Cover Scents

[Sam16]

OK, so last season i had more deer wind me than all my other seasons combined. Pretty much every deer i had in range was weary and on high alert. Granted these are pretty pressured deer, and i didnt have scent eliminating clothes on (which i bought for next season). The only thing i did differently this year is used Knight and Hale cover scent/eliminator spray. It smells similar to the hunter specialties FRESH EARTH scent wafers, but i wonder if that was the problem? I vowed to never buy scent spray with a cover scent in it again. What do you guys think/use? I could use some input.

[M00N]

I hang a Hunter's Specialties waffer (fresh earth, white oak acorn, or natural pine) in my blind and use Kirschner's Silver Top Premium lure (if I'm hunting during the rut) outside of my blind around the area I'd like to have a passing deer stop for a shot. For my cover scent waffers that I hang in my blind I always try to use a natural scent that would be in the area already. I stick with the fresh earth scent when in doubt, but if I'm setting up near an acorn tree I will sometimes take a white oak acorn scent waffer with me or if I'm setting up near a pine tree I might take the natural pine waffer with me instead.

I also wear a ScentBlocker Realtree Road Trips suit that is properly recharged before use. I never spray cover scents or lures on my suit. On carbon-based scent elimination clothing it defeats the purpose of the clothing to spray any kind of odor onto the outfit. The way the carbon works is it absorbs all odor, not just yours, and carbon can only absorb so much odor before it stops working and needs recharged. So, spraying cover scent or lures directly on my ScentBlocker suit would only cause it to fill up the carbon and defeat the whole purpose of the suit.

Other than that I try to play the wind in my favor when possible and still use the same general hunting practices that I would use without the ScentBlocker suit. My ScentBlocker suit is only there to aid me on controlling my scent, it's not meant to fully eliminate it, no product can achieve this 100%. I haven't had a deer wind me yet, but last year was only my first archery season, and I had multiple close encounters in my blind with deer during good and bad wind setups without any issues.

[woodshed]

I don't like cover scent. I use eliminating sprays, but cover scents I think are way more powerful than what's naturally there.

Just my .02

[MUDRUNNER]

I used to use the fresh earth spray,but started using Dead Down Wind this year with some succes.I also use a little coon urine as a cover scent.It seems to work well since we have a lot of coons running around the woods.

[wildthing]

I shower in scent free soaps and wash all of my clothes in scent eliminating soaps (excluding my carbon suits).

I have had deer all around me...from every wind direction...without spooking. In my opinion, it all helps to some degree.

[Ethan Givan]

I use eliminating sprays such as Dead Down Wind and Hunter's Specialties sprays. I also shower using scent free soaps. I hunt with the wind in mind and I have only had one deer smell me that I know of in the past three years. She walked around behind me at about 60 yards with the wind blowing directly to her. I have had probably two dozen deer within bow range in the last two years and none have winded me. I also think a high stand helps alot.

[sskybnd]

i take a shower with scent free soap, make sure my scent blocker clothes are clean and in there bag, if i use a cover scent i use fox, or raccon scent.

[BearClaw]

I use the products from H.S. Specialties and they work for me. Soap, shampoo, deodorant, spray, wafers, etc. I've had deer consistently all around my stand and never wind me. I had one come directly to the base of my stand and I couldn't even see her and then she walked away. I've had them cross the trail I walked in on and never smelled my scent. There are other good products out there but these give me the confidence I need and the proof was out in front of me!

[Straight Shooter]

First off, if the wind is wrong or up a creek without a paddle anyway. I don't care what you've got on and scent-lok or not. I use scent elimnator spray by H.S. in the fresh earth scent, as well as the wafers in fresh earth. I've had great success with this combination for years, I don't and never will own a scent-lok suit, waste of money in my opinion but I still do like their moto says, Forget the wind just hunt. I've sampled other name brands of scent spray and some of them smell more like a soap than anything, Iguess that is why I've stuck with H.S. for so long.

[elkoholic]

A cover scent that is too strong or out of place is worst than no cover scent at all. I use scent free soap (not so sure it is totally scent free) on myself and my hunting gear and when afield I will rub soil and brush onto my clothes and above all else, try to put the wind in my favor.

[HOYTnMUZZYboy]

It doesn't matter if your useing a scent lok or scent blocker or anyother kind of scent eliminateing suit. It only takes a trace of scent to alert a whitetail. I am not against useing a suit, i have the scent blocker suit myself. Anyway to help minimize scent is a good thing. However without playing the wind and only hunting spots when the wind is just right, at anytime, anyone could be setting themselves up for a heartwrenching mistake. All the scentless soaps and everything are great, but i think hunters are depending more and more on hyped up products. Like I said b4 I use these products myself, there is nothing wrong with useing any resource to your advantage, but you cant trick ole mothernature. IMO.

[buckee]

It really is important to use a scent that the deer are used to smelling naturally, in your area. The one farm I hunt, I use fresh earth, and a little apple scent on my sleeves. Works for me.

I wash all my cloths in Baking Soda only, and spray a little scent away type product on my hair, face and hat also

[Guest ohbowhntr]

I get close, REAL close, and I don't get winded, at least not that I've noticed in about 4 years.

You have to have a "DISCIPLINE!!!" Here's mine....

I shower w/ low odor or HS scent eliminator soap (you can use this stuff on your hair too, but I'm BALD, so just use it on my scalp), but don't use fragrance enhance toiletries. Be a MITCHUM (scent-free) MAN!!! Been serving me well for several years.

Boots!!!!! Don't believe the "You must have rubber boots!!" line, it's exactly that. BUT.....you must keep your boots "scent-free/suppressed." My hunting specific boots are stored either in the box I bought them, or a plastic grocery bag, then in my gear duffle. Don't leave them lay around where they can get dog hair and such on them, you're not helping your cause. I also drag my toes through every "little" puddle of mud and deer turd I see between my truck and my stand. Note, my boots don't go on my feet until I'm at my hunting sight either!!!! I think the BOOTS are a BIG part of the SCENT CONTROL!!!!!

Scent-Lock is not as effective as a GOOD base layer laced with anti-microbial silver ions. Used both, and the scent lock is more of an insulator worn in cold weather than a "scent suppressor/blocker." Wear whatever outer or mid-layer you want for your terrain, BUT wash ALL of that stuff in a "SCENT-FREE" laundry detergent!!!! Don't waste your money buying "HUNTER'S DETERGENT" in a camo bottle, hit the regular aisle and pick up some CHEAP Purex "SCENT-FREE" detergent, but wash ALL of your clothes you'll wear hunting in them, outer, mid, and base layers!!!! I'm also a big fan of X-Scent Socks, I wore them 3 days in a row while elk hunting (taking them off to let my feet air out and let the socks air out), and they HONESTLY didn't stink!!!! They really ARE as good as advertised!!!! And I get NOTHING for advocating these products except the satisfaction of seeing guys be successful in the field.

If you want to use a cover scent, use something that is SUBLTE, and matches where you are, seems pretty obvious, but I've seen guys through pine bows in their bag with their clothes, then hunting EXCLUSIVE HARDWOOD areas. Pine isn't the scent you want in woods that don't have PINE. I use a touch of earth scent most of the time, but not so much I smell like a fresh tilled garden, if you follow me.

One of the last things I advocate, is a facemask!!!! Not a standard facemask however. I use a cheap THIN neck gaiter, and tuck it into my outer shirt, then pull the gaiter up over my ears and the back of my head and pull my hat down over it. Keeping something covering you mouth and nose (mouth only if you wear glasses, because you can't shoot if you can't see DAMNED FOGGED LENSES), will supress about 60-80% of the scent that will be "emitted" from your body.

Not bragging, because I really am only a fair to good hunter at best, but I have HONESTLY passed about 400-500 deer in the last 4-5yrs, and I HONESTLY believe I've not been winded but maybe a handful of times during that span. And I've been on the ground a LOT, within 10 yds. of MANY deer. One last thing that will bust you every time is looking a deer in the eye. IF you get them CLOSE, DO NOT LOOK THEM IN THE EYE!!!! If you look them directly in the eye, unless the deer is a young stupid deer, the GAME IS OVER!!! I shot a 2.5yr old doe this year, from the ground, after she'd walked 8 yds from me, and she paused and looked at me from my right side, then continued on after trying to scent me and figure out what I was and putting herself at ease when she couldn't smell me, and I never moved or made direct eye contact with her. She continued past me tail down, nice and relaxed, and circled around some brush and a decent sized out out in front of me, and I stuck her from 11yds!!!! She never had a clue what happened, and at the end of a short blood trail, I'd succeeded in beating one of the best noses in the woods REALLY up close and personal!!!!

Hope somewhere along the line if you read this, you picked something up. Sorry, it's not a SHORT answer, but I've put half a dozen newer hunters on deer and made them successful with a bow, by showing them what I've learned and following a good scent discipline!!!