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Pre and Post Hunting Prep and “Finished For The Day” Details We Seldom Discuss

DroptineKrazy said:
I have 2 sheds on my property. A 10 x 20 workshop and a 10 x 14 hunting shed. I store all my hunting gear in my hunting shed and nothing else. My hunting clothes are hung in there, my saddle, my bow, my boots, backpack, one stick, everything is stored in there. I wash the clothing as needed. Reactivate my SL every 3 or 4 hunts and hit all of it with ozone once or twice a week. I'm within walking distance from some of my spots and use my ebike to get to most of my other spots. I do have a couple of spots that I have to drive to so I have a large trash bag that I sit on driving to those spots in my hunting clothes but put my boots on when I get there. I also clean and ozone the inside of my truck before the season and try to use it only for hunting during the season.
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I'd love a shed to use as an office, trophy room, and gear closet. As it is, all of my hunting gear is, according to my wife, supposed to fit in a 3ft by 6ft closet along with the rest of my clothes. But I also have dead critters hung all over her living room. Fair trade, I guess
 
woodsdog2 said:
I chuckle
Because it is serious stuff but is it, really? I think this is somewhat the point of this thread. I’m trying to figure out if I spend too much time on stupid stuff. I really try to keep things efficient but it still seems to take seconds, which turns to minutes, which turns to hours, etc. I’m always trying to refine things…… happy so many are responding.
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I swear the organization, prep, and handling of my hunting gear keeps me sane and makes up for the lack of time that I would like to be spending in the woods lol! For me, all of this has become an actual physical part of the hunt. It all used to be much more integrated/streamlined when I was hunting 5-6 days a week...
 
@woodsdog2, my routine is very similar to yours.
Outer layers never get washed unless absolutely necessary, which essentially means covered in blood. Base layers get washed when they start to "feel" like they should be washed, they get a funk to them, or of course blood soaked. They get washed in unscented, non UV brightener detergent, can't remember which one I use. Normally after a hunt, all clothing, including boots and saddle are hung outside on my enclosed screened in porch. If I'm unable to hunt for a length of time due to work, I pack my gear in air tight totes in my basement hobby room.
I feel there is no better way to reduce/minimize odors than for them to acquire the natural outdoor aromas in the air by hanging outdoors. I don't use any form of scent control other than using scent free soap for showering and scent free deodorant. I'm not a smoker, nor is any of my immediate family, I don't wear aftershaves or cologne, and I never walk through my garage while I'm wearing my hunting gear.
If I get caught in the rain and my gear gets soaked, it gets hung to dry and then stored accordingly.
As far as after making a kill, I'll wash the blood from the arrow and put on a new broadhead. The used broadhead gets put aside and resharpened while I'm at work. Yes, I multitask, haha! I'll also verify my bow is still sighted in with a couple of shots with broadheads and field points. Headlamp battery gets put on charger and all my gear is hunt ready that evening.
 
I’m not a scent control guy other than playing wind and thermals, but will share something I found and started using this season just to keep my boots fresh for my own pleasure.

I think @dalton916 posted something similar before, but I found unscented medical spray at a local medical supply that is used for colostomy patients and such that removes odors instantly and keeps them at bay for a good while. Compared to all the hunting scent killers, this is the real deal and they are all a joke! This one is called M9 by Hollister, but likely made by several companies.
 
Bwhana said:
I’m not a scent control guy other than playing wind and thermals, but will share something I found and started using this season just to keep my boots fresh for my own pleasure.

I think @dalton916
posted something similar before, but I found unscented medical spray at a local medical supply that is used for colostomy patients and such that removes odors instantly and keeps them at bay for a good while. Compared to all the hunting scent killers, this is the real deal and they are all a joke! This one is called M9 by Hollister, but likely made by several companies.
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@Bwhana, does it come in concentrated form or can you buy enough or in large enough to make it practical for every day hunting applications?
 
I’ve got a “he shed” for all my hunting junk. It’s great for storing stuff but i keep everything in totes to keep any would be mice at bay. I also have traps set for the little suckers cuz well hey, I’m a trapper so why not? I am eventually going to run electric to it for some lighting.! It’s nothing fancy but it serves my needs well. It’s especially beneficial for the off season.
 
For the past several years, I've used a sleeping bag stuff-sack to haul my outer ware, boots, pack, grunt tube, rattling bag, RC climbing harness, etc. That way I am carrying only a couple things to the Jeep......my bow case and that sack. This summer, I bought a camo nylon duffle with carry handles that is working even better. Staying organized keeps me from leaving stuff on the Jeep roof or laying forgotten in the grass as I drive off.....both of which have happened in over 40 years of bowhunting. I still chafe at memory of the Double Bull blind chair I left in the weeds in a public spot and never saw again.

So when I get home from a hunt, I set the duffle down where I keep my current hunting clothing in the basement.....and take care of my bow first. Once it is wiped down or simply hung back on the rack, I take off the layers I am wearing and hang them on hangers to go outdoors to air.....followed by the outer layers in the duffle. Like the OP, I rarely launder the other layers unless wet and/or bloody. Mid-layers every couple weeks and base layers weekly.....untless I sweated in them setting up or hauling out a deer. Boots come out of the duffle to air out and every once in a while, a shot of baking soda to prevent odor. Since our MI weather fluctuates greatly, I will hang out the set I plan to hunt in prior to a hunt to "freshen" them up.....including base layers. Rinse and repeat.....
 
Toss it all in the suv. If it's wet I will hang it up when I get home. I use to stuff it all in tubs and try to keep it scent free as possible. But didn't seem to help. So I just toss it in the back. Depending on the temps that can move 40deg.one way to the other in S. Michigan, some stuff might only get used early season one time. My supposed wind blocker vest is about the only article that makes most hunts. So the sorting usually happens before I go. What do I need? How cold is it gonna be. The saddle stuff stays together.. The harnesses stay together. But the clothing is pretty much a free for all unfortunately. Adding kids to the mix has added a little extra work to it all. So it's just turned more to go hunt and have fun. Stay warm..
 
MattMan81 said:
Toss it all in the suv. If it's wet I will hang it up when I get home. I use to stuff it all in tubs and try to keep it scent free as possible. But didn't seem to help. So I just toss it in the back. Depending on the temps that can move 40deg.one way to the other in S. Michigan, some stuff might only get used early season one time. My supposed wind blocker vest is about the only article that makes most hunts. So the sorting usually happens before I go. What do I need? How cold is it gonna be. The saddle stuff stays together.. The harnesses stay together. But the clothing is pretty much a free for all unfortunately. Adding kids to the mix has added a little extra work to it all. So it's just turned more to go hunt and have fun. Stay warm..
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If being scent free didn't seem to help does that mean your still not killin deer? :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy:
 
DroptineKrazy said:
If being scent free didn't seem to help does that mean your still not killin deer? :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy:
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Lol. I haven't killed one this season yet. But my kids have. Maybe they don't stink yet? I don't want to hunt the John E. Way of scrubbing my self down. I want to enjoy being out there. Not panicking if I have worn a garment more than 3 hours and it needs a new charge.
 
So how do you all manage your saddle before and after the hunt? Do you wear it in, pack it in and then put it on at the tree or what? I pack mine in typically if I’m setting completely up with sticks, platformetc. . Presets on private I may just wear it in because all my other stuff I don’t need until I shoot something but as it gets colder and I have to carry in more layers then I’m packing everything again.
 
Easy for me. If I'm hunting around the house I wear it. If I'm on my ebike or in my truck I carry it in my backpack and put it on at the tree.It hangs in my scent free hunting shed when not in use.
 
I go straight to the basement and strip down. We've had a couple tick incidents with the kids where I got blamed for bringing them in.

Throw my clothes everywhere, put my boots on the dryer. yada yada. I dont do any scent control or otherwise magical routines.
 
woodsdog2 said:
So how do you all manage your saddle before and after the hunt? Do you wear it in, pack it in and then put it on at the tree or what? I pack mine in typically if I’m setting completely up with sticks, platformetc. . Presets on private I may just wear it in because all my other stuff I don’t need until I shoot something but as it gets colder and I have to carry in more layers then I’m packing everything again.
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I wear it home-to-home unless I'm stopping at sheetz for beer. No flippin way I'm wearing that thing in public lol.
 
Zero method to my madness. Wash clothes in Tide or Gain if bloody or muddy. Toss clothes in the corner gear stays in the truck. Stress free and does not prevent me from killing deer. Tried the scent free route and it wasn't enjoyable and I still got winded.
 
All my hunting climbing methods/ accessories live in my decked drawer system, clothes are like most others if super bloody I’ll wash otherwise just goes right back in outside closet and base layers and under get washed in their own washer with unscented soap.
 
I honestly don’t realize what I’m doing pre and post hunt. I generally try to put stuff in the same place every time but sometimes I just do weird stuff lol, put my bow on a hook it’s never been on, stash my platform a dozen paces from all the rest of the gear for no reason, bring my release inside but leave the bow in the garage, put everything together except for one random piece of gear that I will inevitably need but will inevitably forget…
I think my mind is so into the hunt, especially afterwards, that I don’t really think about what I’m doing until the next time I hunt and I’m like “why did I put that THERE?!” and it’ll be another random item the next time.
 
Only thing routine in my post-hunt is getting trash/food out of pack so mice don’t make a home there. Also I refill my 3L hydration bladder back up so I don’t forget to do it on the next hunt, especially on early mornings.
 
DelaWhere_Arrow said:
I honestly don’t realize what I’m doing pre and post hunt. I generally try to put stuff in the same place every time but sometimes I just do weird stuff lol, put my bow on a hook it’s never been on, stash my platform a dozen paces from all the rest of the gear for no reason, bring my release inside but leave the bow in the garage, put everything together except for one random piece of gear that I will inevitably need but will inevitably forget…
I think my mind is so into the hunt, especially afterwards, that I don’t really think about what I’m doing until the next time I hunt and I’m like “why did I put that THERE?!” and it’ll be another random item the next time.
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I’m with you on this. I just recently “color coded” some zippers on my pack with different color electrical tape to try and get better at organizing so I get to things as I unpack once in the tree. Often times I’m having to empty my pack into my pockets just to find my pack and bow hanger.
 
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