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My Scentlok experience

TwistedLimb

New Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
22
Location
Miami, Florida
First, I would like to preface my post by saying that I mean no disrespect to anyone here. We are all entitled to our opinions and I respect those who disagree with mine. Also, I do not work for Scentlok nor do I receive any benefit whatsoever from Scentlok or any other equipment manufacturer. I purchase my equipment at the retail level. Lastly, I apologize if you find this post lengthy.

I’ve noticed several posts in this section of anecdotal stories given as proof that Scentlok does not improve a person’s ability to see more game. We have all heard of uncle Pete who left his gas station and on his way home, while wearing his Levy’s, dirty Red Wing boots and a red flannel coat, decided to sit on a stump by the side of the road and shot a huge 10 point. Or our neighbor’s cousin who shot that “monster” last year right off his still running ATV. These stories are not statistically relevant. There are some who still believe that smoking two packs a day will not negatively affect their cardiopulmonary health, or that failing to wear seatbelts will not increase the chance of injury in an accident. However, large sample statistics prove them wrong.

I am not trying to convince anyone to purchase anything. I want to share my personal experience with Scentlok and I hope someone here may benefit from it, which I believe is the reason most of us visit this forum. Although I am new on this forum, I am by no means new to hunting. I shot my first deer in 1973. Since then, God has blessed me with the good fortune of being able to hunt in every continent except for Antarctica. When Scentlok first came on the market I was a huge skeptic. After all, I had already harvested plenty of deer and other game. Way back then, we would mask our scent by using several methods such as keeping our clothing in plastic bags stuffed with pine cones/needles, or keeping the tarsal glands and urine from the deer we harvested, fox urine, deer hair stuffed in pouches made from panty hose, etc. Eventually, a friend convinced me to try Scentlok.

At first, my results were no better. Not because the science was bad, but because I was careless and didn’t understand it. I still see other hunters at the Waffle House, Walmart, and pumping gas still in their camo hunting clothes. Many years ago, that was me. Not surprisingly, Scentlok didn’t work for me then. However, once I began to get more serious about scent control it was a night and day difference. I began to see more deer. More important, the deer were closer to my stand location and way more relaxed. There was a noticeable reduction of the classic signs of nervousness - noses high in the air and stiffed legged stomping.

Admittedly, I am not as good as some of the other gentlemen on this forum at scent control, but I do practice what I feel are common sense scent control techniques that work for me. Obviously, I pay attention to the wind. I like to hunt high in the tree (at least 25 or 30 feet) to minimize the risk of being spotted and to keep any remaining scent as high as possible. Any clothes associated with hunting is washed in Arm and Hammer scent-free hypoallergenic laundry detergent. I don’t mind the small stains, so I don’t wash Scentlok clothing often to keep the carbon from washing out (only put it in the dryer per their instructions). I never ever wear my hunting clothes or boots around town or even indoors, everything stays in plastic vacuum seal packing bags. Before hunting, I shower with one of the scent free soaps, apply scent free deodorant, put on underwear that I sprinkled with carbon powder (ACP), put on a pair of scent free shorts and a scent free long sleeve T, and I am off. Upon arriving to my hunting location, I exit my vehicle, remove my hunting boots and clothes from the vacuum bags, change out of my travel clothes, dress in my Scentlok, and put on my Lacrosse rubber boots (also sprinkled inside and out with ACP). I initially under-dress to avoid sweating while walking. After the hunt, everything is aired out for a few minutes and returned to the plastic vacuum bag. That’s it! Not a huge inconvenience. Could I do more? Sure. I want to continue to perfect my skills, but I am extremely satisfied with my results so far.

In conclusion, is Scentlok so good that it will remove the gasoline odors emanating from your boots or the smell of that ham/cheese/onion omelet from Waffle House? No Way! However, it is my experience that when used correctly, Scentlok’s technology will increase your chances of seeing game. I hope the Scentlok skeptics would at the very least attempt a reasonable level of effort at scent control before attacking the science.
 
wasnt trying to hijack. the reason i asked on how high yall hunt is because of John Eberhart. Great hunter, argueably the best public land hunter of all time. But along with his huge knowledge base and experience, some attribute his success to scentlok, and some attribute it to the heights he hunts and some say a little of both. I dont own anything scent lok but I do follow a strict scent control regimen and always hunt as high as I can in areas that permit and since Ive been going high, i see and kill more deer than I used to.
 
First, I would like to preface my post by saying that I mean no disrespect to anyone here. We are all entitled to our opinions and I respect those who disagree with mine. Also, I do not work for Scentlok nor do I receive any benefit whatsoever from Scentlok or any other equipment manufacturer. I purchase my equipment at the retail level. Lastly, I apologize if you find this post lengthy.

I’ve noticed several posts in this section of anecdotal stories given as proof that Scentlok does not improve a person’s ability to see more game. We have all heard of uncle Pete who left his gas station and on his way home, while wearing his Levy’s, dirty Red Wing boots and a red flannel coat, decided to sit on a stump by the side of the road and shot a huge 10 point. Or our neighbor’s cousin who shot that “monster” last year right off his still running ATV. These stories are not statistically relevant. There are some who still believe that smoking two packs a day will not negatively affect their cardiopulmonary health, or that failing to wear seatbelts will not increase the chance of injury in an accident. However, large sample statistics prove them wrong.

I am not trying to convince anyone to purchase anything. I want to share my personal experience with Scentlok and I hope someone here may benefit from it, which I believe is the reason most of us visit this forum. Although I am new on this forum, I am by no means new to hunting. I shot my first deer in 1973. Since then, God has blessed me with the good fortune of being able to hunt in every continent except for Antarctica. When Scentlok first came on the market I was a huge skeptic. After all, I had already harvested plenty of deer and other game. Way back then, we would mask our scent by using several methods such as keeping our clothing in plastic bags stuffed with pine cones/needles, or keeping the tarsal glands and urine from the deer we harvested, fox urine, deer hair stuffed in pouches made from panty hose, etc. Eventually, a friend convinced me to try Scentlok.

At first, my results were no better. Not because the science was bad, but because I was careless and didn’t understand it. I still see other hunters at the Waffle House, Walmart, and pumping gas still in their camo hunting clothes. Many years ago, that was me. Not surprisingly, Scentlok didn’t work for me then. However, once I began to get more serious about scent control it was a night and day difference. I began to see more deer. More important, the deer were closer to my stand location and way more relaxed. There was a noticeable reduction of the classic signs of nervousness - noses high in the air and stiffed legged stomping.

Admittedly, I am not as good as some of the other gentlemen on this forum at scent control, but I do practice what I feel are common sense scent control techniques that work for me. Obviously, I pay attention to the wind. I like to hunt high in the tree (at least 25 or 30 feet) to minimize the risk of being spotted and to keep any remaining scent as high as possible. Any clothes associated with hunting is washed in Arm and Hammer scent-free hypoallergenic laundry detergent. I don’t mind the small stains, so I don’t wash Scentlok clothing often to keep the carbon from washing out (only put it in the dryer per their instructions). I never ever wear my hunting clothes or boots around town or even indoors, everything stays in plastic vacuum seal packing bags. Before hunting, I shower with one of the scent free soaps, apply scent free deodorant, put on underwear that I sprinkled with carbon powder (ACP), put on a pair of scent free shorts and a scent free long sleeve T, and I am off. Upon arriving to my hunting location, I exit my vehicle, remove my hunting boots and clothes from the vacuum bags, change out of my travel clothes, dress in my Scentlok, and put on my Lacrosse rubber boots (also sprinkled inside and out with ACP). I initially under-dress to avoid sweating while walking. After the hunt, everything is aired out for a few minutes and returned to the plastic vacuum bag. That’s it! Not a huge inconvenience. Could I do more? Sure. I want to continue to perfect my skills, but I am extremely satisfied with my results so far.

In conclusion, is Scentlok so good that it will remove the gasoline odors emanating from your boots or the smell of that ham/cheese/onion omelet from Waffle House? No Way! However, it is my experience that when used correctly, Scentlok’s technology will increase your chances of seeing game. I hope the Scentlok skeptics would at the very least attempt a reasonable level of effort at scent control before attacking the science.

Appreciate the write up.

I want to make sure I understand a little better your timeline. You say that you Would wear your hunting clothes in various non hunting activities prior to going in the woods(pre scentlok). Did you also hunt 25-30’ high pre scentlok? Did you also pay attention to the wind direction pre scentlok? Or were these things you did only once you got serious about scent control, and started wearing scentlok?
 
Appreciate the write up.

I want to make sure I understand a little better your timeline. You say that you Would wear your hunting clothes in various non hunting activities prior to going in the woods(pre scentlok). Did you also hunt 25-30’ high pre scentlok? Did you also pay attention to the wind direction pre scentlok? Or were these things you did only once you got serious about scent control, and started wearing scentlok?

kyler1945
Thank you for your questions.

“Would wear your hunting clothes in various non hunting activities prior to going in the woods (pre scentlok).”

To answer that I have to take you back a few years. I started hunting sometime around 1968-1969. Life was much simpler then, most of us were “meat hunters”, because “you can’t eat the antlers”. Hunting was much more about sharing good times and deer camp camaraderie and less about shooting the largest rack. Most deer camps were a single room plywood shack where we cooked (fried spam and eggs), ate, slept, kept our clothes (absorbing the delicious smell of deer chili). The latrine was outside (grab the shovel on the way out). Get the picture? So, yes, the norm was that we wore our Levy’s, and plaid coats all the time. Finances didn’t permit $200 hunting only coats. I think sometime in the mid 90’s I started hunting for racks and horns. I began to change, and I approached hunting with a more scientific/technical mindset. Scentlok and Scentblocker were only parts of a new game that opened up a new way of thinking about hunting.

“Did you also hunt 25-30’ high pre scentlok?”

Yes, I began hunting higher with the advent of the Baker Tree Stand (I’m thinking sometime in the mid to late 70’s). It was a sit-and-stand climber built with aluminum V shaped bracket that caught the back of the tree trunk and a had plywood platform. (I had my share of scares with the old Baker.) Prior to the Baker our stands were two 10’ pressure treated 2 x 4 with steps nailed horizontally and the seat was a piece of plywood.
As I previously mentioned, I like to hunt at least 25’ to 30’ off the ground or more if the tree canopy permits it.

“Did you also pay attention to the wind direction pre scentlok?”

Paying attention to the wind is such a basic part of hunting that I cannot imagine anyone who hunts not being conscious of the general wind direction. To the best of my recollection, I learned early on to hunt the wind as much as possible with the realization that the wind is not always constant. It oftentimes swirls, and changes directions based on foliage, terrain features, time of day, thermals, etc. Nonetheless, awareness of wind is essential.

“Or were these things you did only once you got serious about scent control, and started wearing scentlok?”

Like I stated above, my mindset changed once I started to “trophy hunt” sometime in the mid 90’s. At that moment It was for me a logical and natural evolution. After all, I don’t think hunters invest large sums of money in equipment, and travel to other states or countries for the meat. That is when I got serious about scent control.
 
First, I would like to preface my post by saying that I mean no disrespect to anyone here. We are all entitled to our opinions and I respect those who disagree with mine. Also, I do not work for Scentlok nor do I receive any benefit whatsoever from Scentlok or any other equipment manufacturer. I purchase my equipment at the retail level. Lastly, I apologize if you find this post lengthy.

I’ve noticed several posts in this section of anecdotal stories given as proof that Scentlok does not improve a person’s ability to see more game. We have all heard of uncle Pete who left his gas station and on his way home, while wearing his Levy’s, dirty Red Wing boots and a red flannel coat, decided to sit on a stump by the side of the road and shot a huge 10 point. Or our neighbor’s cousin who shot that “monster” last year right off his still running ATV. These stories are not statistically relevant. There are some who still believe that smoking two packs a day will not negatively affect their cardiopulmonary health, or that failing to wear seatbelts will not increase the chance of injury in an accident. However, large sample statistics prove them wrong.

I am not trying to convince anyone to purchase anything. I want to share my personal experience with Scentlok and I hope someone here may benefit from it, which I believe is the reason most of us visit this forum. Although I am new on this forum, I am by no means new to hunting. I shot my first deer in 1973. Since then, God has blessed me with the good fortune of being able to hunt in every continent except for Antarctica. When Scentlok first came on the market I was a huge skeptic. After all, I had already harvested plenty of deer and other game. Way back then, we would mask our scent by using several methods such as keeping our clothing in plastic bags stuffed with pine cones/needles, or keeping the tarsal glands and urine from the deer we harvested, fox urine, deer hair stuffed in pouches made from panty hose, etc. Eventually, a friend convinced me to try Scentlok.

At first, my results were no better. Not because the science was bad, but because I was careless and didn’t understand it. I still see other hunters at the Waffle House, Walmart, and pumping gas still in their camo hunting clothes. Many years ago, that was me. Not surprisingly, Scentlok didn’t work for me then. However, once I began to get more serious about scent control it was a night and day difference. I began to see more deer. More important, the deer were closer to my stand location and way more relaxed. There was a noticeable reduction of the classic signs of nervousness - noses high in the air and stiffed legged stomping.

Admittedly, I am not as good as some of the other gentlemen on this forum at scent control, but I do practice what I feel are common sense scent control techniques that work for me. Obviously, I pay attention to the wind. I like to hunt high in the tree (at least 25 or 30 feet) to minimize the risk of being spotted and to keep any remaining scent as high as possible. Any clothes associated with hunting is washed in Arm and Hammer scent-free hypoallergenic laundry detergent. I don’t mind the small stains, so I don’t wash Scentlok clothing often to keep the carbon from washing out (only put it in the dryer per their instructions). I never ever wear my hunting clothes or boots around town or even indoors, everything stays in plastic vacuum seal packing bags. Before hunting, I shower with one of the scent free soaps, apply scent free deodorant, put on underwear that I sprinkled with carbon powder (ACP), put on a pair of scent free shorts and a scent free long sleeve T, and I am off. Upon arriving to my hunting location, I exit my vehicle, remove my hunting boots and clothes from the vacuum bags, change out of my travel clothes, dress in my Scentlok, and put on my Lacrosse rubber boots (also sprinkled inside and out with ACP). I initially under-dress to avoid sweating while walking. After the hunt, everything is aired out for a few minutes and returned to the plastic vacuum bag. That’s it! Not a huge inconvenience. Could I do more? Sure. I want to continue to perfect my skills, but I am extremely satisfied with my results so far.

In conclusion, is Scentlok so good that it will remove the gasoline odors emanating from your boots or the smell of that ham/cheese/onion omelet from Waffle House? No Way! However, it is my experience that when used correctly, Scentlok’s technology will increase your chances of seeing game. I hope the Scentlok skeptics would at the very least attempt a reasonable level of effort at scent control before attacking the science.
Do you wash your scent loc clothing in arm and hammer as well or do you use their special soap for those pieces of clothes?
 
Do you wash your scent loc clothing in arm and hammer as well or do you use their special soap for those pieces of clothes?

I recollect him saying he just dries it for reactivation, as per instructions.
 
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