Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby dan » Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:23 am

Mathewshooter wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:
dan wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:Sorry I hit submit on accident.

First post here. I am very interested in the "beast" style of hunting.

I have listened to several podcasts with John and Dan besides these but I just finished these 3 and they were very informative on both sides.

I live in upstate NY in the Northern Zone.

I just thought I would explain my experience with scentlok clothing.

I started hunting in 1988 at 12 years old in the big woods of northern NY as well as some farmland in the Southern Zone. I quickly learned that those big woods deer did not put up with scent at all while the farmland deer seemed to tolerate it to a point.

Fast forward to 2002 and I purchaserd my own 140 acres of basically hemlock swamp in Northern Zone. No farms for miles. Because of the hemlock it was mostly ground blind hunting because you can't see far from a tree. The second year I hunted the land it seemed I would get winded more times than not. So I purchased just a scentlok jacket. That seemed to make zero difference. Then in 2004 it was more of the same, getting winded quite a bit. It seems like the wind swirls a lot in this flat swampy land.

So mid season I purchased the scentlok pants and the head cover. My first sit with that set up was in the Southern Zone with the bow in early November. A doe comes out at first light downwind of course. She gets directly down wind but does not spook. She senses something but she does not come unglued, she continues on. A half hour later a small buck comes through right on her track. He walks directly down wind of me where the doe was and I kill him.

So that was good, a positive result but it could just be because I am in farmland where the deer litterally seem dumber.

Same year, 1 week later rifle hunting in the northern zone. I am in full scentlok, I have a buck come in downwind at 40 yards and I am on the ground. He can't pinpoint me and I shot him after he walked through my wind.

So more good results but they are dumb bucks in the rut so maybe I got lucky.

Over the next 10 years I had dozens of deer walk through my wind and they never come unglued. At most they sense something but almost always they keep heading forward on their way.

That has worked out several times where a doe or small buck rolled through downwind and did not spook. Later followed by a larger buck that I shot.

In 2013 I started to get winded again. Deer would get very nervous when they hit my scent sometimes blowing and going back from where they came. It was like I was back to square one. I did kill a nice buck that year but the wind was right. Scentlok worn out?

So in 2014 I bought new scentlok pants/jacket/base layers and head gear. From then and through this year I am back to having deer pass through my scent and not blow out.

Do I think scentlok eliminates 100% of scent? Absolutely not, that would be ridiculous and impossible. However, from my experience it gets rid of the majority of my scent and it keeps me from spooking deer. That is all I can ask for.

I do not have a crazy hour long regiment to get ready to hunt. I just put my clothes in the dryer the night before I hunt and keep them in a scentlok bag. When I get to where I
park I get dressed just like I would if I wasn't wearing scentlok.

And I DO care about wind direction but if a deer happens to walk downwind it does not mess up my hunt. I always play the wind PERIOD.

I will say this, if you make claims that scentlok does not work, yet you have never tried it, I don't put much stock in your opinion on it. As my father used to say, it is like a priest being a marriage counselor. :)

Im very open minded about everything... I always consider others experiences, and there thoughts. I can tell you this much, your making an assumtion if your saying those people whom no longer believe scent control can beat a deers nose never tried it. You probably did not read all the post on here from guys who used scent control and scent-loc for years only to see absolutely no difference when they stopped. John claims he has never been winded by a deer in 18 years... If its working that good for him, I would say great, continue using it. For me, watching people I know use the same crazy routines he does get busted more than me, and watching them have the same or better results when they stop using it, has told me it don't work at all. Your comment about guys not hunting with scent loc only making claims based on when they did, would be like me telling you not to comment without quiting useing it for a season and look at the difference... To each there own, But Im personally not interested in using trickery to kill deer, I hunt whitetails cause of the challenge. The challenge is beating there nose. Not finding ways to buy success, at least not for me. I would just go to a game farm or hire a guide on some expensive ranch if that were how I felt. Got nothing against it, just not my cup of tea, or why I hunt.


I actually did read EVERY post before I wrote anything.

I don't get how John is so adamant that he never EVER spooks deer with his scent. It seems impossible to me. You guys are both at the opposite end of the spectrum and I guess I am somewhere in the middle.

The success rate in the part of NY that I live in is one of the lower areas. I use every legal advantage that I can get. 2-3 weeks of bow season depending on the year and a 7 week gun season and no ag land. Not a lot of deer and definitely not a lot of mature bucks here.

We could go way down the rabbit hole if we start talking about "cheating". We use treestands to cheat their nose right? Then there is a whole list of gear that we use to cheat their sight and sound that is just accepted as the norm now.

I just bought a nice set of SL coveralls for $100. But since Scent lok doesn't work then I am not cheating anyway right? :lol:

I read everything I can find and try it, and form my own opinion. I have been reading and listening to a ton of your info on scouting swamps. I have been hitting a local swamp and it was EXACTLY like you describe. I scoured the hard woods and the field edges and found very little sign. I busted into the swamp and found a long finger of land with some oaks. The thing is maybe 10 yards wide. When I get to the tip, which happens to be on the leeward side, that is where all of the buck sign was. Clear trail into the swamp and a buck bed that butts up to a tree root at the end of the tip. I have picked out a few more spots to check out, it is addicting.

It is wicked fun to try something different and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.


You're beating a dead horse around here with the scent control thing....I've already been down that road. I'm convinced it works for me and if you feel the same way just keep doing what you're doing. I can honestly say, I watch Dans youtube videos and the hunting publics videos and it seems they get busted a lot. I can't remember the last time thats happened to me. I guess I'm just very lucky ;)

Would you mind posting some links to all these youtube videos of me getting busted by scent? I don't recall any...


Mgaspari
Posts: 299
Joined: Sat May 13, 2017 11:40 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Mgaspari » Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:56 am

I can think of two, neither resulted in a kill, both were shown as “teaching moments”. One was with your kid were the buck would hit the scent, back off then come back in to hit the scent; the other was when you were talking about proper tree selection and you showed how you picked the wrong tree.
The Hunting Public crowd shows getting busted also but again shows it and explains why.
Not really wanting to get involved but those two groups (Dan / Hunting Public) show a lot more of their mistakes than any other show but that saves us (hopefully) from making the same mistakes.
User avatar
Jonny
500 Club
Posts: 5753
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:11 am
Location: In a van down by the river
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Jonny » Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:16 am

End of the day, nothing tops the basics. Scouting, observing, and hunting. The more you do and put in, the better your results.

Good scouting means a better understanding of how deer move. Understanding that means you can set up so deer don’t come from downwind, or you have a shot before they do. Can deer still come from any direction? Sure. But sign don’t lie, and I really don’t find new trails that pop up overnight. Deer have patterns. Figure it out so that pattern isn’t where your scent is.

Scent control can work. To me, it’s too much money for something that isn’t a guarantee. Scouting and learning are a heck of a lot cheaper and imo will put more deer in bow range than buying something off the shelf. But to think you can actually eliminate all your scent is foolish. If your body is functioning, there is an odor. I live with that and adapt to it instead of throwing a band aid over it and hoping it works
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
User avatar
Mathewshooter
Posts: 372
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:10 am
Location: Central NY
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Mathewshooter » Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:58 am

Jonny wrote:End of the day, nothing tops the basics. Scouting, observing, and hunting. The more you do and put in, the better your results.

Good scouting means a better understanding of how deer move. Understanding that means you can set up so deer don’t come from downwind, or you have a shot before they do. Can deer still come from any direction? Sure. But sign don’t lie, and I really don’t find new trails that pop up overnight. Deer have patterns. Figure it out so that pattern isn’t where your scent is.

Scent control can work. To me, it’s too much money for something that isn’t a guarantee. Scouting and learning are a heck of a lot cheaper and imo will put more deer in bow range than buying something off the shelf. But to think you can actually eliminate all your scent is foolish. If your body is functioning, there is an odor. I live with that and adapt to it instead of throwing a band aid over it and hoping it works


I just dont understand why its a bad thing to do it all? Scout, observe, hunt the wind, try and reduce odor etc. etc. Its not a band aid...its another tool in the toolbox. If you dont believe in it, thats fine. If you dont want to shower before each hunt, it may not be for you. If you smoke cigarettes maybe its a waste of time. If you wear your camos while pumping gas, maybe you shouldnt try it. To say its foolish and a band aid is a slap in the face to the ton of hunters who have seen success doing it and believe in it. I dont think anyones foolish for going in the woods smelling like balls. Everyone has a right to hunt the way they want to. Like I said before...I cant remember the last time I had a deer bolt for the next county because it scented my. I've had them see me in my ladder stand, but thats nothing to do with scent control. Thats like Dans picking the right tree video. I'm a big guy...I have a hard time blending into a tree :D
I take my Bowhunting seriously
User avatar
Mathewshooter
Posts: 372
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:10 am
Location: Central NY
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Mathewshooter » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:01 am

dan wrote:
Mathewshooter wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:
dan wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:Sorry I hit submit on accident.

First post here. I am very interested in the "beast" style of hunting.

I have listened to several podcasts with John and Dan besides these but I just finished these 3 and they were very informative on both sides.

I live in upstate NY in the Northern Zone.

I just thought I would explain my experience with scentlok clothing.

I started hunting in 1988 at 12 years old in the big woods of northern NY as well as some farmland in the Southern Zone. I quickly learned that those big woods deer did not put up with scent at all while the farmland deer seemed to tolerate it to a point.

Fast forward to 2002 and I purchaserd my own 140 acres of basically hemlock swamp in Northern Zone. No farms for miles. Because of the hemlock it was mostly ground blind hunting because you can't see far from a tree. The second year I hunted the land it seemed I would get winded more times than not. So I purchased just a scentlok jacket. That seemed to make zero difference. Then in 2004 it was more of the same, getting winded quite a bit. It seems like the wind swirls a lot in this flat swampy land.

So mid season I purchased the scentlok pants and the head cover. My first sit with that set up was in the Southern Zone with the bow in early November. A doe comes out at first light downwind of course. She gets directly down wind but does not spook. She senses something but she does not come unglued, she continues on. A half hour later a small buck comes through right on her track. He walks directly down wind of me where the doe was and I kill him.

So that was good, a positive result but it could just be because I am in farmland where the deer litterally seem dumber.

Same year, 1 week later rifle hunting in the northern zone. I am in full scentlok, I have a buck come in downwind at 40 yards and I am on the ground. He can't pinpoint me and I shot him after he walked through my wind.

So more good results but they are dumb bucks in the rut so maybe I got lucky.

Over the next 10 years I had dozens of deer walk through my wind and they never come unglued. At most they sense something but almost always they keep heading forward on their way.

That has worked out several times where a doe or small buck rolled through downwind and did not spook. Later followed by a larger buck that I shot.

In 2013 I started to get winded again. Deer would get very nervous when they hit my scent sometimes blowing and going back from where they came. It was like I was back to square one. I did kill a nice buck that year but the wind was right. Scentlok worn out?

So in 2014 I bought new scentlok pants/jacket/base layers and head gear. From then and through this year I am back to having deer pass through my scent and not blow out.

Do I think scentlok eliminates 100% of scent? Absolutely not, that would be ridiculous and impossible. However, from my experience it gets rid of the majority of my scent and it keeps me from spooking deer. That is all I can ask for.

I do not have a crazy hour long regiment to get ready to hunt. I just put my clothes in the dryer the night before I hunt and keep them in a scentlok bag. When I get to where I
park I get dressed just like I would if I wasn't wearing scentlok.

And I DO care about wind direction but if a deer happens to walk downwind it does not mess up my hunt. I always play the wind PERIOD.

I will say this, if you make claims that scentlok does not work, yet you have never tried it, I don't put much stock in your opinion on it. As my father used to say, it is like a priest being a marriage counselor. :)

Im very open minded about everything... I always consider others experiences, and there thoughts. I can tell you this much, your making an assumtion if your saying those people whom no longer believe scent control can beat a deers nose never tried it. You probably did not read all the post on here from guys who used scent control and scent-loc for years only to see absolutely no difference when they stopped. John claims he has never been winded by a deer in 18 years... If its working that good for him, I would say great, continue using it. For me, watching people I know use the same crazy routines he does get busted more than me, and watching them have the same or better results when they stop using it, has told me it don't work at all. Your comment about guys not hunting with scent loc only making claims based on when they did, would be like me telling you not to comment without quiting useing it for a season and look at the difference... To each there own, But Im personally not interested in using trickery to kill deer, I hunt whitetails cause of the challenge. The challenge is beating there nose. Not finding ways to buy success, at least not for me. I would just go to a game farm or hire a guide on some expensive ranch if that were how I felt. Got nothing against it, just not my cup of tea, or why I hunt.


I actually did read EVERY post before I wrote anything.

I don't get how John is so adamant that he never EVER spooks deer with his scent. It seems impossible to me. You guys are both at the opposite end of the spectrum and I guess I am somewhere in the middle.

The success rate in the part of NY that I live in is one of the lower areas. I use every legal advantage that I can get. 2-3 weeks of bow season depending on the year and a 7 week gun season and no ag land. Not a lot of deer and definitely not a lot of mature bucks here.

We could go way down the rabbit hole if we start talking about "cheating". We use treestands to cheat their nose right? Then there is a whole list of gear that we use to cheat their sight and sound that is just accepted as the norm now.

I just bought a nice set of SL coveralls for $100. But since Scent lok doesn't work then I am not cheating anyway right? :lol:

I read everything I can find and try it, and form my own opinion. I have been reading and listening to a ton of your info on scouting swamps. I have been hitting a local swamp and it was EXACTLY like you describe. I scoured the hard woods and the field edges and found very little sign. I busted into the swamp and found a long finger of land with some oaks. The thing is maybe 10 yards wide. When I get to the tip, which happens to be on the leeward side, that is where all of the buck sign was. Clear trail into the swamp and a buck bed that butts up to a tree root at the end of the tip. I have picked out a few more spots to check out, it is addicting.

It is wicked fun to try something different and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.


You're beating a dead horse around here with the scent control thing....I've already been down that road. I'm convinced it works for me and if you feel the same way just keep doing what you're doing. I can honestly say, I watch Dans youtube videos and the hunting publics videos and it seems they get busted a lot. I can't remember the last time thats happened to me. I guess I'm just very lucky ;)

Would you mind posting some links to all these youtube videos of me getting busted by scent? I don't recall any...


I dont have time to go watch all your videos again. Maybe I'm mistaken but I thought you had deer smell you in some. Not as much as the hunting public guys though....they seem to get busted all the time. Like I said, maybe I got some of your videos mixed up with some of theirs.
I take my Bowhunting seriously
User avatar
Boogieman1
500 Club
Posts: 6589
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:02 am

dan wrote:
Mathewshooter wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:
dan wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:Sorry I hit submit on accident.

First post here. I am very interested in the "beast" style of hunting.

I have listened to several podcasts with John and Dan besides these but I just finished these 3 and they were very informative on both sides.

I live in upstate NY in the Northern Zone.

I just thought I would explain my experience with scentlok clothing.

I started hunting in 1988 at 12 years old in the big woods of northern NY as well as some farmland in the Southern Zone. I quickly learned that those big woods deer did not put up with scent at all while the farmland deer seemed to tolerate it to a point.

Fast forward to 2002 and I purchaserd my own 140 acres of basically hemlock swamp in Northern Zone. No farms for miles. Because of the hemlock it was mostly ground blind hunting because you can't see far from a tree. The second year I hunted the land it seemed I would get winded more times than not. So I purchased just a scentlok jacket. That seemed to make zero difference. Then in 2004 it was more of the same, getting winded quite a bit. It seems like the wind swirls a lot in this flat swampy land.

So mid season I purchased the scentlok pants and the head cover. My first sit with that set up was in the Southern Zone with the bow in early November. A doe comes out at first light downwind of course. She gets directly down wind but does not spook. She senses something but she does not come unglued, she continues on. A half hour later a small buck comes through right on her track. He walks directly down wind of me where the doe was and I kill him.

So that was good, a positive result but it could just be because I am in farmland where the deer litterally seem dumber.

Same year, 1 week later rifle hunting in the northern zone. I am in full scentlok, I have a buck come in downwind at 40 yards and I am on the ground. He can't pinpoint me and I shot him after he walked through my wind.

So more good results but they are dumb bucks in the rut so maybe I got lucky.

Over the next 10 years I had dozens of deer walk through my wind and they never come unglued. At most they sense something but almost always they keep heading forward on their way.

That has worked out several times where a doe or small buck rolled through downwind and did not spook. Later followed by a larger buck that I shot.

In 2013 I started to get winded again. Deer would get very nervous when they hit my scent sometimes blowing and going back from where they came. It was like I was back to square one. I did kill a nice buck that year but the wind was right. Scentlok worn out?

So in 2014 I bought new scentlok pants/jacket/base layers and head gear. From then and through this year I am back to having deer pass through my scent and not blow out.

Do I think scentlok eliminates 100% of scent? Absolutely not, that would be ridiculous and impossible. However, from my experience it gets rid of the majority of my scent and it keeps me from spooking deer. That is all I can ask for.

I do not have a crazy hour long regiment to get ready to hunt. I just put my clothes in the dryer the night before I hunt and keep them in a scentlok bag. When I get to where I
park I get dressed just like I would if I wasn't wearing scentlok.

And I DO care about wind direction but if a deer happens to walk downwind it does not mess up my hunt. I always play the wind PERIOD.

I will say this, if you make claims that scentlok does not work, yet you have never tried it, I don't put much stock in your opinion on it. As my father used to say, it is like a priest being a marriage counselor. :)

Im very open minded about everything... I always consider others experiences, and there thoughts. I can tell you this much, your making an assumtion if your saying those people whom no longer believe scent control can beat a deers nose never tried it. You probably did not read all the post on here from guys who used scent control and scent-loc for years only to see absolutely no difference when they stopped. John claims he has never been winded by a deer in 18 years... If its working that good for him, I would say great, continue using it. For me, watching people I know use the same crazy routines he does get busted more than me, and watching them have the same or better results when they stop using it, has told me it don't work at all. Your comment about guys not hunting with scent loc only making claims based on when they did, would be like me telling you not to comment without quiting useing it for a season and look at the difference... To each there own, But Im personally not interested in using trickery to kill deer, I hunt whitetails cause of the challenge. The challenge is beating there nose. Not finding ways to buy success, at least not for me. I would just go to a game farm or hire a guide on some expensive ranch if that were how I felt. Got nothing against it, just not my cup of tea, or why I hunt.


I actually did read EVERY post before I wrote anything.

I don't get how John is so adamant that he never EVER spooks deer with his scent. It seems impossible to me. You guys are both at the opposite end of the spectrum and I guess I am somewhere in the middle.

The success rate in the part of NY that I live in is one of the lower areas. I use every legal advantage that I can get. 2-3 weeks of bow season depending on the year and a 7 week gun season and no ag land. Not a lot of deer and definitely not a lot of mature bucks here.

We could go way down the rabbit hole if we start talking about "cheating". We use treestands to cheat their nose right? Then there is a whole list of gear that we use to cheat their sight and sound that is just accepted as the norm now.

I just bought a nice set of SL coveralls for $100. But since Scent lok doesn't work then I am not cheating anyway right? :lol:

I read everything I can find and try it, and form my own opinion. I have been reading and listening to a ton of your info on scouting swamps. I have been hitting a local swamp and it was EXACTLY like you describe. I scoured the hard woods and the field edges and found very little sign. I busted into the swamp and found a long finger of land with some oaks. The thing is maybe 10 yards wide. When I get to the tip, which happens to be on the leeward side, that is where all of the buck sign was. Clear trail into the swamp and a buck bed that butts up to a tree root at the end of the tip. I have picked out a few more spots to check out, it is addicting.

It is wicked fun to try something different and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.


You're beating a dead horse around here with the scent control thing....I've already been down that road. I'm convinced it works for me and if you feel the same way just keep doing what you're doing. I can honestly say, I watch Dans youtube videos and the hunting publics videos and it seems they get busted a lot. I can't remember the last time thats happened to me. I guess I'm just very lucky ;)

Would you mind posting some links to all these youtube videos of me getting busted by scent? I don't recall any...

Most my post on this topic always seem to come across a sarcastic, so I’m gonna try my best to keep my emotions out of it and just voice my true feelings. Do I get busted? Yes, to me if your objective is to get close to pressured deer it’s gonna happen a lot of hunters just don’t realize that it is happening cause the deer didn’t blow. I think the hunters most susceptible to the use of gadgetry to remove deers ability to defend itself are the guys just starting out who’s main objective is to get as many horns on the wall as fast as possible. Somewhere along a hunters journey it becomes less about the killing and more about the challenge of the hunt. Sad truth some hunters never reach this stage. My state currently is big on the modern custom sniper rifles. And are setting up 7 to 8 hundred yards away over food and shooting at deer that don’t even know they are being shot at. All this to remove a deers senses, the only skill required is being able to shoot, no hunting involved. Do I believe scent control works? No, but that’s my opinion and not what bothers me. My concerns is the push by people who want this. If one day they manage to come up with something that removes a deers sense of smell or to those who believe they already have. What is next? The satisfaction level increases with the challenge, without the challenge what is the satisfaction.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
User avatar
Mathewshooter
Posts: 372
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:10 am
Location: Central NY
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Mathewshooter » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:12 am

Boogieman1 wrote:
dan wrote:
Mathewshooter wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:
dan wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:Sorry I hit submit on accident.

First post here. I am very interested in the "beast" style of hunting.

I have listened to several podcasts with John and Dan besides these but I just finished these 3 and they were very informative on both sides.

I live in upstate NY in the Northern Zone.

I just thought I would explain my experience with scentlok clothing.

I started hunting in 1988 at 12 years old in the big woods of northern NY as well as some farmland in the Southern Zone. I quickly learned that those big woods deer did not put up with scent at all while the farmland deer seemed to tolerate it to a point.

Fast forward to 2002 and I purchaserd my own 140 acres of basically hemlock swamp in Northern Zone. No farms for miles. Because of the hemlock it was mostly ground blind hunting because you can't see far from a tree. The second year I hunted the land it seemed I would get winded more times than not. So I purchased just a scentlok jacket. That seemed to make zero difference. Then in 2004 it was more of the same, getting winded quite a bit. It seems like the wind swirls a lot in this flat swampy land.

So mid season I purchased the scentlok pants and the head cover. My first sit with that set up was in the Southern Zone with the bow in early November. A doe comes out at first light downwind of course. She gets directly down wind but does not spook. She senses something but she does not come unglued, she continues on. A half hour later a small buck comes through right on her track. He walks directly down wind of me where the doe was and I kill him.

So that was good, a positive result but it could just be because I am in farmland where the deer litterally seem dumber.

Same year, 1 week later rifle hunting in the northern zone. I am in full scentlok, I have a buck come in downwind at 40 yards and I am on the ground. He can't pinpoint me and I shot him after he walked through my wind.

So more good results but they are dumb bucks in the rut so maybe I got lucky.

Over the next 10 years I had dozens of deer walk through my wind and they never come unglued. At most they sense something but almost always they keep heading forward on their way.

That has worked out several times where a doe or small buck rolled through downwind and did not spook. Later followed by a larger buck that I shot.

In 2013 I started to get winded again. Deer would get very nervous when they hit my scent sometimes blowing and going back from where they came. It was like I was back to square one. I did kill a nice buck that year but the wind was right. Scentlok worn out?

So in 2014 I bought new scentlok pants/jacket/base layers and head gear. From then and through this year I am back to having deer pass through my scent and not blow out.

Do I think scentlok eliminates 100% of scent? Absolutely not, that would be ridiculous and impossible. However, from my experience it gets rid of the majority of my scent and it keeps me from spooking deer. That is all I can ask for.

I do not have a crazy hour long regiment to get ready to hunt. I just put my clothes in the dryer the night before I hunt and keep them in a scentlok bag. When I get to where I
park I get dressed just like I would if I wasn't wearing scentlok.

And I DO care about wind direction but if a deer happens to walk downwind it does not mess up my hunt. I always play the wind PERIOD.

I will say this, if you make claims that scentlok does not work, yet you have never tried it, I don't put much stock in your opinion on it. As my father used to say, it is like a priest being a marriage counselor. :)

Im very open minded about everything... I always consider others experiences, and there thoughts. I can tell you this much, your making an assumtion if your saying those people whom no longer believe scent control can beat a deers nose never tried it. You probably did not read all the post on here from guys who used scent control and scent-loc for years only to see absolutely no difference when they stopped. John claims he has never been winded by a deer in 18 years... If its working that good for him, I would say great, continue using it. For me, watching people I know use the same crazy routines he does get busted more than me, and watching them have the same or better results when they stop using it, has told me it don't work at all. Your comment about guys not hunting with scent loc only making claims based on when they did, would be like me telling you not to comment without quiting useing it for a season and look at the difference... To each there own, But Im personally not interested in using trickery to kill deer, I hunt whitetails cause of the challenge. The challenge is beating there nose. Not finding ways to buy success, at least not for me. I would just go to a game farm or hire a guide on some expensive ranch if that were how I felt. Got nothing against it, just not my cup of tea, or why I hunt.


I actually did read EVERY post before I wrote anything.

I don't get how John is so adamant that he never EVER spooks deer with his scent. It seems impossible to me. You guys are both at the opposite end of the spectrum and I guess I am somewhere in the middle.

The success rate in the part of NY that I live in is one of the lower areas. I use every legal advantage that I can get. 2-3 weeks of bow season depending on the year and a 7 week gun season and no ag land. Not a lot of deer and definitely not a lot of mature bucks here.

We could go way down the rabbit hole if we start talking about "cheating". We use treestands to cheat their nose right? Then there is a whole list of gear that we use to cheat their sight and sound that is just accepted as the norm now.

I just bought a nice set of SL coveralls for $100. But since Scent lok doesn't work then I am not cheating anyway right? :lol:

I read everything I can find and try it, and form my own opinion. I have been reading and listening to a ton of your info on scouting swamps. I have been hitting a local swamp and it was EXACTLY like you describe. I scoured the hard woods and the field edges and found very little sign. I busted into the swamp and found a long finger of land with some oaks. The thing is maybe 10 yards wide. When I get to the tip, which happens to be on the leeward side, that is where all of the buck sign was. Clear trail into the swamp and a buck bed that butts up to a tree root at the end of the tip. I have picked out a few more spots to check out, it is addicting.

It is wicked fun to try something different and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.


You're beating a dead horse around here with the scent control thing....I've already been down that road. I'm convinced it works for me and if you feel the same way just keep doing what you're doing. I can honestly say, I watch Dans youtube videos and the hunting publics videos and it seems they get busted a lot. I can't remember the last time thats happened to me. I guess I'm just very lucky ;)

Would you mind posting some links to all these youtube videos of me getting busted by scent? I don't recall any...

Most my post on this topic always seem to come across a sarcastic, so I’m gonna try my best to keep my emotions out of it and just voice my true feelings. Do I get busted? Yes, to me if your objective is to get close to pressured deer it’s gonna happen a lot of hunters just don’t realize that it is happening cause the deer didn’t blow. I think the hunters most susceptible to the use of gadgetry to remove deers ability to defend itself are the guys just starting out who’s main objective is to get as many horns on the wall as fast as possible. Somewhere along a hunters journey it becomes less about the killing and more about the challenge of the hunt. Sad truth some hunters never reach this stage. My state currently is big on the modern custom sniper rifles. And are setting up 7 to 8 hundred yards away over food and shooting at deer that don’t even know they are being shot at. All this to remove a deers senses, the only skill required is being able to shoot, no hunting involved. Do I believe scent control works? No, but that’s my opinion and not what bothers me. My concerns is the push by people who want this. If one day they manage to come up with something that removes a deers sense of smell or to those who believe they already have. What is next? The satisfaction level increases with the challenge, without the challenge what is the satisfaction.


You certainly have a right to your opinion as does anyone else. I just dont get why people look down on how other people hunt. If its legal, then go for it. If you choose to make it as challenging as possible then you can use a recurve on the ground with no camo's if you want.
I take my Bowhunting seriously
User avatar
Jonny
500 Club
Posts: 5753
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:11 am
Location: In a van down by the river
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Jonny » Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:21 am

Mathewshooter wrote:
Jonny wrote:End of the day, nothing tops the basics. Scouting, observing, and hunting. The more you do and put in, the better your results.

Good scouting means a better understanding of how deer move. Understanding that means you can set up so deer don’t come from downwind, or you have a shot before they do. Can deer still come from any direction? Sure. But sign don’t lie, and I really don’t find new trails that pop up overnight. Deer have patterns. Figure it out so that pattern isn’t where your scent is.

Scent control can work. To me, it’s too much money for something that isn’t a guarantee. Scouting and learning are a heck of a lot cheaper and imo will put more deer in bow range than buying something off the shelf. But to think you can actually eliminate all your scent is foolish. If your body is functioning, there is an odor. I live with that and adapt to it instead of throwing a band aid over it and hoping it works


I just dont understand why its a bad thing to do it all? Scout, observe, hunt the wind, try and reduce odor etc. etc. Its not a band aid...its another tool in the toolbox. If you dont believe in it, thats fine. If you dont want to shower before each hunt, it may not be for you. If you smoke cigarettes maybe its a waste of time. If you wear your camos while pumping gas, maybe you shouldnt try it. To say its foolish and a band aid is a slap in the face to the ton of hunters who have seen success doing it and believe in it. I dont think anyones foolish for going in the woods smelling like balls. Everyone has a right to hunt the way they want to. Like I said before...I cant remember the last time I had a deer bolt for the next county because it scented my. I've had them see me in my ladder stand, but thats nothing to do with scent control. Thats like Dans picking the right tree video. I'm a big guy...I have a hard time blending into a tree :D


Never said it was a bad thing to do it. I said it’s foolish to think you can eliminate all the odor. You can cut it down but if you are alive, there is odor. In my opinion, why would I waste time trying to cut odor when I can’t eliminate it completely.

To me it’s just a gimmick. Same as needing $500 jackets and $1500 bows to hunt deer.

End of the day, the best hunters will shoot deer. No product makes you a better hunter. I don’t care how anybody else hunts. But I do know not spending money on something that isn’t 100% effective, let’s me spend money on stuff that is.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
User avatar
Boogieman1
500 Club
Posts: 6589
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:33 am

Mathewshooter wrote:
Boogieman1 wrote:
dan wrote:
Mathewshooter wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:
dan wrote:
BAS4109 wrote:Sorry I hit submit on accident.

First post here. I am very interested in the "beast" style of hunting.

I have listened to several podcasts with John and Dan besides these but I just finished these 3 and they were very informative on both sides.

I live in upstate NY in the Northern Zone.

I just thought I would explain my experience with scentlok clothing.

I started hunting in 1988 at 12 years old in the big woods of northern NY as well as some farmland in the Southern Zone. I quickly learned that those big woods deer did not put up with scent at all while the farmland deer seemed to tolerate it to a point.

Fast forward to 2002 and I purchaserd my own 140 acres of basically hemlock swamp in Northern Zone. No farms for miles. Because of the hemlock it was mostly ground blind hunting because you can't see far from a tree. The second year I hunted the land it seemed I would get winded more times than not. So I purchased just a scentlok jacket. That seemed to make zero difference. Then in 2004 it was more of the same, getting winded quite a bit. It seems like the wind swirls a lot in this flat swampy land.

So mid season I purchased the scentlok pants and the head cover. My first sit with that set up was in the Southern Zone with the bow in early November. A doe comes out at first light downwind of course. She gets directly down wind but does not spook. She senses something but she does not come unglued, she continues on. A half hour later a small buck comes through right on her track. He walks directly down wind of me where the doe was and I kill him.

So that was good, a positive result but it could just be because I am in farmland where the deer litterally seem dumber.

Same year, 1 week later rifle hunting in the northern zone. I am in full scentlok, I have a buck come in downwind at 40 yards and I am on the ground. He can't pinpoint me and I shot him after he walked through my wind.

So more good results but they are dumb bucks in the rut so maybe I got lucky.

Over the next 10 years I had dozens of deer walk through my wind and they never come unglued. At most they sense something but almost always they keep heading forward on their way.

That has worked out several times where a doe or small buck rolled through downwind and did not spook. Later followed by a larger buck that I shot.

In 2013 I started to get winded again. Deer would get very nervous when they hit my scent sometimes blowing and going back from where they came. It was like I was back to square one. I did kill a nice buck that year but the wind was right. Scentlok worn out?

So in 2014 I bought new scentlok pants/jacket/base layers and head gear. From then and through this year I am back to having deer pass through my scent and not blow out.

Do I think scentlok eliminates 100% of scent? Absolutely not, that would be ridiculous and impossible. However, from my experience it gets rid of the majority of my scent and it keeps me from spooking deer. That is all I can ask for.

I do not have a crazy hour long regiment to get ready to hunt. I just put my clothes in the dryer the night before I hunt and keep them in a scentlok bag. When I get to where I
park I get dressed just like I would if I wasn't wearing scentlok.

And I DO care about wind direction but if a deer happens to walk downwind it does not mess up my hunt. I always play the wind PERIOD.

I will say this, if you make claims that scentlok does not work, yet you have never tried it, I don't put much stock in your opinion on it. As my father used to say, it is like a priest being a marriage counselor. :)

Im very open minded about everything... I always consider others experiences, and there thoughts. I can tell you this much, your making an assumtion if your saying those people whom no longer believe scent control can beat a deers nose never tried it. You probably did not read all the post on here from guys who used scent control and scent-loc for years only to see absolutely no difference when they stopped. John claims he has never been winded by a deer in 18 years... If its working that good for him, I would say great, continue using it. For me, watching people I know use the same crazy routines he does get busted more than me, and watching them have the same or better results when they stop using it, has told me it don't work at all. Your comment about guys not hunting with scent loc only making claims based on when they did, would be like me telling you not to comment without quiting useing it for a season and look at the difference... To each there own, But Im personally not interested in using trickery to kill deer, I hunt whitetails cause of the challenge. The challenge is beating there nose. Not finding ways to buy success, at least not for me. I would just go to a game farm or hire a guide on some expensive ranch if that were how I felt. Got nothing against it, just not my cup of tea, or why I hunt.


I actually did read EVERY post before I wrote anything.

I don't get how John is so adamant that he never EVER spooks deer with his scent. It seems impossible to me. You guys are both at the opposite end of the spectrum and I guess I am somewhere in the middle.

The success rate in the part of NY that I live in is one of the lower areas. I use every legal advantage that I can get. 2-3 weeks of bow season depending on the year and a 7 week gun season and no ag land. Not a lot of deer and definitely not a lot of mature bucks here.

We could go way down the rabbit hole if we start talking about "cheating". We use treestands to cheat their nose right? Then there is a whole list of gear that we use to cheat their sight and sound that is just accepted as the norm now.

I just bought a nice set of SL coveralls for $100. But since Scent lok doesn't work then I am not cheating anyway right? :lol:

I read everything I can find and try it, and form my own opinion. I have been reading and listening to a ton of your info on scouting swamps. I have been hitting a local swamp and it was EXACTLY like you describe. I scoured the hard woods and the field edges and found very little sign. I busted into the swamp and found a long finger of land with some oaks. The thing is maybe 10 yards wide. When I get to the tip, which happens to be on the leeward side, that is where all of the buck sign was. Clear trail into the swamp and a buck bed that butts up to a tree root at the end of the tip. I have picked out a few more spots to check out, it is addicting.

It is wicked fun to try something different and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.


You're beating a dead horse around here with the scent control thing....I've already been down that road. I'm convinced it works for me and if you feel the same way just keep doing what you're doing. I can honestly say, I watch Dans youtube videos and the hunting publics videos and it seems they get busted a lot. I can't remember the last time thats happened to me. I guess I'm just very lucky ;)

Would you mind posting some links to all these youtube videos of me getting busted by scent? I don't recall any...

Most my post on this topic always seem to come across a sarcastic, so I’m gonna try my best to keep my emotions out of it and just voice my true feelings. Do I get busted? Yes, to me if your objective is to get close to pressured deer it’s gonna happen a lot of hunters just don’t realize that it is happening cause the deer didn’t blow. I think the hunters most susceptible to the use of gadgetry to remove deers ability to defend itself are the guys just starting out who’s main objective is to get as many horns on the wall as fast as possible. Somewhere along a hunters journey it becomes less about the killing and more about the challenge of the hunt. Sad truth some hunters never reach this stage. My state currently is big on the modern custom sniper rifles. And are setting up 7 to 8 hundred yards away over food and shooting at deer that don’t even know they are being shot at. All this to remove a deers senses, the only skill required is being able to shoot, no hunting involved. Do I believe scent control works? No, but that’s my opinion and not what bothers me. My concerns is the push by people who want this. If one day they manage to come up with something that removes a deers sense of smell or to those who believe they already have. What is next? The satisfaction level increases with the challenge, without the challenge what is the satisfaction.


You certainly have a right to your opinion as does anyone else. I just dont get why people look down on how other people hunt. If its legal, then go for it. If you choose to make it as challenging as possible then you can use a recurve on the ground with no camo's if you want.

I certainly see your point about who cares if it’s legal, the only reason I do is it seems like what’s legal is determined by what will sell. Bribes and what not is now what governs hunting legislation and what’s considered fair chase and what’s best for the herd is thrown out the window so someone can make a quick buck. Hunters 50 years from now prob won’t be doing any form of hunting at all just plain shooting. I respect your opinion sir, and really have no beef with anyone who uses these products, it’s how they come about and the justification for them that just burns me up.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
Josh_S
500 Club
Posts: 861
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:30 am
Location: western PA
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Josh_S » Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:03 pm

Do scent control products work? They may offer some advantage, but I honestly have no desire to use them. But anybody who is consistently successful using scent control is a fine hunter....but in my opinion the skill set is the reason hunters are consistently successful. Scent control may help a little and also would be a nice confidence booster...like others have said its just another tool in the toolbox. I personally get my confidence in knowing what the prevailing wind and thermals are doing at any given moment, and factoring in how deer may be traveling or bedding in relation to wind and thermals. I think we can all agree that deer bedding location and travel direction is influenced by scent stream, not scent control.

Can anyone on here with consistent success using scent control seriously say that they completely disregard the wind?

I would bet the successful scent control hunters ALSO play the wind to some extent. And I would bet most of us are winded quite often by deer we did not see or hear....let's be honest here...saying you have never been winded in 18 years is like saying you've never farted at work.
User avatar
stash59
Moderator
Posts: 10077
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:22 am
Location: S Central Wi.
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby stash59 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 3:36 pm

It is "hunting". The deer need to win some of the battles too. That's part of the game. Even though the deer winning can be frustrating!!

But when you do win and at the same time allow the deer to use all of their senses available to them. Gives this old dog much more satisfaction.

But to each his own.
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!
User avatar
Mathewshooter
Posts: 372
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:10 am
Location: Central NY
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Mathewshooter » Tue Jan 02, 2018 4:19 pm

To everyone that says its unfair to take advantage of the deers senses, I guess you dont use camo, deer calls or deer scents? I guess all that is OK....just dont you dare wear scentlok.
I take my Bowhunting seriously
User avatar
Boogieman1
500 Club
Posts: 6589
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:07 pm

Personally feel camouflage is a lot like flip flops on a beach vacation. Puts u in the mood more than anything when u r above a deers line of sight. Thousands of deer a year are killed close range by guys decked out it blaze orange. If a company came out with a pattern and advertised disregard moving around this product causes temporary blindness to game I would feel diff. Scents and calls I don’t believe in so won’t speak on there effectiveness. But all these things I feel are compatible to showering b4 hunting not spending thousands to take away a game animals number 1 defense and having spokesman tell hunters just show up and shoot. I put anyone who claims success due to removing a deers nose in the same category as the guy who looks out his bedroom window and sees a buck standing in the back 40 and shoots a pot shot out the window.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
User avatar
Mathewshooter
Posts: 372
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:10 am
Location: Central NY
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Mathewshooter » Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:30 pm

If you know a deer is bedding at point A and you sit in point B knowing theres no way the deer can get downwind of you, isn't that removing the deers nose from the equation? Nobody should get all holier than thou saying its not right to remove the deers senses from the equation. Thats the whole point to hunting....dont let them see, smell or hear you. Besides,as I've already stated, I dont believe you can be totally scent free but I believe it does help you get away with more than you would without it. Between me, my son and brother we've just had too many encounters to believe otherwise. Encounters that we shoulda been busted on. Nobody gets lucky that many times.
I take my Bowhunting seriously
User avatar
Boogieman1
500 Club
Posts: 6589
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Scent Control Podcast with Dan Infalt & John Eberhart

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:01 pm

Mathewshooter wrote:If you know a deer is bedding at point A and you sit in point B knowing theres no way the deer can get downwind of you, isn't that removing the deers nose from the equation? Nobody should get all holier than thou saying its not right to remove the deers senses from the equation. Thats the whole point to hunting....dont let them see, smell or hear you. Besides,as I've already stated, I dont believe you can be totally scent free but I believe it does help you get away with more than you would without it. Between me, my son and brother we've just had too many encounters to believe otherwise. Encounters that we shoulda been busted on. Nobody gets lucky that many times.

I see we are at opposite ends of the spectrum on this lol. Again what u choose to do doesn’t effect me and I could careless. I just am not a fan of using technology to remove a deers senses. Your point on the hunter getting downwind of the deer would take the average new guy afew years of learning b4 he got to that point, not buying his way out of any type of apprenticeship years.Hunting is so much more than horns on the wall, but my feelings are a lot of guys never get to experience the full thrill cause they get fed a load of BS and end up quitting when things don’t work out. Best of luck rest of the season
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: TrendictionBot and 88 guests