Critical Steps

Small subtle odors are often all it takes to alert a deer.  The first way to remedy such odors is to shower before hitting the woods.  Using a scent free soap is important, because the almost all commercial soaps and shampoos have chemicals and fragrances added to them, which will just introduce a non-organic odor to your body.  Showering will eliminate most of the current odors, but your body will start producing new odors almost immediately.  So, what do you do about this?  Most scent control experts suggest the importance of wearing a facemask.  In my opinion, this is one of the most overlooked aspects of a hunter's setup.  Simply put, a facemask will prevent the newly generated odors from escaping into the air around you.  Even if you must pull it down at the time of the shot, wearing one up until then can make a huge difference. As for the rest of the body, the same principle applies. 

Begin by removing as much natural odor as possible with scent free soaps. Then, prevent any new odors from escaping by wearing scent-elimination clothing.  Several different methods exist, with the most common and popular being activated carbon. Basically the carbon molecules are activated by your clothes dryer.  Then, when you wear the garment, the carbon molecules attach to scent molecules and contain them. 

Personally I feel carbon clothing is much more important for controlling non-organic odors than organic ones.  Many hunting garments will do a decent job of containing human scent inside it if you shower before heading afield. But, it’s when other odors are introduced to the outside of your clothes that carbon shines.  These odors can be things like a drop of coffee, an odor from the seat of your truck, odors from your dog that you said good bye to as you left home, exhaust from your truck as you walked around to open the tailgate. Many different things can contribute odors, and deer will pick up on all of them.  Washing your hunting clothes periodically in scent free detergent will keep odors at a minimum. When in the field, scent elimination sprays help by targeting and destroying the bacteria and chemicals that cause odor.  I keep a bottle in my stand to “freshen up” with every so often.  I also use it to spray down all of my hunting gear. 

Bottom Line

Remember, scent elimination does not eliminate all human odors. However, in my opinion, it definitely helps my chances of success by masking and containing a great deal of my scent.  The fewer scent molecules that are floating around in the air, the less chance a deer has of picking up on them.  This year I am using a new line of products from Tink’s called B-tech.  They have a complete line of scent control products including detergent, hair and body wash, and field spray. They use a substance called Byotrol that attacks bacterial odors and then leaves a polymer film to combat future odors.  I also like that it does not leave a white residue like some other products.  So far I have been impressed with how it has performed on my early season hunts in Kentucky. 

 
Scent elimination products are an important part of a bowhunters arsenal...choose wisely.

Number One

A deer has many senses that he relies on to stay alive. Acute vision designed to pick up the slightest movement, and precise hearing that will notice the slightest little squeak or pop.  But neither compares to a whitetail's nose.  Their ability to detect odors is unmatched.  A deer's nose is his number one defense.  However, by hunting smart and using the right tactics a bowhunter can overcome theses obstacles and be successful time and time again.  Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy though.  It takes patience and discipline to only hunt the right conditions, and to be consistent in our scent control.  Sometimes this means forfeiting a hunt rather than educating the deer.  But the hunter who does so can expect to reap rich rewards year after year.