A Completely different Take a look at Scent Management

Could 13, 2022
By Cole Tanner

Scent management is a journey I’ve been on since I first began searching as a child. Now, greater than 25 years later, it’s time to look again on the place I’ve come from, the place I’m now, and what lies forward. The intent of my story is to not persuade you on how or why or in case you ought to or shouldn’t do what you do. That is my expertise down the rollercoaster trip of scent management. The nice, the unhealthy, the ugly, the true. I believe you’ll be capable of relate. So, let’s go!

A Look Again

My scent-control story began lengthy earlier than I knew it had begun. My grandpa was the primary particular person to introduce me to searching. I used to be an enthusiastic learner, to say the least. When it was time to go searching, I had realized that we every had particular jobs to do. My grandpa was the wits, the weapon, and the know-how. I had the younger set of eyes and the windicator.

The day I bear in mind was a brisk fall afternoon hunt for rabbits. Grandpa parked his small automotive within the subject close to a woodlot. I fell behind his each step as we left the automotive behind and the journey started. I copied his mannerisms the very best I may. He was deliberate about what he was doing and the place he was going. Each occasionally, he would cease, give me a look over his shoulder, and movement me to the entrance. This was my favourite half — I used to be up.

I may hardly attain into my pocket quick sufficient. I pulled out a small bottle of windicator that the sweat and dust had made my very own. My grandpa had been refilling that bottle with child powder for who is aware of how lengthy earlier than our epic journeys. I flipped up the highest and squeezed it with every little thing I had. Out got here the puff and off it went. My grandpa knew rabbits weren’t going to wind us, however he was making an attempt to show me a lesson he knew I’d sometime perceive.

I appeared again at him simply as quick because the cloud dissipated. He would ask, “What does it imply?” I’d level within the path of the cloud and say, “There’s the road.” My grandpa would ask me each time what the road meant and what we needed to do. He had taught me that we needed to shoot the rabbit earlier than it acquired to the road. If we didn’t shoot the rabbit, it will wind us when it hit the road and run away. He was adamant about making this level each time.

And what? I’ve hunted with that line in thoughts my complete life. I set treestands based mostly on the road. I resolve the place I’m going to hunt, once I’m going to hunt, and if I’m going to hunt based mostly on that line. That line has turn into the clearest factor I’ve by no means been capable of see. My expertise had taught me that line had zero margin for error, as a result of when an animal acquired to that line, the gig was up — interval! I couldn’t change it, it doesn’t matter what I did. We’ll come again to this after a bit.

What Scent Management Did To My Life

Let me inform you a narrative. There was a father who was going to take his son on his first-ever hunt. Earlier than the morning hunt, the boy jumped within the bathe and washed off with the particular shampoo and cleaning soap his dad had instructed him to make use of. When the boy was performed showering, his dad had particular towels that appeared from a particular tote, prepared for him. Stated towels had been washed and dried together with his dad’s particular laundry detergent in a separate washer and dryer from the one which Mother used.

The daddy ran by the identical bathe routine however had an additional step with the particular deodorant he needed to placed on. The daddy additionally pulled from the particular tote their journey garments for the day. These weren’t the garments the boy was going to put on searching; these have been simply the garments to put on for the trip to and from the hunt within the truck.

After a enjoyable drive and a lesson on what good nation music was, they discovered themselves parked by the sphere entrance. The boy was chewing on some particular gum his dad had given him, as a result of apparently it was vital for his breath. The boy didn’t perceive, however shrugged it off and chewed away.

His dad then unloaded their particular totes with their particular searching garments and different gear. With doorways open on the aspect of this gravel highway, they each become their particular searching garments.

“Okay, let’s get sprayed down,” the dad exclaimed with a finger pointed within the air. The boy didn’t solely perceive this half both. However his dad was adamant, and it appeared vital, so he sprayed down his garments, boots, and pack.

As they walked into the woods, the daddy led the way in which down a winding path that introduced them to an enormous oak tree the place a double ladder stand was strategically positioned. The boy knew from previous tagalong journeys together with his dad that there can be another spraying routine earlier than they climbed into the stand. He stood at consideration as Dad administered the ultimate spherical of scent management.

As soon as on stand, the boy’s nervous pleasure manifested itself in an unintended regular faucet of his knee. He didn’t discover it at first, till his dad reached over and gently squeezed his leg. The faucet stopped and the boy checked out his dad with a smile. His dad winked and stated, “It’s going to be day.”

The sunshine within the sky began to vary from a darkish blue to a hearth of reds and oranges. The boy’s abdomen began to rumble, as breakfast from a number of hours in the past was not sitting effectively. Unable to cope with the stomach ache, the boy set free a fart. His dad appeared over in half shock and amazement. “Sorry, Dad,” stated the boy with an embarrassed grin.

In that second of sudden fuel, all of the “particular” scent-control techniques the daddy had employed have been seemingly wasted, as his scent-elimination routine may solely work on present odors.

I used to be the dad on this story for extra years than I care to confess. I believe plenty of us have been. Heck the scent management I discussed was about half of what I did on a huntly foundation. You’ll be able to’t inform me I used to be the one one that purchased the newest and best particular “scent-free” searching garments, acquired out within the stand, set free a fart, and puzzled why I may nonetheless scent it. I used to be below the impression from the advertisements that I noticed that the garments would cease my odor. Doubt would creep in, as I felt I have to be doing one thing fallacious. This vicious cycle saved repeating itself…

Let’s Ask Ourselves Why?

This all got here to a head sooner or later once I determined to simply cease every little thing I had been doing. I awakened, took a traditional bathe, slapped on my regular deodorant, placed on my regular searching garments, grabbed my bow and went searching. And what? The very same factor occurred as once I did all these particular scent-control techniques. After I acquired a deer downwind, they smelled me — similar as earlier than. I noticed that whether or not I gave an inch or a mile, I used to be nonetheless giving. Shut solely counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Not till I ended did it turn into clearer why I began down this highway of scent management within the first place. I had satisfied myself that these scent-control techniques have been like constructing blocks that I may stack as much as recover from the hurdle of success.

Why do you do what you do with regards to scent management? Whenever you truthfully ask your self that query, you may not even know the reply. That’s okay, if you consider it. Do you do it as a result of that’s what you’ve all the time performed? Is it working?

Do you do it based mostly on concern? Are you afraid in case you don’t do what you’ve all the time performed, it would price you a chance? Whenever you get a deer downwind, what have your experiences taught you? Oftentimes, expertise is what you get whenever you don’t get what you need.

The place I Am Now

My searching expertise had taught me that the “line” left zero margin for error — till I began searching with ozone.

My introduction into ozone was stuffed with skepticism and disbelief. The class of scent management had left a nasty style in my mouth over time, and I figured this was simply the subsequent product within the lengthy line of smoke-and-mirror antics. On the time, I used to be a searching information in Colorado and had the possibility to information Scott Elrod, the CEO of Ozonics, on an archery elk hunt. After I guided, I solely had two guidelines for purchasers: 1) Don’t information the information, and a couple of) Don’t stroll like an elephant.

Earlier than we even began searching, Scott was adamant: He wished to throw warning to the wind and go proper at elk with assistance from his Ozonics. I used to be fast to remind him of my first aforementioned rule however tried to be understanding. I defined that his Ozonics may work on whitetails — heck, I had buddies who used one — however elk have greater eyes, ears, and noses than whitetails. They’re a wholly totally different animal that gained’t put up with any guff. Elk searching turns into a cat-and-mouse recreation of taking part in the wind whereas manipulating your place and circumstances by being aggressive, however not too aggressive. You wish to get shut sufficient to bull to shoot him, however you don’t wish to bump him or his cows prematurely. It’s like taking part in catch with an egg: It’s all enjoyable, till it’s throughout your face.

Scott insisted, and I begrudgingly agreed. I did what he requested, and over the subsequent 5 days my world was flipped the other way up. We moved in on elk in methods I had by no means performed earlier than. I’m normally not one to be quick on phrases, however I used to be left speechless. Scott was gracious in his grandeur. He checked out me with a twinkle in his eye, and I knew this was going to vary issues for me solely.

After I guided, my job was to get you a shot alternative. It wasn’t about killing; I used to be making an attempt to place you able that you possibly can capitalize on. The actual fact is, when searching with Ozonics I see extra animals, I’ve extra alternatives, and I’m extra profitable. Now, nearly 10 years later, Ozonics has modified the sport for me. The road was a everlasting marker, however now it’s a coloured pencil. I’m erasing the road.

What Lies Forward

I’ve a four-year-old boy at residence named Jet Kodiak. He’s obsessive about searching. Each type of meat we placed on the dinner desk is moose meat. Pepperoni on a pizza? Moose meat. McDonald’s double cheeseburger? Moose meat. If we see an image of an animal in one in all his books, he asks me the place the vitals are? He loves it…and he’s by no means even gone searching.

Not too far down the highway, I’m going to be at a crossroads of Jet’s first deer hunt. I’ve determined I’m drawing some exhausting strains within the sand on what gear we’re going to take searching. I’m going to deliver the weapon, the wits, and the know-how. And Jet goes to deliver the windicator. No scent management, no ozone, nothing. And what, I would keep on like this with him for some time.

I would like Jet to expertise a deer strolling in, getting downwind, turning inside out, and blowing at us each 5 seconds because it runs for the hills. I can see his face now, taking a look at me with a confused and thrilling feeling of confusion about what simply occurred. I wish to train him in regards to the line like my grandpa taught me. I would like him to learn to respect and hunt the wind. After which sometime, I’ll train him all my secrets and techniques, and present him what my experiences have taught me. Then he can resolve for himself what scent-control techniques are going to work for him.