Scent-Lok

[jim summers]

Has anybody read the latest in Field&Stream about the company who makes this product, was sued in court and the judge hearing the case ruled that the product does not do what the company has claimed for so long that it will do.

I found the article very informative, now the five hunters can now take them to court for punitive damages.

[199er]

I read about it in a Deer & Deer Hunting Newsletter. Being a life long hunter I learned early on to be an "pessimist" (aka an optimist with experience) when it comes to believing a products claim of being 100% effective (even with testimonials).

I've never used any of the Sent Loc products but I do use masking sents (sparingly) and prefer to hunt with the wind 'in my face' or 'in a cross wind'. When in a treestand if the wind shifts for any length of time I use an "old school' hunting trick .............I 'turn my stand around and hunt in the other direction'.

[Zane71464]

I'm not sure where I heard/read that, but did hear something about it.
I for one have never been a fan/buyer of scent loc products as 199er also stated.
I also agree with what 199er said. I use cover up sents, but for the most part, keeping the wind/breeze to your person at all times when possible is the best sent block there is, IMO.
Ive headed out several mornings to my stand or a sitting spot and had to re-direct myself to get where I was going because of the breeze changing. My "going in point" may change and may have to alot for a lot longer time getting to my stand.

[wpage]

Being a natural stinker. Learner early on to face into the wind when hunting.

[Terry_P]

Figure out which way they usually move in, take a stand downwind and when they come in the other direction and blow at you for 15 minutes you can then swear like the rest of us do.

I was always too cheap to buy the scentlok stuff regardless what all the TV hunters said and just tried to set up with the wind in my favor. I think stand height is more important than overpriced scent free, bacterial killer, superduper camo. If you know the area and patterns then with time you will have opportunities.

[199er]

I think stand height is more important than overpriced scent free, bacterial killer, superduper camo. If you know the area and patterns then with time you will have opportunities.

My belief also TERRY P.......I do wear some camo during the dear season but when it turns cold I wear mostly "earth tone" solids/plaids w/a camo vest for contrast, and always try to have some background concealment to blend into plus I consider it very important to sit still..................this has always been effective for me in a woodlands setting.

[Terry_P]

I agree camo is very effective as deer will look right up at me and act like they are looking thru me. I laid out a scent trail one year as I had a buck rubbing on the property and one afternoon about 3:30 an 8 pointer followed the scent trail, walked up next to the tree stand and looked right up at me. I was about 18' up and didn't move and I didn't look directly in his eyes. He started up walking again and followed the scent to another scent bomb I had up 10 yards in front of the stand. I angled a 12 ga 3" sabot into the lungs and he ran up (another theory proved wrong) to the top of a hill I would have had to drag him up and piled up into a tree. I love it when a plan works out. Without the camo I don't know if he would have kept walking once he was beside me and looking right at me.

I use realtree or one of the mossy oaks in the hardwoods up here.

[199er]

I didn't look directly in his eyes

I don't make direct eye contact with game inside about 40 yds. It almost seems like they will "make you" when you do that. At least that often seemed to the case in my younger hunting years. Deer, black bear, fox, bobcat etc.............make eye contact at close range and they, more often than not, "would make me". I don't know if they actually were seeing me or they sensed danger or what.................but since I quit looking them in the eye, I only get 'busted" very very infrequently.

[tim peterson]

I read the article in FS,what a supprise. In 40 years of hunting I never used or needed scent control. Heres why, we have two hunt with the wind every time we go out. And truth be told im to cheap!! I dont know if I could/would buy any thing promoted by TV hunters.

[199er]

In 40 years of hunting I never used or needed scent control. Heres why, we have two hunt with the wind every time we go out. And truth be told im to cheap!! I dont know if I could/would buy any thing promoted by TV hunters.

Remember Tim, in 40 years of hunting you've most likely 'accumulated' everything you need, with the exception of that "elusive perfect hunting weapon". That being said, you wouldn't qualify to be considered "cheap"................. more correctly you should consider yourself "thrifty or frugal". And forget about buying stuff touted by those TV hunting personalities...........because, except for that 'elusive' perfect hunting weapon, you already have all equipment you need to to hunt with. ...............right???

[tim peterson]

You are Correct!!!

[papawed]

I have 4 "once in a lifetime" heads hanging on my walls. I have never purchased any scent blocker, special soap, or other wearables to "fool a whitetails nose".
I do believe if you hunt with the wind in your face, you will see more and bigger deer. The big boys will catch you if you mess up.

I have used cover scents for years. The best I ever found was a 2 part skunk scent that did not smell until you mixed equal parts of A & B.

I had a doe standing under my arm, while I was standing on the ground at a fence intersection. With that scent out, they could not smell me. I cannot find it anymore. Must not have been very popular.

[199er]

posted by Papawed
Must not have been very popular.

I recall trying the skunk scent when I first saw it in the mid to late 1970s. It was potent! a little went a long way as I recall. Seems no matter what I did to prevent it, my wife always complained of being able to 'smell that stinking hunting mess', she finally 'laid down the law' and I had to quit using it. I won't tell you what she did but I will say we had only been married about 4 years when this skunk scent incident came about.....so I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to what law she laid down (Duh??).
Two of my other three huntings buddies had to quit using it too, the third one used it a while longer than us but he was already divorced!!!

[carver]

I'm another hunter that only uses the skunk scent, I put it only on the sloes of my boots, only! I can take them off at the door. I learned long ago to use pine needles as a scent cover, just grab a hand full, crush it up, and rub it on your clothes. It's a natural scent that won't alarm the deer. I also only hunt facing into the wind, but as yet I have never shot anything that would look at all like a trophy! But then again, I hunt for meat, not a trophy rack, and usually shoot the first deer that gets close enough for me to hit with a well placed shot. I have had deer walk right up to me while hunting on the ground, and one of my teachers has them touch him with their noses. I don't buy the junk I see on TV, and I would most probably never buy any of that stuff for hunting. Wheather the product works as stated, or not, these guys are being paid to sell that product.

[199er]

I'm a meat hunter as well Caver and + 1 on the natural pine needle scent. Pine trees are prevelent here in South Carolina so I use it very often but I also use the following too.

Deer love persimmons and they are available generally between the end of Sept. thru Oct. Find them and you'll will find deer........so when I do find that fruit I rub it on my hunting clothes and boots. It makes a very good attractant scent wether I'm stand hunting or stalking.

Also will step in fresh deer droppings too (when I find them) as they make a good cover scent.

I sometimes put honeysuckle rather than crushed pine needles in my clothing bag depending on wether its' early of late deer season here in SC.

I'll use some commercial scents, but very sparingly, I primarily rely on the natural scents (including doe urine and an occaisonal tarsel gland) and the wind.

Mostly I always 'mix and match' my scents to my hunting area and time of deer season without setting a pattern the deer can figure out.

I guess I'm old school in this way but it works for me.

[papawed]

Originally Posted by carver

I'm another hunter that only uses the skunk scent, I put it only on the sloes of my boots, only! I can take them off at the door. I learned long ago to use pine needles as a scent cover, just grab a hand full, crush it up, and rub it on your clothes. It's a natural scent that won't alarm the deer. I also only hunt facing into the wind, but as yet I have never shot anything that would look at all like a trophy! But then again, I hunt for meat, not a trophy rack, and usually shoot the first deer that gets close enough for me to hit with a well placed shot. I have had deer walk right up to me while hunting on the ground, and one of my teachers has them touch him with their noses. I don't buy the junk I see on TV, and I would most probably never buy any of that stuff for hunting. Wheather the product works as stated, or not, these guys are being paid to sell that product.

Wow, I would never put that skunk scent on my boots, or anything I was going anywhere near home,truck or barn with. I would put 4 or 5 drops of each bottle on an upturned leaf. And I would be sure it was slightly downwind. It was potent stuff.

My wife smelled it a few times as well. She made her thoughts very clear. It was essentially no dear if she could smell the skunk.

[Boris]

The first time it ran across my mind that this scent blocker clothing is suspect was when I was in a buddies truck and he let one rip. IT didn't block no scent.... Made me wonder how good the game can smell someone with it on.

I use natural cover scents. If the ground is not frozen I kick up a bunch of fresh dirt. If I can smell it then it probably covers my scent real good (and deer kick up fresh earth when the scrape). I also stand in the campfire smoke the night before and it covers real good. I have had deer down wind that were obviously sniffing the air come right into me. Sometimes when I am on one of our farms I will start a little warming fire. Best cover scent ever..........

[fleetwood1976]

using wind to advantage is the key