Jim Bianchi, a Deer & Deer Hunting reader from Rochester, N.Y., wrote in to ask a few hunting-related questions after reading Steve Bartylla’s story about scent control in the October issue of D&DH.
Steve Bartylla has several great tips for reducing odor and laying a scent trail when he’s pursuing big bucks.
They were good questions, so we thought we’d pass along Bartylla’s answers. Getting the straight dope right from the source always is the best way. Maybe you can incorporate some of Bartylla’s tips into your hunting strategies.
1) Once you get to the stand, what is done with the “boot pads laced with non-estrous urine” (and what is done with the Elimitrex)? I assume if you carry them up to the tree or leave them on your boots, your Scent Lok suit will be absorbing those odors and wasting your suit as it absorbs the urine odors? Also, can you give me example of the brand of boot pads and which brand of non-estrous or immature buck urine is used? I’m a detail freak like you and want to mimic your process exactly.
Answer: I hang the boot pads on a branch to seve as cover scent.
2) You mention wiping down your equipment with towels soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Do you literally take a clean towel and just soak it with hydrogen peroxide, ring it out a little, wipe the equipment? Or is the hydrogen peroxide towel been dried fully (I kind of doubt that)? I’m curious why you use hydrogen peroxide and not use the hunting-specific field wipes to wipe down your equipment? Are those field wipes not as effective of cleaners?
Answer: I use a paper towel and just get it good and damp. Hydrogen peroxide kills germs and bacteria, which are the causes of most odors. I also use wipes, but hydrogen peroxide is cheap, easy and effective.
3) I was very surprised to hear you use garbage bags, because of the extra effort needed to get them scent-free. Why not just use the scent bags on the market or even the large freezer type zip bags? Seems like garbage bags would be very hard to dry because of their thin-ness, which can trap moisture. At least with clear freezer type bags the walls are thicker and easier to dry moisture after you wash them. Just curious on the garbage bag approach.
Answer: I actually use ScenTotes and scent bags, but garbage bags are as effective and I used them for many, many years. When given a choice to write about a product that costs more $ and a cheap alternative, I tend to write about the cheap alternative.