Preparing For the Hunt
When you consider how many little things can go wrong to spoil a hunt, it’s surprising how many bow hunters just don’t pay attention to the minor details. No matter how good of equipment you have or how much you practice and scout, overlooked minor details can cost you the deer/elk/ or antelope of your dreams. Here are some “”minor details”” that you need to remember before you head to the deer woods:
1. Being scent free Pre-hunt preparation: Several days before your hunt begin living the “”scent free lifestyle”” 1) Wash everyday with scent eradicator body wash/shampoo
2) Diet: Do not eat aromatic foods: no garlic, onions, asparagus etc. The odors stay with the body for days. Try to eat more plain and sorry to say it but grains and veggies are the way to go. Stay away from lots of meat, Carnivores give off different pheromones then herbivores.
3) Wash your camo thoroughly, as well as your backpack, gloves, hats, socks, and even your boots. Yes your boots I suggest washing them from time to time. Store your clean camo in clear plastic bags (black plastic smells more like petroleum product). I like to go collect a few branches of trees that I would find in the area ill will be hunting and put them in the bag with the camo. Your camo will absorb the smell and help you stay undetected. Store your boots separately from all other gear with branches as well.
4)Stop wearing deodorant two days before your hunt, this gives your body a chance to get rid of the built up deodorant under your arms. Take care to scrub these areas well when you bathe. This may or may not be necessary but the day before I like to shower 3 times. Then the day of the hunt begin using your unscented antiperspirant/deodorant again.
5) Day of hunt don’t go eating breakfast in your hunting gear. Eat in your “”jammies”” before you bathe and it’s always a good idea to try and have a BM before you bathe too.
6) On day trips, if possible drive to your location in normal clothes(that you washed the same way you did your camo) and dress in your camo at the site.
In the field:
Well when its at all possible I like to stay in motels instead of camping for numerous reasons. I’d much rather get up an hour or two earlier and have to drive to my hunt location then camp. It’s not that I don’t enjoy roughing it because I go camping all the time even when I’m not hunting. I am always more successful when I stay at a motel etc. because of the following: I like to lay out my things and take account of my gear every night before I hit the field, I get a better nights sleep even if I’m waking up earlier it still more quality sleep, I have the use of a shower to help me stay scent free and lastly where there is a motel there is civilization and I can keep my supplies stocked. That being said when this is not an option here are my tips for staying scent free while in the field.
1)Don’t sit by campfires in your hunting gear. Have a set of clothes that are your camp clothes eat and sleep in your camp clothes.
2) Bathe midday after your morning hunts, I use a camp shower that I got from walmart and huntech’s body wash. I bring a towel, bathing suit and flip flops go hang the shower in a remote tree and take a shower. I often freeze my $%$ but it’s worth it. In areas that are too cold or snow is involved I just a use wash cloth and body wash in my sleeping quarters.
3)In areas that it is cold I go to and from stands without my jacket and heavy gear. I do this for two reasons one so I don’t sweat in my heavy gear and then sit in one spot for hours freezing cuase I’m all wet under my heavy clothes and two so I don’t sweat as much and generate any more unwanted odors. I bring a small towel with me when I get to the stand I towel off my sweat from hiking in then put the towel in a zip lock back and back in my pack. I lube up one more time with huntech’s scent eradicator lotion and put my heavy gear on.
4) If you have the option and I know camo is expensive but I have much better success when I change my camo everyday of my hunt and on short hunts I change for each outing. I don’t use very expensive camo(unless im in the snow) I use regular cotton shirts and fleece type camo pants for most of my hunts. These are usually pretty in-expensive. I tried using scent control type clothing where proven to be effective for scent control yet often more noisy, more uncomfortable, do not breathe well, and very expensive. So I myself tend to stay away from such camo. But If you like them I say the more protection you have the better chances of nailing a big buck you’ll have.
5) Keep your clothes separate! Dirty clothes in one bag, clean clothes in another, and camp clothes hang them up to air them out . Air out your boots when your not wearing them. When I’m camping I stick pine branches in them while they are airing out.
6) Always handle your dirty clothes, put on your boots and go to the bathroom without your gloves on. Wash your hands if possible after handling items at camp and going to the bathroom (you should do that anyway those of you who go to bathroom and don’t wash you know who you are!)
7)Taken the long way to your stand or glassing spot. Do your best not to trample through the areas that the animals you are hunting are using. (that’s just common sense)
8. If you are stand Hunting Use a tightly sealed urine bottle for nature’s call.
9. If you can, stop scouting about 2 weeks before the season opener so your human scent doesn’t build up in the area you will be hunting adapt a system that works for you and get consistent in what you do so it’s easier to figure out what works and what doesn’t.