Scent Blocking

[flying sailor]

I have a black bear hunt this year with my son and we are wondering-buy a scent lock suit, or use sprays? We will be in a high seat. What has worked for you? Rifle hunt by the way.

 

[Red Leg]

I have a black bear hunt this year with my son and we are wondering-buy a scent lock suit, or use sprays? We will be in a high seat. What has worked for you? Rifle hunt by the way.

I have never had any use for scent blocking tech whether it be spays, clothing, or vaporizers. And yes, I know some people absolutely believe in them.

If the bear, or any other game animal for that matter, is upwind, you do not have to worry about odor. If he is downwind, you likely will never see him regardless how you try to hide your scent. Hunt the wind. If your guide tries to put you on a stand where the wind is blowing toward the bait or shooting lane, discuss another option.

 

[JimP]

How are you going to be hunting them? Spot and stalk, ground blind, tree stand, archery, rifle, guided, or unguided?

Other than that Red Leg has you covered

 

[Hogpatrol]

Relative is a tree surgeon. Works all day, sawdust, chain oil, gasoline, hydraulic oil, smells, cigarette breath, leather boots, liverwurst sandwich for lunch, goes out right after work and kills a ten point white tail with a crossbow at 20 yards.
If you're breathing, you're scent is in the air. Like Red Leg posted, hunt the wind.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I hunted them in Maine over bait. The outfitter's rule was no food, bug repellent or leather boots in the stand and not doing your business nearby.

 

[JimP]

I hunted them in Maine over bait. The outfitter's rule was no food, bug repellent or leather boots in the stand and not doing your business nearby.

When I was hunting grizzlies up in British Colombia we were relieving ourselves near a avalanche run out area, this was on the first day of my hunt. A week later we spotted a nice black bear that walked into some trees and chased out another smaller bear. That smaller bear walked over to the spot that we had been relieving ourselves, took a whiff and headed back in the direction that he had came. This was a week later after 5 days of steady rain.

 

[WAB]

You will not fool a bear with scent blocker. I once saw a grizzly pick up my sent in a crosswind at probably 600 yards. I glassed him topping a ridge at a mile on a dead run. All I can figure is that there was a swirl of scent around a point between us that betrayed me. Bear make whitetail look like rank beginners when it comes to scent.

 

[Randy F]

I’ve always felt that scent blockers are just another scent we can’t smell but critters can.

Even if I somehow managed to cover/block my human scent, what they smell will still be something unnatural to the area and they’ll be gone.

As stated, using the wind to your favor is safest.

 

[JimP]

The claim is that bears have the best sense of smell of all the animals out there. Something like 2000 times better than a bloodhound.

I watched a show on polar bears and they claimed that they can smell food from 20+ miles away if the wind is right.

 

[62flint]

I have hunted Maine.
I have also used scent blocking clothing.
Scent free sprays.
Bought gallons of deer scent.
Used it all. Been very careful in the use of it.
I have had deer still bust me.
I have seen deer smell tinks 69 or others flavors and go the other way.
I still bath in a scent free soap. Try not to be reeking of diesel and I wear rubber boots when I don’t want to leave a trail.

But I don’t buy scent blocking clothing or scents of any sort anymore.
In my line of work I get to play with blood hounds and other breeds of man trackers.
I have gotten pretty good at fooling them with rubber boots staying clean and doubling back on my on trail.
But the scent free clothing will not fool a blood hound either with the right wind. I have tried numerous times.
But I know folks that swear but it.
Most of them are on the pro staff , that may have something to do with it.
For Maine bear. Lay off the perfume type soaps. Wash your cloths in a scent free detergent and sit the hell still. That’s as far as I would take it.

The only suit in my experience that will help with scent control is a mopp / NBC suit from the military. That will work. But you have to be covered completely. If your head is out and you start sweating at all.
The bear will smell you.

 

[WAB]

The claim is that bears have the best sense of smell of all the animals out there. Something like 2000 times better than a bloodhound.

I watched a show on polar bears and they claimed that they can smell food from 20+ miles away if the wind is right.

We were fishing silvers a number of years ago. A good sized brown bear walked out on shore casting for scent. After a couple of minutes the bear launched into the water, swam dead straight through lily pads for 200 yards and grabbed a dead silver that was mostly submerged. I don’t know of any other mammal that can even come close to that. Bottom line, if the wind is against you, nothing you can do will fool a bear.

 

[flying sailor]

Wow. Terrific, thanks everybody! I was wondering if it was best to just hunt the wind. We are supposed to be in a tree stand. Thanks to everyone for the great info!

 

[JD Noblin]

For several years I have used an Ozonics unit....I have had many many deer, coyotes, bobcats, etc walk right past me at under 20 yards downwind and never run. At most, the animal has just looked around and went back to walking or feeding. My hunting buddies that have also used the Ozonics unit have reported the same results.

 

[Chaplin]

I burn half a cigarette and walk into the woods like i am Chuck Norris.

 

[62flint]

For several years I have used an Ozonics unit....I have had many many deer, coyotes, bobcats, etc walk right past me at under 20 yards downwind and never run. At most, the animal has just looked around and went back to walking or feeding. My hunting buddies that have also used the Ozonics unit have reported the same results.

In a tree? How far up?

 

[62flint]

Wow. Terrific, thanks everybody! I was wondering if it was best to just hunt the wind. We are supposed to be in a tree stand. Thanks to everyone for the great info

Lots of times in Maine. I am hunting out of about 15 foot ladder stands.
I have had bear come to the bait site walk straight to the stand anywhere from 10-20 yards staring me down to see if I moved.
Going into bait sites you can’t not help but leave scent.
The bears will smell you. I believe they may not be sure if you are there at the moment or not and any movement they are gone.

 

[JimP]

You also need to remember that with the outfitter replenishing the bait box and others in the general area human scent will be all over the place to the point that it may seam natural to the bears.

Bear walks into a bait station and smells stinky old Joe's odor all over those donuts, molasses, popcorn and whatever else they put into the bucket and gets accustomed to the odor being around the treats.

 

[Scott CWO]

Scent blocking is a myth. What about your face, hair, nose and breath? Hell, I can smell your breath in my truck. A bear can smell it a mile away.

 

[JD Noblin]

In a tree? How far up?

In a 9' tripod stand and on the ground up against a tree.

 

[flying sailor]

In a tree? How far up?

Not sure, been up 12 feet for hog stands though.