From Rookie to Invisible: How to Outsmart a Deer’s Nose

Truth be told, I am relatively new to bow hunting. In addition, I picked it up later in life. I’ve only been hunting for a few years now and it has been a learning experience to say the least, as well as very humbling. That said, after talking to multiple fellow bowhunters it appears that I’ve enjoyed better than average success. Even when compared to lifelong bowhunters. This has given me cause to question why.

There are many reasons why I could be doing better than my peer group.   For instance, one could be that the property that I hunt is more target rich.  I could be a better shot, maybe the deer are less pressured, and so on.  I do have a mentor that got me into the sport in the first place and that has been a definite short cut in the learning process.  He’s the type that was practically born with a bow in hand.  I should note that this individual has stated on numerous occasions that I am more than a little OCD and I think that helps.

While I have access to amazing public lands nearby, I find myself mostly hunting a spot close to home.  The convenience factor is the primary reason why I usually hit this spot, but also population management is near and dear to my heart.  I can’t stand to see dead deer on the side of the road, especially close to home - what a waste.  That said, my favorite spot is a small funnel and hunting with the wind is impossible due to the size of the property.  In my spot you can hunt with a favorable wind, which feels like 50% of the time and you can hunt with an unfavorable wind, those are the only two options.  Hunting bad winds out of laziness for half of my sits has led to an evolution in my scent control process.

I don’t consider myself to be the "great white hunter”.  Actually, I feel quite mediocre compared to a few hunters that I know. Most definitely when compared to a few individuals that are now pursuing the more heavenly of hunting grounds.  So why is my freezer full, while others are having lackluster results?  In my opinion, my take on scent control could be playing a part.  And being a rookie, this is the one area that I feel comfortable giving advice or at the minimum sharing my process.  So without further ado, below are 15 measures that I take and recommend that worked for me to be invisible to the whitetail nose:

1. Stop using scented products - Do this weeks before the start of the season and continue through the end of the season.  This includes but is not limited to: deodorants, colognes and shampoos.  This was a tip that I got from a fellow 30 yr bowhunter, martial arts instructor and a D.C. homicide detective.  
2. Be completely covered - Being completely covered means no short sleeves or anything like that plus a head covering helps to keep your scent down.  Usually, the only thing that I have exposed are my eyeballs.  This was something that my mentor expressed to me early on.  He said, “If you go with me you are going to be covered up or you are not going”.  
3. Wear rubber hunting boots - On another instance, I asked him about buying leather hunting boots that I thought were pretty cool.  He replied, “We are going to get you this style because they won't hold a scent and your smell can’t permeate through the rubber.  I will say that these boots are more comfortable than you would think and practical enough to hike a ways in them.  I’ve worn Irish Setters and Lacrosse.  I’ve found both to be good.
4. Wash clothing in scent eliminating soap - You could probably get away with a scent free soap, that said it seems that the hunter specific ones have additional properties.  I use Scent Killer.  
5. Dry clothes either outside by line dry or use a scent crushing dryer sheet - Similar to the above you might be able to get away with a scent free dryer sheet.  I use scent killer because of the extra properties plus the family uses the dryer for regular laundry which I feel contaminates the dryer with perfumes which needs to be combated.
   
6. Store clothes in a scent proof container - Choose one that can double as an ozone cabinet.  Your hunting clothes need to be safely stored away from odors such as those that come from cooking.  This is a different side of scent control.  Once your clothes are scent free, you need to keep them that way. Storing in an impervious tub will do the trick.
   
7. Bathe and wash hair before every hunting session - If I bathe in the morning and hunt in the early afternoon - I shower again before I go.
8. Dry off using towels laundered appropriately - Showering to de-scent and then rubbing down with a “Downy Fresh” towel is not a good move - launder according to steps 4 & 5.
   
9. Use Scent Killer bar soap - I like having a bar to shower with.  It is what I use outside of hunting season and it is a natural replacement for the entirety of the season.  I’ll use this bar of soap everyday even when on non-hunting days.
10. Use Dead Down Wind Shampoo and Body Wash - I used to wash my hair with the bar also, but it is just easier with the liquid soap.  Easier is faster and shortens preparation time. I’ll use this shampoo everyday even on non-hunting days.
11. Use Ozone on clothes before session - I’ll typically run the ozone for 15 minutes inside of the hunting clothing storage container, which doubles as an ozone cabinet, then I shut off and let the clothes marinate in the ozone for 15 minutes or however the long the drive is to the spot that I’m hunting.
12. Spray Scent Killer Gold on boots and clothes - If you don’t have time to run the ozone, do this and let dry.
13. Two step underarm process - I do not care for antiperspirants, I just don’t think that clogging pores with aluminum is a good move.  So, I use a mineral deodorant. Once dry, I apply Nose Jammer deodorant.  This product has a different take on scent control. It has its own scent that is supposed to confuse the deer's nose.  Seeing how it smells like vanilla, I was highly skeptical but it seems to have proven itself as I have not been blown once this season. 
14. Put Evercalm on the tree - I do this at three different heights.  I’m not sure that it needs to be placed at 3 different heights but I feel like it covers the entire route to the stand.  The body language and comfort level are notable when using this product.  The deer just seem more relaxed.
15. Always hunt with the wind, if possible - Finally, the wind is everything.  If the wind isn’t blowing your scent toward the deer, you could smell like a Skunk Ape and you’ll still get a shot at a deer. 

So there you have it.  The entirety of my scent control process.  Is it over the top?  Probably.  Am I OCD? Yes. Does it work?  Seems to.  In my opinion, the best resource the deer have at their disposal is their nose and with bowhunting you have to be close.  If you get discovered, you may never even see a deer and there are numerous other ways in which you need to be undetectable but scent is the most important.  So, if they don’t smell you, you’ll get a shot.  Provided you don’t blow it - and there are so many ways to do that.