Scent Control?

[xcutter]

So what do you do for scent control when elk hunting? We do a base camp and setup a shower bag and tarp. Shower everyday or every other day.

Do you use scent killer soap and deodorant? Or just use normal soap and deodorant?

I'm starting to think the elk are going to smell me anyways if they get down wind so should I put the effort of using unscented soap or make myself smell better?

Curious to hear everyone's opinion on this.

 

[DAOutfitters208]

Play the wind is the best scent control. They will smell you no matter what. I prefer a normal bar of soap, so I am not smelling myself walking around. "Scent killer" is fake news.

 

[RustyHazen]

The second you step out of the shower and get dressed, they can smell you. Showers are good for hygiene purposes, and that's it. Play the wind. Period..

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

I don't go out of my way to be scent free, but I do try to minimize scents. I use scent free detergent to wash hunting clothes (better than perfumed stuff) and try to use a scent free antiperspirant (Arm and Hammer, way cheaper than 'hunting' brand scent free stuff), as I find antiperspirant keeps the rank down in moisture wicking/scent trapping materials.

Basically, if you're breathing, you're putting out a scent. I watched a video a while back with a dog testing scent free clothing and sprays versus normal. The dog when to the right shed containing the person immediately every time.

Wind is your biggest friend (or foe)!

 

[BishopB7]

^^^ Posts above nailed it. PLAY THE WIND. No matter what you do, western big game hunting means hiking, hiking means sweating, and sweat means odor no matter how minute it is. Hygiene is so you and whoever you're spending the days with don't get tired of smelling each other. As far as wind goes, when in doubt back out. Never let magic "scent eliminator" give you the confidence to put yourself in a less than ideal spot. Good luck in elk country this year!

 

[elkyinzer]

My take on scent control, specifically the activated carbon side of things, is that in absolutely perfect, almost unachievable, ideal conditions, if you can follow every possible procedure to a T, it can maybe possibly work, or at least distribute "less scent" into your scent stream, which I guess in some instances could make a difference. In elk hunting unless your sweat glands are broken I just don't see that being remotely achievable. I think reducing ground scent is more achievable but for most elk hunting that really isn't as much of a concern as it is treestand whitetails.

For me, my first hang up is that even where I hunt whitetails I sweat way too much hiking in and hanging mobile stands thus would ruin the effectiveness. I am also not at all the anal type, and would rather spend my effort actually hunting and living life than treating my hunting equipment with hazmat precision. Finally I question if it actually did work, would I feel ethical about doing it, and personally that answer to me is no.

I also think confidence is huge, so if you can't bear to hunt without it, as long as you still pay attention to the wind, if there is some placebo effect to be gained, then go for it.

With that rant out of the way if we are just talking about generally stinking less I've found merino to be a godsend, wipe baths are to be looked forward to in the backcountry, I indeed pack my usual old spice antiperspirant*, and I have no qualms about jumping in a 40 degree crick if monkey butt gets terribly out of hand.

*and also found out the hard way to hang it out of bear's reach

 

[Scoony]

I wash hunting clothes with baking soda and dry without dryer sheets.

For bathing, I do use Hunters Specialties Scent Blocker. It is actually a pretty good soap and shampoo in one, plus I don't have to use deodorant when I use that soap. I had left a container of it in the kids bathroom for my son to use. That bottle emptied out pretty quick, and when I asked around, I found out that the daughters started using it. They swore that it kept them less sweaty and stink free longer then the fancy girly soaps they were using. That's a pretty good testament on how well that stuff works.

Of course the critters will still smell you, but I try to do everything within reason to eliminate as much scent as possible.

As for camp life, unscented baby wipes helps to keep the body somewhat clean.

 

[PAhunter58]

I agree with the guys who hunt elk. Scent Block, Scent Shield, Dead down Wind, etc. is a waste of money with Elk. Whitetail rely more on their three senses. Elk rely almost solely on their noses. And you ain't fooling those schnozzes!

 

[bz_711]

Total Waste for elk hunting in my opinion...heck I've worn high scent deodorant just to battle the 5 day funk
All the scent control in the world is gone 20 minutes into your first climb up a steep mountain...

And in my experience, Elk are not like whitetails when they catch your wind...deer may stomp and look around a little...Elk are gone in an instant!

To be clear though...I've never owned a piece of scent blocker type clothing even for whitetails...just check wind direction before going...

 

[Ross]

Yep play the wind that is the only almost sure thing you can do.....all the scent control stuff is great for back forty hunting, but when grinding out miles in elk country you gonna put off some smell...do the best you can in continually checking the wind as it is the devil in the mountains

 

[camping1601]

I'll add that I've become a much better hunter since I accepted the fact deer and elk will always smell me if they hit my wind.
I do nothing but play the wind.

 

[jmez]

I'll add that I've become a much better hunter since I accepted the fact deer and elk will always smell me if they hit my wind.
I do nothing but play the wind.

Pretty much sums it up for me as well.

 

[njdoxie]

I do nothing during a 10 day hunt, zero, just watch the wind. Well actually I do some things. I way overapply scentless antipersperirnt before the hunt starts and then try to keep sweat to a minimum by constantly layering and unlayering.

 

[Gumbo]

Layering Scent Lock garments on top of each other and Scent Killer in combo works for whitetails and other stand/blind hunting if you do it pretty much perfectly. It is an absolute waste of time for any type of of hunting where you are active. Play the wind and embrace the stink.

 

[David Gough]

Play the wind. I will take a "bath" in a big creek once and a while, but I don't believe it actually helps with the elk.

 

[CX5Ranch]

It has been proven with police dogs that you cannot hide from the nose. Watch some YouTube videos of guys trying to fool dogs noses, and save your money it doesn't work.

 

[Superkodiak38]

I plan to play the wind, but I will take a smoke bath, helps with bacteria, if you cant take a regular bath or shower. My buddy used to guide and told me about guys in scent lock while he stands next to them wearing 10 day old clothes with boots that smell like horse urine...gotta chuckle out of that one

 

[medic man]

Hey I know C-ville well! Went to paramedic school at FMH!
So here is my advice from someone who lives out west and used to hunt whitetails. Meraino wool base layers will not hold a lot of smell. Your synthetics will. Get some wind checker and practice with it..... in the mountains the wind travels up and down the mountain at different times of the day. Glass from a distance and keep the wind at your face. Oh and dress with layers that are easy to shed. Start out your hike cold. You will warm up quickly. Good luck!

 

[Whip]

I try to control my scent to the extent that I don't gross myself or my hunting partners out. Merino and the newer treated synthetics seem to help with that along with wet wipes.
As for the elk, it's all in the wind. Keep it blowing from them to you - always.

 

[ramont]

I use a scent eliminator products when washing my clothes and showering, more for the fact that it successfully kills body bacteria more than anything else. Regardless of what some hyper-opinionated people say it really does eliminate odor, maybe just to humans but since I sweat like a horse that at least is helpful for me personally. I think scent killers are like camouflage clothing, you don't really eliminate the problem 100% but it's just one more little advantage that, combined with all the other little things we do, will give you an overall advantage that you wouldn't have otherwise. But I agree that playing the wind is the most important tactic. I also believe that avoiding purely human scents is important. Odors that just don't exist in a natural environment wont help you in any way.