Reducing your scent while hunitng.

[T.R. Michels]

It is bacteria on the skin that produces the odor associated with human perspiration. What scent elimination products and clothing are trying to do is eliminate at least that smell. Obviously the best way to do that is to eliminate the bacteria;and bacteria needs moisture to grow. So - to reduce human perspiration body odor:

1. Use antibacterial soaps and shampoo, (that don't smell) every time - before you hunt.

2. Use an antibacterial spray, gel or lotion that will kill re-growth bactiera (it will only take an hour or more for bacteria to regrow and start to smell), on your clothing, and/or on you body (in areas where it is most likely to grow [which are areas that contain moisture]) such as your armpits, butt, groin and head, and beard (if you have one). This incluedes Scent Killer (by Wildlife Research), Sport Wash and N O Dor (by Atsko/Sno-Seal), Scent Schield (by Robinson Labratories)

3. Use an unscented antibacterial deodorant (to reduce any odors you do produce later on - after bacterial regrowth).

4. Wear moisture wicking underwear, such as polypropelene, Under Amror etc. To keep body moisture to a minimum (so bacterial growth is slowed down)

5. Wear clothing with antibacterials, such as triclosan, mycosan or silver, to kill re-growth bacteria (while you hunt) Clothing designed to kill bacteria, using mycosan, triclosan or silver, needs to be worn against the skin. This includes Contain, X-Scent and Eliminator.

 
Activated carbon clothing (depending on how well it covers the entire surface of the fabric, and how thick a layer it is) can help to reduce human perspiration (and other) odors, but probably only for 1-4 hours after it is first put on. So why waste your money?

Clothing such as No-Trace and Eliminator (which both use cyclodextrin), can reduce odors all day long, and all you have to do is rinse it (no soap) in cool water to reactivate it. You can wear these clothes against your skin or not, but, if you wear a shirt, pants and hat of it - there is no need to buy an expensive jacket of it (unless the only jacket you have already smells).
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[Faceman]

Good info but alot of big words for simple folk like me.

[Mayfly]

"Reducing your scent" - Good choice of words. You will never eliminate your scent. Best bet is to play the wind.

About 7 years ago when I was in my bowhunting prime and using the most caution possible with my scent I learned a valuble lesson. I was taking every precaution! Rubber boots, you name it. Well I got ready and walked out to my stand and about an hour later I see something dark colored moving through the woods.....what the heck is that?? Closer look I realized it was the land owners dog (DD) with his nose to the ground. He followed my exact trail and ended up at the base of my tree looking right up at me. Talk about a buzz kill. I think I went home ::

[tripnchip]

Thanks for the tips TR, I have wondered about the newer scent control clothing as I have the carbon and have never felt it worked as they calimed. I will have to order some of the new stuff and give it  a try. I always play the wind  but there are times that it just can't be done rite if you want to go hunting.