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saddle scent elimination

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shwacker said:
Scent free doesn’t work in Florida. I sweat when I shut my truck door...


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That is another thing. When I hunt in Michigan or New York scent issues are not as large as they are when hunting in Florida or North Carolina. I hunted last Saturday it was 95°.
 
John Eberhart said:
That is a blatant LIE
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It’s not a lie. It’s what he and many others, including myself, believe. I hunt in 75+ degrees until mid-November, with no less than 70% humidity on any given day, with most topping out around 87% humidity above 80 degrees. I start sweating from the moment I exit my truck until the moment I shower it all off. I use scent-free detergents on all my cloth and ropes, only because I figure it can’t hurt; not because I believe it helps in any noticeable fashion. I have spent money on your DVDs and books, as I’m sure some of the people you have called liars in posts like this have also done. I have a tremendous amount of respect for your hunting tactics, Mr. John, but your habit of talking in absolutes and hacking at others for their habits has, quite frankly, made me regret purchasing your products. No big deal to you I’m sure, as others will definitely disagree with me and both of us. Just remember that it’s not wrong if it’s not the Eberhart way, and it’s not a lie if it’s someone’s perceivable truth.
 
I think there is a balance with everything in life, including scent control. I'm a trapper and try to beat a coyote's nose every year on my traplines. I think many would agree a coyote's nose most likely rivals that of a buck and maybe even a bear. I know for a fact that there have been times when if I did not adhere to some kind of a scent control regimen, I would have been busted, or my sets would not have been worked. I also know that I could have been wrapped in three scent lock suits and still would be busted. My suggestion is to take a clean five gallon bucket, fill it with clean water and use scent free, dye free, phosphorous free whatever free laundry detergent, just an 1/8th cup or so and hand wash your saddle in that and then rinse with clean water and let air dry. Then, if your saddle is soiled or you are concerned about body scent etc. left on it over time and again using it especially during the hot summer months when you have been sweating, your saddle and ropes will be decently clean and scent free for the beginning of the season. We can never eliminate all human order so playing the wind is essential; however, if you can do some things to lesson your scent impact, why not? I wash my clothes in cheap scent free detergent like free and clear etc., hang them out and then pack them in totes before the season. I also spray down before every hunt with scent eliminator spray of some kind. I also spray the soles of my boots. I also spray my saddle and ropes too. I have done this for many years and I do think it helps. I'm not super crazy about it but I try to minimize odors on my equipment while hunting and after hunting to keep things as scent free as possible. I do not own one scent lock suit and never have. That being said, I do practice some scent control.
 
I've always tried to hunt the wind and didn't really get into scent control until I attended John's workshop. I still hunt the wind when possible but some areas I hunt it just doesn't work. I switched to using his his scent control regimen last year and didn't see or hear any deer wind me. Could they have winded me out of sight? Absolutely. Do my buddies laugh at me? Absolutely. Did the CO laugh at me when I showed him my saddle and talked scent control. Yes he did.
But both bucks I shot last year were down wind and they both crossed over my route into the tree. One walked right by where my milk weed had got caught in the cattails. Flukes? Could be
I look at it like this. I have had the same bow since I was in my early twenties, but the rest of my gear cost me some money. I put all that cash into furthering my chances of killing dear and because I apparently like to waste money. So I saved and dropped some cash on scentlok because I have faith in my scentlok. Last year I had faith in John, which gave me faith in my suits. This year I have full faith in my suits and I KNOW it'll work. But I also see some big deer taken by guys in bib overalls that have seen better days, because they played the wind and had faith in that.
John's on to something and large part of that is his confidence in the system.
If you don't use it and kill big or little deer. Then continue what you're doing. If it's to hot then screw it. Just focus on the wind. Have fun
But if you have some extra cash, then experiment with it. Have faith in it. Calm yourself down. Go slow. Be careful what you touch. Have fun.

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firehunter said:
I don't know about other manufacturers but Tethrd has tested theirs with ozone and did not notice any degradation.
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Our mad scientist @BassBoysLLP put our fabrics through 20 years of simulated ozone. The only thing that was really damaged was the rip stop nylon on top of the SYS Hauler.

Fun experiment.

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John Eberhart said:
That is a blatant LIE
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It takes a special kind of person to do the kind of scent control you do and I’m sure you’re in the very few. It’s sad to see you attacking someone that disagrees.
That scent regiment does however allow you to never have a camera man with you and you won’t self film so we may never know how your killing deer. I’ll just stick with the guys doing it a little more like the Everyman and with some humility.


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Yes and I washed all my Cranford rope strap on steps, my Cranford scaffold steps, my 2 Mantis saddles, pouches, tether ropes, and my bow rope on Monday. While I used the washtub in my back room because I had so much crap to wash, you can use a 5 gallon bucket for just a saddle and ropes. Fill the bucket with warm to hot water and put in 2 capfuls of scent free detergent (I use Arm & Hammers hypoallergenic) and throw your stuff in the bucket. Swish it around every few hours and don't be afraid to leave it for a day or two. Dump the water out and rinse your saddle and ropes under a faucet or out in the yard with a hose for a few minutes and then hang it up outside for a few days. All my stuff is hanging on a fence right now and it was on the fence all day yesterday in a hard rain which is good. Once it's totally dry in a day or two I'll take it down and keep it in an air tight container or bag and the saddle will get rolled up and go in my backpack. I will only handle the steps with my ScentLok gloves on going forward and that includes while putting them on during a DIY hunt. I'm a scent control freak and NEVER EVER pay attention to wind direction.
 
I have a 30 gal drum that i put cedar chips and pine needles in, and store my saddle and rope in. You can also try smoking your saddle and storing it that way also. I've done it both ways, but prefer the cedar and pine since it smells better.
 
Phaco said:
I have a 30 gal drum that i put cedar chips and pine needles in, and store my saddle and rope in. You can also try smoking your saddle and storing it that way also. I've done it both ways, but prefer the cedar and pine since it smells better.
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What happens when your hunting in an area with no pines or cedars? Mature bucks in heavily pressured areas coming in from downwind would notice the foreign smell and react by leaving before getting close. If you're strictly hunting according to wind direction by praying that every deer will always come in from upwind, then it wouldn't matter either way.
 
BayouBeauxhunter said:
Not to be a smart ***, but if your saddle doesn’t have human scent on it all year, why do you find the need to wash it at the beginning of the year? Were you not as careful the last hunt of the season or just afraid dirt will degrade material over time?
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Because I have 3 weekend whitetail workshops every spring and after the Saturday in-field event I spend about 2 hours showing the attendees how to properly use a saddle and I use mine for that event and it gets handled by about 12 guys each time with their bare hands.
 
Phaco said:
I have a 30 gal drum that i put cedar chips and pine needles in, and store my saddle and rope in. You can also try smoking your saddle and storing it that way also. I've done it both ways, but prefer the cedar and pine since it smells better.
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The reason why smoking gear is effective isnt because its a cover scent, smoke works because it kill odor causing bacteria.
Its the same reason why meat is smoked as a preservative.
Believing that you can cover human odor with yet one more odor ignores the fact that deer can sort out thousands of odors simultainiously.

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I believe it, but I’m just too lazy to do it effectively.

I use baking soda to wash clothes once a season. Transport in a tote or tinks black bag. Use green soap in the shower.

However I wear some gear in the truck driving in. I will drink coffee in the morning. I will spit tobacco from tree height from time to time.

As you can see my regimen is not very disciplined. That first hunt I’m pretty scent free though.


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John Eberhart said:
I and many other serious hunters I know have the proof on the wall and I refuse to softball the issue with anyone that doesn't have a clue about the technology. Just keep doing what your doing.
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I have the proof on my wall as well so different strokes for different folks
 
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