• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Scent control regiment and FACTS about activated carbon

By the way I have not used Evercalm or sprays in a long time but do believe they work. I hunted several states this year. In Nebraska I had a buck smell me from 800 yds away. I stay clean, keep my hunting clothes clean and if you know me which some do, I kill more than my share of good deer. Believe what you want, believe Eberhardts garbage if you want. Show me one actual scientific study that scentlok works. Not just a bunch of guys saying it does. Just look at the science and what activated carbon really does and how it actually works in certain applications. You will see it has real no use in controlling human scent ecsp to mammals like dogs, deer. Sorry just keep dreaming!!

From what I'm reading the false advertising claim against ScentLok was dismissed after it was shown scientifically that ScentLok's activated carbon absorbs 96-99% concentrated odor compunds. From the final stipulation of dismissal:

€¢ "Expert testing found that, using highly elevated test odor concentrations that were 'likely a ten thousand fold greater than a human body could produce in the course of 24 hours,' Scent-Lok® carbon hunting clothing fabrics blocked 96-99% of the odor compounds, and essentially 100% of the surrogate body odor compounds tested."

€¢ As exemplified by the test results below, Scent-Lok® carbon hunting clothing fabrics dramatically outperformed non-carbon fabrics at blocking odor permeation in head-to-head testing:

€¢ "Expert testing also found that after drying, or washing and drying, Scent-Lok® carbon fabrics continue to be highly effective at blocking odor permeation."


I don't know of any other lawsuit, maybe you do, but those findings suggest the science is likely sound, no?

Now, how it impacts or doesn't impact hunting success, well, that's a different argument.

This article casts a broader net on the scent reduction topic, including the science of your sprays: https://www.bowhuntingmag.com/editorial/science-scent-control/310499

Evercalm is a cover scent. Deer like to lick it from what I've witnessed.
 
D
By the way I have not used Evercalm or sprays in a long time but do believe they work. I hunted several states this year. In Nebraska I had a buck smell me from 800 yds away. I stay clean, keep my hunting clothes clean and if you know me which some do, I kill more than my share of good deer. Believe what you want, believe Eberhardts garbage if you want. Show me one actual scientific study that scentlok works. Not just a bunch of guys saying it does. Just look at the science and what activated carbon really does and how it actually works in certain applications. You will see it has real no use in controlling human scent ecsp to mammals like dogs, deer. Sorry just keep dreaming!!
Yup everyone is stupid and you’re the greatest hunter on earth. “Show me the study!” Bro you can look it up on google and it’s on scentlok’s website. No one is forcing you to buy scentlok, you’re just arguing for the sake of arguing at this point. If you want to spray baking soda water on your face, be my guest. If I want to wear my suit, I’m well within my right to wear it.
 
Again don't look at the stupid dog tests, the poop in a bag test, the fart in a suit rolled up. Look at the actual science, activated carbon is highly 3ffectivr in reducing and eliminating odors but in high concentrated amounts. It all can be reactivated but it takes crazy high temperatures or actually a hydrogen peroxide type wash will cleanse it. The amounts used in hunting clothes does nothing past maybe a one or two time use and if has hung at Cabela's in the open and not sealed it is useless. Follow the real science done by university and independent labs, not the studies paid for by Scent-Lok. I have an area that is bow only and I am willing to bet anyone who wants to come 5 grand that you will be busted by almost every deer that gets down wind of you. You can dress head to toe in scent lok and wrap yourself in a plastic bag but need to leave your head out. No dying allowed. We can sit the field with a perfect wind first and you will see 25 to 50 deer, next time with a bad wind and you may see a few. 5 grand straight up!!I win you give 5K, I lose you get 5 k. That goes for John Eberhardt too!!!
 
Leave my head out? Why would I leave the biggest scent wick on my body out? I own and wear a full head Scentlok head cover. It covers my head, mouth and nose when I'm hunting even if it's 75 degrees out. That is one reason I had a big old doe (probably at least a 4 yo) directly downwind of me last season for 20 or more minutes without her showing any signs at all that something was up. This happens multiple times a year and I am usually no more than 16 to 18 ft. high in the tree. So.....either I'm lying or I'm doing something right.
 
Again don't look at the stupid dog tests, the poop in a bag test, the fart in a suit rolled up. Look at the actual science, activated carbon is highly 3ffectivr in reducing and eliminating odors but in high concentrated amounts. It all can be reactivated but it takes crazy high temperatures or actually a hydrogen peroxide type wash will cleanse it. The amounts used in hunting clothes does nothing past maybe a one or two time use and if has hung at Cabela's in the open and not sealed it is useless. Follow the real science done by university and independent labs, not the studies paid for by Scent-Lok. I have an area that is bow only and I am willing to bet anyone who wants to come 5 grand that you will be busted by almost every deer that gets down wind of you. You can dress head to toe in scent lok and wrap yourself in a plastic bag but need to leave your head out. No dying allowed. We can sit the field with a perfect wind first and you will see 25 to 50 deer, next time with a bad wind and you may see a few. 5 grand straight up!!I win you give 5K, I lose you get 5 k. That goes for John Eberhardt too!!!
Even if it doesn't help. I have to wear something. It's cheaper that any major brand when it's on sale like it has been the last few weeks. It fits well its warranty is good. What's not to like about it. You can't prove that it dont help.
 
Again the clothing is fine, it the company telling people it contains their scent. I don't have to prove it don't work it's been proven over and over again it don't. Multiple reason deer can be down wind and not smell you, thermals for one. Again someone wants to take me up on my bet? 5K and pretty easy to prove, deers noses don't lie!
 
Again don't look at the stupid dog tests, the poop in a bag test, the fart in a suit rolled up. Look at the actual science, activated carbon is highly 3ffectivr in reducing and eliminating odors but in high concentrated amounts. It all can be reactivated but it takes crazy high temperatures or actually a hydrogen peroxide type wash will cleanse it. The amounts used in hunting clothes does nothing past maybe a one or two time use and if has hung at Cabela's in the open and not sealed it is useless. Follow the real science done by university and independent labs, not the studies paid for by Scent-Lok. I have an area that is bow only and I am willing to bet anyone who wants to come 5 grand that you will be busted by almost every deer that gets down wind of you. You can dress head to toe in scent lok and wrap yourself in a plastic bag but need to leave your head out. No dying allowed. We can sit the field with a perfect wind first and you will see 25 to 50 deer, next time with a bad wind and you may see a few. 5 grand straight up!!I win you give 5K, I lose you get 5 k. That goes for John Eberhardt too!!!

Are these deer blind and deaf too? Oh, and no 6th senses allowed.
 
I get what you're saying @Deerman406 but its just like any other piece of hunting equipment or technique or routine that all of us do. Somethings we feel gives us confidence, some things do not. I say if it gives you confidence, wear it with pride. If it doesn't or you think it superflous, then don't use it. I have never owned anything activited carbon whatsoever. I have decent success. I do wash my clothes in scent free detergent, I hang my clothes out on a line to air dry and keep them in totes. I keep my boots in totes in the back of my truck as well. I don't go nuts but about it either and I've had decent success over the years watching the wind and thermals etc. But, I may try some this year I agree with another poster, how can it hurt? Especially because Scentlock does offer sales or clearance throughout the season. An alternative is the carbon chemical suits you can get at military surplus shops. They are typically enclosed in a bag when you first purchase. If they didn't work at all the military wouldn't be putting these out would they? I'm not a scentlock guy and never have been but I'm thinking what the heck. I may try it at some point.
 
OP Last seen in Nov 2022. @John Eberhart setting opinions aside about use of scent control or what some label as a sales pitch about your methods for a moment, I hope you keep coming back here, as it doesn't get as toxic as Facebook can (seems you are, just hoping you continue in the future). Newbies want to learn, even if we don't end up fully agreeing or able to buy in to the brands you support. Id say the same to any celebrity hunter/well known person on here.
 
I get what you're saying @Deerman406 but its just like any other piece of hunting equipment or technique or routine that all of us do. Somethings we feel gives us confidence, some things do not. I say if it gives you confidence, wear it with pride. If it doesn't or you think it superflous, then don't use it. I have never owned anything activited carbon whatsoever. I have decent success. I do wash my clothes in scent free detergent, I hang my clothes out on a line to air dry and keep them in totes. I keep my boots in totes in the back of my truck as well. I don't go nuts but about it either and I've had decent success over the years watching the wind and thermals etc. But, I may try some this year I agree with another poster, how can it hurt? Especially because Scentlock does offer sales or clearance throughout the season. An alternative is the carbon chemical suits you can get at military surplus shops. They are typically enclosed in a bag when you first purchase. If they didn't work at all the military wouldn't be putting these out would they? I'm not a scentlock guy and never have been but I'm thinking what the heck. I may try it at some point.
I love the Scentlok line of clothing and would probably buy it even if it didn't contain any carbon. Fits well and the price point is quite comparable too imo.
 
OP Last seen in Nov 2022. @John Eberhart setting opinions aside about use of scent control or what some label as a sales pitch about your methods for a moment, I hope you keep coming back here, as it doesn't get as toxic as Facebook can (seems you are, just hoping you continue in the future). Newbies want to learn, even if we don't end up fully agreeing or able to buy in to the brands you support. Id say the same to any celebrity hunter/well known person on here.
I highly, highly, highly value @John Eberhart's expertise. He's not on probably because he's too busy killing giant bucks. Until his books and videos in the late 1990's and early 2000's on hunting pressured bucks, my success rate as a bowhunter on mature whitetail bucks was moderate. I paid more attention to his advice on scouting and destination locations within sections of cover more than anything and it has helped me ever since. His whitetail buck hunting efficacy on public land or private in pressured states and areas is still some of the best out there.
 
New Scentlok user here as of 2022… swirling river bottom was my motivation. I wish another credible source would do some simple filmed upwind tests, similar to the ones John mentions in his write ups. Evening thermals dropping, down wind deers, repeat over and over with and without scent control… heck it’s kinda surprising Scentlok hasn’t published a series on this. Maybe a season of tests is how I should make my middle aged youtube debut, but I hate the idea of educating the deer here with such shenanigans. My results past season were good enough to keep using it, plus as others have said the outerwear is good bang for the buck anyway. I will say, last weekend I exhaled into the face mask for a couple hours and all my nose could smell through that time was the carbon in the mask… I did shoot a doe on a marginal wind that sit.
 
I guess you could say I'm a scent guy. Yesterday evening I walked a long way in and did sweat some. I do use scentlok and follow JE"s scent regiment pretty well. Right at dark 2 does came in but of course they ended up down wind direction and thermal pull direction with very low wind speed. You could tell when they stopped, and all went quiet for a few minutes. They were maybe 15 yards away. They knew something was up, but they never spooked. They ended up going back the way them came a few yards and walked right to the base of my tree. smelling where I had put my pack (scentloc pack) on the ground. Smelling all around where I stood putting my outer scentlok layer on and my saddle. They never spooked and ended up walking right down the old logging road I walked in on. They were around my area for at least 20 minutes. You could tell they knew something had been there but as spooked as deer are in the south after over 3 months of hunting season already behind them, scentlok and the JE scent regiment made a believer out of me yesterday. Now that being said I will always hunt the wind but just like then the deer do what they want and somewhere around you the wind will be against you. And earlier in the evening the wind had blown from at least 3 of the 4 directions. If it had been earlier in the day i feel sure i could have shot either one of these deer iffffff I could have moved into position without them seeing the movement. I was around 25 foot up the tree.
 
It's quite evident this topic is still divisive....so from the perspective of a no-carbon hunter ....use it if you want and using JE method seems to be dependable. There's no need for us be divided at all. From the wind checking/ milkweed side (LOL) ... ...some of us love not worrying about the trouble of keeping scent contained. In fact, some love learning to read wind and thermals and harvesting animals that way.....very satisfying I might add! But, that's not a knock on scent control products or carbon at all ....working hard to harvest animals using legal means is awesome also! Some people are adverse to baiting some people like it or use it.....let's understand that put energy into what you want and works to help you enjoy your hunting experience!
 
Back
Top