had countless situations where I believe it kept me from getting winded (or at least, identified as a human). Just this Saturday I had 2 bucks within spitting range of me that directly encountered my entrance path to my stand and that were directly downwind of me. I had showered that day with normal "scented" soaps, used scented deoderant, had hair gel in my hair, and was wearing the same undershirt that I had on all day. Prior to getting in the stand, I dressed in my hunting clothes and boots and thoroughly sprayed down heavily with scent killer I had purchased that day. The first buck stopped at my trail directly down wind of me and sniffed the ground and the air for 15-20 seconds and disregarded what he whiffed as a threat. The second buck never indicated that he smelled anything out of the ordinary. I had four other deer within 15 yards of me that evening in all directions of my stand. My guess is that the scent killer didn't hurt.

[Musky Buck]

I wonder some if, it's very dry does that hurt a deers nose as far as scenting where we walk etc. not meaning scenting you in the stand but I get busted the wetter the ground is or so it seems.

[Lund79]

I would think it is the same as a dogs nose. They scent birds better when things are damp/wet rather than dry. I believe I have that right.

[Bear55]

InTheNorthWood

It sounds to me like they smelled you but just didn't care all that much. That happens to me all the time,) young bucks and does will wind me and have sniff or look around and move on without much worry. Older deer react far different, the whole scent industry makes their living off young deer not smelling you.

[Arctic]

I started using scent killer on my boots several years ago after watching a doe intercept the route I walked into my stand on. I was wearing rubber boots. She sniffed the ground for about five seconds, and then did a 180 degree turn and snuck out of there. This was 4 HOURS after I had walked in, and there had been no other hunters in the area.

I don't use cover scents or anything that would smell out of the ordinary, but as others have said, I believe that scent killer can't hurt.

Scent is a real issue when hunting the vast forests of the north country, because over large areas deer almost NEVER encounter the smell of humans.

[slimngrizzly]

I like to rub my clothes in the ground and scent them with the areas natural tree branches and grasses and mosses, then as I walk in I stomp my boots in what ever s#!t I can find. The more natural the better....

The wife cant get me in the shower fast enough when I get home. So if SHE can smell in THAT good, it MUST be a good cover.

[DaveT]

I've switched to Scent-a-way after reading this article but if I wasn't so lazy I'd start making my own for about 90% less coin.

http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/research/the-best-way-to-inhibit-your-scent

[Gus]

Always play the wind. But I don't think using the sprays either hurt or are pointless. I know it works to a degree my nose can sense. (I used to use my season leftovers to deodorize the garbage cans and baby diaper can. Trust me, it works). I leave my clothes outside when at all possible and I spray down my boots and outer clothes after getting out of the truck. I've not had the patients to change boots and clothes after getting to the spot. Seems to work ok for me. I'm not a trophy hunter though. Maybe I should be more careful...

[mn_maverick66]

Thanks for all the good info. I got a good deal on a bottle so I guess it won't hurt to try. Good luck hunting everyone.

[Boar]

I use primos silver xp. two experiences I have had with it are with mature boars that do not tolerate human scent. Four years ago I took a over a site from a freind who let it go, no time an no bear on it. I went in hung a stand freshend the bait an hunted it three days later. Going into hunt I had bathed an hair washed with usual hunter specialties soap. Just before walking into stand I litteraly drenched myself. to a dripping wettnes. I used over half of a new bottle. 7:00 pm an my biggest bear to date came directly down wind of me an stoped ten feet from the base of my tree, an air checked. Now my stand was only a mear 6 ft of the ground, I coulda spit on him. I hunt bear with scent association in mind. I bait straight form work in a welding shop, I stink when I bait. bear associate my scent with food an gradualy get comfertable if there is a little of mine around when i hunt. ive taken most my bear this way. There was absolutely no time for this big mature boar, an I dont think it woulda work on him anyway. I droped before he took another step.

The other incident was this year with my daughter, an used the same princepals of scent association an not trying to hide when I bait, I tried having her come with me so the bears could get comfertable with her scent, tough to get a teenage girl to come along an bait so I did most of the baiting. The night she taged her bear, we were again drenched to a soppy wetness with silver xp. Her boar stopped directly down wind of us at 15 ft away, air checked, didnt even look in our direction then kept coming in. Coincedence? not in my book. but its money well spent for the confidence boost

[Fever]

As a high school teacher, I only get 2 paid personal days off per year. I take these days to rifle hunt in the chip national forest in North central Mn. I take every possible precaution possible as it pertains to scents. I wash all hunting clothes and under clothes that i'll wear in scentkiller laundry detergent, hang outside to dry, then, when dry, put in totes that I wash out with scent killer soap. I shower before each hunt (around 4:30 am) with scent killer soap and shampoo, then use scent killer antipersperent. When i get to my spot, I change outside of vehicle, spray down with scent killer apray, spray down my rubber Belkin boots and slowly walk to stand in the dark. I use a scent drag and when I get to about 100 yds from my stand I apply Fitzgerads "Deer Dander" along with some Golden Estrus and reapply as I get closer. When I get closer, I put out 3 or 4 scent wicks with either Tinks 69 or more Golden Estrus, letting the wind dictate where I place them while walking a large 40 yd semi circle around my ladder stand.

The way I see it, I have 4 days to hunt and I will do everything I can do to increase my odds and eliminate any human scent i bring out to the North Woods (these deer don't see or smell humans too often). I sit from dark to dark and anything I can do to increse my confidence makes that sit easier. I call (grunt tube and the can) and rattle sparingly (like every half hour or so). Last year I saw 3 deer total. Two bucks, both small 6 pointers walked very close without a clue I was there with wind swirling up and down ravines and both came in from down wind side shortly after rattling / calling squence. One walked RIGHT under my stand and stood there for several min. A few hours later after passing on the smaller deer, a shooter (big 8) walked by about 50 yds down wind, crossing the exact path I took, and had no clue anything was amiss. One shot to the shoulder and now he's on the wall. Similar stories from each of the previous 4 years I've hunted in this area.

Bottom line, these products work as well as you use and apply them. I wouldn't risk not using my current method ever again, as time and time again by results have been nothing but positive. Scent elimination and manipulation are a huge factor that can contribute to the success or failure of a hunt. It all comes down to location, days available to hunt, hunting pressure, and buck / doe ratio.

[certified jumbo]

I'm done spending money on scents. While they may not hurt, I don't think it helps enough to spend the money on it. I think mentally we all think it gives us this advantage, but in reality, it probably does very little.

If you focus more on playing the wind, hanging your clothes outside and wearing your rubber boots.........you'll be better off. Save your money IMO. Thats my 2 cents.

[Fever]

To each their own really. For me it works and it is worth it. I'm a bass fisherman and can't help but buy things that I think will help my odds. As far as playing the wind where I hunt, it is next to impossible. I'm about 800 yds into some thick oak lined ravines. My farthest shot is around 70 yds / maybe. I use a ladder stand and put it up near a mineral site I place my camera on, usually around MEA weekend which is typically about 2 weeks before opener. The wind changes daily and sometimes hourly out there, and in these ravines it does some strange and unpredictable things. I waste money on so many trival thing, no way in H#!! I'd sit out there for 12 straight hours for 4 days straight trying to play the wind and hoping for the best. I'd rather take some of that variability into my own hands and eliminate as much of my "foreign" scent as I possibly can.

For other hunters in farm country where deer are a bit more used to human scent, and for those that have multiple stand sites to chose from depending on wind direction, I guess I could understand not using it. To me though, it's not an option.

[matchset]

To each their own really. For me it works and it is worth it. As far as playing the wind where I hunt, it is next to impossible.

i agree with everyone on here.... yeah i don't think everything works but i do shower in scent free, wash my clothes in scent free, store them in air tight containers, spray them down before wearing, get dressed outside my truck. i even wash everyday clothes in scent free to wear while i ride in my truck to the stand.

i take every precaution.... i can honestly say i haven't been blown at by a deer in 3 years.

maybe its luck, but i think it works. its a process for me; mechanical almost.

like bowhunting; you have to do things exactly the same way each time to expect consistency, and thats how i feel about being scent free. if i just showered but didn't wash my clothes what good would that do me???

maybe it's a gimmick, but i see the results hanging on my wall.

[WIMN]

Do you guys think rubber boots are that helpful at concealing scent? Why? I feel like whenever I smell rubber it has a strong smell of rubber. Last year I just cut some pine boughs and put my hunting gear with them in a rubbermaid bin, stored them outside overnight. Of course deer opener had like 20 mph winds so I couldn't tell you if it made a difference or not. In WI we had ok weather, but the property I hunt on had tons of trees down from the bad storm in Aug/Sept of 11, so there wasn't much movement where we'd put our stands, but I did hear grunts all day from the swamp maybe 50 yards away.

[matchset]

Do you guys think rubber boots are that helpful at concealing scent? Why?

Rubber boots (at least on the outside) don't absorb scent like leather and gortex boots do.

[Bear55]

maybe it's a gimmick, but i see the results hanging on my wall.

See I tend to give credit to the hunter not the "stuff" they use.

Was it really the scent free stuff that got you those deer or was it your deer knowledge, scouting, experience, other tactics that put you on those deer. The scent companies want you to contribute your success to them, when really it was all you, not some product.

[Bear55]

whoops - double post

[mainbutter]

Scent free showering and scent free laundry detergent, followed by thorough rinsing, help me make sure at least I don't go into the woods smelling like flowery oils and soapy smells that deer tend to dislike.

[MUSKY18]

I have been using Scent-A-Way for a couple seasons now and I honestly believe it helps. Have had few encounters with old mature does already this year, one was directly down wind of me, and never once acted like she could catch my scent. Just lounged around and ate acorns with her fawns. Watched them for 15 minutes before they wandered off. The other encounter I got busted drawing my bow back, not by scent. Does it work or not, I'm not sure, but it gives me a little extra confidence which never hurts

[squints]

I do use scent killer but I don't spend the type of money that the scent elimination companies are asking. I make about 2 gallons for around. 5 bucks. Field and stream had a recipe a couple years back. As far as its effectiveness, I will probably not have any hard evidence for or against. I however like to try and stack the deck in my favor. Deer are used to smaller concentrations of human scent as the area is littered with farmhouses. So if it helps to reduce my scent to the levels they are used to, then I feel it is probably worth the 10 seconds it takes to spray/and or wipe things down.

[Fever]

I would say that any and every hunt that ends successfully is a direct result of the hunter's skill and execution coupled with the product(s) they use. ie; You could give the most expensive high quality rifle and scope to a dude that doesnt' know how to shoot and the gun is worthless... as the guy can't shoot. Just as the best hunter in the world would likely strugle to consistantly kill deer with a slingshot.... Back to the point.

If a person knows how to hunt and scout, tries to use the wind if possible, but goes out there stinking like cigarettes, booze, campfire, bacon, eggs, whatever.... in no way shape or form is that person more likely to see and or have success as a person who has similiar outdoor skills and is scent free. Could they get lucky once or twice? Sure. Is it more likely that other variables are at play? Yes... Like location and deer education level. Deer depend on their noses to make sense of the world. If they percive human odors as abnormal, or threatining.... then you should probably take the precaution to not smell like that.... Very simple concept and one that is hard to argue against. At least logically. There are a lot of people that are conspiracy theorists. These are the same people that say live bait is always better than artifical... usually. Maybe some people do not understand where odors orginiate and the connection to bacteria and their odor producing waste products, or how particles in the gaseous state can be much more odorous than particles in the liquid state, but many of the scent killer products on the market are easy to understand from the microbiology perspective if you do the research.

[Rippinlip]

My wife and I both use the whole scent elimination killer system.

From showering, laundry, pit rub, to the spray.

I believe in it and will keep using it.

Probably like most people have said on here, its what you believe in and trust in.

Does it help? I think so, had a 6 pointer last night downwind within 25 yards of where I was to which he stayed for @ 15 minutes and yes he was young, but did not seem to get too nervous.

I did have other scent wicks out, which he really seemed interested in.