Your efforts at scent suppression/management?

[newhunter2012]

Hi everyone.

What kinds of measures do you take (what you actually do, not what you should do or wish you would do) to suppress or manage your scent when hunting deer?

I've read a range of things on the subject from people merely wearing clothes that suppress scent to the whole gammut of rubber boots, scent-free soap and shampoo, scent-suppressing spray, etc.

So what do you guys do?

[NShortino]

Chocolate! I like to rub it all over my gear before I go out... draws the deer right in.

Ok, maybe not, but in reality the deer around here are pretty curious and not very afraid of people. The area I hunt in has 2 deer packed gated communities across the main road, so the deer are used to smelling people, vehicles, and every other imaginable smell, so scent suppression isn't really a big issue for me. A lot of my hunting clothes do have scent blockers, including my coat, face mask, gloves, and I think even my orange vest, but I've never bothered with the special soaps and shampoos or even the sprays that are supposed to eliminate scents.

At least for me, none of that stuff seems like it would help, and definitely not worth the crazy money they charge for most of it. None of the guys I hunt with put too much effort into scent suppression either, and it doesn't seem to have stopped any of us from getting deer. We do use some scents to attract deer though, but that's a different topic altogether.

Not sure if any of that will help you. I doubt the deer in most places are as dumb and trusting as the ones around here, but I definitely wouldn't go overboard on the scent suppression unless your really think you need it. Save your money for nicer gear (most of which has some sort of scent blocker built in anyway).

[dartagnan]

In the off season I wash my hunting clothes in scentless detergent and try to store them in plastic bins that don't have a scent. I try to let my hunting clothes hang out side a day or two before the season to air them out. If I have odor eliminating spray I'll use it. Otherwise I just air them out as much as possible(this goes for my backpack, orange, boots and anything I can think of).

I use scentless hygiene products(soap and deodorant). I don't wear my hunting clothes to pump gas or do anything that would expose them to odors.

This year I am going to try to give up coffee in the morning. This should help with bad breath and having to visit the bushes often(which obviously really puts out a scent). For me, this is going to be REALLY HARD. I am not a morning person, getting up early is not my strong point.

After all of this is said, the wind direction is probably 95% of what matters. A guy I went hunting with(before he passed away) use to smoke a pipe in his stand. He must have stank but he still saw deer.

If you are asking for advise, don't kill yourself worrying about scent. Do you scouting and be alert.

[rovert97]

Wash my clothes before hunting in a scent free detergent. But its difficult to do at a laudrymat. So it poitless anyways. But I still do it. Then leave the clothes outside a few days to get all natural smelling. Toss a scent wafer on my hat and spray down with scent killer before I head in. That's about it

[Yellowfin]

I too hang my clothes up outside, also shower as close as possible to the time I'll be in the field. On occasion I'll smear some kind of cover scent on the tree I'm climbing or one immediately next to it.

[bigandy1966]

I hang out the freshly washed in baking soda clothing to dry out doors then spray with scent killer. I use scentless shampoo, and deodorant, wear rubber boots.
This year I am going to try hanging out a few of my sweaty dirty tee shirts for a few weeks before in the general area I would hunt in.

[paperseeker]

You hear about scent management and see all the products they sell but, I wonder how much you really need. During turkey season I had several whitetail deer walk right up on me from different directions. I didn't shower that morning and had not washed the new leaf camo I bought.

Do the deer know it's not hunting season? Are they used to my smell? Are some deer just dumb? Was some kind of weed where I was sitting masking my smell? I just don't know but, I almost could have touched the one with the barrel of my shotgun. As soon as I moved they jumped and ran.

[thefirstndsecond]

Scent free as much as possible.

[dk99358]

I hang the clothes in the barn for a day or two before season. I try to account for the wind if I'm sitting. If I'm busting brush, then all bets are off as I'm usually sweating like a pig anyhow.


Dale

[psucivil]

The only time I really worry about scent is in Archery season during the rut or the October muzzelloader season. I will hang my clothes outside to dry after washing in scent free detergent, I will wear rubber boots and spray all of my clothes down with scent killer.

During normal rifle season I really don't worry too much about scent control.