THE D/CODE DIFFERENCE

You can kill a deer smelling like breakfast...but you stand a much better chance if you don’t.

Scent control is not a fad. Nor is it a “do it if you remember” sort of thing—at least not for me. It’s essential. Playing the wind is always important, but in heavily hunted areas I’ve found that the biggest bucks have learned the game at a master level, and the odds of catching a bruiser cruising through a prime funnel location without the wind in its favor are pretty low.

I’m a big believer in scent-killing sprays and go through more bottles of the stuff in a season than I care to admit. I spray down each layer of clothing and the interior of my truck. I spray down prior to walking to my stand, again at the base of the tree, and periodically throughout the hunt.

KILL MORE BACTERIA

I was once a fan of enzyme-laden products until tests showed that changes in temperature can have a major impact on the effectiveness of the enzymes required for eliminating odor. Since I don’t hunt in a climate-controlled environment, I looked for another solution.

Other products are great at killing odor from a couple of sources...but university testing found that D/Code’s formula was able to eliminate odors from seven types of odor-causing bacteria. Obviously, seven is greater than two.

I also really like that I’m able to get that high level of odor destruction in a complete system of products. From my deodorant to my shampoo to my laundry detergent, I use the same type of silver-based scent elimination and know that I’m eradicating stink at every turn.

KILL MORE DEER

For years, I struggled with eliminating odors in my hunting pack. It goes through a ton of abuse each season and it’s there for everything: hanging stands, scouting, checking cameras, and, of course, hunting. Over the course of the season, it carries all manner of gear, food, attractant scents, calls…you name it. For a long time, if a deer busted me, I’d blame the pack. Now, I keep a D/Code dryer sheet in each pocket to de-scent whatever gear it holds. My little experiment might not adhere to a university-approved scientific method, but so far it’s passed the “sniff test” of countless unsuspecting deer that have passed within shooting range of my stand. —Tony Hansen

About the Author: Tony Hansen manages for and hunts mature whitetails in his home state of Michigan, where sweating the details is the only way to succeed. When not hunting his own properties, he can be found pursuing deer on public land throughout the whitetail's range. Tony's writings have appeared in Outdoor Life, Traditional Bowhunter, North American Whitetail, and Bowhunter.