Scent Control

For the white tailed deer or feral hog hunter, scent control should be foremost in their thoughts. In this article, I will share my thoughts on this subject and share the things that I do to control my scent.
I begin with a kit that I purchase from Walmart for around $20.  At my local Walmart, there are about three different manufacturers to choose from.  I have used Hunter's Specialties "SCENT-A-WAY" product for years and I am very satisfied with them.  Many times I have had deer come down the same trail that I did coming to my stand, a few times just minutes after me.  They never smelled me.  This kit contains a bar of body soap, deodorant, a very large plastic airtight bag for clothes storage, dryer sheets, laundry detergent, and a bottle of spray for spraying down before entering the woods.  Purchased separately, these items would cost you more than twice as much as the kit. For those of you that are like me and don't care much for bar soap, you can purchase a bottle of liquid soap separately.  The kit comes in either "odorless" or "earth scent."
CLOTHING - I wash my hunting clothing in the detergent and then dry them using the dryer sheets.  After taking them from the dryer, I immediately store them in a tote with a lockable lid to keep it airtight.  I also use the large bags that come with the kit to store jackets, boots, and miscellaneous gear.  I have another bag that I store my kids' clothing in to keep it separate from mine.  Inside the totes and bags, each year I put a small fresh cut pine limb.  Down here in south Georgia, there are very few areas where you cannot find a pine tree.  It makes for a very good cover scent, and the best thing about it is that it is free!  The totes and bags are very easy to transport back and forth from home to the hunting camp.
BODY - Before heading to the woods, I shower using the bar or liquid soap.  After showering, I use the deodorant.  I try to dress quickly and head on out so that I don't spend too much time in the house in my clothing, soaking up odors.  After I get out of my truck or off my ATV, I will spray myself and my gear down with the spray, paying particular attention to my boots.
While I do not believe that anyone can totally eliminate human scent, I feel that using these methods will come very close to scent elimination.  The pine scent and earth scent of the clothing and spray mask what little human scent remains.  By using these methods, I never worry too much about wind direction.  To the best of my knowledge, I have never been busted by a deer that has smelled me.  The times I have been knowingly busted, movement is what gave me away.  There are other methods used by various hunters that probably do work, but these are the methods that work for and have been tested by me.