Anyone use John Eberharts scent control methods?

[GCTerpfan]

If anyone knows of accounts of techniques and styles frontiersmen and Native Americans used to hunt, I'm super curious to learn more on their methods - and in particular, how they dealt with their scent.

Here are a couple of pages from Saxton Pope’s book Hunting with the Bow and Arrow describing how Ishi hunted.

Contents for: Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Saxton Pope, 1923.

Contents for: Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Saxton Pope, 1923.

www.archerylibrary.com

I have also read that Ishi used to smoke his clothes/body before a hunt but I don’t remember if I read it in Pope’s book or somewhere else.

In the pages above Ishi talks about understanding the wind and doing things to reduce his odor. I do find it a little humorous that so many hunters today seem to argue one side or the other like they are mutually exclusive.

 

[mschultz373]

inB4 "if you hunt with anything more than a loincloth on, you're not a real hunter"

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Here are a couple of pages from Saxton Pope’s book Hunting with the Bow and Arrow describing how Ishi hunted.

Contents for: Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Saxton Pope, 1923.

Contents for: Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Saxton Pope, 1923.

www.archerylibrary.com

View attachment 102062View attachment 102061

I have also read that Ishi used to smoke his clothes/body before a hunt but I don’t remember if I read it in Pope’s book or somewhere else.

In the pages above Ishi talks about understanding the wind and doing things to reduce his odor. I do find it a little humorous that so many hunters today seem to argue one side or the other like they are mutually exclusive.

I've read that account before, and my takeaway was that Ishi used what most of us would consider a pretty hard core, diligent and well thought out scent control regimen up to and including altering his diet a day or days prior to a hunt. He was altering what he ate, what he wore and his whole hygiene prior to a hunt. He was also playing the wind and terrain as well, but did he do everything in his power to mitigate his scent? I sure think so.

 

[mschultz373]

I've read that account before, and my takeaway was that Ishi used what most of us would consider a pretty hard core, diligent and well thought out scent control regimen up to and including altering his diet a day or days prior to a hunt. He was altering what he ate, what he wore and his whole hygiene prior to a hunt. He was also playing the wind and terrain as well, but did he do everything in his power to mitigate his scent? I sure think so.

But do we know to what extent, if any, those things “worked”? Were they actually helpful - or was he a great woodsman and hunter independent of those scent mitigation techniques? If he was always, for example, hunting deer south of his position with a N wind... did it make any difference that he altered his diet, used aromatic leaves, etc?

the world may never know….

 

[NMSbowhunter]

But do we know to what extent, if any, those things “worked”? Were they actually helpful - or was he a great woodsman and hunter independent of those scent mitigation techniques?

the world may never know….

I don't know this for sure, but my feeling is that these techniques worked for him and were probably learned both from his own personal practical experience hunting for years and also from collective knowledge learned from thousands of years of experience from his ancestors. I believe Ishi was the last of his tribe. He would certainly have been taught how to hunt by older members in his youth and they would have learned how to hunt from their elders, so on and on.

 

[mschultz373]

AND I do think ultimately, even if those things helped 5% or something, that is worth doing for anyone who has the time and desire.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

The other thing to keep in mind with Ishi is he was hunting to eat. He wasn't hunting for sport. Sure, I'm certain he derived a lot of enjoyment out of hunting itself, but it was deadly serious business also. A subsistence hunter may go out for a deer but if they run into a raccoon or an opossum or a rabbit, they will kill that too. Meat is meat to them. It's very different for us. We have artificial restrictions placed on when and what we can hunt, and I've never gone hungry because I came back from a day's hunt without an animal. They hunted year-round and took what was offered.

 

[Weldabeast]

No offense to the guy but he was probably much "smellier" compared to us now. Hot shower, soap, deodorant vs a splash in the creek and rubbing some cedar leafs on ur body. Based on that little snippet he's masking his scent as well as he could but focusing mainly on the wind...... Im surprised taking a dump wasnt included in his prehunt ritual

 

[NMSbowhunter]

No offense to the guy but he was probably much "smellier" compared to us now. Hot shower, soap, deodorant vs a splash in the creek and rubbing some cedar leafs on ur body. Based on that little snippet he's masking his scent as well as he could but focusing mainly on the wind...... Im surprised taking a dump wasnt included in his prehunt ritual

He was probably "smellier" than a modern person judged by the average person living today, but he was probably more "naturally smelly" as we are probably more "industrially smelly", if that makes sense. Of the two, a deer would likely be more off put by industrially smelly than naturally smell, to my way of thinking. Or, maybe stinky is just stinky.

 

[mschultz373]

so back to this ScentLok - they're having a sale and it's a good deal. You southeastern guys: what is the garment to look at since we're generally hot/warm all season? Last season, the coldest sit I had was admittedly high 20s, but that was one time and an anomaly. generally the coolest was low 50s/high 40s.

I was looking at the savanna aero, plus facemask and gloves (includes as a gift). those have the carbon alloy and moisture wicking, but not the silver alloy anti-microbial stuff. unsure what is best bang for buck

 

[NMSbowhunter]

so back to this ScentLok - they're having a sale and it's a good deal. You southeastern guys: what is the garment to look at since we're generally hot/warm all season? Last season, the coldest sit I had was admittedly high 20s, but that was one time and an anomaly. generally the coolest was low 50s/high 40s.

I was looking at the savanna aero, plus facemask and gloves (includes as a gift). those have the carbon alloy and moisture wicking, but not the silver alloy anti-microbial stuff. unsure what is best bang for buck

Yes, the Savanna Aero is what I use for pants. They are very light weight. I usually wear a 30 inch waist but got a pair that are probably like a 32 or 33. With a belt they are fine early season. As it gets colder I can wear a pair of Underarmor cold gear level 3 under them and when it gets really cold i have a pair of heavy pants that are warm and I wear them under the Savanna.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I have the savanah jacket for early season and put it on in the tree. It's too hot to walk in. I also have two other jackets. One is a midweight and the other a heavy weight. I use those accordingly.

 

[Plebe]

so back to this ScentLok - they're having a sale and it's a good deal. You southeastern guys: what is the garment to look at since we're generally hot/warm all season? Last season, the coldest sit I had was admittedly high 20s, but that was one time and an anomaly. generally the coolest was low 50s/high 40s.

I was looking at the savanna aero, plus facemask and gloves (includes as a gift). those have the carbon alloy and moisture wicking, but not the silver alloy anti-microbial stuff. unsure what is best bang for buck

40s/50s, I like the Full Season TAKTIX jacket w/ a heavy baselayer top. Ok in low 60’s, on stand, w/ light baselayer top. Can go a bit warmer if it’s very breezy.

 

[raisins]

AND I do think ultimately, even if those things helped 5% or something, that is worth doing for anyone who has the time and desire.

I agree, but I'd add that it is best to do the biggest bang for the buck items first. Like don't overly focus on scent control to the point where something more important (like scouting) is neglected.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I agree, but I'd add that it is best to do the biggest bang for the buck items first. Like don't overly focus on scent control to the point where something more important (like scouting) is neglected.

Odor reduction "chores", and scouting are 2 entirely different details to address.
I don't understand how some guys think that dealing with odor is so time consuming. Yeah it does take a little extra time to address odor reduction but those details (for my system) are almost exclusively done just pre hunt (morning shower/hygiene, etc) and immediately post hunt. None of that effects my available time to scout. And actually, post-hunt odor chores aren't much more than tossing my boots on the boot dryer, and also making sure nothing that I wore is left in an air-tight container for bacteria to grow. I believe it's a mistake to leave worn/dirty clothing and gear enclosed in containers. Air-out stuff as soon as possible. I very seldom wear base layers without laundering them in-between uses. I feel that it's the base layers that hold more shed skin, skin oil, than the mid and outer layers. About the only time I'll wear un-laundered base layers is if I'm on a travel hunt and have no access to a clean washing machine and I'm running short on base layers. In that case, I'll ozone base layers and wear them again but that's a last resort. I really prefer freshly washed base layers.

Maybe I just have a system and I've refined it over many years, but odor reduction chores is probably the easiest, least time consuming details of my hunt.

 

[DroptineKrazy]

Odor reduction "chores", and scouting are 2 entirely different details to address.
I don't understand how some guys think that dealing with odor is so time consuming. Yeah it does take a little extra time to address odor reduction but those details (for my system) are almost exclusively done just pre hunt (morning shower/hygiene, etc) and immediately post hunt. None of that effects my available time to scout. And actually, post-hunt odor chores aren't much more than tossing my boots on the boot dryer, and also making sure nothing that I wore is left in an air-tight container for bacteria to grow. I believe it's a mistake to leave worn/dirty clothing and gear enclosed in containers. Air-out stuff as soon as possible. I very seldom wear base layers without laundering them in-between uses. I feel that it's the base layers that hold more shed skin, skin oil, than the mid and outer layers. About the only time I'll wear un-laundered base layers is if I'm on a travel hunt and have no access to a clean washing machine and I'm running short on base layers. In that case, I'll ozone base layers and wear them again but that's a last resort. I really prefer freshly washed base layers.

Maybe I just have a system and I've refined it over many years, but odor reduction chores is probably the easiest, least time consuming details of my hunt.

It's no different than climbing the tree. Once you get your system down the juice is worth the squeeze.

 

[raisins]

Odor reduction "chores", and scouting are 2 entirely different details to address.

My point was "don't get lost in the scent game if you are lacking somewhere else". Scouting was just an example of something important plucked out of the air. I didn't infer that scent control guys are all lacking somewhere else.

 

[mschultz373]

I listened to a HUNTR podcast with Eberhardt where he basically said he keeps his ScentLok in airtight totes and puts on the suit before hunting…. Which sounded really manageable. He said he didn’t even shower before morning hunts. I would be willing to try that, partially because the current sale on ScentLok….

Now I’ve seen the list where he cuts out coffee and shaves his airports daily and avoids garlic. Whatever - at that point we’re getting into, like, witchcraft territory. You can call it hardcore if you like, I would say it’s as silly as saying cow farts are destroying the ozone.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

My point was "don't get lost in the scent game if you are lacking somewhere else". Scouting was just an example of something important plucked out of the air. I didn't infer that scent control guys are all lacking somewhere else.

I understood your point and I wasn't inferring anything beyond your point.
I quoted you in order to add context to my point.
Public forums have participants and lurkers of all levels of experience. I'm sure there are budding hunters on here that are trying to absorb and learn things they yet have no concept about.
I've been in dozens of threads and face-to-face conversations on the subject and I truly believe that some guys make odor reduction out to be some expensive, laborious, time consuming waste of time. It's not. "Can't beat a deer's nose" right? That phrase so so fricken vague and ambiguous it makes my butt tired.
Scouting is interesting. Odor reduction is interesting. Wind study is interesting. It's one huge chess game and I don't want to sacrifice even one pawn if I can avoid it.
Attention to each and every piece of the puzzle is all part of becoming a better, more stealthy hunter with a better understanding of this incredible pursuit.