Gimmicks?

[Captain B.R.K]

I'm wondering how much of a gimmick is the scent (variety)and Scent lok business?

I ask because the woods I hunt, we've had chain saws going, shooting trap in the field near the woods, and dogs running in the woods and still have seen many deer when I go out hunting.

You never hear articles being written about how deer act to the noise/scents, etc. INSTEAD we read about how we need this special scent, scent lok suits, rubber boats, etc.

People hunted years ago and never had this stuff at their dispense.

[mudman]

Its the american way

We probably don't need it but if we are going to have it better be big or expensive to be any good.

Right?

[Finlander]

It's the "sixth sence" that gets you busted!

You can be in your back yard and have deer walk by you and never have any fear of you. But have a gun or bow in your hands and the "sixth sence" button gets turned on, and they seem to know the game is on and there up to bat!

So I do as any hunter does is try to dissapear in the woods, or try to be undetectable and being scent free will help. You can camo everthing, even your underware, but if you are the human threat that they can smell, then you will be busted!

The main thing is to be down wind of the deer and they will not smell you!

[Ole #1]

Here's my opinion and you could say I've done a lot of research on this subject, I bow hunt a lot.

It is not a gimmick, sent is the most important factor for me and you don't have to spend a lot of money to be scent free. The scent blocker clothes work great, but like most people, I have a hard time spending that much money on one article of clothing.

I do use scent blocker shampoo and soap when I hunt. I wash my close in scent free detergent or scent killer detergent, and hang them out side. I keep my hunting clothes in plastic bags with leaves and I do use Carbon blast on boots and clothes right before going into the woods.

Deer are very smart and they will circle a big area just to check the wind and smells. If something is out of the ordinary, your chances are much much slimmer.

I will aslo use Golden Estrus to help cover my scent and to bring the deer into my shooting lanes.

Just my opinion, but for the amount of time I spend in a stand, I want to have the greatest chance possible.

Ole

[bigbucks]

There was a big thread on scent lock suits before bow season started. I think they work initially, not sure about long term, but then again I'm with the others who've said it's just too much to spend on clothing.

I think you need to play the wind & I try to be as scent free as possible. I admit I get more lax on it as the season goes on. I get tired & also tend to have a much better idea where the deer will come from in each location. I also think the ground scent you leave makes a lot more difference in some places than others. If you're hunting in a high traffic area along a field or field road, or where a lot of wood cutting takes place, they're used to human scent there. The only thing that will make them spooky in that regard, is smelling that you are actually there with them at the time.

[NELS-BELLS]

Im not sure if the scent free (carbon activated) clothing works. It's too expensive for me but I do use the scent free detergent on all of my clothes, right down to my socks and underwear. Then I hang it all outside for at least 4 hours. Then I seal them in a sent free bag. Before I go hunting, I shower with scent away soap and shampoo and use unscented deoderant. I also spray myself and my equipment with a scent away spray when I go to my stand. (not totally sure if the spray actually works) Sometime I put a little cover scent on also.

I don't think you can ever totally eliminate your scent but you can reduce it enough that the deer might think your further away then you actually are and not be spooked. Doing those extra measures might also build your confidence.

[Ole #1]

I know a lot of people who use scent blocker clothes and swear by them, it's on my christmas list. I do belive that you can eliminate scent because I've had deer 10 feet from me, downwind and they had no idea I was there.

I just try to buy stuff in bulk and save money on it that way too.

Ole

[Royce Aardahl]

I don't think you can totally kill your scent but I do feel using scent lok stuff and scent killer helps. I figure that the deer are aware of your scent but it's so faint they don't go on alert. Last night I had a young 5 pointer straight downwind from me at 9 yards. He came in with the breeze on his back but milled around and ended up right behind me. He had no clue I was sitting in a chair beside an oak tree. I thought for sure he would wind me cuz I had polish sausage for lunch. I breath through my nose as much as possible and I think that helps also. Anyways I think it helps and I will continue to use it even though I hunt the wind as much as possible.

[bigbucks]

I know younger deer don't pay attention to their nose near as much as mature ones do or perhaps it's just not as developed. I wonder if deer aren't like dogs, people, etc. where some just have better noses than others. There's some deer that smell you that you think shouldn't & others that should, that don't. I'm sure there's swirls & turns in air currents you don't know about that cause some of these too, but sometimes it just doesn't seem to make sense.

[buzzsaw]

I own some of the "Scent lok" brand clothing and from what I understand you need to "regenerate the active carbon" every so often and to do this you need to dry (bake) your clothing in a dryer that gets up to like 400 degrees.... my temperature may be off but my point is that a regular dryer will not get to a high enough temperature... maybe the oven????

[muskymaster]

If you fart in your scent lock suit can you still smell it? Isn't the suit supposed to keep all your scent in and not let any of it out? I don't know if the scent blocker stuff works and I haven't heard of any proof or scientific research that it for sure works. I think it's cool stuff to use and scent elimination and playing the wind is the best key to out smarting those white tails. So using the product, i don't think can hurt your chances any. Hope it at least helps.

[EXTREME]

If anything it helps you be more aware of your surroundings. I own a scent-lok suit and love it. I know it helps. I am not saying that I have not been winded, but when I am, the deer are not nearly as spooked. They just get nervous and maybe run a couple of steps. Before I got the suit they would run and blow for hundreds of yards. As far as deer scents...I am not totally convinced they work all the time. I hade had a buck come in on Tink's 69 before. Followed my tracks for 300 yards...right to a tee. But I have had little other success using them. My $.02

[Cooter]

So is someone who's been wearing scent lok or blocker gonna tell us if you can smell it when you squeeze the cheese? I don't have such a suit, but if I did and I couldn't smell one of my farts I'd be impressed.

[Captain B.R.K]

It just seems to me when I'm at the store and see scent lok this, scent lok that......$$$ are hanging over everything. I guess I don't have a lot of exp. in bow hunting yet.

I just don't think it is right to have to spend such a ton of money on the clothing garb to bag a deer.

Having a bow in the 2000's is already enough ching spent!

What did you guys with exp. do when scentblocker/ lok wasn't around 2-3 years ago??

[Royce Aardahl]

2000 into a bow?? Gold Limbs?? Overkill?? I've had my scentlok for about 5 years. I used scent killer before that. Before scent killer I used baking soda to wash everything in. Before that I got snorted a lot. I've been at it since 1968.

[mudman]

I still think that baking soday is the best way. One empty cycle through the washer one box and a load of clothes later outside drying and put them in a big ol' garbage bag with some earth scent waffers.

GOOD TO GO.

I don't personally believe in the carbon suits but that just me, like I've said before, it's all about having confidence in what you use. The confidence is what keeps you in your stand and not second guessing everything.

Confindence in you stand location, shooting ability, cover scent, scent attractant and wind direction.

Makes for a long sit if your not confident!