# face paint orhood/ face coveribg



## wis2ohio (Jan 20, 2012)

I am trying to decide if I want to switch from a full mesh face mask to face paint. The mesh mask I have gets annoying after time but then I think of always having to wash the paint off before bed or any activities after hunting.
What are the pros and coins to having each?


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

I switched to using the paint this year. If you get the kind that's like a deodorant stick its easy to apply and very easy to wipe off with a dry towel if needed


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Mask. Way easier.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

I use the scent shield hood with the eye slot. It helps hold in your scent when you exhale. Taking precautions with scent free detergents, sprays and all the newest precautions are not as effective without containing the smell of our breath. I was told by a professional dog handler that birds are smelled by the dog from the birds breath. This was his observation from a long career of dog handling. For me it was a parallel to deer that use their noses to detect danger. When it is cold and you exhale you can watch your breath and scent drift off on wind currents and dropping down to the deers level as it cools. I believe breath sent control is important. The hood is a bother to wear, shifting your eyes to check out a noise may not be possible because the hood does block some side vision. It mostly requires turning my head. A movement that has caused me to be busted by deer on occasion. In warm weather it is uncomfortable. When it is cold my breath condenses on the inside of the hood and will be damp after a long time wearing the hood. The hood is big enough to wear another layer under it to stay warm. I believe face paint is more comfortable and allows a better field of vision. I endure the scent hood because it seems to help me get close to deer.


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## tsh4425 (Apr 11, 2014)

With that being said about our own breath being a factor in the animals we are after being alerted as to our whereabouts, is there anything on the market that is a useful product. I find myself using baking soda in the mornings before I leave the house and simply chewing on pine needles to cover my own breath, not sure if it actually makes a difference but it is something that I have always thought about especially in areas that are not heavily worked.


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

tsh4425 said:


> With that being said about our own breath being a factor in the animals we are after being alerted as to our whereabouts, is there anything on the market that is a useful product. I find myself using baking soda in the mornings before I leave the house and simply chewing on pine needles to cover my own breath, not sure if it actually makes a difference but it is something that I have always thought about especially in areas that are not heavily worked.


I sometimes hunt on the ground in a gillie suit. I shot a very nice 10 point @ 10'-12' last year. If you keep the wind in your face they won't smell you. If I'm worried about my breath, I'll eat an apple on the way and suck on a piece while I'm hunting.

If I'm on the ground I use no cover scent. I just wash everything, including myself, in baking soda. If I'm in a tree, I smoke my outer clothes and put a squirt of **** pee on the tree. In 45 years of bowhunting, I have been winded only a handful of times, usually because I worked up a sweat.

I know I killed a whole lotta critters long before all the cover scents and scent eliminating clothes were around. It's just what works for me and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

I use the scent shield hood I think it is activated charcoal. After wearing it several times you will notice it is absorbing smell it is time to reactivate it in the dryer. I switched to the silver thread material pants and jacket rain suit. I like it better. I wish they made a hood cover of that material. I don't like cover sents so much I would rather the deer smell their normal surrounds rather than a new smell that may be natural but out of place for the spot. I like the idea of being scent less more than trying to cover up. Don't know of any sure fire breath cover I have chewed mint gum so I don't have to smell myself under the hood



tsh4425 said:


> With that being said about our own breath being a factor in the animals we are after being alerted as to our whereabouts, is there anything on the market that is a useful product. I find myself using baking soda in the mornings before I leave the house and simply chewing on pine needles to cover my own breath, not sure if it actually makes a difference but it is something that I have always thought about especially in areas that are not heavily worked.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

rutnut245 said:


> I know I killed a whole lotta critters long before all the cover scents and scent eliminating clothes were around. It's just what works for me and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.


I just use a head net and watch the wind.


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## toledoeyebanger (Jan 4, 2008)

Grow a beard, light face paint up top, wear a hat.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Used to use face paint. Switched to half face net with camo hat years ago cause it was more convenient.


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## CWG (May 12, 2010)

supercanoe said:


> Mask. Way easier.


+1 and will hide facial movement, and isn't shiny.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

I use paint more important for me to feel my nock point


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## Waterline (Jan 20, 2007)

I use a lightweight headnet until it gets colder out and the best one I've found that really fits and stays put when you're turning your head back and forth is a full face Bandit headnet by Quaker Boy. It has the wire frame around the eyes and is just stiff enough to bend to whatever shape you need. Like, I wear glasses and I can adjust the frame to allow it to fit over and around my glasses and it will pretty much stay in that position even if I have to turn slowly left or right, not like other brands I've tried that will allow the whole headnet to turn and so you lose your unobstructed vision. It's lightweight and fits nicely under a camo ballcap. I use it for both deer and turkey. I should qualify that I use a crossbow for deer so that anchor point, etc. is not a concern. That likely would make a difference. Once it gets colder I switch to more of a fleece or polyester type of Balaclava which not only hides your face well but keeps you warm and toasty, especially around the neck. Check out the Quaker Boy Bandit below

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Quaker-Boy-Bandit-Elite-Call/dp/B004PF6IKW/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413807813&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=Quaker+Boy+Bandit+headnet"]Amazon.com : Quaker Boy Elite Bandit Headnet : Hunting Camouflage Accessories : Sports & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@51Lpp8dqEGL[/ame]


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

rutnut245 said:


> I sometimes hunt on the ground in a gillie suit. I shot a very nice 10 point @ 10'-12' last year. If you keep the wind in your face they won't smell you. If I'm worried about my breath, I'll eat an apple on the way and suck on a piece while I'm hunting.
> 
> If I'm on the ground I use no cover scent.
> I just wash everything, including myself, in baking soda. If I'm in a tree, I smoke my outer clothes and put a squirt of **** pee on the tree.
> ...


A couple of good points here. I know there's all kinds of expensive, fancy crap on the market now for making you, supposedly, "scent free". Believe me, there ain't no such thing! All you can do is try to moderate your scent to one degree or another. For years I washed my hunting clothes in cold water and baking soda, and it worked just fine! 

Working the wind is far more important. You should know where the prevailing wind normally comes from. When you go scouting for a stand location, keep that in mind. Carry a compass if you have to. I try to locate my stands on the, normally, downwind side of a trail, or better yet, an intersection of trails. I also like multiple trunked trees, at least for a hanging stand, because some of those trunks can provide background cover for you. If there are none of those available, well, you may have to abandon that location, or, put up a stand where you can and hope for the best. 

As far as working up a sweat goes, DON'T!! I don't care if you slept in and you're late getting to your hunting spot. If it's cold, and you're wearing a bunch of insulating clothing, DO NOT RUSH TO GET TO YOUR STAND!!!! Simply stroll to your stand as if you had all the time in the world. Another tactic is to still hunt your way to your stand. If you rush you risk making enough noise that everything around knows you're there, or you start to sweat, and stink up the place enough that deer get spooked. 

FWIW, I wear a simple cloth head and face mask that keeps me surprisingly warm in chilly weather, I can top with a stocking cap, and that has never, at least in my experience, spooked a deer.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Only thing to remember is however you dress to hunt, dress to practice at least a few times. I had an issue with the feel and with the mask catching the string sometimes. I do anchor pretty far back but that's not uncommon so if you do, practice with it on


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## SKRAMER (Sep 17, 2014)

Face mask.


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## ReadHeaded Hunter (Apr 17, 2007)

I made the switch to paint last year and love it. I would get so annoyed with the mask. I also shoot my bow alot better without having a mask around my face and eyes. So far I haven't seen any difference in performance


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## wis2ohio (Jan 20, 2012)

would face paint from kids Halloween work or the paint that's for hunting?


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## Hardtop (Nov 24, 2004)

Best solution for the "breath" cover up is to squirt some of the doe pee directly on your tongue.......that should bring the bucks right to you.......! Really guys.....sometimes we tend to "over think" these critters, get yourself 20' up in a tree sit down and be still , the deer will not smell you up there, I have dozens of notches in my knife to prove this.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

Hardtop said:


> Best solution for the "breath" cover up is to squirt some of the doe pee directly on your tongue.......that should bring the bucks right to you.......! Really guys.....sometimes we tend to "over think" these critters, get yourself 20' up in a tree sit down and be still , the deer will not smell you up there, I have dozens of notches in my knife to prove this.


They can smell you up there believe me!!!..its all just personal preferance...I use a mask but thats just because thats all I've ever used...


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## Mylife614 (Apr 3, 2013)

Face paint all the way for me anyway. All season, I use the HS green black brown you apply with your 3 fingers, simple, whips off with paper towel. And it's lasted me 2 season and prob have enough left for a 3rd. 
I think it makes a difference.
I hate having Mesh on my face bow hunting, and having to pull it down when I draw. Now turkey hunting I do wear mesh.


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

neither, they see movement not your face. I use a face mask sometimes just for warmth.


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## Gills63 (Mar 29, 2012)

I always wear a mask. The only issues are fogged up glasses/scope and pulling it down to use grunt.


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Had a 4pt bust me yesterday. Came in to my left nose in air (my scent bomb). Veered left away from me, (lost the scent) and came back right directly towards me. Stopped with his nose in the air and took another few steps did it again and this time saw me in the tree. 20' up.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

I use a scent loc face mask. I have had it for about 15 years. When it all 1st came out. I like it. It really doesn't get in the way. Only when I am trying to get something to drink in the stand... But I believe that most of your scent comes from your head. I could be totally wrong. It is sort of easy to fool a yearling deer and maybe even a 1 1/2 year old deer. But you cannot fool a mature deer of either sex. A mature doe busted me today right after a 1 1/2 year old buck had just gone in the same exact spot like 15 minutes before it.... It is all about the wind. But when you are hunting where it is a little hilly, the wind can really swirl around and ruin your hunt. I grew up where it was mostly flat and you didn't have to worry about that...... lol


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