Scent Control From Start to Finish - by Chris Gercken

Success in the deer woods takes a multitude of things to all go right at the perfect moment in time. However, there are some things you can do as a hunter to turn the odds in your favor. Scent control is one of the most important parts of hunting, ESPECIALLY bowhunting!  This method of hunting requires your encounters to be much closer.

Deer use their sense of smell more than any other to help them stay ahead of any would-be predators. That being said, it is imperative that you take every step possible to ensure you stay as scent-free as possible. Scent-A-Way is the leader of the pack in the scent control game. From start to finish, Scent-A-Way products have you covered. Below are the steps I use to ensure I stay as scent-free as possible for my hunt.

1. Preparation: Knowing where I will be hunting, the temperature and what camo I will need is the first step. Wash EVERY piece of hunting clothing you plan on wearing from socks to underwear to mask and gloves to all outer layers in the washer with Scent-A-Way MAX or the new Scent-A-Way Bio-Strike Laundry Detergent. In addition to all your camo, also wash two towels and one additional outfit of plain clothes in the same load of laundry. Once those are done in the wash, transfer them over to the dryer with a Scent-A-Way MAX Dryer sheet. (Make sure to clean out the lint trap prior to drying.) Once your clothes are dry, place everything but one of the towels in a scent-free bag such as a Scent-Safe bag from Hunters Specialties.
2. Shower: Wash up in the shower using Scent-A-Way MAX or Bio-Strike Body Soap. Use your scent-free towel to dry off, then use the Scent-A-Way Antiperspirant stick to prevent any further odor from perspiration under your arms. Next, take the plain set of clothes you washed with your camo and put them on before you get in your vehicle and drive to your hunting location. Use one of the towels on the floor mat and the other to cover the entire seat and up the back rest. This way, very minimal existing vehicle odors will actually make contact with your body while traveling.
3. The Hunt: Once you arrive to your spot, get outside and open up your Scent-Safe bag. Take off the plain clothes you wore for the ride and piece by piece put on your camo layers. Make sure to spray down each layer as you put it on with Scent-A-Way MAX or Bio-Strike Field Spray. Keep in mind how long of a walk you have to get in and how hot the temps are outside to keep from overdressing at the start. Place any outer layers in your pack to put on when you get up in your stand and get settled in. Lastly, spray down your boots inside and out then put them on for the walk in. Don’t forget to keep a small bottle of field spray and a pack of Scent-A-Way Field Wipes in your pack for when you are up in your stand. This is really nice if you use a climbing stand or any stand where you have to exert a lot of energy to get up in your tree.

It is always best when bowhunting to hunt the wind and know what stands you have are set up for certain wind directions. Remember also that during morning hunts, the thermal waves or columns which carry scent from your body rise up from the ground as the temperatures go from cooler to warmer. Then the opposite occurs during evening hunts, the thermal columns will fall and be carried down to ground level as the temps go from warmer to cooler. I hope you can use what has brought me so much success in your future hunts. Happy Hunting!