Dan and Andrae Scent Control Measures

[huntinnurse]

Everyone has some very good points. I too, shower with scent free soap, however I try to use a shampoo that has a scent that is natural to the environment I am hunting in. These days I get unscented shampoo and conditioner put some cedar oil in them.(The hunters version of shampoo/conditioner is a joke for anyone with longhair--- leaves hair dry and abrasive not to mention a bear to try to comb thru). I bought into the scentblocker when I started hunting , and do still wear it, but only for an outer garment when it is cold. I do not depend on it or even think of it as a scent blocker as it is 8 years old. Don't even think there is any carbon left in it. I do wash all my clothes in All Free or baking soda, scent free and cheaper than the stuff sold in the sporting goods section. I use UVkiller as well as I think more people get picked off at a distance due to UV brighteners in detergents, even the stuff in sporting goods stores. I then get the most predominant foliage (cedar for the most part here) and put it with my clothes. The scent free detergent to kill the human odor in the clothing and to clean them and the cedar or oak or corn, for the smell of the environment I hunt at the time. I would love to use lavendar shampoo or rose, but they aren't blooming where I am hunting. I think this helps you blend in with the natural smells of the area. Playing the wind is also top at the list.
For those that want to say, heck Deb, you're only hunting does and spikes, but you all know that a mature doe will pick you out more than not and it has happened to each and every one of us. She is toting yearlings and fawns with her and teaching them. So, in my opinion, you have to be as scent free or more so as possible with does, especially the older ones as this time of year, the big bucks you want won't be far away and if she spooks, they will too.
Unless you are hunting a buck bed and there aren't any does around. But, that isn't always true. Some does go to the bucks rather than the other way around.
The key thing is this, (I think anyway), play the wind, and if the products you use keep you with your highest confidence, than continue. Confidence is a major, major factor in bowhunting. If you doubt yourself and your abilities, you make mistakes, you shake and you either don't ake a shot you could or you missed a vital step in your routine. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. Confidence takes time to build. And trial and error builds confidence.

[dan]

Do you really want to advertise to the community of hunters on this site that taking scent precautions isn't worth a spit, except for playing the wind

Sure... Why not be honest.
Like I said, I would rather be clean, rather use scent free soap... But seriously doubt it helps.
Ever watch deer walk right up to a freshly parked vehicle/ATV that smalls like gas, oil, and obviously don't belong where it is parked?
But get up wind of that same deer...

I run hounds and have for years. I witness(many times a year) a dog taking the back track(going the wrong way) on a bear. These dogs determine on their own that they are going the wrong way and turn around. That tells me that to some degree, they can tell how fresh/old a track is. That being said, if a deer’s nose is better than a hounds don’t you think they can tell the difference between fresh human scent and old?

Yes... From observation I also believe they can "smell" how far away you are. Not from scent strength, but from scent deterioration or wind current.
When I was a kid I laid a scent trail with a drag rag across an area a big buck kept walking thru every evening in an attempt to bring the buck closer to the tree I could hunt from ... I was shocked when the buck followed the scent the wrong way. But in hindsight, the buck followed the way the scent got stonger.

[adrenalin]

Do you really want to advertise to the community of hunters on this site that taking scent precautions isn't worth a spit, except for playing the wind and not touching a branch or leaf? The wind is definitely the obvious major tool of scent control, but for $2 you can buy a bottle of scent-free soap, and another $2 for scent free dry stick deodarant to help yourself out a little is no different, IMO, as a fisherman checking his knots now and again or making sure the hooks are sharp.

About a week ago I hunted a spot on the edge of the marsh where the deer follow a thick point up to some oak trees and set up with the wind just angling slightly off the point so the deer walk into the wind the whole way. Before I hunted I took a scent free shower and put on scent free deodorant and washed my hunting clothes. I had a 4 pointer come through exactly how I had planed for and could of shot him at 15 yards, then as he walked through my shooting lane and continued up to the oaks he headed for my entry trail. I knew exactly where I walked and so did he. As soon as he hit that trail he knew I came through their. He was upwind of me so he was on my scent trail, not getting my scent from the tree, and spent about 25 minutes following it back and forth and finally went back in the way he came out. I think he really educated himself that day and might escape some future encounters because of that. I used to think it helped to try to be as scent free as possible, but I think the situations where it will actually help are pretty limited.

[dan]

The big point you should get out of this is that it won't hurt you to be clean. But don't limit your hunting because of time restraints or anal rituals that will keep you from hunting when time is limited.
If you hunted the extra 45 minutes you spend doing rituals, your success from getting 45 more minutes per hunt would far exceed the "help" scent control rituals do...
The scent that spooks the deer is the human scent created as the body sheds dead skin cells. Washing don't remove that... Scent spray does not stop you from creating and shedding more cells. Carbon activated suits don't remove it enough to be effective... Foreign odors could work to catch a deers attention and his focus could make him notice your scent. But I believe if they smell the foreign odor, they are down wind and smell your human scent too.... Our human scent to a deer is likely stronger than that of a skunk spray to us. They smell millions of times better than you or I.

[dan]

Here is another post link that has some interesting reading on the same topic...
http://huntingbeast.com/forum/viewtopic ... &hilit=dog

[virginiashadow]

Here is my routine this year. I am making it simple. I wash my clothes in scent free detergent, then hang dry it. I shower using baking soda. End of story for me.

[3dog]

Great topic, lots of good points. I think there's tons of ways to control scent other than soaps or suits. I bought a machete this spring and used it a lot on my trips in and out to check cameras. It doesn't take long to blaze a trail and you get the benefit of not wading thru brush, working up a sweat and leaving scent clinging to everything around you. Watch Dan scout on the videos and 90% of the time his hands are in his pockets or laced together so as not to touch everything and spread scent. Try going hunting and be there when he checks a camera with a big daylight buck on it. I'll never forget that, he was like "Freeze! Don't go anywhere, don't spread any scent!!" He pratices scent control, just not in main stream fashion. I'll always agree with keeping my scent to a minimum and agree too with not wasting a bunch of time monkeying around with it. You think of just about any natural predator out there, they reek and even on themselves to make sure they reek. You wouldn't think this is conducive to taking game but they seem to do alright with it.

[lungbuster]

To Muddy and Sam, I don't use bed bath and beyond soaps But I do use the regular everyday zest or whatever my wife buys because I have come to the conclusion that it does not pay to buy "scentfree" soap (which is usually twice the price of regular soap). I am not saying everyone should hunt as I do, but I can say I have enough mature bucks on the wall to prove being scentfree isn't a must I have deer hunted for more than 25 years and have run the gammut of being totally anal about scent to where I am now, being anal about the wind currents and how they carry my scent. Here's the kicker, Sam asks if we should tell everyone on this site that scent control is BS, well what if everyone in magazines and on TV said the same things Dan and I are saying, would the whole topic even be an issue? Probably not because it has been ingrained into everyone's sub conscious by the media that scent control is a must when hunting deer......What they forgot to say was you will never fool a deer's nose so your scent control must be playing the wind and keeping your ground scent away from travel routes......Instead they all tout the latest and greatest pixie dust designed to "forget the wind ,just hunt" which most of us will agree is PURE BS

[muddy]

The reference to bb&b was not meant to be literal so much as to slightly comical yet try and still ask the question. If head n shoulders or suave works for you, so be it.

Bottom line, can't fool them but like anything success is often measured in your own mental reassurance, be it camo, bow or broadhead choice, scent control measures, etc

[dan]

Bottom line, can't fool them but like anything success is often measured in your own mental reassurance, be it camo, bow or broadhead choice, scent control measures, etc

I would agree with that however, if the belief is you can fool the nose, and you choose your set ups without strong regard to the wind, you are likely hurting your success.

[Treejunkie]

I have to jump in on this one. I hunt agricultural lands and deer are somewhat use to seeing and smelling people. I can hear people talking, laughing, yelling from any place I hunt. I have to believe that deer can smell some of these people some of the times too in these areas.

I surly see no harm in not trying to be as scent free as possible. Maybe that deer thinks I am either farther away than I really am, or I am an old scent trail??

I know I am not going to fool any mature bucks nose, but I have sure fooled plenty of immature bucks and does noses over the years. Now granted the wind was blowing towards them and I have been using milkweeds for 10+ years checking my scent trails. Sometimes when you think your scent is blowing to them, it is actually going up or bends away from them.

If I can make those other (does & immature bucks) comfortable and not get them on high alert, it increases my chances at Mr. Big!!!

I am a scent freak and I do all I can to prevent my scent. I have been using scent less body lotion made by Scent Blocker I believe. It is suppose to not allow bacteria to build on the skin, hence, less scent.

My days hunting are limited, I take every precaution I can to increase my odds, even if it only increases my odds by 1/2 or 1%. I will take it.

[BowtechHunting]

My idea of scent control is to keep the buck from smelling you based on the wind, and carefully thinking about where you walk... I believe Andrae is on the same page. When I have time, I shower and wear clean clothes. Although I don't think it matters much.[/quote]

Dan I remember you saying in your "Hunting Public Marshes" video, that you have limited time to go through today's modern ritual of scent elimination (shower, soap, carbon suit, carbon, underwear, carbon this, carbon that, spray, brush your teeth in carbon toothpaste, until you pee carbon...) With all that said, Andre and yourself still are able to harvest brutes each year. I've never been to crazy with all the scent control myself to a extent. I just hunt with the wind in my favor and avoid getting too sweaty walking to my stand. I think that is your tactic correct? And only hunt him with a perfect wind, if your lucky.

[Dor]

This is steering off topic, but I had to laugh last night when a buddy and I took a 12 year old out hunting whose dad does not hunt. We met up in he looked me up and down as I was covered head to toe in camo. He got a funny look on his face and said "Whats the point in wearing all that camo when your arrows are so dang bright" To an extent he had a good point. I dont keep my arrows out there for the deer to see while in a tree, but from his perspective he had a good point. I tryed to explain the importance of being able to see your hit on an animal outweighing the need to camo your arrows.


That kinda opens up another can of worms...how important is Camo? I think it helps for sure, but I wouldnt be afraid to hunt without it thats for sure. Millions go down every year with blaze orange being the camo of choice.

[headgear]

[quote="adrenalin"] I think he really educated himself that day and might escape some future encounters because of that. [quote]

Not to take this thread off track but does anyone else like to education young bucks when they get the chance? I don't do it all the time and would never do it near a bedding area but I have waved at and talked to young bucks in the past in hopes of educating them about hunters. Its probably pointless but hey if I can get a few more deer to live to 3.5 I will have a few more deer to hunt.

[dreaming bucks]

I think he really educated himself that day and might escape some future encounters because of that.

Not to take this thread off track but does anyone else like to education young bucks when they get the chance? I don't do it all the time and would never do it near a bedding area but I have waved at and talked to young bucks in the past in hopes of educating them about hunters. Its probably pointless but hey if I can get a few more deer to live to 3.5 I will have a few more deer to hunt.

But don't you worry about educating those young bucks where you hunt too ? I mean if they do indeed have a memory of WHERE they have ran into danger, they might not come through where they ran into you once before...