There is no magic bullet for completely fooling the nose of a whitetail. However, there is something close, and that’s the many scent-killing products from the master of human odor control — Wildlife Research Center.
by Jace Bauserman
It seems every whitetail article I read features tips and tactics for eliminating human stink. I get it. When you go to the woods smelling like your gym bag, you’re broadening your human footprint and significantly reducing your chances of killing a buck.
I will admit I’m a scent-killing junkie, and I take the practice to the extreme. I wash my clothing, including my underwear, socks, and towels, in Wildlife Research Center’s Scent Killer Gold Laundry Detergent. Next, I store my garments in a scent-free tote and dry them outside if temperatures allow. This time of year, temperatures often don’t favor an outside drying session. So, I turn to Scent Killer Gold Dryer Sheets and let the dryer bake my clothing dry.
My favorite scent-killing go-to, though, from the innovative minds at Wildlife Research Center is their many offerings of Scent Killer Gold and Super Charged Scent Killer sprays.
I Have Used It For Years
The first brand of scent-killing spray I ever used was from Wildlife Research Center. This was years ago before the market was saturated with scent-killing sprays.
Guess what?
It worked, and it worked exceptionally well. There were no Ozonics units or Scent Crusher Ozone Lockers. I washed my clothing in whatever WRC laundry detergent I could get my hands on, dried it, hung it up, and dowsed it in Scent Killer Spray.
Of course, this system wasn’t Harry Potter’s magic wand — no scent system is. What it did do was help me contain my human footprint and, more than once, prevented a buck from smelling me too early and bounding off.
The first buck I ever killed with archery tackle was catching just enough of my scent to keep him on the fringe of my range. He never bolted and ran or blew and broke timber. Instead, he eased into the wind with his nose up, and I dropped the string and placed a perfect 43-yard arrow.
Experimentation
I fell for a few marketing schemes. It happens. I tested and tinkered with 10 other scent-killing sprays over the years. Some were by choice. Others were the duty of an outdoor writer on a testing mission.
The thing I find funny, looking back, is I always drifted back to sprays from Wildlife Research Center.
Why?
They work, and they work for a long time. After you hang your hunt garments outside, soak them liberally with Scent Killer Gold Spray, and the ingredients fight odors at a molecular level.
Featuring Hunt Dry Technology Plus +, all you have to do after applying Scent Killer Gold Spray is wait for it to dry. Then, wearing non-scented rubber gloves, store your clothing in a scent-free tote.
Testing at Rutgers University proves Scent Killer Gold Spray effectively stops replicated human odor for up to 20 days.
Another Winning Spray
While Scent Killer Gold is the creme de la creme of WRC’s Scent Killer Spray line, my favorite is Super Charged Scent Killer Autumn Formula Spray.
I have found this spray helps me fly under the olfactory system of white-tailed deer. Often, and I have tested it enough to know, the subtle scent of dirt and decaying leaves seems to clog the nose of deer. It always appears they are getting a whiff of me, but they rarely come unglued. When used in tandem with Scent Killer Gold Laundry Detergent and Scent Killer Gold Body Wash & Shampoo, I have tricked the noses of many deer. Several of them fed my family and hang on my wall.
Charged with Hunt Dry Technology, garments bathed in Super Charged Scent Killer Autumn Formula Spray effectively kills human odor up to 10 days after drying.
Some Added Tips For The Field
I no longer test and tinker. I’m a WRC guy for life. Their products have proven effective too many times.
Over the years, I have accumulated A WRC bag of tricks I’m happy to share. First, take it to the extreme. I always carry a bag of Scent Killer Gold Field Wipes in my Alps Impulse pack. I also coat my underarms with Scent Killer Gold Antiperspirant & Deodorant.
Scent Killer Gold Field Wipes are excellent when temps are warm or when you break a sweat walking to the stand. I always, even in the winter, remove my hat or beanie and wipe down my face and head before climbing into my stand. These wipes, along with WRC’s Scent Killer Gold Heavy Duty Washcloths, work well on public land missions when you’re sleeping in a tent, and showers aren’t available.
Scent Killer Gold Antiperspirant & Deodorant is a must. One of the first areas human stink formulates is under the arms. Hint: I also run the stick down my chest and inside of my thighs.
Another in-the-field tip, especially if the weather is warm and dry, is coating your garments with Scent Killer Gold Spray or Scent Killer Gold Super Charged Scent Killer Autumn Formula Spray before you head into the woods.
Yes, both products last for the number of days WRC notes. However, when it comes to whitetails and their noses, I want every advantage. When I get to the field, I pull my clothing from my scent tote and give it a fresh dose of the Scent Killer Spray of my choice.
I also spray my backpack, watch band, archery release strap, bino harness, backpack, and anything else I can think of.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to the noses of white-tailed deer, you can’t be too cautious. Stop experimenting, and this season, and for seasons to come, run with the very best in human odor destruction. Run with Wildlife Research.
