Are scent blockers worth it-Yotes

pachuckhunter

pachuckhunter

New member
Maybe its been mentioned before, I did'nt check. Cabelas sells scent blocking shampoo, deoderant, ect. I have decent camo, but not the scent blocker type. Most cases, are Yotes more lokely to stay far away because they see you, or because they smell you?

Thanks for the input. I can't wait for a few more weeks when I can start hunting them also.

Karl
 
Well my opinion is any leg up on the competition is better (no dog pun intended). I use scent lock (x-scent brand) long johns, and a cabella's scentloc ghuille suit. I modified mine for winter predator use by tying white bed sheets into the camo. I have good luck when I am solo but I have a buddy that I take sometimes that has none of the scent lock gear and to be quite honest he needs some personal hygene help, when he is with me we NEVER call any dogs in. Ok, once in 2 years on a single pup. So id say scentloc is good. I dont go so far as shampoo (well I also have zero hair on my head), or soap, or deodorant. I dont use my normal zest or irish spring b4 going predator hunting. That is my 2 cents.
 
So the scent lock (carbon?) stuff really works? How about washing it? I did buy some of the special laundry soap that cabelas sells, forget the name. No perfumes, dyes, whiteners, you know-scentblock?
 
Thats a ggod question about the scent control!! I also have decent camo but not the stink blocker kind. I have carbon blast spray bottle stuff but I sometimes wonder if it works and I am also affraid to spray on my rifle. And i wonder about about the smell of my house dog, I keep my gear in a closet in a spare bedroom/computer room and my dog has free rome of the house (he pretty much runs the house) so I wonder how much of his smell is on my stuff.. I am also thinking of spraying some diluted doe urine or other cover/ attract scent every now and then to cover my smell as I go to my stands and travel around. Any comments/or advice? thanks
 
I think it's all overrated, especially for coyotes. I chatted with a member of the Sherrif's Posse Search and Rescue unit here. They use hounds to trail missing persons, lost folks, criminals, etc. He related to me an account of one of their hounds tracking down an arsonist. This dog was able to find enough human scent on a melted gasoline jug that was consumed in a 1500+ degree fire to track the guy to his home. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif The evidence stood up in court and he was convicted. Now, if a domestic dog can smell scent molucules that have been exposed to the kind of environment, do you really think a coyote can't smell you through "scent control" clothing or cover scents? If you want to waste your money on that stuff, go for it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I'll spend mine on calls and rifles and gas to get out in the desert to call coyotes.
 
I have to disagree. Using scent is a bonus even for the yotes. At the very least it might weaken your scent enough to extend your window of opprotunity. The unscented cammo cloths wash is a must with out it do you really go out smelling apirl fresh in January? At the very least I use the unscented body soap and shampoo with the unscented laudary detergent. Cover scents can be added. Last night I went out after just washing my cammo and under gear. I called in 8 deer from my down wind side to about 20 yards. Not sure how the scent effected them, but they have pretty good noses. Anything to get a leg up as was stated is a good thing. Oh and cost wise, watch Walmart, every in about december around here they all their hunting stuff on Red Tag sell. The result= Bar of Soap $.50, Shampoo $1.20 Handi Wipes $1.50, Laundary Soap $3.00 a bottle and Earth Cover Scent/Bateria Blocker $4.50 a bottle. Now I am pretty sure that the soap shampoo and detergent were probable about the same cost as Irish spring, and tide.
 
Just my opinion, but you don't have to use all those "special detergents" and shampoos. Just use non scented shampoo and soap, make sure your wife doesn't use any fabric softner(ever get a whiff of that stuff when the sun shines on you?)
Then spray down with whatever scent cover you use deer hunting (if you deer hunt). Wal-Mart has some stuff in a white bottle with a green label (can't remember the name) works great, I had a buck almost follow me to my tree stand in October bow season, walked right down the same trail I did straight toward me, before I even had my bow pulled up the tree.
Be sure to spray you boots really good, thats what leaves the scent on the ground.
 
I bet all the dope smugglers would love to know about something like this. Scent blockers of any kind DON'T work on coyotes.

Do you really think the US government would allow it? DesertRam you are a hundred percent right, it's a waste of money. Dogs can sniff out dope in a steel gas tank full of gas...Hellooo!!!

The thing that really gets me is a guy buys a $250 scent free camo outfit but what about his hands, face and breath? duh.
 
All they are really doing is narrowing the scent cone a bit. True you can never block all you scent, but if you can cut it down by half it might give you a few extra seconds to get a shot off.
 
I use homemade pine cover scent regularly during bow season and feel it helps drastically. Also homemade scent killer helps alot and at $3 a gallon, is cheap. The carbon activated stuff I feel is a gimmick and waste of time IMO. The science of carbon activation(which is above me) shows that that to reactivate the carbon ,it must get around 200 degrees for it to work. Clothes dryers aren't even close to that. So once the suit absobes scent, it always will be there unless you have a source of high temp. Heck, when you buy the product from the shelf, unless it's in a vacuum sealed bag, it's already full of scent. Tazimna
 
I use the good ole fashioned Arm and Hammer baking soda to wash all my "regular" camo. I keep it in a trash bag with a little A&H in the bottom. I've had deer close enough to smack upside the head without being winded. It's been years since a whitetail nose has busted me. I also use Whitetail research scent killer spray between washings and on each outing, works good for getting onion smell off hands too. If they're close enough to smell me, they're probably already dead and haven't heard the shot yet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Using scent block cannot hurt, unless you get lazy with your approach/setup by relying to much on the scent blocker stuff.

You can fool a coyotes eyes and ears, but I don't believe you can fool their nose. Witness what has been said about the tracking dogs and the drug and bomb sniffers.

I do not use any scent blocker stuff.
 
Think about what a human (who's olfactory nerve would be about the size of a postage stamp if flattened out)can smell when in the presence of other hunters...from a decent distance you can smell gun oil, or gun powder if a firearm was discharged earlier in the day etc. It is hard to defume your gun. How about those guys breath ? Think what a canine can smell (who's olfactory nerve would be about the size of a large american flag if flattened out) Imho there is NO hiding your scent, stay crosswind or downwind! Save your money, buy a new rifle with what you could save on a couple "scent be gone" coats/pants/shirts etc.
 
I never use scent blockers, but I do put some fox urine or deer urine around on some cotton balls. Even if my scent isn't gone there is a distraction scent there that might give you that upper edge.
 
Scent control WORKS! Now, I'm new to Coyote Hunting, but not whitetails. Since starting to use scent control (Which I'll define) I see many more deer, and the deer are MUCH more calm.

Scent-Loc is not a cure. Its a tool, over rated or under-rated I'm not sure. The key to scent control is a full system.

Firstly, take scent free showers - meaning use unscented, soaps, personally, I prefer the fresh earth scented soaps. I do use the "hunting" soaps, they really don't cost that much considering how long they last. I also use unscented deodorant - Right Guard - its cheaper than the hunter stuff. In addition, during deer season, I always trim my under-arm hairs, and chest hair. I don't shave, but just use clippers.

ALL of my hunting clothes (including socks and several pair of underwear) are stored in a plastic bin. I NEVER wear them out to eat, at a gas station, or anything like that. I don't leave them laying around the house. When I return from hunting, they immediately go into the bin. These clothes are washed ONLY with scent free soap. I use ALL Free & Clear. Seems to work the best for me. If I want a cover scent, I use Knight & Hale Fresh Earth Detergent.

I wear knee high rubber boots, and spray them with scent eliminator before entering the woods. There are plenty of home-made recipes for scent eliminator.

The Nay-Sayers here are right about one thing, you can't ELIMINATE your scent. But think about what you are doing. You are reducing your scent to the point, hopefully the animal that smells it might thing you are 3x or 4x further away from them than you really are. Your scent trail smells several hours older than it really is.

I mean, how long do you think it takes after you've walked in the woods, before a Coyote WON'T run when it comes across your scent trail? 1 Hour? 2 Hours? 24 Hours?

With whitetails, it makes a HUGE difference. You don't trick 3-1/2+ year old deer without some form of scent control. I'm not saying run out and buy a $350 scent lock suit. I'm saying, take a scent free shower, wash your clothes. Don't put your hunting clothes on then cook or go out to eat breakfast, roll around with your kids and dog, and then pump gas on the way to your hunting spot....

As far as gun-oil, burned powder etc. I'm not sure about that. I'm primarily a bowhunter and can keep everything mostly scent free. Considering Coyotes get hit by cars, its obvious that the smell of exhaust fumes and vehicles doesn't scare them too much - or they wouldn't get near the road. Other than that, I don't really know....

In my opinion, scent control does work and its worth the effort!
 
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I most assuredly agree that scent control helps-when deer hunting, but look at the differences. When bow hunting for deer, we are hoping to ambush an unsuspecting deer, that is wandering somewhat aimlessly, or browsing or looking for a doe. When we are calling coyotes, the coyote is NOT unsuspecting. It is locked into a sound, is purposfully going downwind in order to discern if there is a threat associated with that sound. It will rely on its nose for this. A deer will also rely on its nose if it has a reason to investigate an unusual sound or movement. It too will often move downwind, and scent-b-gones will not cover up enough in this scenerio.
 
You want to hide your scent then strip off some Cedar and boil it in water. Drain off and filter the water. Splash or spray it on. You can also get in some smoke from a fire. Do all of this then you will


smell like a human hiding in a Cedar Tree or one set on fire.

But seriously it does help some to mask your scent.
 
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When we are calling coyotes, the coyote is NOT unsuspecting. It is locked into a sound, is purposfully going downwind in order to discern if there is a threat associated with that sound. It will rely on its nose for this. A deer will also rely on its nose if it has a reason to investigate an unusual sound or movement. It too will often move downwind, and scent-b-gones will not cover up enough in this scenerio.



So you are saying, and I'm asking, even if a coyote get's a whiff of human scent that appears to be at a non-threatening distance or smells as if the human was there some time ago (or much further from the prey sounds its focused on), that it will still spook, so practicing scent control is not worth it?

I also respectfully disagree on the deer going downwind if they suspect something is wrong. I've had many deer go down wind and NOT spook - I only have two possible explanations for that, Luck or scent control. I have a video of a 3-1/2 year old 8 point standing at 30 yards - it is snowing and you can watch the snowflakes blow from the camera directly to the deer. I will grant that I'm usually in a tree, and the scent may not get to their nose as easily, but if I've been there for several hours, and I had NOT practiced scent control, there would have been an ample amount of scent dispered in the general area to spook the deer(like it disperses from an air freshener). Again - I'm not saying that the carbon clothing works or doesn't, I'm saying taking precautions to eliminate human scent does work - and don't see why it wouldn't help with Coyotes.

I DON'T know a coyotes reaction to human scent. But with a deer, they may smell you (if you practice scent control), but oftentimes they do not react by bolting, but more by curiousity, and its possible, those 10 extra curious steps may put them into bow range.

I assume (we all know what happens when you do that) the lack of scent concentration, might, even if cautious, or aware of the scent, prevent the coyote from spooking immediately allowing time to get the shot off, or possibly even letting him get within range for a visual and possibly a shot that might not have otherwise been possible had he smelled your wifes perfume, your B.O. from all day yesterday because you got up a 4am and didn't feel like showering, and the smell of the convenient store where you got your coffee and donuts on the way to your stand...

Am I wrong? Do they bolt at any hint of human or foreign scent? Or are you nay sayers experience based only on non-scent controlled hunts? Have you ever tried it? I'm trying to learn here - and if it doesn't help one bit, then you can bet your but I won't go through the hassle!
 
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