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I have to say at 54 years of age I was very hesitant at trying gimmick hunting items. My wife was at fleet and the had some of that scent killer 99 on display and she bout some for me. Sunday I was headed out the door and she said aren't you going to use the spray? So I stood there while she sprayed me down and headed out back to my stand. I had 3 doe within 10 - 25 yards two of which walked down wind. I thought here we go busted and the blowing will start any second. But nothing. They just continued browsing and milling about till out of sight. While this one hunt hasn't sold me on it but it has raised an eye brow and further encounters like this might have me change my way if thinking. But will always play the wind. Anyone else use this stuff or others like it?
I am a believer in scent control products to a certain degree. Clean clothes and scent free shower helps.
As for the deer being downwind, that might be the direction when it started from your stand but the wind often swirls and eddies. Not to mention updraft/downdraft and thermals that change directions.
Take a milkweed pod or powder (corn starch) and watch it float around. You might see that what you thought was downwind was not exactly that.
I eat acorns before going into the woods and don't have much hair. I have a short crew cut for a hair style. :)
I'm guilty. I've used Scent Killer for years and always spray down before heading out. All washed clothes get sprayed and hung outside and then boxed up.
The better solution to me is to get those little portable ozone units and shove them under your clothes, hats, and in your boots. Eventually, it will remove all your human scent and you should be scent free for life :).
Everything helps, but scent killer alone does little. I know a few guys that wear their hunting clothes everywhere even at the gas station. But think it's no big deal because they "spray down" before they hunt. They also think they don't have to hunt the wind, because they spray down. Funny thing is, these guys are the first to bitch about not seeing deer.
IT WORKS!!!!!! My son had a pair of soccer goalie gloves that stunk to high heaven i squirted the heck out of those suckers with my hunting spray and presto no more stink.
I will not buy any of the scent products . But this really works , with 10 years of proof on how to get to your stand and not get bagged .
Take a clean spray bottle , fill with 3/4 water . Ad a tablespoon of extract [corn , apple , alfalfa , acorn ] whatever is proper for your spot . Shake it and spray it on your boots and pants up to your knes . Be very liberal .
In 10 years I have seen 100's of Deer cut my path or walk down it and never bag me . One night 5 mature deer walked my same path for 80 yards and never got nervous . A Canadian guide showed me that trick in 2003 .
if your sitting in the pines with on a sunny day, often airflow is upward. So your scent was going up before being distributed. I see snow on the ground. Check your breath. Does it go up or down. A really good way to check is with a bottle of soap bubbles. You may want to bring a bottle out with you some morning and try it at the end of your sit. It really shows you a lot about air flow. If you try it this time of year, you will have to make sure it doesn't freeze. You can also use feathers from a pillow or milkweed.
Rutnut@work X2..
Being clean and "as scent free as possible" allows you to "get closer!" IMO that is a big ole.....period!
Try not showering for a week and wearing your hunting cloths around the house during that week and then see if those thermals help or not! Better yet before you go out after not showering for a week throw on some cologne and scented deodorant and play the wind. lol.... If you stink bad enough thermals aint gonna keep you safe from that deer's nose. If the wind is blowing 20 MPH away from it then you might stand a chance. lol
I have hunted deer so long that I am sold on the fact that you can mask and or greatly reduce your scent enough that it can help you to get much closer than if you don't and when using a bow 99% of the time that can be the difference maker between getting a reasonable shot or any shot. When you don't do the "extra" things it is so much harder to get right on top of a deer.
Fleet Farm has their stock of Wildlife Research (Scent Killer) products on sale for 50% off. I hit this sale every year to load up for next season.
I believe in one product,,,, Carbon Synergy..... Carbon and Silver powder..... Cheap..... mix with water and spray one......
Also all my other lures come from trapping houses in the UP and New York not from Fleet Farm
Sorry razorhead. I mentioned it for the people who use Scent Killer or other Wildlife Research products. It is a chance for them to save some money. It sounds like you are covered.
Thanks Happy for the tip. My wife picked me up a couple bottles.
I remember when Robinson Laboratories was first coming out with their scent killer product. I went to a 3D shoot at Bowhunters Discount Warehouse in Wellsville, PA. He had a little booth there selling his product.
For a demo he had you take off one of your shoes, have you smell the inside of it (nasty smell), then he de-scented it, spraying the inside with his product and had you take another whiff. There was no odor. I always remembered that day because I was impressed.
