Scent Lok (Again)

[BigWoods Bob]

After reading the current thread on Scent Lok, (and especially Trophy Specialist's reply) this has gotten me to thinking.... I have used scent lok since it orignially came out. I have indeed been a "Scent control fanatic" I do it all (shower before every hunt, store everything in scent tight containers, spray down, rub down with gel, triple layers of Scent lok, silver thread long underwear, only wear undergarments for one hunt, 2 paris of rubber boots that I rotate so they can "air out", etc), however I still have deer consistently wind me. Not every time mind you, but they still do so very commonly. I only hunt in the big woods, not in the SLP. So this leaves me with some questions:

1. Those of you that hunt in areas that are not near heavy human population centers (ie SLP).... do you still experience good success with scent lok?

2. Has anyone tried the Scent Smoker? I tried it this year, and had even less success than I do with my Scent Lok. Has anyone here tried it (again in the less populated areas with success?)

3. Is it possible that I just "stink" more than the average guy? :bloos: I mean seriously, do some people have a more offensive odor to the deer?

4. What can I do to reduce the number of deer winding me-- and don't say hunt the wind... in the areas that I hunt, the wind almost always blows towards the way the deer are coming from or it swirls like crazy. Either way, if I waited to hunt "the wind" I would'nt get to hunt very much. Again, I am VERY scent control consious.

Thanks!

Bob

[Lugian]

I sweat terribly on my way to my stand. I promise I smell worse than you do. I never did it until I read John Eberhardts books and got the DVD's but now I change my shirt(and wipe my body down with body wipes) and get re-dressed once I'm up the tree. That has helped me out alot(along with some of his other tips).

[MHedke]

There are many hunters out there that will tell you it doesn't work or it is a waste of money etc. I can only speak from experience. I practice the same scent control measures you referenced and have all the scent lok clothes like you do. There is not a product out there that will "eliminate" your scent. I have noticed an increase in the number of deer I see and the number of deer I get close. I have several family members that do the same things I do and will tell you the same thing. I shot a nice 8 point this year at 10 yards and he came from the downwind side of the tree after I rattled. Would I still have shot him if I had not practiced scent control like I do? :confused:I don't know but it had to have helped. Scent control is a big piece of the puzzle that is overlooked often. I leave off as much clothing as possible until I get to my stand and dress there. I hope this helps. Good luck out there!

[Fyshslayer]

I love Scent Lok. It obviously doesnt eliminate scent but I am a believer. The buck I shot this year got a whiff of me earlier in the season before I bought Scent Lok and took off running not offering a shot. A couple days later with my scent lok on and near identical conditions he did get just the slightest whiff of me but not enough to spook him. He just turned and slowly walked away. I drilled him. I will always wear scent lok from now on. Did I mention this buck was 8 yards away with the wind directly in his face...

[scottywolverine]

How high are you hunting?...I notice that I get winded far less when I am above 18ft. JMO. I don't use scent lok but I use spray and gel and all and shower b4 every hunt. I very seldom get winded, maybe only couple times a year. You said you can't hunt the wind?..If you know where the deer are coming from why not relocate your stand down wind?...

[Uncle Boopoo]

1.) How much do you sweat on the walk to your stand or while climbing into it?

2.) Do you keep your breath under wraps the entire time your are on stand? Keep your mouth closed when deer are near.

[Michigander1]

Dont waist your time with it.We have friends that are cops and tested it with there drug dogs.It dont work,Mich

[Lugian]

There are many hunters out there that will tell you it doesn't work or it is a waste of money etc. I can only speak from experience. I practice the same scent control measures you referenced and have all the scent lok clothes like you do. There is not a product out there that will "eliminate" your scent. I have noticed an increase in the number of deer I see and the number of deer I get close. I have several family members that do the same things I do and will tell you the same thing. I shot a nice 8 point this year at 10 yards and he came from the downwind side of the tree after I rattled. Would I still have shot him if I had not practiced scent control like I do? :confused:I don't know but it had to have helped. Scent control is a big piece of the puzzle that is overlooked often. I leave off as much clothing as possible until I get to my stand and dress there. I hope this helps. Good luck out there!


I have had similar situations. Sometimes the deer know something isn't quite right but they never take off running and blowing. The best I could describe it would be the deer are confused. Last year had a group of 5-8 does/fawns down wind of me, they stopped looked around, knew something was not right and actually came back closer to my tree on the way back to the security cover.

I have heard about the canine test before but that is of little proof to me because I'm hunting deer and not dogs.

[BigWoods Bob]

Thanks guys for the replys.... As I said, I am extremely fanatical about scent control. I generally only wear my long johns/ underwear on my walk to the blind, to keep sweating down. I brush my teeth with baking soda. Eat an apple on stand, chew the scent control gum and always breath through my nose and usually hunt 20+ feet in the air. And as far as moving my stand downwind... not an option. Deer travel routes from bedding cover prevent it. Most of the time I have to hunt at best a quartering wind, and as I said, it is generally swirling too. I've read all the info on scent control and as I said in the earlier post... I've had some success, but many, many deer still smell me. I would consider myself a very experienced hunter...25+ years of bow hunting experience, but the point is that eventhough deer arent blowing, I can tell by their reaction that they are winding me and they split just the same. I guess I'm just curoius when I hear guys saying that they seldom if ever get smelled, because that has not been my experience with scent lok and I go to all the extremes.

To re-ask my original questions... have any of you had great success with scent lok and deer from a more "wilderness" setting, not one where the live around people all the time. I KNOW those deer are easily fooled--I live on 10ac in the SLP and can hunt in the back of my yard without any scent control and have deer never act like there is anything wrong.

Also... how about the scent smoker...anyone have any luck with it? Especially (again) in the more "wild" setting?

Thanks.
BOB

[Uncle Boopoo]

I've heard that deer dont like the smell of the hickory smoke, from the scent smoker. There has been more that 1 person on here that has said this.

I hunt 75 acres in Lake Co (NLP) and this year alone, Ive had 5 different deer less than 10yds from me while Im sitting ON THE GROUND with no blind at all. I use scent lock 3D camo and sit very still. The only time ANY of these deer acted like they smelled something was when I had a napkin, with peanut butter on it, sitting next to me. The doe would sniff the air, and then come closer. Then another sniff and then closer still. Ive even had deer EATING at the bottom of my stand this year, right where I walked and climbed up the tree. I wear scent lock head to toe, rubber boots, and keep my breath under wraps.

[Buck Bed]

I tried the scent smoker last year, it DID NOT work on the deer that frequent the heavily hunted areas around me. I am 50/50 on the scent lok, if it is a good buy I'll buy it.

[BigWoods Bob]

Thanks guys for the replys. Anyone else have any opinions on this topic?

[uptracker]

Cops or No Cops...dogs or no dogs....it works to a degree. I loved it and I've hated it. Still use it and actually bought the few remaining Scent Lok Liner suits last year and they seem to work better that say the Savanna Series etc. Problem is, they don't make it anymore.

[cmfooballcoach]

No product works 100% of the time. Does Scentlok help sure it does. I have used Scentlok or Scent Shield, or most recently No Trace, and combined with a good cover scent, I have very little issues with deer smelling me.

THE BEST(.) Hands down cover scent that I have ever used is Deer Dander from the Fitzgeralds. I have been totally skeptical about it, but I picked some up on clearance last winter and used it this summer for crop damage and this fall and winter. Truth be told, I have had mature deer does and bucks straight down wind of me, with no problems whatsoever!

I would seriously consider applying you scent free techniques with a good cover scent and see what happens. That or don't hunt the stand that you're in with bad wind.