Insect Repellent for hunting

[Beartooth83]

What are you fellow archery guys using for mosquito dope? What is the most odorless/effective repellent out there? Not thermcell either, I'm talking about something that can be applied to clothes and skin that doesn't stink too bad. It seems like the stuff that works the best also smells the most.

 

[roadhunter]

Why not use the therma cell?

That is what I use and it works great and doesn't scare the game like the other stuff.

 

[Beartooth83]

Therma cell works fine if you are sitting in one spot where the "fumes" can radiate around you. But I'm not a sit still hunter unless I'm glassing or getting ready for a shot. Plus I don't want to pack in any extra stuff such as appliances and extra butane. And they are not optimal for using over 4500'

 

[Redwood]

Look into vanilla extract. I've never used it but some swear by it while hunting for various reasons.

 

[C17loadclear]

"No stinkin bugs" by scent shield works pretty good.

 

[double_a85]

Look into vanilla extract. I've never used it but some swear by it while hunting for various reasons.

This Stuff works great!

Other brands are similar, including VBS.

 

[JMG]

X2 on the vanilla extract. It works on the "no - see - em's" (nats). Not sure on the mosquitos.

If you are ever in the central or eastern part of Montana in and around Ponderosa pine . . . . this is no joke . . . . smell the Ponderosa pine bark on/very near the trunk of the tree (crack in the tree trunk bark). It will smell like vanilla, butter scotch, or chocalate. NO KIDDING! It will work 90+% of the time. I learned this in the 3rd grade from my teacher on a a school field trip. I showed my kids and many others this and all are amazed. If you "find" a "chocalate" tree . . . . its kind of "rare". Again, no kidding.

 

[katqanna]

Ive been making my bug spray for decades. I use a small pump spray bottle, aloe vera juice as the base liquid (dont use gel it is too thick for the spray). Aloe has been used by hunters in Africa and other places forever. It neutralizes your body odor. Add drops of catnip, pennyroyal and pine needle essential oils (depends on how big your bottle is as to how many drops of each oil. I use about 8 drops of each to 4-5 fluid ounces of aloe juice). Keeps away fleas, flies, mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, etc. Its non toxic, safe for pets and kids. Make sure you shake the bottle before each use. Dont use pennyroyal if you are pregnant though.

 

[BlakeA]

I've been using the non scented OFF in the little tubes you can get in the camping section at Wal Mart for the past few years and it really helps with the sqeeters and nats in the badlands while spot n' stalking early season