Primitive scent control?

[David W.]

I just wonder how Jeremiah Johnson or some of the other mountain men smelled when they didn't bathe for months at a time (if ever) and still managed to get game? :hmm: :rotf:

 

[Dave K]

Only my opinon. I think that early wildlife had either no experience with the smells of hunters that they were as much curious by the odors as they were concerned.

Personally I believe in scent control. I do not have scent lock clothes, but I do wash my clothes in baking soda and also shower, before going to the woods. My clothes are carried on a plastic tub I have used for years for this purpose. My clothes stay outside and are packed to go hunting when I am clean and ready to go. There is no stopping for gas or food, once I am leave to go hunting.I carry the clothes to wear I hunt and then put them on. I feel so confident in the way this works for me, because I know it works for me. Sure, I will still get busted at times from the wind, but not nearly as much as I do when I am unable to practice this.

What ever works for you though, do it.

 

[rabjr]

Only my opinon. I think that early wildlife had either no experience with the smells of hunters that they were as much curious by the odors as they were concerned.

Personally I believe in scent control. I do not have scent lock clothes, but I do wash my clothes in baking soda and also shower, before going to the woods. My clothes are carried on a plastic tub I have used for years for this purpose. My clothes stay outside and are packed to go hunting when I am clean and ready to go. There is no stopping for gas or food, once I am leave to go hunting.I carry the clothes to wear I hunt and then put them on. I feel so confident in the way this works for me, because I know it works for me. Sure, I will still get busted at times from the wind, but not nearly as much as I do when I am unable to practice this.

What ever works for you though, do it.

Thats fine, if people want to go through that process and if it works for you great. All I'm saying is don't get caught up in all of the commercial gimmicks out there trying to get your money because it's not needed.

 

[Pork Chop]

Every once in a while, I find myself starting to buy the hype, then I think of my own experiences. Back in college once, I was in a tree stand with the breeze blowing in my face. A deer walked up from directly behind me and could not have cared less if I was there or not. If I had dropped my gun, I would have knocked it out. Scent control was nil as back then it was not considered to be an issue. More folks worried about scents attracting bugs than scaring off deer.

This year, I did what EVERYONE I know told me was a recipe for disaster. I hunted a box stand that was set up only 36 hours earlier. Everyone said to leave it alone for a couple of weeks before I even went out to it. Well, we went out to it in a diesel Kubota RTV. Yes, it was stinking up the place. Not only that, I urinated just before getting in the stand - right at the base of it. I was shooting a milsurp that still smelled of Break Free with a hint of cosmoline. Again, I did no scent control at all. A half hour after getting into the stand, two deer came out. I shot one (spine shot - took a second shot to put it out of it's misery - I am not proud of that) while the other ran off. All of my buddies are convinced that if you shoot once, then the hunt is over. Well, I knew that the owner of the property would be around at dark to pick me up (in the diesel RTV again), so, I just sat there. 25 minutes later, a different deer came ambling out from another direction. Another shot, another deer down.

No scent control. No listening to convention. It worked out just fine. I guess these deer didn't read about the scents and such...

 

[rabjr]

Every once in a while, I find myself starting to buy the hype, then I think of my own experiences. Back in college once, I was in a tree stand with the breeze blowing in my face. A deer walked up from directly behind me and could not have cared less if I was there or not. If I had dropped my gun, I would have knocked it out. Scent control was nil as back then it was not considered to be an issue. More folks worried about scents attracting bugs than scaring off deer.

This year, I did what EVERYONE I know told me was a recipe for disaster. I hunted a box stand that was set up only 36 hours earlier. Everyone said to leave it alone for a couple of weeks before I even went out to it. Well, we went out to it in a diesel Kubota RTV. Yes, it was stinking up the place. Not only that, I urinated just before getting in the stand - right at the base of it. I was shooting a milsurp that still smelled of Break Free with a hint of cosmoline. Again, I did no scent control at all. A half hour after getting into the stand, two deer came out. I shot one (spine shot - took a second shot to put it out of it's misery - I am not proud of that) while the other ran off. All of my buddies are convinced that if you shoot once, then the hunt is over. Well, I knew that the owner of the property would be around at dark to pick me up (in the diesel RTV again), so, I just sat there. 25 minutes later, a different deer came ambling out from another direction. Another shot, another deer down.

No scent control. No listening to convention. It worked out just fine. I guess these deer didn't read about the scents and such...

I hear ya for 11 years my "Swamp Rat" that got me into the woods to hunt was one of the older model Polaris Big Bosses with a 2 stroke engine. I always hated the cloud of smoke trailing behind but what are going to do...saw a lot of deer from that machine though.

It seems like in the 80's there was an industry created for, well hunters that didn't exactly know how to hunt. I won't mention any names but we even got famous Biologist's trying to convince you and show you how it's done, oh btw, buy this and you will be successful! It's turned into a huge business now with all kinds of guys trying to sell you the next greatest thing. They are even doing it with newer better center fire cartridges now. Not one of them are needed as theres an oldy but goody just as good. But they have the newer generation convinced that unless your dressed in the newest, latest carbonated camo and using scent X while sitting in a pop up blind over looking the massive food plot they sold you on making, your not going to get a deer.

It's simple, learn to hunt. Learn to know what and where to look for things, food sources, staging areas, bedding areas. And watch the wind. It is my experience, most deer slab into the wind, cut across it. And I think I've had more actually go with the wind than have the wind in their nose. :idunno: But I've been surprised more than once to have a deer walk right past me not yards away, coming from my back side.

 

[Mad Professor]

Standing around a campfire will cover you with smoke scent, something animals smell quite a bit of if you are near/close to housing .

I also used to wear my hunting gear to muck out the cow barn before a hunt, not too much afraid of cows.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I wash all my hunting cloths in baking soda than pack them into a canvas bag with conifer bows of all types, spruce is very punjent and sage.
But like NWTF said ALYAYS HUNT INTO THE WIND!
:thumbsup:

 

[henbrook]

Standing around a campfire will cover you with smoke scent, something animals smell quite a bit of if you are near/close to housing .

Smoke also has antibacterial properties that not only cover scent but elimenate odor causing bacteria,much the same principal as smoking meat to preserve it?Primitive and aboriginal hunters have been using smoke and fire as part of their pre-hunt rituals for millenia....and we're all descended from successful hunters. :wink:

I'm a stillhunter at heart and have always hunted into the wind whenever possible,but in the real world where I play the wind doesn't always co-operate,swirls etc.I have a great deal of faith in using my homebrewed deer based cover scent(tarsal&pi$$ concoction)and also mist deer urine when rattling.I figger ya can't beat a deer's nose,might as well join'em and try to smell like a deer.That said,last year or two I've been experimenting some with smoke as a cover scent....results inconclusive as of yet?There's actually a portable smoker available commercially now for just this purpose,sort of based on a beekeeper's smoker?
scentsmoker

 

[rabjr]

I wash all my hunting cloths in baking soda than pack them into a canvas bag with conifer bows of all types, spruce is very punjent and sage.
But like NWTF said ALYAYS HUNT INTO THE WIND!
:thumbsup:

You sure about that? I thought your secrect was rubbing Chipmonk all over your cloths before going hunting. :wink:

 

[Pork Chop]

I wash all my hunting cloths in baking soda than pack them into a canvas bag with conifer bows of all types, spruce is very punjent and sage.
But like NWTF said ALYAYS HUNT INTO THE WIND!
:thumbsup:

You sure about that? I thought your secrect was rubbing Chipmonk all over your cloths before going hunting. :wink:

I heard that he strips down to a loin cloth and rubs a chipmunk on himself. Oh wait, wrong thread... :blah:

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I wash all my hunting cloths in baking soda than pack them into a canvas bag with conifer bows of all types, spruce is very punjent and sage.
But like NWTF said ALYAYS HUNT INTO THE WIND!
:thumbsup:

You sure about that? I thought your secrect was rubbing Chipmonk all over your cloths before going hunting. :wink:

I heard that he strips down to a loin cloth and rubs a chipmunk on himself. Oh wait, wrong thread... :blah:

Damn now everbody knows.
chipmunk spunk.
covers up nut sweat every time.
:surrender:

 

[rabjr]

:rotf:

 

[larry wv]

Good one. :grin: :grin: Larry