Scent Control Clothing for the Active Hunter

Every big game hunter thinks about scent control. If you don't, you should. Options range in complexity and cost, from scent-blocking clothing to simply playing the wind and several points in between. In our previous post, we discussed two key qualities we demand from our gear: reducing movement and minimizing time needed to access gear. This post is all about our take on scent control clothing and how it relates to active hunters.

First and foremost, we believe that a quality anti-microbial base layer should be the foundation for any hunting wardrobe. Anti-microbial clothing is most effective when worn next to your skin, and it destroys odor-causing bacteria before it can form. RutWear^© has a full line of anti-microbial base layers in Mid-Season and Late Season weights available now, with an Early Season model available Summer 2010. Next, RutWear clothing with our HyperShield™ technology does a great job of blocking odors not destroyed by the anti-microbial base layers. This is possible because the unique breathable "pores" in our HyperShield membrane are smaller than most scent molecules. Also, most of our outerwear has neoprene cuffs, an adjustable cinch waist, and an extended stand-up collar to help keep scent inside the garment. It really does work. One of the co-owners of the company has a test he likes to call "The Onion Test". This is simply done by placing an onion in a jar and covering it with a small piece of our fabric cinched down with a rubber band. It may sound odd, but you honestly can't smell the onion until 24+ hours of leaving the fabric on the jar. I'm not sure how long most people hunt, but I think 24 hours at a time should just about cover it.

Lastly - and most importantly, despite what some clothing companies say - hunt the wind. Keeping your clothing in scent-proof bags or plastic tubs until you reach your hunting location is another great idea. Scent-killing sprays can also be highly effective. The best part about the combination of anti-microbial base layers, hunting the wind, and using sprays is that you can instantly regenerate the effectiveness of your system. No special carbon detergents and no clothes dryers... the perfect situation for active hunters that want to spend more time hunting and less time doing laundry.

Use all of these tools at your disposal to maximize your success. We may never completely fool the noses of big game animals, but we can follow some simple common sense steps and make them think we are hundreds of yards away when actually we're already settling our thirty-yard pin behind their shoulder.

Time & Motion

In our introductory post a few weeks ago, several benefits of RutWear clothing were mentioned. We wanted to elaborate on the first of these benefits, reducing the amount of time and motion required to access gear. We've all been there... a slight movement and a flash of antlers catches your eye and you freeze up a little bit. You fumble around for binoculars, a grunt call, or a rattle bag but before you can make the right move the buck is either gone or, worse yet, spotted you moving in your stand.

RutWear clo-thing is designed with features that help save time and reduce motion, both critical factors in successfully harvesting trophy animals. We call these features Trophy Points. Our pockets are configured to make crossover movements more easy. In other words, the pockets on the left side of our jackets are designed to be quickly accessed with your right hand, and vice versa. This helps you make natural across-the-body movements that can be done without changing your posture or moving much more than your wrists. Another great thing about our shirts and jackets is that we include enough pockets to hold essential gear close at hand, so you don't have to dig through a backpack in search of your favorite grunt call.

Some hunters think they don't spook deer with their movement because they never hear deer snorting and bounding off through the woods. But what about all the unseen big mature bucks that hang back on the edge of a thicket or a food plot, scanning the area before they walk into the open? The slightest movement or noise can be all it takes to send that buck slipping back to thicker cover until he feels the coast is clear - or maybe he never comes back. When we hunt, we don't like to leave those variables to chance and RutWear gear helps us minimize motion and stack the odds in our favor on mature trophy deer.

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