NDR, Scent Lock...

Nate Grace

Nate Grace

Well-known member
When hunting game like deer and bear, is it absolutely necessary to have scent lock clothing? Or, can I simply buy some scent eliminating detergent and wash my camo clothes in that? Will that be sufficient? I was thinking I'd at least get some scent lock skivvies, top and bottom.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Nate
 
i personally use a scent eliminating soap and detergent and then use a fresh earth cover scent mainly on my boots with the cover scent but id like too try the scent lock stuff so many hunting seasons so lil money lol
 
Nate, Scent Lock, if it was good enough for our fathers and grand fathers it's good enough for us. Oh wait it's only been around for 10 yours or so? Did it [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]revolutionize[/font] deer hunting? Heck no! Honestly I thought about trying the [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]technology[/font] out but then discovered how many [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]articles[/font] and discussions claim it's pretty much B.S. in the total scheme. While I'm no huge deer hunter I have rarely had trouble harvesting deer here in NE. Keep clean, keep your gear clean, I do use soaps and [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]deodorant[/font] sold for deer hunting. Rotate your stand locations so the deer don't associate that spot with human scent. They will be cruising around after dark and I fully believe they will pattern you quicker that you will learn theirs.

Bottom line my recommendation, don't waste the money! Now if someone would design a (comfortable) filter plug for gas, they could sell a bunch, both to deer hunters and kids going on dates.

Scott
 
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Nate,

Scent control and proper hunting technique is the real issue. Keep clothes clean and scent free as well as using scent eliminating products and hunt from the DOWNWIND side. If you are down wind and have taken reasonable scent precautions they will never smell you. No suit will ever eliminate enough scent to allow hunting upwind. You gotta breath! Unless they have a resperator to kill your breath you still have to be downwind.

Good luck!

Gene

ps. I've had MANY deer inside 10 yards and all is good until they get on the downwind side. Even then with proper precautions you can get away with it for a bit.
 
Nate,
hunt the wind.
Everywhere I have gone to look for info on the same question comes back to this.
My deer last year could not smell the diesel fuel on my blue jeans that I wore from work with my old style duck hunters camo coat and face mask.
He looked up at me many times as he worked his way around from behind me. But the wind was in my favor and I killed him before he could get downwind.
All the time he was eating acorns and looking up at my treestand. I just did not move and waited him out. He was never farther than 20 yards away during this move.

So much for blue light spectrum eliminators and smell.
Fred bear killed a pile of stuff with his wool coat and fedora, in kacky pants, on the ground most times.

If you can find a guy who will show you how to set stands on good sign you will get your deer.
 
I dont think our ancestors used the stuff and you dont need to either!
I never used any cover scents, special soaps or anything like that back when I deer hunted. Kept my gear in closet in the garage & think my hunting coat got washed once every two years or so if it needed it or not.
Like others have commented, hunt the wind. Doesnt matter what you are wearing, if a deer gets downwind, he's gonna smell you. Just like duck hunting, technique & location matters a lot more than what gear you have.
 
Nate, I hunt deer a lot, season in Alabama runs from before Thanksgiving thru January and until recently we had a deeer a day limit. Most Trophy hunters do everything they can to get an edge. Notice I said trophy. I dont think you need the scent lock clothes but I do always spray myself with the scent killers available. This, IMO keeps down the scent as I travel to and from a stand, making it less likely that a deer will know that I am in the area. Many, many deer have killed without any scent protection( except being up wind) and many more will be. If you need new deer hunting clothes I wold look at the scent lock stuff but I still probably wouldnt but it because it is so much more expensive than the no scent lock stuff. Good luck, Steve
 
I watched one of those product whores on TV once have a caw elk barely get down wind and spook off while wearing every scent blocking product there is. He turned to the camera and said something like "Just shows that you still have to hunt the wind no matter what you wear." Then 20 seconds later there was a commercial for his scent control sponsor. I'm sure it helps a little when new but the suits quickly lose their effectiveness, they suck up any odor they get close to. Despite what some companies have said there is no way chemically or with heat that will reactivate the carbon without destroying the outfit. It takes something like 1500 degrees to reactivate carbon. The sprays might help a little better but breathing and any places you don't get it sprayed will still give off odor. I know guys who use to smoke like a chimney and just put on coveralls over their work clothes who got deer with a bow all the time... but then there are a lot who say smoke is a good cover scent.

Strangely deer hunters who can to some degree control where the deer pass them with the careful setting up of stand positions use it, but coyote hunters who know their quarry is going to try to get down wind don't often use it. I think that says a lot.

Tim
 
No, as the above replies imply, it is not necessary. If you are wanting SL to eliminate the other necessary steps for scent control, you will be disappointed. SL is just another arrow in the quiver of scent control. It is not a panacea. Currently, I wash my hunting clothes in scent free/UV free detergent, store it in air tight containers, wash with scent free soap and shampoo in the morning, spray myself with scent eliminator and scent eliminating lotion. I spray my clothes as I put them on. I really spray my boots inside and out (the insides are sprayed after they've been on a dryer and then they go back on the dryer for at least a day). I considered SL but haven't bought in because of the costs. Even if I did get SL, I would still have to do all my rigamoroll. I've had deer cross my paths unconcerned. I've had a deer standing by my hat which I was backtracking to find. I still play the wind. I wouldn't mind SL, I just don't want to pay for it yet.
 
Hi Nate,
One thing you can always try is peeing in the area youi want the buck to stop. Urine is urine, regardless of where it comes from and bucks are drawn to the smell of urine. Urine is where the pheramone (sp?) is found from the doe. Now, the buck can't smell the pheramone but he can taste it. The buck will come over and taste the urine to see if the does is truly "ready". That pheramone only lasts a few minutes but the buck can't tell unless he tastes it. Now......pull back the bow and let him have it. ;)
Lou
 
Wash your clothes with baking soda.

Make a spray with 1/4c. baking soda. 1/2gal. hydrogen perox. 1/2 gal. Distilled Water 1 tsp. scent free soap.

Mix well and let "cure" outside with the lid off, it will bubble for a while from the reaction of the HP and BS.

You can sterilize juniper berries, acorns, etc. by adding them to hard boiling water for a min or so. You can then add them to the mix to add a special cover scent.

It's corrosive so don't spray on metal objects, but will do the job and "mask" your scent.

I do own some scent lok or blocker, or whatever it's called, but the stuff will wear out, and you're better off using good old arm and hammer and letting your clothes air dry outside.

I took 9 deer last year and not a single one smelled me. Not even this mule deer that I missed at 5 yds with NO WIND.

If I had an endless budget or a sponsorship I'd wear the stuff, it does work, but there is no substitute for woodsmanship and hunting the wind.

p


-D
 
Thanks guys. I apprecaite all of the input and advice. Looks like I'll get some good detergent or make some up and use scent eliminator on my boots. I have a camo jump suit that a friend gave me and I'll wash that and hang it out before the hunt and then store all of my camo stuff in a zip locked bag.

Thanks again.

Dave, impressive deer there.

Nate
 
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