Hunting Scent Control Checklist: From the Night Before to the Stand

Quick answer: A good hunting scent control routine starts the night before. Wash and seal your clothes, treat boots and gear, and keep everything out of the house and truck cab. Dress at the truck, heavily saturate your boots, pack and outer layers with Odorless Outdoorsman Unscented Odor Eliminator before you walk in, hunt the wind, and reset your gear after every hunt.

Scent control isn't one product or one step. It's a routine, and one skipped step can undo the rest. Use this checklist for whitetail sits, elk and mule deer hunts, or anything in between.

The night before

• Wash hunting clothes in unscented detergent with Unscented Laundry Booster if they're due. 
• Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets.
• Pack clothes, socks, gloves and face mask in a sealed tote.
• Pull the insoles and heavily saturate boots inside and out with Odorless Outdoorsman 16 oz Unscented.
• Saturate your pack, straps, harness and seat cushion.
• Shower with unscented soap and skip cologne, scented deodorant and lotion.

The morning of

• Skip the bacon in the kitchen if you can, or keep hunting clothes far from it. 
• Drive in regular clothes, not hunting layers.
• If you stop for fuel or coffee, keep your hunting clothes sealed and your boots in the tote.

At the truck

• Get dressed at the truck, outside the cab.
• Heavily saturate your outer layer, hat, gloves and pack.
• Saturate the soles of your boots one more time, especially after a gas station stop.
• Drop a 4 oz Unscented in your pack.
• Check the wind before you pick your route.

The walk in

• Approach from downwind of where you expect deer or elk.
• Walk slow enough that you don't arrive soaked in sweat. Carry your outer layer if it's warm.
• Avoid touching branches and brush near your stand or trail.
  

On stand or in the field

• Use the 4 oz to re-treat your gloves, seat and straps after you get settled.
• Keep snacks sealed and pack wrappers back out.
• Re-treat before a midday move during the rut.
• Keep your stand or blind odor free between hunts.

Elk and backcountry version

• Keep tomorrow's base layer and socks in a sealed bag inside your pack.
• Heavily saturate worn layers every night, focusing on armpits, collar and waistband.
• Treat jackets and packs after time around the campfire. Smoke odor clings to fabric.
• Keep food, fuel and stove in a separate bag from your clothes.
• Re-treat boots each night after a long day of hiking.

After the hunt

• Change at the truck and seal hunting clothes back in the tote.
• Heavily saturate boots, outer layers and pack so odor doesn't build day to day.
• Filled a tag? Clean blood first, then eliminate game odor in the truck, cooler and pack.
• Wash clothes every few hunts with Unscented Laundry Booster.

Why eliminate instead of cover?

Cover scents add a new smell on top of yours. Your odor is still there underneath. Odorless Outdoorsman is powered by OAM (Odor Absorbing Molecules) Technology, which eliminates odor at the source on contact and leaves no added scent behind. Learn more on our How It Works page.

FAQ: Hunting scent control

How do I make myself scent free for hunting? Nobody is truly scent free, but you can eliminate most of the odor on your clothes and gear. Wash with unscented products, store gear sealed, saturate gear with an unscented odor eliminator before each hunt and always hunt the wind.

Where should I spray odor eliminator before a hunt? On surfaces: boots, soles, outer layers, hat, gloves, pack and straps. Heavily saturate them. Don't spray into the air around you.

Do I need to wait after spraying? No. Odorless Outdoorsman works instantly on contact.

Does scent control matter for elk? Yes. Elk rely heavily on their nose too, and long hikes mean more sweat on your gear.

Is Odorless Outdoorsman safe on clothes and gear? Yes. It's safe on fabrics, leather and skin, and it doesn't stain.

Build your routine in one kit

The Hunting Season Saver Kit includes Unscented Laundry Booster, a 16 oz spray and a 4 oz spray, which covers every step on this list. Shop Odorless Outdoorsman before your next hunt.