When Form 8865 Controlling 2023-2024

I think an entire book can be written on scent control for deer and the strategies associated with it. The multitude of strategies for controlling your scent when it comes to deer hunting is important to me and something that is dear to my heart. I am passionate about it because of my experience in Southwest Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, and southern Ohio, as well as working with clients across the country. However, I have come to the conclusion that it is nearly impossible to consistently fool a whitetail's nose. No matter the spray, dust, or contraption used, it is difficult to predictably fool a deer's nose, even 50-70% of the time. Despite this, I have developed a scent routine that I believe is effective. It all starts with clean clothes. Whether hunting on public land or privately, I never wear my hunting clothes in the truck. I always dress outside the truck and store my clean clothes in scent-free bags. I have been doing this since the late 80s or early 90s, using baking soda or baking powder to wash my clothes and then storing them in plastic bags. When dressing outside the truck, I also use a scent elimination spray. While it doesn't completely eliminate human scent, it does help to cover it up, reducing the percentage of scent that a deer may detect. I have seen does and fawns walk through my scent trail without much negative reaction. In addition to clean clothes and scent elimination spray, I also use rubber or clean boots and avoid wearing them in the truck. Once I have taken all these scent control measures, I head to my tree stand. The purpose of all these efforts is to avoid leaving a scent trail in the woods. I also make sure to control the amount of...