What does the research say about scent control for deer hunting? Expert weighs in!

[@gregstabryla9945]

This gentleman is a gem. So glad I caught this. One of your best. Thanks.

[@walter992]

I have one experience with an Ozonics that really made me think. I have never really had much faith in it. One hunt I had a young buck get down wind of me with my Ozonic on and the wind directly in his path. He kept tasting the air but never alarmed. He knew something was different. I watch him for a good ten minutes and then turned off my Ozonics. Within seconds, he jumped back and bolted. I turned it back on and a bit later I shot a mature doe exactly where he was standing. All this occurred during a bow hunt less than 25 yards from both deer. Still not 100% sold on it but if it reduces my scent signature enough to buy the time necessary to make the shot, I am all in.

[@shane9249]

I like the scientific data to prove or disprove different topics. Keep up the great work guys

[@nelsonchandler1015]

great information !! i been wearing scent lok clothing for several years now and they do work . i know its not perfect but does cut down a lot on scent !! just need to use it properly and its very hard to stay completely down wind in georgia its always changing . i have had great results by paying almost no attention to wind . once again thank you for this video awesome video !!!!

[@joerome8882]

I wear Scentlok myself I think he helps suppress and keep odor within cloths but same time still sending off scent. Just not as strong

[@maryanncraig7777]

I keep my scent lock in high quality totes that have a layer of baking soda in the bottom below a wooden rack that keeps clothes up off of the bottom. I never get dressed until I am out of vehicle and ready to walk to tree stand to bow hunt

[@brendanfranklin5924]

Scent control only works sometimes. Hunting the winds always works. When the wind is moving downwind, the deer won't come. I believe hunting the wind and knowing when to move or not is key more than scent control. I can't tell you how many times deer have walked below me with scent control only to see me barely move. Then they get curious with a random treestand in the middle of the woods. I've been able to still shoot them but I had to be cautious on when to move

[@mikeoc217]

Ozonics & natural scents from your core hunting area. When I lived in New England I useta collect local organics blend them & that worked like a jiffy. But hunting down wind is the key! I dated a girl with a 4" nose years back when my IBS was kicking hard, she dumped me!! 😭

[@JaysClubHouse]

Ozone 100% is very dangerous in enclosed spaces. I worked for a water restoration company in college and our company policy was to turn it on and get out within 1 minute. Know of a guy who’s nose started bleeding after he stayed in a room too long after turning one on. We were all told it destroys the oxygen in the room, and speaking from experience- walking in to turn one off was eye opening. Almost impossible to take a breath in for several minutes until the room aired out

[@christopherebanks5993]

I own a restoration company and yoir 100% correct. it depletes the oxygen in the air.

[@christopherebanks5993]

outdoors, it won't hurt u

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

Here's my "research"... I've never, in over a decade of hunting, been busted while practicing my scent control. The only time I got busted was when I went to coyote hunt and didn't practice scent control and a doe walked across my trail in minutes after I passed through that spot and froze and turned right around. I've had deer brush by me while I was sitting on a stump in the dark. I've had a monster 10 point buck stop and feed 12 inches (not 12 feet, not 12 yards, 12 INCHES) from my boot while I was too busy staring at a doe 35 yards in front of me. He ate there for a minute or two until something spooked the doe and she spooked him and I couldn't get my flintlock up in time to take him. He was gone. Do I believe in scent control? Yes I do. 100%. I shower before a hunt in hunter's soap, I wash my close in hunter's detergent, I keep my gear in a bin filled about 2" with debris from the woods I hunt (soil, acorns, pine cones, barks, twigs, etc...). I pull my gear out and it smells like the woods a year later. I don't wear my hunting clothes to go to Walmart or the gas station, it stays in the bin and is only used in deer woods. I wash the once a season in the beginning and hang them overnight to air dry them then treat them with Permethrin for ticks. "If" I hunt in the early season and sweat up a lot, I'll wash them. I'll ALWAYS wash the gear I wear after a successful hunt (they usually get dirt and guts and blood on them). If I'm hunting more than a day in the woods straight, I don't shower. That "patina" you pick up works. Keep it. Old school hunters would stand in front of a campfire and allow their gear to get smoked up. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't the smell of the smoke that masked your scent, but the carbon in the smoke that kills human bacteria (which is what's used in modern scent controlled gear that has to be reactivated after a few uses). I'm keeping it old school more myself going back to using wool plaid Mackinaws and logging trousers. I still love modern camo (been hunting a decade with the same Walmart Mossy Oak gear I got in a trade for some Boy Scout books), but the old wool & canvas works great and are far more quieter and warmer than modern gear. As long as the plaid is red or green, deer can't tell the difference between what you're wearing and your background because they see red or green as grays and the checkerboard patterning breaks up your form. It's the original camo. I never play the wind, I never freak out if it changes on me, I'm invisible to their noses because I minimize my human scent and I end up smelling like the same woods I'm sitting in. I've had deer lollygag in front of me for half an hour or more and not know I was 5 yards from them. I do use de-scenters to spray my boots & gear in certain conditions (like warm weather). In the winter, I don't need it. I eat apples to mask my human breath and drink water (especially after coffee) in the woods. One more thing, I hunt from the ground, when I get to one of my sits (usually by some big fallen oak), I'll clear the ground around me and a strong smell of earth comes up and stays around my immediate area. I'm not saying this works for everybody, but a decade of hunting with deer touching me and being literally feet in front of me and not taking off (as long as I'm dead still and silent), I won't mess with success that just depends on common sense.

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

One more thing, my buddy who hunts from blinds & tree stands gets busted ALL the time and wonders why. He goes to hunt in his work clothes, never uses hunting detergent, doesn't bath after a day of work, and they get spooked by him. They never come close. When he takes deer (which he sees a LOT less than I do), it's in spite of his practices.

[@chriswigington1572]

@@YankeeWoodcraft dang u couldn’t get it all in the first one lol I’m only kidding!!

[@Elonzo-k2y]

@@YankeeWoodcraft 😳👍

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

@@chriswigington1572 🤣

[@chriswigington1572]

@@YankeeWoodcraft u had some pretty good tips on that book u wrote I will definitely be putting some to practice this season!!

[@ReelIowaOutdoors]

I think some deer are not as scared of people. So making it smell like you are farther away is key. I have seen some deer where i hunt near town get really close then turn around and go the other way, and i have also hunted in the woods away from town and deer down wind accross the river on the neighboring property blowing and freaking out. But in the end if you stay down wind and understand how the terrain affects the wind in your area you will never have a problem.

[@shane9249]

Seems to me it's better to do your scouting and placing stands so that you only hunt it when you are downwind

[@dereka115]

Is the seminar talked about in this episode online somewhere?

[@thesouthernoutdoorsmen]

Yes, it’s on the mobile hunters podcast channel

[@michaelbrown2625]

Im convinced deer smell the soap we bathe in.

[@michaelpennell6344]

The expert says" Don't look downwind when your still hunting cause they won't ever be there". Got news for you. I have had literally dozens of deer circle downwind of me when still hunting. They often just stand there and look at you as you walk away. Expert on scent but certainly not on deer hunting I guess. lol.

[@bbphotoaz]

He appears to contradict himself in regards to smoking clothes. In reaponse to the question at 14:43, he implies that smoking helps but then later when asked directly about smoking, he says it doesn't help. Which is it?

[@eugenegress5896]

I hunted with a Family out West, from childhood to adulthood. They never used any scent control. The Smoked, Drank, Cooked, farted for 9 days in the same clothes and never took a bath during the hunting days and still killed deer like crazy.

[@runningman1156]

What do you think about something I just came across and that's smoking your close ? Thanks

[@Drakehilt]

So if most of my scent comes from my breath, should I start hunting with an n95 or even a gas mask on? I have a respiratory for painting and grinding work. Would that cut down my scent signature significantly? Not being sarcastic, BTW, I would actually try this

[@cmbmail42]

No, those masks filter the air coming into your mouth, they don't filter your breath coming out. But your onto something

[@SwampStalker11]

Use a sweet smelling scent. It peaks interest in deer. They're curious animals, if something smells "sweet", it might also taste sweet. As long as it's not threatening.

[@brandonwaddell2583]

So I have no idea if this works, but I had a bit of a bad breath issue. Started using therabreath from Amazon, completely removed all odor from my breath…food for thought

[@thesouthernoutdoorsmen]

That’s interesting to hear! When Tom talks about “breath” in this podcast he isn’t meaning what come out your mouth but the air coming out your nose when breathing. That’s what hasn’t be figured out in the scent control world. Thanks for watching and you should check out the full episode!

[@brandonwaddell2583]

@@thesouthernoutdoorsmen ohhhh, just shove some dirt up your nose and mouth breath 😂😂 jk, thank you for clarifying

[@michael30736]

5:57 I've seen deer approach me from downwind.

[@joerome8882]

Way I look at is we as humans have a distinct odor. Example we smell like a skunk to a deer, if a deer comes across our trail within min the odor is strong but after a few hours the scent dies down to a minimal. Reason I try to get in extra early morning or afternoon so hoping by the time prime time hits if something comes accross my trail in(hoping not) but if do get a whiff of old scent and not fresh and stinky

[@kenn1320]

Agree. Its also why the theory of a deer thinking you are further away is false. Its not the amount of scent, its the freshness of the scent. The downside to getting in early is down wind you have saturated the area for a longer period of time.

[@johnl7593]

Agreed your trail may not be fresh but you are absolutely saturating the area around your stand.

[@OhGeefishin71]

I use tinks acorn as my area is loaded with em

[@timcox2673]

Yall tried scent thief yet? If not I highly recommend it. You can hunt 40mph winds wi😢that stuff... might try it. Just saying

[@Elonzo-k2y]

I tried this conversation with a different u toober.He basically belittled me on his podcast.😅

[@a.j.taylor4401]

People tend to hate common sense logic and scientific evidence lol

[@thepatriot8514]

The smell of predation is what the deer's nose is working to detect.

[@LanceEdmonds-o8p]

I wash clothes in baking soda and use unscented deodorant. That’s as far as I’m going. I’ve been thinking the sprays are snake oil for years now.

[@EHM0341]

Not just sweat and breath scent, don't fart in the woods. And, don't sh*t in the woods if you can avoid that.

[@thesouthernoutdoorsmen]

No Mexican the night before a hunt 🤣

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

I smoke my clothes with smoldering sawdust

[@jordanhudson5075]

Any luck?

[@a.j.taylor4401]

I smoke mine with Marlboro Reds lol

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

@@jordanhudson5075 I took a deer at 6 yards last year and have been within 8 yards multiple times

[@Elonzo-k2y]

@@jordanhudson5075 probably, just make sure it's still not smoldering.😅

[@thesouthernoutdoorsmen]

We’ve had a past podcast guest smoke his closes as well with success

[@theadd_gamer1182]

Easy it don't work. Stay downwind

[@jason6325]

John eberhart sais otherwise 🤷

[@thesouthernoutdoorsmen]

Yes, yes he does.

[@Louisiana8critter_getter]

Just look at the trophy wall difference and make your decision ha his method flat out works you won’t get blown at and ruin opportunitys anymore.

[@barrystricklin2230]

Plenty of people have trophy walls equal or better than John and they don't use John's method