scent control hunting clothing

Down South Hunting Podcast recently interviewed Dan, a deer hunter who no longer uses hunting scent control. Instead, he put his clothes in an air-tight scent-free bag before leaving home and keeps them there until hunting season rolls around.

Clothing made of silver fiber kills bacteria and absorbs odor molecules without sprays or covers – and is sold by Sciessent under the brand Lava XL name. Furthermore, this technology also regenerates between washes.

Specialized hunting clothing

North American hunting seasons and conditions demand specific gear, with performance fabrics and scent control technologies key elements of successful hunting success.

Camouflage patterns help hunters blend into their environment more seamlessly, and clothing manufacturers sometimes include high visibility orange colors in camo patterns to help hunters remain visible when hunting in challenging conditions.

Serious hunters take scent elimination extremely seriously. Many manufacturers offer scent control hunting clothing incorporating elements like activated charcoal or silver into its fabric to neutralize odors; however, these technologies cannot provide permanent solutions and may only buy you some time until an animal spots you.

A great way to minimize body odor is to take a shower before heading into the woods, wearing scent-controlling base layers, shirts, pants and coveralls and wearing scent-reducing base layers, shirts pants and coveralls. After hunting it’s also essential that any smelly gear be washed as well as cleaning your bow or gun so as to reduce lingering human sweat smell.

Cover scents

Dependent upon your proximity and windiness, cover scents may be needed to cloak your scent. These potions release strong natural odors such as apple, acorn or evergreen which should overpower human scent without alerting deer.

There are also products, like Polygiene, which incorporate odor-control technology directly into their fabric material to provide permanent solutions that help combat sweat odor. This permanent treatment helps get rid of unpleasant sweat smells.

Do remember, however, that no matter how effective your scent control clothing may be, no one can become completely scent-free. Even your most effective options cannot completely mask natural body odor, and if a whitetail detects you via scent or sight alone you could lose crucial moments that could mean the difference between shooting at that trophy buck or not catching him at all. Nonetheless, using multiple techniques together may give a noticeable edge and help bring that trophy buck within reach – don’t cut corners when choosing gear! Every detail matters!

Storage and care

Many hunters utilize vacuum-sealed bags or simple storage containers to protect their scent control hunting clothing from garage odors or airborne chemicals, mice, insects and rodents. Furthermore, some choose to add cedar chips or other odor-eliminating additives into the container to further increase odor control.

Under Armour’s UA Scent Control line of scent-control hunting apparel utilizes silver-based antimicrobials to suppress bacteria and reduce human odor. Nomad Outdoor also offers clothing equipped with its Silver Z Scent Suppression technology to provide comfort, performance and scent control in one garment.

Be sure to use detergents that will effectively eliminate odor, such as bio-degradable ones, when washing scent-control hunting apparel, then allow it to air-dry completely before storing it away. Some hunters even go one step further by washing the shoes and boots they intend on wearing while hunting so as to guarantee an odor-free hunting experience.

Washing

When washing scent control hunting clothes, always use unscented laundry detergent. This will prevent odors from other laundry or items in your wash from seeping into it and creating additional scents in your clothing. Also, hang it outdoors to dry where only natural odors will be present such as under trees or shrubs for optimal results.

Liquid perfumes and deodorants may help mask some of your human scent, but their effect will only last temporarily. Sweating or breathing will eventually dissipate these liquids, leaving your scent dominating again. Therefore, an active form of scent control such as an Ozonics unit should be employed in order to manage this.

If your hunting clothing features carbon-embedded scent control technology, it is recommended that it only be washed when it becomes dirty from hunting activities. Furthermore, store it in an odor-proof bag until ready for wear again – for even greater odor neutralization try using laundry sheets rated ozone friendly.