The Need For Hunting Scent Eliminators
What stinks? YOU! Even in the dead of Winter, after showering, putting on deodorant and clean clothes, you wreak! Well, sort of. Your scent receptors may not be picking up what you’re putting down, but those of a Whitetail certainly are. And if they can smell you in the Winter, how much more do you think they can in late Summer and Fall when you’re pouring sweat all the way to your stand? There’s no better way to interrupt the beautiful sounds of nature than to get winded and hear the dreaded Whitetail “blow.” It doesn’t always end a hunt, but sometimes, it might as well. So, what’s the best defense against turning your hunt into a bird watching session? Always being downwind of the deer. Sounds easy, but every deer hunter with at least a season under their camo belt knows it just isn’t that simple. Sometimes, there are things outside of our control that necessitate the use of hunting scent eliminators.
Terrain Features
Different terrain features cause the wind to act erratically. Your smartphone may tell you the wind is blowing out of the Northeast, and in the open field you walk across on the way to your stand, it might be. But 600 yards later in that river bottom, it may be blowing out of the Northwest, then the West, then the Northeast, and back to Northwest again. So, how do we combat that? Aside from staying out of the woods, our only hope is found through the use of hunting scent eliminators. Now, if you’re going to use them, you want the best, right?
The Best Scent Eliminator For Hunting
Keep in mind, there is no product on the market that is an end-all to harvesting deer successfully. Scent eliminators are simply one piece of the Whitetail puzzle, and when used correctly, can tip the scales in our favor. With that being said, in regards to the best, if you’ve spent any time researching the best hunting scent eliminators, you know that the options and brands are seemingly endless. And everyone is trying to convince you that theirs is the best. I believe there are some that are better than others, and out of the good ones, they each have the potential to successfully control the level of human odor you leave in the woods. But can anyone know which is the best? Absolutely not, but we can know which ones actually work. And that’s what we’re going to focus in on. Because of all the options, it can be hard to narrow down what it is you actually need and what you can probably go without. To mitigate the analysis paralysis that comes with too many options, I’ve compiled a list of a few of the brands I use myself and the products that are worth spending your hard-earned money on.
Field Sprays
Dead Down Wind Field Spray (Unscented)
Dead Down Wind is an industry standard when it comes to hunting scent eliminators. I’ve personally seen the difference when applied. There are going to be times in the woods when you brush up against vegetation or limbs. When you do, you leave behind trace amounts of your scent, which is easily picked up by the whitetail nose. That’s where Dead Down Wind Field Spray comes in. Its enzyme formulations attack odor-causing bacteria, which means you leave behind much less ground scent, increasing your odds of seeing more deer.
Code Blue D/Code Field Spray
When brushing against limbs and vegetation, trace amounts of human odor are left behind. Deer easily pick up on those odors when passing through an area. When applied correctly, Code Blue’s D/Code Field Spray eliminates human odor from clothing and gear. Code Blue believes they have the best scent eliminator for hunting. Order a bottle to find out for yourself.
Detergents
Dead Down Wind Laundry Detergent – 20 oz.
Dead Down Wind’s 20-ounce, unscented laundry detergent allows you to keep your hunting gear clean and deodorized. Washing your clothes in other household detergents causes you to leave more ground scent behind. Dead Down Wind deodorizes, removes stains and helps extend the life of your clothing. 20 ounces not enough? Try the 40-ounce bottle!
Code Blue D/Code Laundry Detergent
Code Blue’s D/Code laundry detergent removes stains and eliminates human odor from clothing. Their patented formula uses nano-silver to eliminate odor and is safe for use in high efficiency machines. Code Blue is a leader in the scent elimination game and their detergent lives up to their reputation. Hunt more confidently with D/Code laundry detergent.
Dead Down Wind Laundry Bombs – 18 ct.
Dead Down Wind’s 18-count of unscented Laundry Bombs are a great alternative to traditional laundry powders and liquids. They have the same odor-attacking properties as their other forms of detergents. They allow you to keep your hunting gear clean and deodorized. Washing your clothes in other household detergents causes you to leave more ground scent behind. Dead Down Wind deodorizes, removes stains and helps extend the life of your clothing. Try the 28-count box for a longer season of clean!
Antiperspirants/Deodorants
Dead Down Wind Antiperspirant Deodorant
Dead Down Wind’s unscented antiperspirant deodorant is the best choice for keeping your sweat to a minimum on those late Summer hunts. It has proven to be long-lasting and is safe on sensitive skin.
Code Blue D/Code Antiperspirant
Code Blue’s D/Code Antiperspirant Stick glides on smooth to keeps you dry. The patented formula uses medical-grade nano-silver to mask human odor. D/Code Antiperspirant Stick is long-lasting and won’t stain your base layers.
Field Wipes
Dead Down Wind Wash Cloths
Dead Down Wind Wash Cloths are great for wiping away sweat and deodorizing in the field. Wipe your face, neck, arms and hands to limit the amount of scent carried by the wind. Dead Down Wind Wash Cloths are also great for face paint removal. The 25-count resealable pack of wash cloths come pre-moistened.
Code Blue D/Code Field Wipes
Mask your scent with Code Blue’s D/Code Field Wipes. Late Summer and even early Winter in the Southeast bring a great deal of sweat, especially with all the gear that hunting involves. Rub D/Code Field Wipes on your face, arms, hands and neck to reduce the amount of human odor you leave behind. They’re also great for face paint removal. Each resealable pack contains 20 pre-moistened wipes.
Dryer Sheets
Dead Down Wind Dryer Sheets
Dead Down Wind’s unscented dryer sheets allow you to dry your hunting clothes without the risk of picking up unwanted perfumes from scented dryer sheets. When paired with Dead Down Wind’s detergent and/or field spray, you can walk into the woods confident that you aren’t leaving a trail of unwanted ground scent behind.
Body Wash/Shampoo
Code Blue D/Code Body Wash and Shampoo
There’s nothing more detrimental to a deer hunt than wreaking of human odor. Start your hunt out right, even before entering the woods, with Code Blue body wash and shampoo. Its patented formula eliminates human odor, while keeping skin soft with added aloe. It is unscented and produced without chemicals, so it’s easy on skin for everyday use. Hunt confidently with Code Blue body wash and shampoo.
Ozonics Scent Elimination
Ozonics HR-230 Scent Elimination Device
The technology of scent elimination is here. The Ozonics HR-230 scent elimination device electronically produces ozone that chemically eliminates your scent. It can be used in a blind or tree stand. It comes with a small, rechargeable battery and has 3 different modes to choose from – Standard, Boost and DriWash. The DriWash mode is to be used in conjunction with the Ozonics Dri-Wash Descenting System, which removes scent from your gear placed in the bag. The battery lasts 5 hours in Standard mode and 4 hours in Boost mode. A small, quiet fan blows ozone in the same direction as your scent molecules while it is running. Hunt more confidently with the Ozonics HR-230 scent elimination device.
Ozonics Dri-Wash Descenting System
One of the greatest contributors to human scent blowing through the woods is clothing. With the Ozonics Dri-Wash Descenting System, you can hunt with greater confidence, knowing your clothing and gear are free of human odor. Paired with an Ozonics Scent Elimination Device, the Ozonics Dri-Wash Descenting System will eliminate human odor from clothing and gear. In DriWash mode, the Ozonics device electronically produces ozone that chemically eliminates human scent from clothing and gear.
