# washing clothes



## leadcorebean (Jul 17, 2006)

how often does everyone wash there hunting clothes? and when do u think its time to call it quits on a location? ive been hunting a stand for a good week now and have not seen a single deer but it seems to be a great spot.thanks for the input in advanced


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I'd say it's time to relocate. Go back to the spot in November if you think it has potential.


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

youll burn it out,,, so there wont be anything. Wait it out go back in later.

Go look for the food sources,,until they start to rut then hunt the does!
Youll see a buck,,,or find scrapes and licking branches,,young bucks will be trying to establish an area,,and older bucks will be defending theirs.
I wouldnt hunt the rubs as much as the scrapes!
Ive always found the last few weeks before gun season comes in to be the prime time for movement.


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

is an individual thing,,,,do you sweat alot,, I like to wash mine as often as I can but wash with non-detergant soap,,or baking soda! Put them in a garbabge(clean) bag with acorns or some food source from the area you hunt to soak up as much natural smell as the cloathes can! Watch your boots,,, belts,watchbands, etc, wallet anything that can trap and hold smells are bad. Cloth watchbands hold a ton dead skin cells! Plastic ! are the best,,wash it when your done hunting,,make sure to turn off the hourly chime too!

Every little thing counts! wash your scent suit according to manufacturers advice!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I would say to wash even more often in the warm weather. In these temps it is almost impossible (for me at least) to get in and out the woods/stand without working up a sweat. I wash my inner layers pretty much every outing (I don't have a scent suit). I normally wash my outer garments 3-4 times at least through the bow season. Again this depends on how often I get out and what the conditions were.

I agree with everyone else on the stand. You may be seeing some good sign in the area but if you have hunted the stand that much and if you have been there for morning and evening hunts then that activity is most likely night travel activity. If that is the case try to use that as a clue as to where the deer may be traveling to/from in order to get there. This early in the season I think you want to be as deep in the woods/cover as you can as the majority of the deer will spend a lot more time in there until the rut makes them more fearless.


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

This time of year I wear my clothes home and wash them after every hunt. I keep them in a plastic tote with baking soda and wash with scent away soap. I always shower with scent away soap befor every hunt. Later in the sason I will wash only the base layers and the outers are good for a fewe trips unless it is warm or I work up a sweat. I drive a few hunting friends nuts with all the washing and showering, they actually think it OCD Now my wife asked what makes deer so important that I shower befor every hunt, I just tell her there are two kinds of deer 2 legged and 4, both do not like body odor


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## leadcorebean (Jul 17, 2006)

thanks everyone for the input.. the stand is on the corner of a field with a small water hole 30 ft around so its a quiet entry when i go in and i only hunt the afternoons so far.As far as my clothes i dont sweat hardley ever and i hose myself down with spray before i go out and keep my clothes in a tote with grass and leaves ect.. i have 4 other spots to hunt ill just let that spot rest and try the one my buddy missed a ten point the other day.. thanks again everyone and good luck this year


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## bgpark1 (Apr 23, 2004)

I wash with irish spring in the morning before my hunts and my clothes in Tide... then use a small amount vanishing hunter on my body(persperation prone parts and hair) after getting out of the shower in the morning... spray down my clothes lightly (each layer) with the same (only washing my exterior layer or coveralls when i get blood on them)... alway hang them freely in my workshop (no special bags)... spray inside my my boots with vanishing hunter... then when ready to walk to woods spray fox or racoon pee on the bottoms of my boots as well as sides and tops.... been using the same bottle of real fox pee for 3 years now... it has gotten very strong... ohh yeah I spray down my cusion in my stand with "deep woods/forest" scent spray about once a month.

Have have deer around me constantly and once had 11 within 20 yards at once... I have pissed off the side of my stand and had deer licking and chewing the leaves and ground i peed on as i sat in amazement. My friend smokes in his stand and has deer around him constantly.

My opinion is deer are so use to human scent and oder that one does not need to be scentless... (unless hunting remote locations) rather we have been brainwashed and sold on the idea from the corporations that have turned oderless hunting into a multimillion dollar business. 

Afterall... 15 years ago no one was able to get close enough to kill a deer without these products... that is why so many are in the woods now... Right? LOL


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## Onion (Apr 10, 2004)

I agree with you with some reservations:

In an urban or almost urban setting (like my backyard) deer are much less spooked by human or dog odors. There have been times when I KNOW they smell me but don't spook. Some noises that you would think would freak them out don't bother them. I actually will place a shirt I slept in in my blind to get them used to the smell. I also walk thrrough the woods a couple times a week to get them used to me being around. Last year I shot a deer after work wearing shorts and a T-shirt freshly washed in regular detergent and with no shower since before work.

I also hunt a very remote setting in Pike County that sees very, very little human traffic during the year. Those deer are MUCH more scent sensitive. Hunting the wind is extremely important there even when freshly showered with no-scent and washing with scent free soap.

Another thing....I have never seen a mature buck when I take few scent precautions but I do see them when I take care of the scent issue.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Papascott said:


> This time of year I wear my clothes home and wash them after every hunt. I keep them in a plastic tote with baking soda and wash with scent away soap. I always shower with scent away soap befor every hunt. Later in the sason I will wash only the base layers and the outers are good for a fewe trips unless it is warm or I work up a sweat. I drive a few hunting friends nuts with all the washing and showering, they actually think it OCD Now my wife asked what makes deer so important that I shower befor every hunt, I just tell her there are two kinds of deer 2 legged and 4, both do not like body odor


This is really close to how I proceed with trying to be as scent free as possible. 

Also, why do people wash clothes with scent free product and then place in a bag with decaying leaves, bark and dirt? This makes no sense to me. You are adding scent to your clothes. You need to understand how scent free soaps work. They do more than just eliminate odors.....it actually immerses the fabric in a substance designed to capture scent molecules. So, when you add scent, you affectively diminish your clothes ability to conceal your scent. It would be like buying a carbon suit and keeping in a bag of damp wood? 

Also, my advice is to never, never ever hunt the same stand more than 2 times in 1 week. Anything more is over kill and the mature deer will have you patterned which makes it really hard to kill one. I have approx 20 spots on public land that I hunt and approx 6 spots on private land that I can hunt. Depending on the wind and where I have most recently hunted.....I always have an option for where I can hunt. Sure, sometimes other hunters have messed up one of my good public land spots, but that's why I have so many!

CG


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## KWILSON512 (Feb 16, 2007)

I'd give the spot a rest also. As far scent eliminators and scent eliminating clothing it works...If you dont want to dole out alot of cash for a scent blocker type product there are many recipes online for scent eliminators you can make at home. Many old timers refuse to use the scent block technology and use recipes like ones i've seen online so look around. Chuck Adams took hundreds of world record animals without the aid of scent blocker as did Fred Bear.


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## FishinDawg (Mar 9, 2005)

Chuck Adams took hundreds of world record animals without the aid of scent blocker as did Fred Bear.



very true, Every year we get into a discussion concerning sent block at the local sportsmens club, The old timers say it isnt human scent the deers dont like, thier use to that, they have smells human before, it's the detergant we use to wash our cloths with that spooks them, one old time says he washes his hunting gear at the end of the season , and will start wearing it mid september to get the dirt smell into it...always kinda made sence to me


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

FishinDawg said:


> Chuck Adams took hundreds of world record animals without the aid of scent blocker as did Fred Bear.
> 
> 
> 
> very true, Every year we get into a discussion concerning sent block at the local sportsmens club, The old timers say it isnt human scent the deers dont like, thier use to that, they have smells human before, it's the detergant we use to wash our cloths with that spooks them, one old time says he washes his hunting gear at the end of the season , and will start wearing it mid september to get the dirt smell into it...always kinda made sence to me


Yeah, yeah.....they killed deer the hard way.....hunt into the wind. Yes, it works some of the time. Hunting with your human scent minimized works more often. Ask Chuck today if he takes any steps to minimize his scent and see what he says. 

Also, I can just about gaurantee you that if I take a fresh load of laundry out into the woods and set out a game cam that I will have pics of deer that do not appear to be alarmed at all. They don't freak out over the smell of Tide.......it is human body odor that alarms them!

CG


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Come down to the country city folk,,I guess there are city deer smoking crack too!!!! Get real!

Scent suits dont completely hide you at all,,if anything it gives you the few extra seconds you need to pull off a humane kill.
I know Chuck Adams is one of my Idols he was out there before outdoor tv,,,primos,,etc. and your right.
as far as decaying twigs........read,,,,, Acorns,,or food souces from your area..... even if you hunt an apple orchard dont you think some apples fall to the ground and rot. Whats more intimidating to a deer a rotting apple or a human! PS WHite oak akorns !!!!!!!! READ
Sorry page monitors if I seems like Im blasting but I'm just getting tired of opinated armchair hunters! and fisherman,,maybee a break is need from the page!!!!!

Ive been bowhunting scince Fred Bear came and did a seminar w/ Ben Rodgers Lee,,,,if any youngin's have a clue who he was!!!!!!!

He personally taught me how to make calls,and kill birds!

SEE YA


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## woodysoutdoors (May 18, 2007)

I'm no expert, infact, I call myself "still in training". But if I had to guess and I've got a real good trainer..I'd say leave that spot and look for another. Look for water source. Right now in my area it is so dry there just is no water. Infact I might concider sitting right in the water source and waiting for the deer. 

I saw 2 deer this eve..unfortunately I was in my vehicle and they were on a main road. NOT GOOD! 

we've had a weather break today and I plan to get out this week so hoping that makes a diff.

as for washing the clothes. For me I wash mine more than my husband's. He doesn't sweat much.

connie of woodysoutdoors..woody (my husband) is the expert I'm in training LOL!


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## FishinDawg (Mar 9, 2005)

Sorry page monitors if I seems like Im blasting but I'm just getting tired of opinated armchair hunters! and fisherman,,maybee a break is need from the page!!!!!



thank-you...This is one of the reasons I dont post much on this board, many times you try to add to a conversation show diffrent angles, sides to something and other as seen in a couple post below dont understand how other people can have a diffrent opinon other than the one they have, and to rebuttle or argue well it just ant worth it to me, bigger things in my life going on...

I've learned more from talking to some of the older hunting gentalmen who do things they learned growing up or through many years of hunting, than i've ever learned from a DVD on hunting they sell at wall mart, and when it comes down to it, I'm gonna go with the older gentalmen than a dvd or tv show..but thats me....theres many ways to skin a cat



The minute we stop learning and thinking we know it all it the minute we dont know it all......


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Its hard give what you know,,here people just throw it back.
I dont have the privlage of having children,but I have a wonderful nephew who is my prodigal hunter,,he is only 12(had a gun scince he could walk) and has taken a 10pt, 8pt,and a gigantic 7 pt. as well he can call ducks,and kill themas well as turkeys so-so. Fish me in circles now(lil bastard cant run the boat) so I still have that on him. But it joys me to know end to think ,,,one day this KID is gonna be teaching me a thing or two.

Thats what its about for me,,,,not giving suggestions,,then jumping in a foxhole and waiting for the incoming! thank god its only a forum!


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## Onion (Apr 10, 2004)

kingjohn said:


> Sorry page monitors if I seems like Im blasting but I'm just getting tired of opinated armchair hunters! and fisherman,,maybee a break is need from the page!!!!!



You may want to investigate getting your own webpage that only you can post on. These are discussion forums meant for folks to discuss their opinions on outdoor topics. Also, I wouldn't call most of us "armchair" hunters since I would bet that the majority of us on here spend our fair share of time in the woods.

Scent suits are a waste of money in my opinion but they do have the placebo effect. People think they work so they are more confident so they stay in woods longer and do better. Myself I will continue to hunt the wind, hunt the terrain and take my no-scent showers and wash my clothes in no-scent detergent a couple times a season.


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

I didnt think you had a dog in this fight,,,,i was not blasting everyone,,,, or you just the people who blast back ,,,,PLEASE read all the post on the thread!!!!!

thanks for the idea!,,,,,


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

look that you have bought into the idea of scent control,,,and when special forces can track people because of scent ,,,i think a deer could too!


I sense some hipocracy


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## 'Rude Dog (Apr 11, 2004)

The area that I hunt in is typ. of most lightly populated eastern ohio areas- I don't wash my hunting clothes more thatn 3 times a season, I store them , like others do, in a bag filled with oak leaves and acorns ( hunt in an oak woods) I also "smoke " my clothes up with small , smoky fire in my garden, Immediately before going to the woods- the reason I do this is simple; the deer are used to most people burning trash and leaves in our area, and it totally covers any human scent that is left over - make sure to stomp out the fire with your boot soles to make sure you're not tracking much scent into the woods- don't laugh- been using this method for many years, it works!!! 'Rude Dog


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