Airtight suit

[redsquirrel]

I hunt to have fun. Wearing an airtight suit and trying to do strict scent control to me is not fun. You wanna know how many times I’ve washed my hunting clothes this year? One time. They sit in the back of my truck so I can throw them on and hunt after work. This year I have hunted 34 days, had 7 different mature bucks under 30 yards, missed one of them, killed another and have had more does and young bucks in killable range than I can count. I carry milkweed with me on every hunt and pick my tree based on what the wind is doing and what I think the thermals will do as it heats/cools. Does it change on me in ways I didn’t predict? Yep. But I’d say 85% of the time it’s consistent enough that I can put myself in position to get in range of the deer I’m after. I’m not bragging one bit, this is just part of the fun for me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hunt to have fun too and I say to each his own. I try not to get involved in the scent control discussions often because people have such strong opinions. I know how I hunt and that is all I care about. I don't care if anyone else uses scent control or not so I'm not going to get into it with them. I'm just commenting here to provide an alternate view. I use scentlok and have a scent control routine. Once I established a routine it really isn't much work at all. I keep my scentlok clothing clean and I run some gear in a tub with ozone as needed. Basically I get off work and go get dressed at the truck, grab my gear out of the air tight bin and hunt. I have hunted a similar amount of days, I have taken 3 does, a button buck, a sika stag and an 8 pointer. Additionally I have made a bad shot on 2 other mature bucks, and had 3 other mature bucks within 50 yards of the stand, 1 of them at 30.

Point being that we have had pretty similar seasons with drastically different techniques. So I say to everyone that uses or doesn't use scent control, do what works for you but let other people do what works for them.

 

[drew13]

I hunt to have fun. Wearing an airtight suit and trying to do strict scent control to me is not fun. You wanna know how many times I’ve washed my hunting clothes this year? One time. They sit in the back of my truck so I can throw them on and hunt after work. This year I have hunted 34 days, had 7 different mature bucks under 30 yards, missed one of them, killed another and have had more does and young bucks in killable range than I can count. I carry milkweed with me on every hunt and pick my tree based on what the wind is doing and what I think the thermals will do as it heats/cools. Does it change on me in ways I didn’t predict? Yep. But I’d say 85% of the time it’s consistent enough that I can put myself in position to get in range of the deer I’m after. I’m not bragging one bit, this is just part of the fun for me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Flingin - do you still use smoke or did you stop doing that? Curious because I really think smoke works and wondering if you’ve seen a difference if you have stopped...

Papa Squirrel’s point is dead-on - do whatever makes YOU happy/more confident. Doesn’t matter what the next guy does, do what makes it fun for YOU.

 

[flinginairos]

I hunt to have fun too and I say to each his own. I try not to get involved in the scent control discussions often because people have such strong opinions. I know how I hunt and that is all I care about. I don't care if anyone else uses scent control or not so I'm not going to get into it with them. I'm just commenting here to provide an alternate view. I use scentlok and have a scent control routine. Once I established a routine it really isn't much work at all. I keep my scentlok clothing clean and I run some gear in a tub with ozone as needed. Basically I get off work and go get dressed at the truck, grab my gear out of the air tight bin and hunt. I have hunted a similar amount of days, I have taken 3 does, a button buck, a sika stag and an 8 pointer. Additionally I have made a bad shot on 2 other mature bucks, and had 3 other mature bucks within 50 yards of the stand, 1 of them at 30.

Point being that we have had pretty similar seasons with drastically different techniques. So I say to everyone that uses or doesn't use scent control, do what works for you but let other people do what works for them.

Right on Red. Do what YOU have confidence in and don't worry about the rest!

 

[flinginairos]

Flingin - do you still use smoke or did you stop doing that? Curious because I really think smoke works and wondering if you’ve seen a difference if you have stopped...

Papa Squirrel’s point is dead-on - do whatever makes YOU happy/more confident. Doesn’t matter what the next guy does, do what makes it fun for YOU.

This year I haven't. I do believe it helps tho. The last two seasons I have just focused more on really paying attention to the wind and learning the process of really taking my time and picking the right tree based on that. I will probably use smoke again in the future, this year I wanted to see what my encounters were like doing nothing.

 

[Nick Grider]

I think every deer is different in what level of scent they tolerate, along with where they will tolerate it.
I've a doe group in my lawn while my kids were playing. That same doe group is really jumpy if you try to hunt them 300 yards away.

A few years ago when I was bulldozing to make my pond I had a nice eight point that would browse 200 yards away almost daily around 4pm. But if you shut the dozer off and climbed out he would take off.

So I think there's more than just scent at play, location matters. I try my best to keep on my scent control, play the wind, and watch my entrance / exists. Why not use every advantage you can?

Every scent debate I've seen usually ends up in the john e. Vs Dan debate. Both very successful, both very knowledgeable hunters. Both also hunt different levels of pressured areas. I think instead of picking sides you're better off to learn what they are trying to teach, apply you're own knowledge of your area and get after it.

The issue with the John e vs Dan in scent control is that dan has a mob of hunters who are also successful consistently using his tactics. I’ve never heard anyone say that they have as good of a scent control regimen then John e, or that they could match it for that matter.

 

[GCTerpfan]

The issue with the John e vs Dan in scent control is that dan has a mob of hunters who are also successful consistently using his tactics. I’ve never heard anyone say that they have as good of a scent control regimen then John e, or that they could match it for that matter.

Not sure I understand what you are saying here? I will agree that Dan has a mob of hunters who shout down any mention of scent control on his website. I also wouldn't call paying attention to the wind Dan's tactic. Hunters have been paying attention to the wind since Native American times. It was the only option for hundreds of years. There are also many people (many on this site) that have had success with varying levels of scent control.

 

[Nick Grider]

Not sure I understand what you are saying here? I will agree that Dan has a mob of hunters who shout down any mention of scent control on his website. I also wouldn't call paying attention to the wind Dan's tactic. Hunters have been paying attention to the wind since Native American times. It was the only option for hundreds of years. There are also many people (many on this site) that have had success with varying levels of scent control.

I’ve taken classes from John. Read all of his books. And even he says that he’s the only one who has ‘perfected’ scent control.