Is scent control while camping possible?
Elk
Been asking for experienced based input and thoughts on weather or not scent control is possible if camping and you don't have access to a shower or a daily shower is simply not possible. I am considering buying a portable propane heated shower as one possible solution for non backpack hunts.
I figured the elk section would likely be my best bet on getting the largest amount of experienced based input, as most elk hunting is done from camps with not much chance for a shower, at least not a shower like one will find in a motel or modern camp ground.
I have posted more than a few "do they actually work" threads concerning scent eliminating sprays and the responses I have received have been overwhelmingly negative.
That said does anyone reading this have any experiences that have lead them to believe commercial or home made scent elimination/reducing sprays actually work?
Right now I am relying on daily clothes changes and unscented wipes to help keep my stink factor as low as I can.
All thoughts and inputs appreciated.
Arthur.
Fact#1. Shower in the morning, put on scent lock, and spray down with any spray you want. If you get upwind of elk they will still smell you.
Fact#2. Don't shower for a month and don't even use deodorant and if you get up wind the elk will smell you.
IMO. Do your best to keep clean but it won't be a deal breaker if you can't do the best job given the circumstances.
Do your own test.
Go through a normal 5 day work week and maintain your elk inspired workout schedule. Don't shower or bathe in any way for those 5 days. Spray yourself liberally with the best scent eliminator spray as endorsed by the heroes of the Outdoor Channel.
then...
Ask your wife to smell you and all your nitty gritties.
Let us know how it goes........
Arthur, I usually back pack in a couple of mile and set up a small bivy camp a week at a time. I also use the wipes and the take a pan shower with some no-scent soap every two days. At the same time try to wash my socks, under shirts, just to refresh them every two-three days..
And then with AZ stated.
Hunting down wind is your very best scent control.
Now if you have a fancy camp with showers, able to wash cloths, and then do not have to hike far and use a no scent spray, well, again, what AZ stated.
Paul
Jeez it's only after a week without a shower that I FINALLY start smelling like an elk! Why ruin it???
you must chew the chlorophyl gum, our group has killed a pile of elk since we started this gum regiment. Not so successful prior though...
Thanks for the replies so far. I guess it's just now that I can't elk hunt anywhere near as I would like, suffering failure at a chance at a bull because of swirling winds, I guess i was beginning to fool myself or was trying to talk myself into believing there was some way to fool a elks nose, when in the cold hard light of reality you just can't and must have the wind in your favor or its game over.
I find it funny to watch the TV bow hunters spray down prior to hunting, with a no-scent spray and they always get busted by a down- wind deer. Go-figure!
Now, I use a no scent spray on my deer decoy and it does work very well to eliminate any human/synthetic, odor I may have placed on it but again the decoy is not generating any scent of its own.
Controlling bacteria that thrive on your body when you cannot bathe is a big problem. I use rubbing alcohol primarily for underarms...and it works great as it kills odor-causing bacteria. Using scent-free wipes in place of bathing is a must, but the wind is paramount.
I try and wipe down or wash up and clean socks and clothes every couple of days. I do it so I feel a little cleaner. The elk will bust you anyway.
Boil some water with your ISO putane stove.
Pour into a gallon jug of cold water.
Poke a few holes in the lid of the jug.
You'll be surprised how well this works as a shower.
You can also use your water bladder like done in the link.....
Scent lock suits and spray are a huge marketing tool that many hunters fall prey to every year. I laugh when I see hunters pulling out their scent lock stuff from specialized bags or containers, put it on with their bare hands, then hike miles looking for elk or deer and sweating up a storm. When they kill an animal they say "if it weren't for my scent lock I would have never gotten close enough for the shot" More than likely the wind was right when they shot that animal, it had nothing to do with their scent lock or scent sprays. I've watched rifle hunters spray themselves down like crazy with that stuff! LOL
I take showers just because it makes me feel better, especially when hunting from a camp trailer. Hunting from a tent I will construct some sort of portable shower. Backpack hunting I use baby wipes and have even been known to jump in a creek and take a bath. Just feels good to get some of the grime off. Most important thing is to be mindful of the wind. Sometimes it's impossible when the wind swirls so just hunt and enjoy the close encounters.
"by the heroes of the Outdoor Channel".....LMAO......You can get better hunting advice from reruns of the andy Griffith show than you can from those morons......
Very educational video there Thunderflight
Baby wipes and hand sanitizer helps you bearable to yourself if that's important. Any game will still smell a human no matter what. I'd think though if you laid in a wallow and flop around in it for a few minutes that would give you a whole new favor the elk might not mind.
Having grown up a whitetail hunter I had the toughest time giving up my scent elimination rituals in the elk woods. Now I just where the same thing until it gets covered in blood. I try to stay clean with wipes or stream jumps but that is mostly cuz its nice to clean up after a few days. The easiest way to conquer your scent problem is to forget about it. Good luck
We have the opposite problem at our camps in Alaska. We land right on the gravel bars of the rivers we're hunting and set up our camps right there. We don't make any effort to hide our presents because as long as the grizzlies know you're there, they usually won't tear up your camp. But the first night your tent is left unattended, they'll take it down for you. Wind control is your only sure way to avoid an issue. There's more odor coming out of your mouth then anywhere else and that is rarely ever addressed. This grizzly was in camp at night, walked within 5 feet of us while we were getting ready in the morning. Just borrowed our tree to scratch his back. But didn't touch our tent.
All of these pictures were taken right from camp.
Just watched the Hecks suit on the persuit channel.
The elk will never see you. LOL
Is this guy for real??
It's not possible if you're not camping. If conditions are right deer and elk will smell you no matter how much you spend or how many precautions you take. All that stuff MAY help a little. Using the wind to your advantage is the only way to beat their nose. Sometimes in the mountains even that seems impossible.
As others have have said, scent control is a myth, no matter the facilities. However, I still like to stay as clean as possible. Even on bivy hunts for 4 or 5 days, I carry a Hunter towel wipe and 1 clean under short and long sleeve T shirt per day. I sleep in what I wore during the day. That cold, wet towel wipe sure wakes you up fast as you sit there in the dark, working your way out of the sleeping bag as you wash and dress.
Agreed. Scent "control" is only for you and your hunting partner's benefits. I can't imagine being worried about odor on a backcountry hunt. Most of the days are hot and sweaty and the nights are a race to quickly eat and pass out in the tent.
I tried all the gimmicks years ago while whitetail hunting. Then I learned to hunt the wind. I started shooting a lot more deer then. Now I just go hunt with the wind in my favor and not worry about scent control products for all animals I hunt.
I've assigned my wife to build an Ozonics hat, which should take care of the problem. ??
"Scent control"
Anyone that has spent 5 minutes on a mountain trail knows the answer to that question......
Is scent control while camping possible?
Hahahahahahahahah! Kneeslap. That would be something wouldn't it.
I use baby wipes before turning in each night. It is to keep me from stinking to myself and for others in camp.
Thanks guys for all the great responses and those are awesome pics from AK. by any chance were you moose hunting cus that one bull looked like a like a fine shooter.
I guess I knew the answer to my question even before I finished typing it. Bottom line scent control means keeping the wind in your favor at all times when ever possible.
Again thanks for confirming what I suspected as true.
every time I read on of these threads I think of the trip I had to west Texas turkey/pig hunt. the ranch owner and his wife was taking me out to the blind for an evening hunt. I climbed into the Gator and the Miss's said 'You're Hunter's Specialties Fall Blend smells nice tonight'. I looked at her and he laughed and said ' all those 'no-scent' sprays have a plastic smell to them. the pigs will not come in to that smell. go change your shirt.' on the way out he stopped at the corral and had me to step in the horse turds then crushed some leaves from a certain tree and had me to rub the oil on my arms. that night the deer came in but no pigs.
My Grandpa told me build a wood camp fire if permitted stand in the smoke.
X2 bighorn, smoke is a great cover scent. Read an article from a fellow bowsiter and it makes sense deer/elk not spooked by smoke ,downside, bears are attracted to it.
"That said does anyone reading this have any experiences that have lead them to believe commercial or home made scent elimination/reducing sprays actually work?"
I think they work somewhat for half day hunts in the deer woods. But that means, fresh clothes, fresh shower, and a liberal dousing. Also, a short walk to the stand.
In the elk mountains, I don't bother. I do like to stay as clean as possible just for my own comfort. But I am an ultralight backpacker and just use dried, no scent baby wipes for a daily spritzing in the creek. Anything else is just too heavy for me.
I use scent spray for WT woods, but don't do anything while elk hunting.
On my first elk hunt in 1998, I showered right before I hiked in. I packed in my Scent Lok suit 7.5 miles. Liberally applied scent control "stuff" before my first trip out. Within 2 hours, I was busted by an errant wind swirl.
My point whether the stuff works or not, it won't help you against an elks nose.
I use unscented baby wipes in camp, but it is more so I can stand myself. I put them in the foot of my sleeping bag to warm them somewhat before I wipe down. But believe me, the towels cool down pretty fast!
Haven't worn my Scent Lok suit in almost 10 years and critters have still died.
'My Grandpa told me build a wood camp fire if permitted stand in the smoke.'
Just the smoke, as opposed to the hot, fiery flaming part of the fire? LOL
I xant do much good at sent control even whin I can shower every day
That's an issue with backpack hunting for sure, especially with a lot of synthetic undergarments (polystinkalene, for example). If you hike with a pack (and even without one a lot of times) you are going to sweat bigtime, and it will smell. Hunt upwind or sidewind, or bustaroonie.
Scent free sprays are a joke and a marketing scam. Play the wind. Period.
I take a solar shower to spike camp. Weighs little, and gets hot on a clear day. See link.
Hang the socks/underwear/T-shirts you are not wearing in the sun during the day. UV rays will kill the scent-causing bacteria; the higher your altitude, the better this works. Hang out of reach of chipmunks or they will eat the salty fabric.
I shower w/ one of those cheap black coleman solar showers, it gets surprisingly hot.
Coming from a WT background, I'm very scent conscience its a hard habit to break. Its not fool proof at all, but it helps. The less molecules of your scent you can put in the air the better off you are.
I've been busted, but I've also been in situations where I should've been busted.
I use a method similar to Thunderflight. Although I was heating water with a Jetboil and adding to cold water in a platypus 6L bag, mixing and then using that to rinse off. THink I will try the method shown in Thunderflight's link using the hydration bladder. Looks like it might be a bit easier hanging it and using the hose.
Scent control in elk camp is for your partners... I wish they had more of it.... and likewise i'm sure...
Unscented wipes. Base camp (pretty spartan, we have to fly with camp) we usually have a sea to summit solar shower,only weighs a couple ounces. But rarely take a shower with it. Makes a great kitchen "sink" though, so handy to have a "faucet" with running water and both hands free. We use it all the time.
We hunt mid to late sept, mountains are getting pretty cold, weather kinda squirrely. Rarely have had the "solar shower" get warm enough to really use. Actually had it freeze one night when we forgot about it. Usually too cold, hungry and too tired.
If we have some time we might try and rinse out some things, don't pack much soap. Most of it just gets aired out though, socks and stuff mostly just trying to dry them out. If it takes time from hunting... no, we hunt. Mostly if we're changing areas and plans and not much chance to hunt.
Usually near the end of it all I can whistle and my pants jump up and come running over to me. Mud and blood are just good camo. My backpack alone is still soaking wet and telling me stories as I put it on....
Scent control? Not like you could back home for whitetail. I go as scentless as I can get for deer, shower before hunting, rubber boots, spray, scent lock clothing from head to foot, rubber bags, getting changed from street clothes to hunting clothes in the woods with a short walk on level ground with a brush trimmed trail to my tree stands. In a populous area you can drop your scent level to the point where your scent will not alarm deer or the deer notice. On an early backpack wilderness trip into mountainous elk country you might be able to reduce your scent level so that a stray breeze does not blow the elk out of the drainage depending on the ambient human stink level which is related to human activity in the area. In the first weeks of the season you can try to keep your scent to a minimum with an extra set of outer clothing and bacteria inhibiting under clothing and socks, which you wash and air dry daily up wind from your camp, wipe down with a wash cloth, use scentless baby wipes, scentless deodorant, buzz cut the hair from your head and brush teeth with baking soda. If there are a lot of hunters pushing elk all over the place you just might be able to keep your human stink to below the ambient human stink. However elk generally do not stay in areas with any human stink at least not during Archery season. Like TD says, by the last couple of weeks in September you are going to be more concerned about staying warm, dry and fed than staying scent free.
I usually roll around in every pile of ekl droppings and bull urine I come across. I don't know about helping with the elk but seems help keep other hunters away from me.
All of the scent control products on the market are for one purpose and that is to fill up the salesman pocket with money. Same thing with all the camo on the market today. No matter what you are wearing, elk or any animal will see you. Have you ever been on a horse looking at where they are looking and you don't see anything. Yet the horse does and will be ready to jump at the slightest danger. Elk and deer will either hear you, smell you, or see you moving. Have you ever been on a high point watching a deer or elk walk around hunters that never knew the animal was near. I have killed elk in three states and all of them have unaware of my presence mainly because of being downwind from them, and not moving.
TD, my pants usually run away from me in those situations! Now I sneak up on em and jump in before they know what happened.
Let the nay-sayers be. When I use to rifle hunt I kept a separate tent for my clean gear. and showered every afternoon except in single digits Im a firm believe in staying as clean as possible. Yes elk will bust me, but Ive had too many times when the elk were down wind, Ive had numerous big bulls from inches away on out. Most times they did smell something but didnt bust out September is much easier. No camp fires, I have rubber floor mats that I stand on and depending how cold it is decides how I stay clean. clean underwear and and socks each day. I like the silver socks. My boots are only used to hunt in All my gear starts as clean as possible. I go to bed clean, and spray down in the morning For me the best time to shower is late afternoon. I have used hauled in containers of water and take a real shower. Ive found pressurized well water for cattle I do use deodorant, and soaps. I prefer Primos Silver After a good shower I often use hydrogen peroxide. I will also used them when ever I get back to camp. I do spray down before a stalk
I wonder if elk smell farts? Do human farts smell different than animal farts? Hmmm? I'm sure some of the elk experts will "chime" in...lol. Mike
Keeping my a$$ clean is about as far as I get on a back country hunt. Can barely stand the smell of myself. Also had elk bust 300 yds from truck when I'm clean. Keep the wind in your favor. I think elk bust over a clean sprayed down whatever hunter as much as the hunter who hasn't showered in a week
All animals fart, so I Don't think farting will alarm them. Human farts may smell different, but different doesn't necessarily mean danger. My bet is if the fart is silent it won't spook em. If it's a noisy fart it probably will at least put them on alert.
Hey Art338...as to your original question, the propane type showers are great if you are going in and setting up a truck camp. That hot Zodi shower always goes with me if I can bring the extra weight. I got the double model but only use one because it really gets hot! Creature comforts are nice. HOWEVER, that is not always possible. If you are going in on foot or even on horses, the excess weight is not an option. Always stay as clean as you can for your own good as well as your buddies. Being clean just makes you feel better. Leave that scent lock stuff on the rack at the store and the sprays on the rack. You can kill an elk with your clothes soaked in gasoline if you are downwind from him.
"There's more odor coming out of your mouth then anywhere else and that is rarely ever addressed."
That's why I gargle with cow elk urine every morning before heading out in the elk woods. I add in a few burps with my glunks and chuckles and it brings them in everytime.
