Hygiene and scent

[Ike85123]

I was hoping to dig into this a little deeper. There was a thread about scent, but mostly just covered what not to wear or use. Such as no cologne and no scented soaps.
I am hoping that the hunters here can name so products, soaps and shampoos preferably.
Im not a fan of the scent b gone type of sprays. Im pretty sure it is just another chemical that the animals can smell?
I normally wash with ivory soap the night before to be clean, then wash with plain water in the morning.
What is your ritual for being scent free for the hunt ?

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[Hogpatrol]

Seriously, I bring my own Primos control freak bar soap on all hunts and I don't own a bottle of cologne. The killer is the laundry soap that's used in venue's laundry. To the animals, it lights you up like a Christmas tree. For me, the best course of action for hunting is downwind with the sun at my back.

 

[Ike85123]

Seriously, I bring my own Primos control freak bar soap on all hunts. The killer is the laundry soap that's used in venue's laundry. To the animals, it lights you up like a Christmas tree.

I hear ya on the laundry soap. I try to tale an outfit for each hunting day. After they wash one, I put it in the compression bag and wont touch it again til im home. Lol

 

[mark-hunter]

My trick is:
I boil a bucket of water, and boil in it with local plants: leaves, grass, bush.
When it cools down, it is the essence of local plants fragrance.
then i dump my hunting clothes in it.
Then I dry the clothes.
I do this few days before hunting.

Then I dress the clothes like that. It smells like local woods.

 

[BRICKBURN]

No perfume in it.

Tell them to wash your cloths without detergent.

Nothing will make you smell good. USE THE WIND.

 

[Ike85123]

My trick is:
I boil a bucket of water, and boil in it with local plants: leaves, grass, bush.
When it cools down, it is the essence of local plants fragrance.
then i dump my hunting clothes in it.
Then I dry the clothes.
I do this few days before hunting.

Then I dress the clothes like that. It smells like local woods.

Interesting !

 

[Tanks]

I hear ya on the laundry soap. I try to tale an outfit for each hunting day. After they wash one, I put it in the compression bag and wont touch it again til im home. Lol

Using your logic I'd need 20+ outfits on my next hunt, I am taking 3. I never had an issue with game getting spooked by laundry soap scent. Just stay downwind within smelling distances.

 

[Ike85123]

View attachment 394426
No perfume in it.

Tell them to wash your cloths without detergent.

Nothing will make you smell good. USE THE WIND.

Im a smoker, so I definitely need the wind to be my friend !

 

[Ike85123]

Using your logic I'd need 20+ outfits on my next hunt, I am taking 3. I never had an issue with game getting spooked by laundry soap scent. Just stay downwind within smelling distances.

My hunts are never that long. Im not in the position to afford a 20 day plus hunt.
Good for you, if you can pull that off !
But when i go hunting, I spend time in the city before and after. So I do pack more clothes than most. I try to pack all hunting clothes, even for city wear.

 

[Tanks]

But when i go hunting, I spend time in the city before and after. So I do pack more clothes than most. I try to pack all hunting clothes, even for city wear.

Are we talking about Africa?

 

[Ike85123]

Are we talking about Africa?

Yes sir

 

[Hogpatrol]

For deer season, all my hunting clothes are on plastic hangers outside 24/7 unless it rains. Then they go in a plastic tub that stays outside. I use this detergent:

https://www.amazon.com/Active-Wear-Laundry-Detergent-Performance/dp/B07L8NJY8W/

 

[Ridgewalker]

Back in the day when I was obsessed with bow hunting (prior to destroying my rotator) I went vegan for at least a month before hunting season started. Then all my hunting clothes were washed with only Ivory flakes and dried in the sun. Placed in a nonscented plastic bag. When at the location to start hunting (mountains of Colorado) I stripped and put them on. Most mornings were really cold standing there mostly naked!
Coyote hunting was the same except my clothes were touched up with skunk scent.
Ivory soap was the best for body except for a supply of lye soap my grandmother made until it ran out.

By the way, I dont believe I have welcomed you to the forum! Welcome!

 

[Wyatt Smith]

My uncle is a serious bow hunter. He keeps his cloths in a large plastic tote with local leaves and tree bark inside. This makes him smell like the woods, similar to @mark-hunter .

 

[Cervus elaphus]

I was hoping to dig into this a little deeper. There was a thread about scent, but mostly just covered what not to wear or use. Such as no cologne and no scented soaps.
I am hoping that the hunters here can name so products, soaps and shampoos preferably.
Im not a fan of the scent b gone type of sprays. Im pretty sure it is just another chemical that the animals can smell?
I normally wash with ivory soap the night before to be clean, then wash with plain water in the morning.
What is your ritual for being scent free for the hunt ?

The scent glands on some animals are so sensitive that the best plan is to stay downwind (from both target and PH if you haven't seen a shower for a few days in a tropical environment). Items you shouldn't wear out on the plains "Eau de Wildebeest" "Deodorant Warthog" both of which would be like going naked into the long grass and doing antelope imitations.

 

[Ike85123]

For deer season, all my hunting clothes are on plastic hangers outside 24/7 unless it rains. Then they go in a plastic tub that stays outside. I use this detergent:

https://www.amazon.com/Active-Wear-Laundry-Detergent-Performance/dp/B07L8NJY8W/

I might give that a try. New hunting clothes gives me the worst time. Getting the factory smell out without getting a tide smell in.

 

[Ike85123]

Back in the day when I was obsessed with bow hunting (prior to destroying my rotator) I went vegan for at least a month before hunting season started. Then all my hunting clothes were washed with only Ivory flakes and dried in the sun. Placed in a nonscented plastic bag. When at the location to start hunting (mountains of Colorado) I stripped and put them on. Most mornings were really cold standing there mostly naked!
Coyote hunting was the same except my clothes were touched up with skunk scent.
Ivory soap was the best for body except for a supply of lye soap my grandmother made until it ran out.

By the way, I dont believe I have welcomed you to the forum! Welcome!

Thanks for the welcome!

New clothes is what i have the hardest time with.
And of my wife washes clothes. Then theu all smell like tide amd downy. Haha

 

[Cervus elaphus]

My trick is:
I boil a bucket of water, and boil in it with local plants: leaves, grass, bush.
When it cools down, it is the essence of local plants fragrance.
then i dump my hunting clothes in it.
Then I dry the clothes.
I do this few days before hunting.

Then I dress the clothes like that. It smells like local woods.

That sounds like a good idea. Some tribes used to cover themselves with an animal skin, antlers and all, or rub animal crap all over themselves and creep up on the Mammoths or whatever. Not recommended in Africa with lions around - similar to antelope imitations in the long grass if you get my drift.

 

[Ike85123]

My uncle is a serious bow hunter. He keeps his cloths in a large plastic tote with local leaves and tree bark inside. This makes him smell like the woods, similar to @mark-hunter .

I live on a lake, some of the guys here wash their clothes in our lake then hang them to dry. But they smell to bad to wear, for me. Lol