I think i am just going to hunt this year

[ApexerER]

So I have been thinking a lot about all the prep I do for hunting. One of my greatest memories from when I was 5 or 6 years old was when my father took me to hunting camp. This was back in the 70's. I can remember the room being cloudy from all the people smoking cigars and cigarettes in the light of the lanterns burning above the kitchen table. In the morning they would get up and cook bacon and eggs over the coal stove never thinking for a second what they smelled like. They would put on their wool red and black or red and green coats and whatever they wore for pants and boots and head out after breakfast. Most of them with a cigarette in their mouth. I can remember my Dad and I saw 22 deer that day. All while my Dad was toting around a 5 or 6 year old that I am sure wasn't exactly quiet. They were all doe (they didn't have doe tags back then) but still, 22 deer. Now when I go hunting I get up an hour early. Take a shower in the special soap, put on deodorant that doesn't smell (or work) take my cloths that have been washed in a special detergent and leave them in a tote in the back of my truck. Go to my hunting area and get dressed while freezing making sure not to make my cloths smell like the inside of my truck. Spray myself down with some magic elixir so I don't smell and to this day I have never seen 22 deer in one day. I have never seen a buck bigger than a 6pt. So I haven't been out yet this year but I decided that Sunday, when I go out....My cloths will be washed in the magic detergent  but they won't be in a tote and I will probably spray down with the magic spray but only because I have it. I am not going to worry about it, I am just going to hunt and see what the season brings me.....Does anybody else just hunt anymore?

[turkeyfeathers]

I could see bow hunting to have it's advantage of 'scent free" more so than gun hunting. I'm guilty of smoking a cigarette or two in my stand. Would I kill more deer by not doing so, probably . I've shot a nice doe after having to put my smoke down. Wind is key. Figure I'm not going to see anything downwind of me anyhow so concentrate on what's in front of me. I'll wash all my hunting clothes prior to season and that's about it. After a few days I'm sure they stink but I'm one not to overthink "scent free" 

[moog5050]

Agree that wind is key.  I don't do much other than use scent free soap and laundry detergent.  Typically suit up at home.  Good access and stand selection based on wind will do more than all the sprays, etc.

[Five Seasons]

do what makes you happy. Just don't complain if what makes you happy doesn't achieve your goals. that's my philosophy.

[G-Man]

yep clothes havent been washed in years, no spraydown, no scents, just me and my gun or bow... most of the time i dont even have knife with me, i have to go get tractor to get deer out so ill grab it then and gut while im there in junk clothes on oil and disiel semming tracor is ideling 10 ft away...

[Four Season Whitetail's]

So I have been thinking a lot about all the prep I do for hunting. One of my greatest memories from when I was 5 or 6 years old was when my father took me to hunting camp. This was back in the 70's. I can remember the room being cloudy from all the people smoking cigars and cigarettes in the light of the lanterns burning above the kitchen table. In the morning they would get up and cook bacon and eggs over the coal stove never thinking for a second what they smelled like. They would put on their wool red and black or red and green coats and whatever they wore for pants and boots and head out after breakfast. Most of them with a cigarette in their mouth. I can remember my Dad and I saw 22 deer that day. All while my Dad was toting around a 5 or 6 year old that I am sure wasn't exactly quiet. They were all doe (they didn't have doe tags back then) but still, 22 deer. Now when I go hunting I get up an hour early. Take a shower in the special soap, put on deodorant that doesn't smell (or work) take my cloths that have been washed in a special detergent and leave them in a tote in the back of my truck. Go to my hunting area and get dressed while freezing making sure not to make my cloths smell like the inside of my truck. Spray myself down with some magic elixir so I don't smell and to this day I have never seen 22 deer in one day. I have never seen a buck bigger than a 6pt. So I haven't been out yet this year but I decided that Sunday, when I go out....My cloths will be washed in the magic detergent  but they won't be in a tote and I will probably spray down with the magic spray but only because I have it. I am not going to worry about it, I am just going to hunt and see what the season brings me.....Does anybody else just hunt anymore?

Sure Do!  My only add on is gallons of fresh from the farm doe in estrus urine ,Come the special time.,

[ants]

The scent thing can drive you crazy. I think controlling your scent,  during bow season is important but I don't go as crazy as I use to.  Controlling the body funk is #1 IMHO. #2 Keeping clothes clean #3 scent killer sprays. I would have included wind, but in the local area I hunt the wind shifts a lot, I don't know why. Maybe because of the nearby lake.

[MACHINIST]

Agree that wind is key.  I don't do much other than use scent free soap and laundry detergent.  Typically suit up at home.  Good access and stand selection based on wind will do more than all the sprays, etc.

 

same thing I do,I got to the point that hunting was harder than work and was starting to hate it.A few years ago I just hunted wherever I wanted as long as the wind was decent.I am much happier and see just as many if not more deer.Make yourself happy and you'll have more fun!!!

[Five Seasons]

yep clothes havent been washed in years, no spraydown, no scents, just me and my gun or bow... most of the time i dont even have knife with me, i have to go get tractor to get deer out so ill grab it then and gut while im there in junk clothes on oil and disiel semming tracor is ideling 10 ft away...

 

I don't know where you hunt, but a firestarter and knife are good things to have in the woods no matter what you're doing.

[biggamefish]

I don't do any of the TV ads to go hunting.  NO soap No crazy clothes etc.  I do wash my clothes every weekend or other but just with borax and baking soda.  5 dollars or so at the store for both.  Hang them out in the free air and then hunt in them!!  I shoot traditional bow and don''t take shots past 20-25 yards.  Most of my shots are 5-15 yards deer walk past me close all the time.  Trust me when I say you DON"T NEED the stuff from the stores!!!!  Most of the stuff is just gimmicky.  AKA they want your money. 

[turkeyfeathers]

I don't do any of the TV ads to go hunting.  NO soap No crazy clothes etc.  I do wash my clothes every weekend or other but just with borax and baking soda.  5 dollars or so at the store for both.  Hang them out in the free air and then hunt in them!!  I shoot traditional bow and don''t take shots past 20-25 yards.  Most of my shots are 5-15 yards deer walk past me close all the time.  Trust me when I say you DON"T NEED the stuff from the stores!!!!  Most of the stuff is just gimmicky.  AKA they want your money. 

I have the opportunity to buy UnderArmour hunting clothes just recently at 25 % below cost. All their stuff is scent free which totally jacks up the cost. All I want is some good warm stuff and not have to pay for the BS "scent free " included in the cost

[deerpassion]

I used to go crazy like that , but now I wash my clothes , use scent free deodorant and regular non scented dove soap, get dressed at home n spray down before I leave the truck .... Make sure your wind is good n go kill em .... Been killin em like that for probably the past 3 or 4 years now...

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[Elmo]

I don't prep as much anymore either.  I may or may not see less deer because of it.  But the goal of hunting isn't always to get the animal but to have a good time.  It doesn't make much sense if the prep work ever starts to get in the way of having a stress free, relaxing day of hunting.

[genesee_mohican]

I wash my cloths year round in All Free & Clear, after reading about it in a hunting mag. It has no odor and no extra cost.  I wear moisture wicking and bacteria inhibiting under layers, shower in scent free soap, brush teeth with baking soda, use scent killer spray on boots hat, pack bow, release and anything else I carry in. I keep foods to apples, raisins, nuts, maybe a protein bar.  And still play the wind as the number 1 rule.  It can't hurt and it's just part of my preparation now.

 

[Five Seasons]

I always found it funny that the non-scent free guys treat it like a badge of honor. Who cares what I do in prep for hunting, I don't care that you fill up your truck at the gas station in the same boots and clothes you hunt with, don't be bothered that I put all my outer layers in a bag and hang them outside on the deck.

[grampy]

Same as a lot of you, I don't get crazy about being scent free. I don't think that it's possible to be totally scent free, no matter what you do or how much money you spend. I do shower each morning before hunting with fragrance free soap and deodorant, bought on sale at W.marts. Wash my hunting clothes every other weekend. Spray down before going into the woods. Once in the woods, I do my best to keep the wind in my face or to my advantage. That works much better than any scent control I could use!

Edited October 9, 2015 by grampy

[Buckmaster7600]

If a deer is down wind it can smell you! No matter what spray, clothes, rituals you do if it's doen wind it knows your there!

[NYbuck50]

I hunt the wind. all my gear goes in the back seat of my truck day before opening day and comes out last day of muzzleloader. i only pull the clothes and wash them in my regular washing machine every 2 weeks or so unless i get soaked or sweat like crazy. I dont shower in scent free anything, i dont have scent elimination spray, and my clothes are laid down on a seat thats probably half dog hair at this point. I also regularly shoot a buck with bow and gun, (usually after work in khakis) and several doe along the way. 

 

Play the wind, the rest is just sales

[Merlot]

Man o man, you should see a hunting buddy of mine. He brings the kitchen sink with him, when he gets to camp. Did not believe you could stuff that much stuff into a Rav 4. Love him like a brother, but it takes a while to unload all his stuff...and it's only for 2 days. I prefer my hunt clothes, a decent cabin, a warm fire, some wine..a little sponge cake...a couple for bucks and I'm good.

[The_Field_Ager]

My scent control this year consists of a shower, my gear aired out on the balcony and this year I did get some scent away spray. I have had 4 Bucks under my stand so far. The only time I was spotted, was when I carried my scent drag rag into the tree with me. Otherwise the deer have remained clueless. I do sometimes simply grab my bow and head straight out after work without too much fuss.I have had Bucks come to my stand from downwind also without any reaction, this season.

[Doc]

I have seen a lot of guys that spend their hard earned cash on anything and everything that has a good marketing ploy. And if they haven't done the wind direction thing, they still get busted. I have an old pair of camo cover-alls that hang year around down in the basement for the past 25 years (never seen a washing machine), and I have been within touching distance of several deer simply because I paid attention to the basics of wind direction. What I have found is that you can't buy success, and that hunting is more about what you do in the field rather than what some chemist sitting in a lab will do for you.

 

I have no idea what works for other people, but for me there are no purchased shortcuts that I am willing to invest in.

 

One thing is probably true, if buying all the scent-free paraphernalia and scent eradication sprays and mystical processes and rituals and whatever, gives you extra confidence without making you careless about the fundamentals, then maybe it has served some kind of purpose for you. But like ApexerER, I tend to try not getting too crazy about buying every product that people are hawking and just enjoy the hunt. Maybe I am too casual, or maybe I simply am not treating my hunting like my life depends on getting a deer. Also, I enjoy my hunting however it turns out, and try not to be too upset if I don't happen to have the absolute latest in what everyone is trying to sell me. Of course, the fact that I am just plain cheap does form a lot of my attitude .... lol. But I generally enjoy an adequate amount of success.

[skully]

I will not hunt a stand if the wind is not right.  I sometimes can only hunt my best stand 2-3 times a year.  Wind is never right there.  I tried to go once because I was itching to get in there and I watched a giant buck wind me 400 yds away........

[G-Man]

I don't know where you hunt, but a firestarter and knife are good things to have in the woods no matter what you're doing.

I hunt behind my house, I can make a knife out of about any silica stone, and no need for a fire, ridge I am on is 7 miles long and 2 miles wide surrounded by roads , if I was hunting big woods in an unknown area I would take more with me including a compass.

[Jeremy K]

I will not hunt a stand if the wind is not right.  I sometimes can only hunt my best stand 2-3 times a year.  Wind is never right there.  I tried to go once because I was itching to get in there and I watched a giant buck wind me 400 yds away........

You have good eye sight !

[skully]

There is a new invention out there, called binoculars.