Hunting clothes storage

[92python]

I wash my hunting clothes in scent free soap and store them in plastic containers with a lid but they always end up smelling a bit musty. The air doesn't move and they just always get the same musty smell. I have tried using baking soda and granulated charcoal used for fish tanks in an attempt to absorb the odor but it never seems to get rid of it. I even loaded panty hose up with the charcoal, tied them off and put it in a paper sack along with the clothes. Didn't work.

Now I end up just leaving the lid off and store them in a screened in porch

If I just throw my stuff in a nylon duffle bag on the screened in porch I don't get this stank. I think the clothes need to breath a bit. What do you guys use for clothes storage?

[ZachD]

Mine are just hanging up in the basement... Before the season starts I wash them twice with two loads of scent free and during the season I just hang them on my deck when weather permits. Usually every monday I will throw them in the wash again.

[deerminator]

I've had the wet, stanky problem with the closed container like you mention. Now I just wash and hang in my closet under the stairs. I often just wash with a non-UV brightner detergent like Cheer and then double rinse. Or better yet, if it rains like it has the past couple days, I just leave my clothes out on the line, even if I was really sweaty and let nature do its work. Once dry, I hang up or just throw them in the dryer if hunting before the sun does its work. And I turn the camo inside out to avoid fading.

[DonBo]

This is exactly how I handle my hunting clothes. Shouldn't be musty smelling unless you put them in the contain while still damp. Dry them good first and you shouldn't have a problem. I throw mine in the dryer with autumn scented dryer sheets.

[Scott K]

I dont think deer are afraid of musky scents, I think they are afraid of human scents.

Someone earlier posted about having their hunting partner have his clothes smell like smoke, this is something we have done in the past, and I think it actually works. The smoke smell hangs in the clothing for a while, and masks your human scent.

[paceman]

Before the season I hang my clothes outside for about 2 weeks, I then toss then in a tote with bunch of dry leaves. Seams to work for me...

[Bear55]

Sitting in a pile in my garage or riding around in my trauck, scent control is overrated IMO.

[muskiemanAD]

Sitting in a pile in my garage or riding around in my trauck, scent control is overrated IMO.

x2

[Archerysniper]

I put mine in a HS clothing storage bag with earth scent wafers

[Abndoc]

Tote with earth scent wafers. Put away dry..no issues

[79LumaCraft]

Wonder if scent control is not so important in the metro where deer are around people all the time? Guy I hunted with two years ago saw six deer one morning, I saw none. Sat in his tree the next morning and found a dozen cigarette butts. Asked him about it, and he said he's been smoking on the stand for years and was smoking as a few of the deer walked by. Didn't see any deer that weekend and considered taking up smoking...

[ZachD]

Wonder if scent control is not so important in the metro where deer are around people all the time? Guy I hunted with two years ago saw six deer one morning, I saw none. Sat in his tree the next morning and found a dozen cigarette butts. Asked him about it, and he said he's been smoking on the stand for years and was smoking as a few of the deer walked by. Didn't see any deer that weekend and considered taking up smoking...

I have a friend that says the same thing... and he does see deer.... but mature bucks? not so much

[rkhinrichs]

pine needles,and leaves! i smell like a X-mas tree! all i need is some light! i guess that's what the nocturnal is for!

[fr0sty]

Are you sure they are 100% dry before storing them?

[nofishfisherman]

I just run mine throught he washer without any detergent and then dry them. Then they get packed away in a rubber maid tote with a sock full of baking soda and put in my hunting closet until next time.

I'll usually hit them with a dose of the spray on scent killer between hunts but I'm not sure it does much other than make me feel like I'm at least trying.

[nbadger23]

My jacket, bibs, and hats/face masks hang on nails in the garage. The clothes I wear underneath get tossed in the bathtub in the spare bathroom that rarely gets used. I figured it's the easiest place to keep them all together and there's no scent to pickup from the tub. From there, I spray down with scent killer before hunting each time.

I hunt small wood plots, where there are a lot of houses and I do think it desensitizes the deer a bit to scent. They do seem to get bothered if I leave scent on a branch or where I step and they directly smell that, but as for simply smelling human scent in the air, it doesn't seem to bother them.

[92python]

They are plenty dry from the clothes dryer. They start to smell when left in the plastic containers and I have purchased several different kinds of containers. My new tactic is to just leave them outside on a covered porch in the air as much as possible and when I travel they go in a duffle bag.

I think the scent trail into the stand is the most important thing to hide anyway.