- Dec 10, 2018
5 Ways to Control Scent During Late Season
Scent control is always important, whether hanging cameras, treestands or hunting. As the season wears on, many of us tend to get a little lax and probably don’t put the same effort in to our scent control as we did when season first opened.
When I say late season, I’m speaking of that time throughout the Midwest when the firearms seasons have come and gone, and the deer have had an immense amount of pressure and human intrusion put on them. This is the time of year when literally anything and sometimes nothing can cause them to blow out just as your thinking it’s all about to come together.
Taking added precautions and going overboard on scent control is a good thing in my opinion. Here’s my five-step approach to scent control for the late season.
- Keep your clothes extremely clean. I like to wash after maybe two hunts to ensure they are as scent free as possible. Also, be certain that they are stored in a scent-safe container.
- Keep your body clean before each hunt. I use a quality scent-eliminating body wash, such as D/CODE before each hunt.
- Many hunters wear rubber boots to cut down on scent. However, the biggest issue for scent is the foot bed. When wearing your boots daily, the foot bed absorbs and holds a tremendous amount of odor and this odor leaks out through the top of the boot. Not only should you spray your boots down on the outside but use an odor-eliminating foot powder to keep the inside odor free. Also, just like your clothes, store your boots in a scent-safe container to minimize new scent contamination.
- Temperatures are easily below freezing during the late season. To avoid getting your clothes damp with spray prior to a hunt, use D/CODE Stealth Dust to absorb contaminating odors. The fine mineral dust absorbs scents and keeps clothes dry.
- Don’t forget to keep your equipment scent free. Be sure to spray down your pack, bow/firearm, safety vest, etc. Anything that you take a field for each hunt should be treated.
Many of you adopt these scent-control methods all season, but late season is critical because deer have been run through the gauntlet and are more alert than ever. You’ll need to be even more aware of wind and your entry and exit to your stands. Do all these things right and this can be a dream time of year to kill a big buck as deer are feeding heavily and can be very predictable in there movement.
About the Author: Chris Parrish has won turkey calling contests at the highest level and has hunted up and down this continent. He has a well-honed knowledge of the habits and patterns of mature whitetails — having recorded 22 bucks in the Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett record books. He’s been an ambassador for PRADCO Outdoor Brands as well as many more. Chris has a passion for sharing his knowledge with others, so look for more of his articles here and at Moultrie Products, Summit Stands and CODE Blue Scents.