Hunting with a firearm STINKS. (Literally)

[windymtnman]

I've thought of this subject many times over the years, but decided today to mention it and see what others think, or do to solve the problem.
I've hunted all my life, and of course know you always have to try to use the wind in your favor. That said, we still get busted for being winded, or to have other smells give us away.
Today I was shooting my rifle. Afterwards, I was in the shop, doing my usual gun cleaning. Some of us probably still use the old tried and true Hoppe's 99 cleaner solvent. As you may know, it has a very strong, characteristic odor. If you get it on your hands, even a vigorous washing with Lava soap may leave it's scent on you for a time.
So I was thinking about how we hunters try to keep our hunting clothes free of scents, and avoid things that pick up odors on our clothes and us too. All good, but I'm sure my now clean rifle is going to retain a lot of odors from it's last cleaning. Have you as well thought of this, and if so, have you ever tried to minimize it? I think using brake cleaner might smell less than the Hoppe's 99, but it probably all have odors that give us away. The smell of Hoppe's is probably way stronger than any human odor we can muster even if we haven't showered recently?

 

[u1299]

IMO it's impossible and unnecessary to try and mask your odor or that of your gun. They can't smell you if the wind is not blowing from you to them.

 

[u1299]

And if the wind is blowing from you to them, nothing on earth is going to keep them from smelling you, IMO.

 

[SilverDollars]

You are right in that we have lots of other things that give us away from the odors. Take for example, Hair. => Have you ever been to a smokey bar some night, and later you went home and to bed. Then in the morning, you shower and smell the smoke in your hair from the night before! Yes, hair carries odors! CAN WE SAY BEARDS? IT'S HAIR TOO!

 

[rammac]

There are a few newer cleaning solvents that don't have an odor.

 

[Alabama]

Outers makes an odorless bore solvent and gun oil. I've used the gun oil before and was pleasantly surprised. I'll stick with the stinky bore solvents as I don't clean the bore that often (usually after my groups open up). I usually shoot some fouling shots then run a small patch lightly oiled before storing. I don't notice the odor from the solvent after that.

 

[buckykm1]

Personally, I never take a just cleaned gun hunting, it has always be fired several times. and stays that way until my season is over.
But if the wind is wrong, it doesn't matter how clean you or your gun is, your going to get busted, you can't beat there noise. IMHO

Kevin

 

[pabearhunter]

I wonder how in the world did we ever kill a deer 30 years ago without all the aids we have now !!! Hmmmmm.

 

[el unit]

I've thought of this subject many times over the years, but decided today to mention it and see what others think, or do to solve the problem.
I've hunted all my life, and of course know you always have to try to use the wind in your favor. That said, we still get busted for being winded, or to have other smells give us away.
Today I was shooting my rifle. Afterwards, I was in the shop, doing my usual gun cleaning. Some of us probably still use the old tried and true Hoppe's 99 cleaner solvent. As you may know, it has a very strong, characteristic odor. If you get it on your hands, even a vigorous washing with Lava soap may leave it's scent on you for a time.
So I was thinking about how we hunters try to keep our hunting clothes free of scents, and avoid things that pick up odors on our clothes and us too. All good, but I'm sure my now clean rifle is going to retain a lot of odors from it's last cleaning. Have you as well thought of this, and if so, have you ever tried to minimize it? I think using brake cleaner might smell less than the Hoppe's 99, but it probably all have odors that give us away. The smell of Hoppe's is probably way stronger than any human odor we can muster even if we haven't showered recently?

Approach from downwind and you should be fine regardless of what you clean your gun with. Once we can figure out how to eliminate our human smell, then I'll worry about the smell of my rifle.

 

[Southern Elk]

I agree that gun oil and cleaners have a strong smell. Just play the wind. If the wind is in their favor, they will smell you, period. I always get a chuckle out of the guys buying these scent lock suits to hunt or washing hunting clothes in special scent free soap. Everything has a smell to it. I do not try to hunt an animal unless the wind is in my favor. You could smell like a garbage truck if you're downwind from them.

 

[MJE2083]

You are right in that we have lots of other things that give us away from the odors. Take for example, Hair. => Have you ever been to a smokey bar some night, and later you went home and to bed. Then in the morning, you shower and smell the smoke in your hair from the night before! Yes, hair carries odors! CAN WE SAY BEARDS? IT'S HAIR TOO!

My Beard usually holds a nice combo of chewing tobacco and hot wings :hump:

 

[Gr8bawana]

I wonder how in the world did we ever kill a deer 30 years ago without all the aids we have now !!! Hmmmmm.

It's amazing how many pics I've seen of old timers holding a deer they took with a cig hanging out the side of their mouth and not a spot of camo in sight.