I just cant break my "scent control" routine Im like RainMan

[bowmike]

I've been talking with a few hunters that swear by scent away type sprays, dead down wind, insert catchy cover scent here. I just keep thinking that no matter what if they are down wind, and hit my scent I am busted. We are talking about an animal with 297 million ol factory recptors. That 70 million more than dog for crying out loud. A dog can smell through a car to smell drugs. THey are used after fires to find body matter, excellerants. Heck they even use them to dectect protiens and such in cancer cells. I want to give you all a story from last season.

I had an odd wind last year in the rut that killed most of my spots. Told my wife to pick a number. I went to that spot. Now my clothes are washed, sprayed down with scent away, stored in a scent proof tote, never allowed in the house. I shower before I go, dress out side of my vehicle and take off the clothes I wore in my vehicle. Spray down again then walk to the spot. I dress light so I don't sweat, put on the clothes I'm going to wear, then often spray them down again.

So just about as scent free as a human can possibly be right.

Had the biggest buck of my life coming in to my set up. If he would take the same trail every other deer that has ever went to this spot did I would be set right.

As he gets to about 50 yards I feel the breeze pick up. My neck gets cold, I can picture right where my scent would be going.

"PLEASE DONT BUST ME, PLEASE DONT BUST ME, PLEASE DONT BUST ME"

He gets to 35 or so, As soon as that buck hit that area, he locks up, picks his head up, slowly turns 180 degrees and is out of there.

No snort, no foot stomp just gone. So just because you don't see or hear the deer bust you doesn't mean he didn't.

I replay that over and over and I knew going in the wind was bad to hunt that spot. But it was the rut so the could have been coming from anywhere. Thus was a 140ish 10 point. Had a 115" 9 come from the good side but could never get him to commit the last few yards I needed.

So off of this hunt, I pretty much learned that even if I am up 20', every single precaution is taken to keep my clothes as scent free as possible, that deer is going to bust me.
But I still find myself call it OCD or Aspbergers like Reinman, "gotta wash my clothes, gotta spray them down, cant get them near the house, have to change my clothes before I put on my hunting clothes, its exactly 7 minutes and 23 seconds to Whopner....."

How the heck do you get rid of this. I dunno. I think that they do some good, but after looking back I had the wind in my favor anyway. I am starting to think that a cover scent may be a better option, but I dunno. I plan all of my hunts based on wind, but sometimes in the rut or for what ever reason the deer will come in a different way.

What is your take on these scent away type sprays?

Do you use them?

Do you think they are just to ease you mind?

Does anyone else go through this anxiety every year of washing your clothes, keeping them away from everything, yadda yadda yadda?

[MOBIGBUCKS]

Scent control for me is watching where I step and manipulating the wind for the most part. Gave up the commercial products years ago..

Free yourself man!

[bowmike]

LOL I need to but I will be washing my clothes and spraying them down tonight. LOL

Just cant break it. But another thing I have been pondering is what if they are relating the smell of scent away or fresh earth scent wafers to Danger.

"MIND BLOWN"

I Mean that buck was coming in to a rattling secquence I just got done doing. His ears were pegged back, walking stiff legged, hair on end, and in a millisecond he pop, and locked, and was out of there without a sound. Just blew my mind. I think that the rattling brought him in no doubt, but also caused him to overt from the normal trail to try and get down wind of the sounds. Well he did and he won.

[headgear]

anxiety

You said it all right there, leave the anxiety at home and just hunt. We all probably tired scent control at one time or another and we've all had it fail at the worst possible time. Heck one time I had a buck with 2 does come in downwind during the peak of the rut rifle season, I was just like you, de-scented in every possible. The does didn't smell me and cam into 40 yards, the buck stayed back in the bush maybe 150 yards away and blew and blew and blew 15-20 times until those does turned around and they all ran out of there together. When the wind is right it won't matter what you smell like, my last two archery kills were inside of 10 yards and I had zero scent control, absolutely none. The sooner you admin you can't control it and focus on what you can control that anxiety will fade away.

[bowmike]

Which brings up another thought I have been pondering. Are we better to do the rattling or calling, using scents, or better to go in like a sniper" in without a trace and out without a trace" as of recently I am thinking the sniper method may be better. Pretty much I am thinking off all of the things I do are just aiding in getting me busted.

[thwack16]

I think that clothes washed in a neutral washing powder as opposed to Tide makes me harder to smell.

I think using Arm & hammer baking soda toothpaste as opposed to crest scope makes me harder to smell.

I think using a non scent deodorant as opposed to old spice makes me harder to smell.

I think taking a shower in scent free soap as opposed to old spice soap and head and shoulders shampoo makes me harder to smell.

I think that spraying down my boots with scent away makes me harder to smell.

Do I think any of it eliminates me from being able to be smelled? Heck no, but I do think it minimizes it.

I get no anxiety over making a separate wash load for my hunting clothes. If I'm hunting after work, I don't freak out and run home and shower or not hunt because I can't shower.

[E72]

Rainman!? LOL! I'll let you in on a little secret ... Scent control sucks !

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Dewey]

Scent control is hunting the wind so your scent will not reach the deer's nose. Simple as that. All of that other stuff just complicates your hunting. Once you are free of that you will see how much more enjoyable your hunts will be. Stressing about all that other stuff is time much better spent on refining your spots and upping your odds with well played out plans.

[Stanley]

Using all those chemicals really doesn't hurt anything. Really doesn't help you except for your psyches.

[E72]

I think that clothes washed in a neutral washing powder as opposed to Tide makes me harder to smell.

I think using Arm & hammer baking soda toothpaste as opposed to crest scope makes me harder to smell.

I think using a non scent deodorant as opposed to old spice makes me harder to smell.

I think taking a shower in scent free soap as opposed to old spice soap and head and shoulders shampoo makes me harder to smell.

I think that spraying down my boots with scent away makes me harder to smell.

Do I think any of it eliminates me from being able to be smelled? Heck no, but I do think it minimizes it.

I get no anxiety over making a separate wash load for my hunting clothes. If I'm hunting after work, I don't freak out and run home and shower or not hunt because I can't shower.

Pretty much how I feel. I'm not going to use perfumey shampoos and fabric softeners either and Not going to pump gas in my hunting boots. I used to shower at work before weeknight hunts , now I think it's more important to use that time to take my time quietly getting to my stand .

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[tbunao]

Everyone has already said it, it sucks. I do however refrain from using and fragrance material a month before such as deorderant, shampoo, lotion etc. I use a lot of hypoallergenic stuff, cheaper and you can get it at almost any wallyworld or target.

Thing I always tell customers when they ask what do I use, " I don't use anything anymore I just play the wind and watch my access. If a K9 can find "scent free" clothing in 45 seconds and a deers nose is 6x better than a dog... It just doesn't make scents"

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[bowmike]

I think that clothes washed in a neutral washing powder as opposed to Tide makes me harder to smell.

I think using Arm & hammer baking soda toothpaste as opposed to crest scope makes me harder to smell.

I think using a non scent deodorant as opposed to old spice makes me harder to smell.

I think taking a shower in scent free soap as opposed to old spice soap and head and shoulders shampoo makes me harder to smell.

I think that spraying down my boots with scent away makes me harder to smell.

Do I think any of it eliminates me from being able to be smelled? Heck no, but I do think it minimizes it.

I get no anxiety over making a separate wash load for my hunting clothes. If I'm hunting after work, I don't freak out and run home and shower or not hunt because I can't shower.

I think this is more of my thoughts as well, I mean it cant hurt, but may have a few blind spots I am willing to "burn" if I cant go home and shower first.

[Rutnstrut]

If it gives you confidence, keep doing it. It may not be the actual results that give you confidence. It may just be the routine of it all that you are used to.

[headgear]

Which brings up another thought I have been pondering. Are we better to do the rattling or calling, using scents, or better to go in like a sniper" in without a trace and out without a trace" as of recently I am thinking the sniper method may be better. Pretty much I am thinking off all of the things I do are just aiding in getting me busted.

I think calling depends, some don't use it and have success and some do and have success, find what works for you. I guess the same could be said for scent control, just know plenty of people are getting it done without any form of scents or scent control so I wouldn't call it something you HAVE to do. For me, scent control wasn't fun, it's not like scouting or hunting. It was a pain in the but so I was very happy to let it go. You might find the same in time or you might not.

[DaveT1963]

If it gives you confidence, keep doing it. It may not be the actual results that give you confidence. It may just be the routine of it all that you are used to.

X2 ---- if you believe in it and it is worth your time then go for it. I know this, the guys that of to great lengths to keep clean also seem to carry that attitude over to other things like stand selection, entry and exit, etc.... and that kind of thoroughness never hurts anyone. You might be a few dollars lighter but if it increases your confidence and is working for you go for it. I keep clean clothes and boots myself and use some Lavolin and chlorophyll myself. But I've lost or misplaced my scent control spray, probably next to my moon chart