March 21, 2012
By Florida Sportsman
Getting the “stink” out of clothing and gear is something that every hunter must consider. Truthfully, it's just about impossible to mask your scent completely if a deer is extremely spooky and mindful of its surrounding odors.
But there are scent control products and detergents available to mask scents, plus articles of clothing with specific scent-hiding capabilities. Good procedure is to wash with scent- free soaps and store hunting clothing in plastic bags/containers outside. Hunters differ on whether to wash their hunting gear after a trip, but with Florida's hot weather it's not a bad idea because there will be sweat…and more sweat.
A fundamental practice is to hunt with the wind in your favor, high in a tree stand. Try to limit what you touch on the trail. Florida Sportsman member Shine recommends, “Come into your stand on as clean a trail as you can from downwind. Don't touch anything—branches, tall grass, if possible. Your active sent will be carried heavy on the wind—a tree stand is the scent management tool.”
