Hygiene and scent

[CoElkHunter]

A tin bath that could also be used for carrying stuff in or canvas bath tub were carried by quite a few

And I imagine that with the weather being mostly mild during the hunting seasons there, they could have used water from ponds or rivers to bathe with?

 

[Red Leg]

One can always follow the lead of the Ovahimba of Namibia. Several of you are apparently already almost there. They don't bathe with water at all - ever. They coat their bodies with red ochre leavened with lard. The hair treatment is particularly remarkable and something the elk camp crowd should also consider. A daily smoke bath tops off efforts toward personal hygiene. They are farmers, herders, and traders so not sure how their habits affect local fauna, but has to be at least as effective as walking around for days covered in elk blood.

The lovely Mrs. Red Leg negotiating for jewelry in Swakopmund. (the white sweater was never quite the same).

 

[Red Leg]

And I imagine that with the weather being mostly mild during the hunting seasons there, they could have used water from ponds or rivers to bathe with?

From Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter":

"By the time the first drink of the evening was done, one of the personal boys would be scurrying to the tent with a couple of five-gallon petrol tins full of hot water to pour into the canvas tub that always seemed to be placed over a thornbush. It wasn't the cleanest water in the world, and sometimes it was full of sticks, small fish, and other debris, but it washed off the alkali dust, and it ironed the kinks out of knotted muscles and soothed the tsetse bites on wrists and ankles."

 

[CoElkHunter]

One can always follow the lead of the Ovahimba of Namibia. Several of you are apparently already almost there. They don't bathe with water at all - ever. They coat their bodies with red ochre leavened with lard. The hair treatment is particularly remarkable and something the elk camp crowd should also consider. A daily smoke bath tops off efforts toward personal hygiene. They are farmers, herders, and traders so not sure how their habits affect local fauna, but has to be at least as effective as walking around for days covered in elk blood.

The lovely Mrs. Red Leg negotiating for jewelry in Swakopmund. (the white sweater was never quite the same). View attachment 394500

Well, the lovely Mrs. Red Leg seems to be having a great time. The sweater can be replaced if need be. I would look forward to interacting with the people living in Africa. I can do without the lard and hair treatments. I'll leave those niceties to Bob Nelson 35 Whelen and the "man bun" crowd in OZ. Although, the smoke bath seems intriguing?

 

[gbflyer]

I read an article in a sporting magazine some time ago about scent control. They used a tracking dog of some sort and various products, scent blockers to heavy body odor to commercial laundry detergent, perfumes, etc. In other words they ran the gambit. They hid stuff and timed how long it took the dog to find it. It went on to say that he found the scent blocker treated stuff the fastest

 

[CoElkHunter]

From Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter":

"By the time the first drink of the evening was done, one of the personal boys would be scurrying to the tent with a couple of five-gallon petrol tins full of hot water to pour into the canvas tub that always seemed to be placed over a thornbush. It wasn't the cleanest water in the world, and sometimes it was full of sticks, small fish, and other debris, but it washed off the alkali dust, and it ironed the kinks out of knotted muscles and soothed the tsetse bites on wrists and ankles."

Wow! To have water, let alone hot water to take a bath with? Nirvana! Just strain the unwanted stuff through a T shirt before bathing? Unfortunately, the beaver ponds are usually frozen solid when we hunt and the bastards I hunt with won't allow us to use the semi frozen fresh water in the five gallon jugs to take a bath with. I know I'm missing something here?

 

[BRICKBURN]

The last thing I worry about is what soap I use to wash my body or my clothes (unless we are talking insect repellent). If an animal catches your wind - whether you have bathed in ivory or water from the river Jordan - they will scent you. Period. To my PH's and trackers relief, I use Arid Extra Dry every morning and a scented balm for shaving. I also brush my teeth with a peppermint flavored tooth paste. Pretty sure that I have never startled an animal that wouldn't have been startled anyway by that frustrating shift in the wind.

The key is to not let a target get your wind or see movement. The rest is for the obsessive compulsive amongst us who also worry about copper fowling, appropriate camouflage, survival kits, or that the 6.5 PRC or Creedmoor might actually be something new.

Gotta make you pick up a bow.

 

[Red Leg]

Gotta make you pick up a bow.

Point taken - Put mine down years ago.

 

[CoElkHunter]

You know, I just read through all of the posts here. You guys are KILLING me with all this stuff! Red Leg has it right with taking some simple steps and hunt INTO the wind and when the wind shifts, hunt INTO the wind. I don't smoke (except cigars in camp), but carry a lighter to check the wind with the flame when the wind is light or apparently non existent. Beyond that, have FUN hunting and shoot straight!

 

[Vintageguy]

I used to deer hunt with a guy who did all the scent killing rituals with soaps and boots, clothes, jacket, hat, everything buried in the woods behind his house under pine needles and leaves for weeks before the opener. I never bothered. But on opening morning we would get in his truck hours before sunrise and go meet his brothers, cousins, and dad at his parents house where his mother would be busy frying bacon and eggs with fresh brewed coffee while everyone sat around the kitchen table visiting and half of them smoking cigarettes. I used to get so much amusement out of it. Great times, but I could smell any of them including my pal from 30 yards with a head cold. You definitely had to pay attention to the wind after that breakfast, LOL.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I used to deer hunt with a guy who did all the scent killing rituals with soaps and boots, clothes, jacket, hat, everything buried in the woods behind his house under pine needles and leaves for weeks before the opener. I never bothered. But on opening morning we would get in his truck hours before sunrise and go meet his brothers, cousins, and dad at his parents house where his mother would be busy frying bacon and eggs with fresh brewed coffee while everyone sat around the kitchen table visiting and half of them smoking cigarettes. I used to get so much amusement out of it. Great times, but I could smell any of them including my pal from 30 yards with a head cold. You definitely had to pay attention to the wind after that breakfast, LOL.

It's crazy isn't it! My hunting buddy shot an elk with his Montgomery Wards (Winchester) .30-30 at 25 yards WHILE he was smoking a cigarette! I wasn't there that time, but he told me the story. I too could smell him from a distance away, but he always seemed to get a deer every few years. That's the only elk he got with the .30-30. He graduated to a Browning BLR .30-06, but continued to take deer and elk while smelling like an ashtray. Go figure?

 

[Ike85123]

It's crazy isn't it! My hunting buddy shot an elk with his Montgomery Wards (Winchester) .30-30 at 25 yards WHILE he was smoking a cigarette! I wasn't there that time, but he told me the story. I too could smell him from a distance away, but he always seemed to get a deer every few years. That's the only elk he got with the .30-30. He graduated to a Browning BLR .30-06, but continued to take deer and elk while smelling like an ashtray. Go figure?

There is a guy at our local golf course that has a similoar story. He is like 85, has great stories.
He was in Rhodesia (way) back in the day. He has a story about him and his friends stopping for lunch and a cool drink. While sitting and having a bourbon and cigar, 4 lions walked up to see what was for lunch. They all stood up, dropped the 4 lions at like 50ft, then finished cooking. Haha, what a experience!

 

[Buffalo1]

Primos soap and a non scent deodorant works well on any hunt.

 

[Buffalo1]

Primos Control Freak soap and non-scented deodorant can handle your hygiene problems.

Keeping down wind is your greatest friend and defense of odor control with an animal.

 

[C.W. Richter]

You can Google them or pay close attention at your local store but they sell unscented clothes detergent non-chlorine unscented bleach unscented soap which you can also wash your hair with baking soda and water instead of toothpaste unscented deodorant but you'd have to hand the clothes washing products over to the camp staff in Africa. Any little thing can definitely help tip the hunt in your favor. These things have helped me get ultra close to animals while stalking with a bow... Drain and clean the filter and Run one or two cycles of your clothes washer with hot water alone prior to using the above. After doing that if archery hunting I would clip up some branches of native trees and throw them in a plastic bag with my hunting clothes. Not absolutely necessary when rifle hunting the wind but can pay dividends in close quarters hunting.

 

[1dirthawker]

Nothing will make you smell good. USE THE WIND.

I think this comment is the bottom line.

i saw a brown bear walk up to where i was sitting, 2 days previously, with a monsoon in between and smell where i sat and reacted!!

USE THE WIND!!

 

[JimP]

It's crazy isn't it! My hunting buddy shot an elk with his Montgomery Wards (Winchester) .30-30 at 25 yards WHILE he was smoking a cigarette! I wasn't there that time, but he told me the story. I too could smell him from a distance away, but he always seemed to get a deer every few years. That's the only elk he got with the .30-30. He graduated to a Browning BLR .30-06, but continued to take deer and elk while smelling like an ashtray. Go figure?

I shot my firs archery mule deer just wearing some sneakers and my boxer shorts.

I got up just as it was getting light and saw the deer about 200 yards away. I just grabbed my bow and went through the trees to a point that I could get a good shot. He was just a 2pt but I got him. I must of been quite a site going almost ah-natural...

 

[Chukar]

My minute contribution to this thread; based on a N=1 event.

It doesn't make a shit of difference.

I showed up being fairly neutral. No disguise, no extra treatment while in camp as far as laundering goes. I met up with the guide/PH and driver/tracker... They smelled moderately to heavily of cologne and I have the male designated sniffer receptical which are poor to say the least..

Game was tracked and approached at fairly modest ranges. Wind was judged and shots were taken at reasonable range.

Again, N=1, but Damn they smelled purdy. Along with wearing non-camo clothing...

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I remember reading Capstick say that you could smoke in the leopard blind, because if he could smell the smoke he could smell you just as easy. I guess they checked the wind.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I shot my firs archery mule deer just wearing some sneakers and my boxer shorts.

I got up just as it was getting light and saw the deer about 200 yards away. I just grabbed my bow and went through the trees to a point that I could get a good shot. He was just a 2pt but I got him. I must of been quite a site going almost ah-natural...

You and BobNelsonRockefeller35 Something! You wearing sneakers and boxer shorts and Bob wearing kangaroo moccasins and wearing a camouflaged thong with a Tomahawk in his hand! I'm staying here in Colocalifornicate!