Scent Elimination for a long range hunt?

I don't believe that clothing and hygiene (cover scents, disguise or attempted masking) should be discounted. Obviously, the wind is a major player.....but, it is often "fickle" in it's direction. Around here, when in the mountains, it can change directions.....a lot faster than you can change your stalk! memtb

snox801 said:

I don't think the point is to eliminate it completely but if you can reduce it as much as possible it help. Especially when the wind is changing direction like it does all the time here. Nothing covers it all but every little bit helps.

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Like minds......we were typing at the same time, with the same thoughts! memtb

Put the wind in your favor and you'll be ahead of the game.

Like others have said, you have to work the wind regardless of scent control. As a scent mask, I like to go natural with wiping white sage all over me, as I find it both on the plains and mountainous areas.

Caveman0101 said:

To tell you the truth if you're in elk country and the wind is not in your favor, go at it from a different point, or start shooting them ridge to ridge, haven't had one smell me yet from across a drainage.

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We mostly shoot ridge to ridge as it is, but it's good to know your experiences with the scent blockers. Thanks!

Wear scent control clothes. Spray yourself down with odor neutralizer. I hunt whitetails in the south and I use an ozonator for odor control of scent. They work beautifully

Spray away!

Lots of success in hunting depends on confidence.

dukxdog said:

Spray away!

Lots of success in hunting depends on confidence.

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Not really, in elk country wind direction beats confidence every time. But hay, buy all that scent control bullsh*t you want I mean it works on TV and I've only been in on 50+ elk kills with bow, muzz and rifle and I'm not a guide.

Look guys all I'm saying is if the wind is not right no amount of scent control is going to make it ok to approach a herd of elk from up-wind. But I do agree it helps with white-tail but we are talking about two different animals when it comes to how they react to foreign odors and how tolerant they are of them.

Switch to light beer at least a month before your hunt. May the force be with you.

memtb said:

Use the obvious recommended options for scent elimination/reduction.....but, you may consider putting your hunting clothes in garbage bags with some foliage cut from native plants! Sage, evergreen, ect., stored overnight will permeate into the clothing.....helping you become "part of nature"! memtb

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And wash with scent free detergent. Obviously.

When the deer are in rut around here they don't care which way the wind is blowing,they have one thing on their mind and it ain't our hygiene.

Tuler said:

We're heading back to Idaho this year to hunt elk and deer. Typically it's a 200+ yard shot, but we have shot elk in the 30-yard range before (which shocked us as much as the elk). A buddy and I were talking about scent elimination and he was recommending that I should get some from a company called HOTT Scents for my trip. Would you recommend the same? Or do you think I should save my money?

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I see alot of replies from people who havent hunted in the mountains, the wind does not come from 1 direction! It always swirls! It comes up the mountain ,down the mountain and every direction at once,along with thermals.

I've gone home several times over bad or swirling wind conditions when archery elk hunting in the mountains. This is only after years of being stubborn and hoping to get "lucky" and going in after them anyway. There is no getting lucky with an elk's nose, you either played the wind right, or you blew them out.

Elk will smell your eyeball at 500 yards, so unless you plan on drinking a gallon of the stuff and spaying it in your eye's your wasting your time and money. When I first started archery elk hunting, I used the soaps, and sprays, deodorant, sent control clothing, you name it, and we tried it. Maybe I just stink, but I call tell you without a doubt, I saw absolutely zero difference, still had elk smell me at hundreds of yards.

I think it at times it can make people take risks with the wind that they normally wouldn't. Instead of taking the long walk around to your spot, you take the easy way, thinking you have and edge.

Spray down if you want, but hunt like you haven't showered in a week and you'll be much better off.