lets talk cover scents

[03mossy]

So what do you all use as cover scents? Do you use (insert favorite brand) with or without the added smells, like fall leaves or whatever? How about coon or fox pee? Beef jerky or stale coffee scent?

 

[moridgerunner]

My favorite cover scent is not a scent at all-- it is a pair of lacrosse rubber boots!

 

[cayuga]

When I hunt deer I use fox pee, and then use deer attractants also. But something I do with the fox pee is put it on a rag, and drag that behind me into the stand. Then about 30 yards from the stand, I tie it to a tree. Then walk in with rubber boots. I have had deer trail that fox to where it was left.. right in range.

For bear, I use pure vanilla. I have quarts of the stuff. I go into a stand and put the vanilla on cotton balls, and tie them to the brush. Vanilla brings in the bear. It will draw deer too.

 

[JStanley]

Vanilla brings in the bear. It will draw deer too.

Shoot, with the guys I hunt with, it might draw hunters too! :lol: 8)

 

[hawgslayer]

This might be a little extreme for some but this is my routine. I wash all my clothes in scent free detergent, PRIMOS brand. When they are done I put on rubber cloves and through them in the dryer with a scent free fabric softener sheet, Primos brand. The softener sheet has the scent of fresh earth in it. When they are done drying I put on the rubber gloves again and fold them and place them in a gear bag with about 4/5 fresh earth wafers. The morning of the hunt, shower with scent free soap that contains fresh earth scent and then it's off to the woods. I've been doing it like this over the years and never had a problem with human scent.

Ray....... :wink:

 

[Smyrnagc]

My favorite cover scent is not a scent at all-- it is a pair of lacrosse rubber boots!

X2 on the rubber boots. I have been using Rocky Bulkstalker rubber boots for many years and the difference between them and leather boots has been obvious. I have had many deer walk down the same trail that I walked down and not spook at all.

Another thing that my hunting partner and I started using several years ago is Dead Down Wind scent spray. The results have been incredible! We spray down with it each times before going into the woods and it seems to eliminate the majority of human scent. Since using this product I have at times ignored the wind direction and not had any issues. Great product guys!

 

[AJ]

I have not used cover scent in well over two decades. Charcoal suits, rubber boots (other than being waterproof for wading), cover scents, all a waste of $ from the hunter's pocket. I have tried them all. Hunt into the wind, and it matters not what you smell like. I have tried many things the 'pros' on the hunting shows were whoring, and I have found that knowledge and skill mean more than a gadget.

Most of my hunting seasons are 5 days long or shorter. I set up camp the day before season and walk around a little. I primitive camp and wear same clothes for a couple days. By the time I kill or give up and break camp, I be getting pretty ripe. I use baby wipes as a quickie bath, but it is far from refreshing. I still see more critters each time as I learn to hunt the conditions, not rely on a gadget that does not work.

 

[Dwayne]

Cover Scents. . .a total waste of money in my books. . .

My dog sleeps with me. . .I could care a less. . .

Want to hunt without being seen? Play the wind as well as the drafts in the morning and afternoon.

Hot air rises. . .cold air sinks. . .

There is a reason why the coldest part of the day is right at sunrise.

Play the wind. . .walk to your stand from the direction a deer will not cross, and into the wind. It is as simple as that. . .

Just my worthless 2 cents.

 

[GM54-120]

I just break wind a lot and drink apple juice....or is that the other way around? Yeah, thats right..... apple juice gives me terrible gas.

 

[JStanley]

I just break wind a lot and drink apple juice....or is that the other way around? Yeah, thats right..... apple juice gives me terrible gas.

I try hard to do all of the things mentioned here by the muzzleloading Jedi's - and I usually have good success. (Love those fresh earth wafers) That being said, the guys I hunt with dip, chew, fart, stomp in and out of he wods and pretty much disregard all this wisdom every year and still manage to shoot deer. Oh well, I still see MORE and BETTER deer each year on average than they do. I'll stick with my way.......

 

[Widude]

The main thing I do is look at wind direction when choosing a stand. or direction to hunt. Other than that I don't use any of the 'cover scents'. I do agree it's best to control scent, as much as reasonably possible.

It's more of a deal for close range bowhunters in light to no wind. Some of the animals with a better nose just say, 'there's a hunter sprayed with fox pee'.

I'm certainly not poo-pooing the idea of scent control. Whatever a hunter can do to reduce scent is helpful.

 

[hawgslayer]

I to used to play the wind but not any more :nono: Many times I got busted because the wind swirled and spooked the deer right out of the county. :d'oh!:

Ray.......... :wink:

What ever floats your boat I say... :yeah:

 

[ShawnT]

If I go Hunting Bear in Maine, I do what my Guide recommended. He recommends Rubber boots or at least rubber bottom boots and apply Vanilla to them just before entering the woods. For Prepping clothing, First I take a Plastic Tub that has a snap on lid, wash it out with no sent clothes wash and dry in the sun. Then take Pine boughs from back in the woods, the more green and sappy the better, (not close to the road) and add them to the tub. I then clean the clothes with no sent clothes wash and dry with no sent dryer sheets. Put the clothes in the Tub mixing them with the pine boughs in layers breaking up the small boughs as I layer. Then seal it up and take it to camp. I leave it sealed up in the car/truck. Go to the area I park to go to the stand and strip down and wype off with no scent body wypes and put on a set of clothes and the boots. Head out. My buddy said I just plain stunk of Pine. Bear passed right under the stand and never smelled me. 8)

As for Deer I clean the clothes the same way and put them in the tub or in Large ziplock bags. Get dressed the same way usually just before entering the woods. I just like to minimize the amount of scent I drag into the woods with me, No bacon smell on me or gasoline scent drug into the woods if I can help it. That way if the wind changes direction or starts swirling around, I have minimized my scent as much as possible.

 

[stevenm2]

I tie a piece of yarn to my front swivel and leave about 2 1/2" hanging down as a constant wind indicator. Works great
I use those cow urine wafers for Elk sometimes but other times I leave them because the stink is so bad.
I am pretty passive about scent control because around here the wind swirls so bad all day you are going to get busted no matter what you do.

 

[ellerja]

well my experience has been I shower with scent away soap. I keep my clothes cleaned with scent away detergent in a plastic Ziploc with a few earth scent wafers in there. Two years ago I had a small buck walk right up to me.I was in complete camo with a head net on. I could have touched him with the tip of my arrow. He stared at me but then walked right on by.so close I could not draw on him. My biggest mistake was I had climbed down from my tree stand because it was moving to much and making noise. So the use of cover scent and the elimination of human scent does work.

 

[air_rn]

I do shower with baking soda and I do hunt the wind. But don't laugh I smoke my clothes. I use hard woods such as hickory. I used to start a fire and place all my hunting clothes around. But I now use a bee smoker and hickory chips. I smoke them at the beginning of season and throughout the season. I can not remember the last time I was busted. Don't get me wrong deer smell me. They just do not get alarmed no snorting or stomping etc.