I'm a little late in the discussion here, but here's my 2 cents...
I'm mostly a deer hunter. We don't have many coyotes here in PA, but I do hunt them from time to time. I do hunt foxes quite a bit though. I agree with most of the posters who say you can't fool a canine's nose. I've been told by dog trainers/leo's/emergency k-9 responders that if you set a bowl of beef stew in front of the dog, he could pick out the carrots from the lot.
As a hunter, who spends a lot of time enjoying what I do, I want to increase the odds in my favor, as much as possible to make a successful hunt. I play the wind EVERY time I go on stand. If I can't hunt a stand, I'll go somewhere where I can hunt with that wind. But, even when you play the wind, that isn't going to guarantee that you'll get a shot off before a deer/yote gets downwind...especially with archery equipment. Therefore, I do use scent control products (shower gel, unscented deodorant, activated carbon suits, rubber boots and scent control sprays) to help keep my human scent to a minimum.
I used to get busted a lot, by deer who cross my entry route. Since switching to scent control sprays, garments and rubber boots, the instances of this occurring have greatly diminished. The way I see it, if a scent control product buys me just a little bit more time to make a successful shot, it was worth it. That little bit of extra time can mean meat in the freezer, or a pelt on the wall.
If anyone is interested, I'm using a scent control spray called "Forget the Wind" made by a friend in Ok. City, OK. I've tried several other "name" brands, but his product works much better, for me anyway. I know Ackleyman on this board has a lot more experience with this product than I do, especially with coyotes. Maybe he'll chime in.
bownut
