Question for you deer hunters out there

[henchmen77]

Hey all,

Well its almost that time again!!! I hunted last year shotgun only. What I wanted to know is what do you wash your hunting clothing?? Some have told me just baking soda and water, others have said baking soda is some scent free soap.

Also do you air dry or use the dryer? Deer have a great noise but other then that I don't think there to smart. So I wanted to see how you guys handle the scent side of the hunt, also do you use cover scents before going into your spot and if she what brand and were do you buy?

Also there is shower time what do you use to wash yourself done with the morning of the hunt?

Thanks Mike

 

[Admin]

I dont use any soap or cleaning product, just run the washing machine and air dry. Shower the night before with nonscented soap.

I use fox urine on my boots, and doe spray around my stand. I am usually 10'-20' up in a stand.

 

[Adam_MA]

I only wash my hunting clothes after the season is over, and I put them into a closet, and let them sit there until next season starts. I wash them like any other clothes, and dry them as such, but the time left in the closet removes the harsh detergent smell.

Regardless of what you have been told, if you are up wind from a deer, no matter what you have on for clothes, they will smell you. Also deer are an incredibly smart animal and and can and will follow you to see where you are going, and you will never even know they are there. If they weren't very smart, everyone would bag one. During the rutt however, their hormones, and their instinct to reproduce is so strong, they will become careless. That's when you have the best chances of getting a deer.

I don't know really anyone who will bother to shower in the morning before they go out to hunt. I just use some unscented deodorant, and look forward to a nice hot shower when I return. After walking the woods for 8-10 hours I am ready for a shower anyway.

You will get as many answers to these questions as people who answer. Everyone has their own way, and no way is particularly wrong. I grew up hunting with my grandfather, and I asked him what he thought about the scent lock clothing and all the new scent baiting, and gadgets, that were in the Cabelas catalog. He smacked me on the back of the head and said "Son, people who NEED to use all those gadgets just haven't the skill to do it otherwise"

 

[Twigg]

I'm just mindfull of wind direction and how terrain and time will change wind direction.

I usually have several ambush locations scouted out with an option to run up a climbing stand or set up on the ground.

 

[sig shooter]

i wash every piece of clothing i will wear in scent-away cothing detergint. i keep my boots in a box with pine needles and branches in the bottom. i also take a shower before heading out with scent away soap and use scent free deodorant. i just put them in the dryer with nothing else.

i use a apple scent for cover scent, i put a few drops on my hat and around my ground blind. then i use tinks 69 doe in rut for my attractant. #1 one thing you have to remember is place your stand acording to wind direction, if you are up wind from a buck he will smell you and spilt.

 

[henchmen77]

I only wash my hunting clothes after the season is over, and I put them into a closet, and let them sit there until next season starts. I wash them like any other clothes, and dry them as such, but the time left in the closet removes the harsh detergent smell.

Regardless of what you have been told, if you are up wind from a deer, no matter what you have on for clothes, they will smell you. Also deer are an incredibly smart animal and and can and will follow you to see where you are going, and you will never even know they are there. If they weren't very smart, everyone would bag one. During the rutt however, their hormones, and their instinct to reproduce is so strong, they will become careless. That's when you have the best chances of getting a deer.

I don't know really anyone who will bother to shower in the morning before they go out to hunt. I just use some unscented deodorant, and look forward to a nice hot shower when I return. After walking the woods for 8-10 hours I am ready for a shower anyway.

You will get as many answers to these questions as people who answer. Everyone has their own way, and no way is particularly wrong. I grew up hunting with my grandfather, and I asked him what he thought about the scent lock clothing and all the new scent baiting, and gadgets, that were in the Cabelas catalog. He smacked me on the back of the head and said "Son, people who NEED to use all those gadgets just haven't the skill to do it otherwise"

Thanks for that! and your grandfather hitting you gave me a laugh could almost see it lol thanks again.

 

[Tweed]

I wash my hunting gear in a scent free soap, dry them out side and then store them in a large Rubbermaid container with some of the pin on scent disks from the season before. I keep the clothes in the container so that they will not pickup other perfume, food or animal oder when not in use. I also spray with a cover before entering the woods and after I have got into the tree stand. I do not use the carbon based cover sprays since I have seen guys get real dirty from them.

I have 2 or 3 different sets for clothes depending on the temperature. I try not to wash them during the season, but sometimes the weather has gotten warmer than predicted and I have perspired to much into the clothing so that it needs a cleaning.

Adam is right that the deer will smell you. When they hear an antler rattle the bucks will go down wind of the sound to try to get a read on the other 'buck' that is out there. I have lost a couple that way even when I have done everything. I have fooled some black labs out in the field that were walking ahead of their owners. Their noses must have been full of house dirt and oders that they could not find me.

I take all of these precautions, but know some guys who smoke like chimneys that bag 2 or 3 during archery season each year.

 

[Deer_KiLLer]

Wash them?

What if it removes all the blood stains?

 

[Admin]

Wash them?

What if it removes all the blood stains?

You just have to go get more....

 

[Coyote33]

... but know some guys who smoke like chimneys that bag 2 or 3 during archery season each year.

Don't forget the early morning coffee, the butts, the sweaty lodge, etc., but that never stopped many a hunting camp from filling the freezers.

Then I look at the neighborhood. The deer have to creep around the freshly mowed grass and tractor smells or behind the garage and still manage to come around. I think this anti-smell technology is a bunch of marketing hype for the most part. I figure if you avoid the smelly stuff (deodorant, Irish Spring, after shave, tobacco products (at least immediately before hunting), etc.) then you should probably do OK for chances.

 

[Ham Slam]

Also make sure you fill up on gas the day before you hunt with diffrent shoes then the ones you intend on hunting in. Gas or petroleum on the bottom of your boots will ruin any chance of not being scented. Best to bring boots. Sweating in the woods can be a problem so wear light layers and then add if necessary.

 

[Patriot]

Sarcasm deleted...

 

[CapeGuy]

I wash them in water and scent-free washing detergent. I air dry them outside. I usually pack them in a suitcase for storage and pull them out about 1-2 weeks before hunting. I hang them outside again (weather pemitting). I will spray them prior to going on the hunt. I think alot is blown out of proportion regarding buying scent free clothing and being too critical of what you eat or drink that morning.

 

[N.E. CHARTERS]

Harmon Scents

I have tried a lot of different deer scents and Im sure a lot of them work OK

The most Amazing Scent I have ever used is HARMONS Scents. They make a varity of different scents and the Doe in heat has actually had Bucks running up to me in plain sight. They tend not to run up a second time if I have the Rifle with me. Buy a few bottles of Interdigital Scent and hang it out in the area your going to hunt. I like to Still hunt or Stalk the deer as I think its more fun to sneak up on them for a 10 yard shot than it is to wait around for them to come to me. I use a boot drag as I walk around and always double back on my own trail as the deer will back track and follow the scent.


I will say that the Harmon Moose scent is wicked stinky! I only used it twice and it brought in a cow moose the first time.. The second time I put it on and my hunting buddies would not go near me. The waitress in the breakfast dinner turned her nose up at me. but at least a bunch of people left so we could get a table.


WARNING: Do Not put it on your cloths. Use a drag Rag and tie it with a slip knot so you can drop it quick when a Moose sees you. Im orderiing a couple of bottles of
Dominant Bull Moose scent for this years Moose hunt. The plan is to tie it on cotton balls in the area I want to shoot the moose. Maybe in the trailer would be a good spot!

I also have rubbed dirt and trees of the local varity on my hunting cloths for years. Recently I have tried cover scents like Earth and Apple and it smells much nice than Cow Pasture dung.

Give Harmon a call and order some. Tell him Capt Walt scent Ya. (Its a Pun,Get it? Scent YA?)

http://www.harmondeerscents.com/

PS: Dont let the kids play with the Hog Urine around the house. Make them bring it to school befor they open it.


Wash your cloths in Simple Green. Works great. Spray down your Overalls, Boots Jacket and hunting hat with Lanolin from Sheeps wool. Its waterproof and smells natural

 

[henchmen77]

I used baking soda and scent free soap to wash my clothing, seemed to work great after putting it in the dryer you couldn't smell a thing. Then I sprayed it really light with scent spray and put it all in a never heavy trash bag and a plastic tub making sure to spray the trash bag and tub as well.

A week or so before I go to the field I'll make sure to air try the stuff I am going to wear, still need to wash my boots down and let them sit in the sun and dry good.

Going to look at code blue for scents in the field anyone use them? I hear they work really good and I hope so for the money.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[tuna]

I've tried everything, and had ZERO luck. Waste of money IMO.
What I do now, is tie a small thread to the muzzle of my firearm, to tell which way the wind is going. Still no luck, but it doesn't cost anything.

Last deer I saw was during pheasant season, got to within 25 feet of her, while smoking upwind, before she ran.

I think it has to be me, how can I enjoy something that I'm so completely terrible at?

 

[sksguns]

be careful what you eat for a couple of days before. You don't want to be out there up wind "breaking wind".....