John Eberhart's COMPLETE scent control routine and minivan hunting rig setup.

[DanO]

Ive said for years...my dream vehicle is a 4x4 cargo van. Quigley can convert a 2wd van for about $12k I think. Mini vans are nice but Quigley vans are too sweet.

My buddy just bought a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 dually. He's only 5'6" and can stand up in it. Me, not so much, but tons of room in there.

 

[IkemanTX]

My buddy just bought a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 dually. He's only 5'6" and can stand up in it. Me, not so much, but tons of room in there.

That’s the dream.....
I assumed they didn’t make a 4X4 version... everyone else has stopped.


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[Nutterbuster]

"Hunt Nazi"

I love it. I think that explains John's success. Pure fanaticism. The mental energy to over-analyze every little aspect that might be related to killing a deer. The lack of an "off-switch." We focus in mostly on the Scent-lok and saddle thing, but the man also talks about:

Scouting every foot of properties all over his home state, plus out of state areas.

Meticulously preparing trees and shooting lanes.

Shooting his bow regularly from a simulated hunting situation.

Exercising and dieting year-round.

Etc.

Take away the saddle and the suit, and the man could still kill circles around most folks. It ain't the bow, it's the Indian.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I enjoyed the video. Its nice to see that I've been doing much the same gear handling practices.
I try to not take anything for granted when hunting whitetails.
That old saying "I'd rather be lucky than good", is a ridiculous phrase. Luck runs out. Luck is out of our control. Relying on luck is a crap shoot at best.
With any endeavor in life, paying attention to the details will yield dividends. Take control of what we can.
Odor reduction has dozens of its own details and odor reduction itself is just one detail of the overall hunt.
John, one thing that I wondered about was your handling of your boots. I learned, 1st hand, msny years ago that deer can easily smell a single finger print. I witnessed this during an approach to one of my stands. For 150 yards, I could walk silently down a mowed path. In the name of stealth, I normally walked the last 50 feet to the tree down a fallen log. 95% of my approach was completely silent to the bedding area just on the other side of a screen. But 5% of my route was through newly fallen, dry leaves...no way to get from the path to the log without a little noise. I did my best to sound like a flock of turkey in those dry leaves and I did pretty well not spooking the bedded deer that I knew could hear me.
I made it to the log and as I walked down the log, I started to lose my balance so I steadied myself by placing one bare thumb (freshly washed from the shower) against a sapling.
I continued down the log to the base of my tree, and climbed up. A suspicious doe must have heard my turkey imitation and came over to investigate. That doe smelled that single thumb print on that sapling...one lousy finger print from a clean, freshly showered hand.
Why would you handle boots with bare hands?
Another boot observation...why would you put you boots on the same place you were just kneeling/sitting inside the van? My boot go directly from the tub to the soil. The soles never touch anything that may contain human odor like the inside of a vehicle, carpet, floors, porch, etc.
Tub to soil. Geeze, I even hate when I have to walk across a road contaminated with all sorts of chemicals.

 

[Country]

Deerslayer31

I typically hunt in areas where binoculars are not needed because I'm relatively close to whatever I see. My Redfield Laser rangefinder is also a 6X monocular that I can use if needed. I have never used the lineman belt as that's what I work out for, to be able to climb trees while always having 3 points of contact. At no time when climbing is more that either one hand not grasping a step or either one foot on a step.

What if you have a climbing step malfunction/break while climbing? I mean, people fall out of ladder stands because they don't think there's any chance of falling out, so they skip the safety harness. I think the probability of falling during a climb is far greater. I'd highly recommend the lineman's belt.

 

[Cajunshooter]

"Hunt Nazi"

I love it. I think that explains John's success. Pure fanaticism. The mental energy to over-analyze every little aspect that might be related to killing a deer. The lack of an "off-switch." We focus in mostly on the Scent-lok and saddle thing, but the man also talks about:

Scouting every foot of properties all over his home state, plus out of state areas.

Meticulously preparing trees and shooting lanes.

Shooting his bow regularly from a simulated hunting situation.

Exercising and dieting year-round.

Etc.

Take away the saddle and the suit, and the man could still kill circles around most folks. It ain't the bow, it's the Indian.

I think this is extremely true! I kind of think not even John realizes how much his hunting tactics dwarf his scent methods. I really wonder what would happen if he were to use all that he knows today but leave out the scentlok and go out and hunt his best spot/deer.


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[John Eberhart]

Thanks much, John. Those points of clarification clear up some questions I was having. Offer still stands of course; I'll look you up for breakfast after season up your way; my treat as a thank you on my buck and for helping me with saddle hunting.

I would love to take you up on that offer. Will also be doing seminars again at the Novi Expo in early March so look me up. I think either Greg or Ernie will be in the booth as well..

 

[John Eberhart]

Ive said for years...my dream vehicle is a 4x4 cargo van. Quigley can convert a 2wd van for about $12k I think. Mini vans are nice but Quigley vans are too sweet.

Yes they are and have more room, just too costly for me for gas as none of the places I hunt are close to home.

 

[John Eberhart]

I think this is extremely true! I kind of think not even John realizes how much his hunting tactics dwarf his scent methods. I really wonder what would happen if he were to use all that he knows today but leave out the scentlok and go out and hunt his best spot/deer.

Cajun

No hard feeling but I've hunted in the same manner since the late 70's and my success rate immediately doubled when I learned how to use ScentLok. It isn't a hoax and I have nothing to gain from saying that.

 

[John Eberhart]

Why would you handle boots with bare hands?
Another boot observation...why would you put you boots on the same place you were just kneeling/sitting inside the van? My boot go directly from the tub to the soil. The soles never touch anything that may contain human odor like the inside of a vehicle, carpet, floors, porch, etc.
Tub to soil. Geeze, I even hate when I have to walk across a road contaminated with all sorts of chemicals.

Good observation and as noted I used bare hands in the video but have carbon gloves on when putting boots on for a hunt. After that video I wiped down all the boots in my van with scent free Huggies baby wipes and did a few other things due to handling with bare hands.

I also washed my new Mantis 2 days ago in scent free detergent and once dried now have it in an air tight tub with activated carbon to get the remaining odors out as I could still smell it. Since it will be worn on the outside of my ScentLok pants it won't get any foreign odors on it when hunting.

Also keep in mind that the moment you dry off from a clean shower, you immediately begin emitting odor from your body. That's why just showering in scent free soap and wearing aired out permeable clothing isn't enough as human odor will permeate through it as well because it has no adsorptive capabilities. May take and hour or so, but it will happen before a hunt is over.

 

[John Eberhart]

What if you have a climbing step malfunction/break while climbing? I mean, people fall out of ladder stands because they don't think there's any chance of falling out, so they skip the safety harness. I think the probability of falling during a climb is far greater. I'd highly recommend the lineman's belt.

That is an extremely valid point and I would never suggest anyone climb without the safety lineman rope. I must say I'm very careful and take out my screw in steps every other year and re-screw them in because on some trees the meat of the tree around the threads will rot. Years ago I had a scrw in step pull out and thankfully I had my other hand and one foot on steps at the time.

 

[Cajunshooter]

Cajun

No hard feeling but I've hunted in the same manner since the late 70's and my success rate immediately doubled when I learned how to use ScentLok. It isn't a hoax and I have nothing to gain from saying that.

John please don’t think that I’m even insinuating that you might be trying to fool us all so that you can personally gain something. I am not even thinking that. I’m just trying to logically evaluate and quantify all of this. I am an electrical engineer now running my own physical therapy clinic. My brain is always in analyze mode and it drives my wife crazy.

I know in my experience in troubleshooting and correcting problems in peoples bodies and also training others to, that some times we adopt new methods to improve our outcome. I personally have adopted new methods/theories only to later realize what apparently had produced a more positive outcome wasn’t the method I had adopted but a leap in my experience, knowledge and practice that occurred at the same time. I later drop the new method and continue to get the same result but realize my practice had actually improved. Just my thoughts.

You see, I’m still having trouble reconciling sitting in a tree with my head, mouth, and rest of my body covered in scentlok but yet walking out to the tree, prepping at the base and climbing up the tree uncovered. In my mind I just left scent all over the area but then I cover up after the fact.


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[donnieballgame]

John please don’t think that I’m even insinuating that you might be trying to fool us all so that you can personally gain something. I am not even thinking that. I’m just trying to logically evaluate and quantify all of this. I am an electrical engineer now running my own physical therapy clinic. My brain is always in analyze mode and it drives my wife crazy.

I know in my experience in troubleshooting and correcting problems in peoples bodies and also training others to, that some times we adopt new methods to improve our outcome. I personally have adopted new methods/theories only to later realize what apparently had produced a more positive outcome wasn’t the method I had adopted but a leap in my experience, knowledge and practice that occurred at the same time. I later drop the new method and continue to get the same result but realize my practice had actually improved. Just my thoughts.

You see, I’m still having trouble reconciling sitting in a tree with my head, mouth, and rest of my body covered in scentlok but yet walking out to the tree, prepping at the base and climbing up the tree uncovered. In my mind I just left scent all over the area but then I cover up after the fact.


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Then just wear your facemask and hat when you leave the truck, I did that all last year because I thought that was what John had said to do, but I hate huffing and puffing with the facemask on, it's off for me now, lol!

 

[Cajunshooter]

Then just wear your facemask and hat when you leave the truck, I did that all last year because I thought that was what John had said to do, but I hate huffing and puffing with the facemask on, it's off for me now, lol!

Lol


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[Deerkins]

Here’s a scent control anecdotal observational account I’d like to share. A couple years ago on a piece of public, I located a perfect ambush site at the head of a swampy draw. The draw was between two high points in a bottom. I figured the winds would swirl, but because I was on an out of state DIY hunt, had no real knowledge of how wind /thermals acted in this particular area.

To access this spot I could have used my knee highs, as the mud was not quite deep enough to require waders. However, on this day the wind chill factor was going to be brutal, so I decided to use my full chest waders and also bring a rain coat for its wind blocking effects.

Shortly after daylight a mature buck came off one of the high points and just as predicted made his way toward my stand. The winds were swirling pretty bad, but the buck still made his way toward me without being alerted to my presence.
It wasn’t until the buck was well within bow range that he picked me off in the tree. I had mentally planned for this though, and decided not to draw too early if one came from that direction. After a long standoff, with the buck staring up at me he turned to slowly walk back where he came from. When he turned I was able to draw and make a nice quartering away shot.

During this hunt I am very certain that the deer never smelled me, but rather spotted the out of place tree blob along his familiar run.

Fast forwarding to the same place and time the following year, I had another encounter with a mature buck. This time however, the buck never made it down into the draw, but scent busted me from about 70yds away up on the hill side.

The only difference I can account for on this hunt, was instead of wearing the chest waders and wind breaking rain coat, I had accessed the area with using only the knee highs. This was due to the weather being warmer and the swamp less muddy.
After analyzing/comparing the hunts I’m pretty convinced that the scent trapping effects of the waders and rain gear were the deciding factor in having the successful hunt. Even though I didn’t wear the gear for its scent reducing abilities, I believe it certainly played a role.

Going forward, I’m willing to keep an open mind when it comes to scent reducing techniques. Often times I can’t see past 70yds from my stand. so knowing that, I have to question how many of those hypothetical out of sight hill side bucks are smelling me Before coming into view?

 

[John Eberhart]

The only difference I can account for on this hunt, was instead of wearing the chest waders and wind breaking rain coat, I had accessed the area with using only the knee highs. This was due to the weather being warmer and the swamp less muddy.
After analyzing/comparing the hunts I’m pretty convinced that the scent trapping effects of the waders and rain gear were the deciding factor in having the successful hunt. Even though I didn’t wear the gear for its scent reducing abilities, I believe it certainly played a role.

Going forward, I’m willing to keep an open mind when it comes to scent reducing techniques. Often times I can’t see past 70yds from my stand. so knowing that, I have to question how many of those hypothetical out of sight hill side bucks are smelling me Before coming into view?

Deerkins

You are spot on with what happened to you. Waders are obviously waterproof and therefore don't allow your body odor to escape them, so as long as the exterior of the waders are clean, whatever us under the waders is of no concern on the scent side. Modern rainwear has either a polyurethane or Teflon membrane and they too are waterproof and therefore hold body odor in.

Several of ScentLok's garments have polyurethane membranes to protect from the wind and they too are waterproof with the exception that the seams are not taped so they can't be labeled waterproof even though they help immensely with odor control as they hold the odor in.

It's only been the past few years that ScentLok has made any windproof garments and I've been bugging them for over 10 years to do so to block the wind and ScentLok's Vortex suit with the deep fleece exterior to mask the noise of the membrane was the first one they made and it was replaced this year by their new Windbrace suit with more features and of course a higher price point. That they help control odor is simply a byproduct.

All their other clothing doesn't hold or block odor molecules, they adsorb them from passing through the activated carbon liner.

Their was someone on G2's Facebook page that hasn't a clue state that Scentlok was disproven and that can't be farther from the truth as in fact it was proven beyond a preponderance of a doubt (and I prove it multiple times every season) in a Florida United States District Court to perform as designed and to be able to de-adsorb.

The next two paragraphs were taken from the Court’s stipulation dismissal ruling.

“Expert scientific testing found that, using highly elevated odor concentrations that were likely ten thousand fold greater than a human body could produce in the course of 24 hours, ScentLok carbon lined clothing blocked or adsorbed 96 to 99 plus percent of odor compounds, and essentially 100% of surrogate body odor compounds”.

“Expert testing also found that after drying, or washing and drying, ScentLok carbon fabrics continue to be highly effective at blocking odor permeation”.

Just as NASA, auto industry, U. S. Dept. of Energy, hospitals worldwide, and every Dept. of Defense in the world didn’t pull activated carbon out of a hat and say, hey let’s use this stuff, neither did ScentLok when they applied for and received the U. S. patent to use it in hunting garments.

But you are spot on your analogy of the waders and rain jacket. The only issue with them on a regular basis is you will overheat as they also don't allow your body heat to escape during entries and exits.