Scent Control

[Stick]

We live in an age of hyper scent awareness. How concerned are you about this while elk hunting.

I know of people that change clothes as soon as through hunting.

Others wear the same clothes around the fire they do hunting.

Some don't bath for several days!

I don't believe the "forget the wind and hunt" promo.

What is your approach.

[Lefty]

Im a scent control freak. Being a former full time trapper and trapping lure maker I relied on animal noses and winds.
Elk hunting it works the opposite.
I dont use all the scent products out there. I follow the science. Many of my clothing near body articles are silver nono fiber I use many of the body sprays,I use scent killers clean clothes, daily bathing in scent killers , scent free deodorants Hydrogen peroxide washes etc. Alfalfa tablets are cheap but sometimes they get used Everything I own is stored with sage.

While this is terrible statistical math and certainly no proof. I used it more as a harassment factor and really egged on my in-laws My first rifle elk hunt 25 years ago I hunted with a group,.. "you don't take a bath or shave until you kill and elk". I set up a separate tent when the wall tent started to get a bit gamey and rank. I killed my bull at 39 yards, and had three other in the brush close encounters. Of the party of 9 I killed the only elk, ,.. yeah lame statistics,


I reduce my predator foods , less red meat during elk season,.. fish fish and more fish

Over-all I want to reduce the size and strength of my scent (Human stink) plume.
One thing I should add most of my hunts are Friday evening and Saturday, So the next hunt I can go our with laundered clothing.
I dont like any funk coming out of my sleeping bag

[zpd307]

typically we have gone to town and showered halfway through our hunt on day 5-6. I do bring unscented wet wipes and take a towel bath every other day. unless I got extra hot that day. I have 2 sets of clothes that get rotated. I take off my hunting clothes when I get back to camp for the evening and hang them on a tree. I do use the descent spray every morning. I was able to sneak in to my bull last year at 20 yards and hang there for about 20 minutes before he offered a shot....

[ak32]

I like to use the scent killing soap/deodorant. Scent killing spray before I head out and wash my cloths with the scent killing wash after every time I go out. I figure even if it's not proven it can't hurt and if there is anything I can do to put the odds in my favor I'll do it.

[Passin Thru]

I wash clothing bfo a hunt in baking soda and put them on the lawn to dry, keep turning so they don't mold. Bathe with unscented soap, keep clothing in a bag with dirt in it when I'm back in camp. Smoke from a campfire is, I believe the number one cause of spooking Elk cuz it sticks to you like, well, smoke. Smoke is an elks enemy. I also carry Estrus in a spray bottle and try to release a drop of it when hiking in when I get close to the place where I stalk. I have had animals follow me in because they are so horny, they don't care about old human, just estrus.

[elkaholic]

Years past I have done all I can to stay sent free and had mixed results. So we'll see this year what happens as I'm not going to worry about it and just play the wind.

[CurlyTail]

I have kind of given up on "scent control". I'm not at all sure that the products do anything, I don't enjoy using the products, and if they do work - they are only of very temporary benefit. You have to play the wind anyway. Maybe I am just lazy but scent control products detract rather than enhance my elk hunting experience. Just my 2 cents.

[jmez]

I don't do anything for scent control in the mountains other than wipe down with baby wipes every night and am. I hunt the wind, period. If the wind isn't right I back out. If not for swirling mountain winds I'd have a wall full of elk antlers. You will never beat an elk's nose if the wind isn't right. If the wind is right he won't smell you. For me, its that simple.

[ramirojpc]

Newbie idea hear, so be gentle...wouldn't just rubbing clothes with some of the vegetation mask our odor? I haven't tried it, but I got the idea from a camping trip where it smelled like pine trees, so I rubbed a couple of pine needles between my fingers and the smell stayed on my fingers for a while. I would think rubbing pine needles between the hands and rubbing the clothes may work. Thoughts?

[ak32]

Newbie idea hear, so be gentle...wouldn't just rubbing clothes with some of the vegetation mask our odor? I haven't tried it, but I got the idea from a camping trip where it smelled like pine trees, so I rubbed a couple of pine needles between my fingers and the smell stayed on my fingers for a while. I would think rubbing pine needles between the hands and rubbing the clothes may work. Thoughts?

yea, a lot of people pack their clothing with some pine branches, but like anything scent masking isn't a science. I used to do this, but it seemed like a pain and results were mixed.

[Lefty]

Newbie idea hear, so be gentle. Thoughts?

Like I mentioned Im a scent freak.
Masking doesnt work, animals can distinctly differentiate. Since I owned a gallon of pure skunk essence at one time I experimented with how much it might take to fool a coyote. Lets just say it was apparent every time a coyote hit a human scent plume,.. I have had red fox ignore human odor but never coyotes.
Now back to masking scents
Last Saturday I walked through a pasture full of cows and fresh bovine gas and piles of fresh cow plops,.. yet 600 yards from someones camp I could smell bacon.
I have never known a stinky wrestler who wore his nasty singlet that could mask his rank odor with any amount of deodorant.
And no matter how much perfume a girl wears she still wont cover the smell of a fart
But yes I still store my gear in clean containers with sage

Its all about reducing the size and strength of your odor. If the odor is weak enough it may not be as alarming.Or the scent plumb may be smaller
Just that one time the wind swirls and human odor isnt caught might be the difference between eating tag soup or notching your tag.

Guys there is good science out there that hasnt come from vendors