One of the people I always look forward to seeing at a Writers Camp is Mike Jordan. He has bowhunted for 29 years. Mike always finds places to hunt where he sees bucks. Most of the time he gets a big, mature buck. And that was the case this year. But this year he did something I’ve never seen him do, when he got his shot at a big 10 point he missed. So I guess he is human after all.
Mike Jordan got interested in bows while in the military and it added a new dimension to his hunting. He was a late convert to the compound bow when he switched over 12 years ago.
Mike Jordan is retired military in Special Forces. When he became a professor of military science at the University of South Carolina he met the owners of Atsko. Because of Mike’s knowledge of the outdoors and his chemistry background, as well as special military training, he was hired by Atsko as the companies Vice President of Technology in 1991. Mike’s passion for hunting gives him insight into projects for the company Atsko.
Mike Jordan introcuced our group to the ATSKO products.
All the Atsko/Sno-Seal product are formulated and manufactured in house. Sno-Seal was introduced in 1933. When Mike joined them Atsko had the Sport-Wash product. It took 2 years to get the formula so it completely washes away all odors and leaves no residue in the fabric. It was successful in the medical market where it is know as Sensi-Clean. When it was introduced in the hunting market it became an instant success.
Atsko’s Permanent Water Guard will bead and repel water for 25 washings. Water Guard Extreme has UV and Mildew protection in the formula. When sprayed on tents and outdoor gear the equipment will not rot from sun damage or mildew.
Mike showed us “N-O-Dor Odor Oxidizer “. It destroys all odors on skin, hair, clothing, mouth, footwear and gear. It is the only scent eliminator that you can spray on your skin and even in your mouth. Mike said to spray your boots and legs of your pants. Spray your gloves when you start to the stand and before you climb up to the stand.
Another new product is “N-O-Dor Powder”. It adsorbs odors and is for your hunting boots. You use it like talcum powder.
Mike told us that Atsko does not make baking soda products. Many scent eliminator product ingrediants include baking soda. Baking soda draws out odor but it releases it when it contacts moisture (water or perspiration). Mike told us, “If you leave nothing on your body deer can not smell you. N-O-Dor Oxidizer spray and Powder do not leave a residue.”
Something that I did not know was that it takes you 8 hours to build up bacteria on your body if you start totally clean.
SOAPS: Clothes washed in name detergents actually gain weight after they dry, up to 2%; because the detergent leaves a residue in the clothing. Also, detergents have color brightness that increase UV in the fabric.
SPORT WASHis a special formula that goes into the fibers and is lifted out in rinsing. It leaves no residue. One ounce is all you need to clean a large load of your clothing. And fabric softeners are never necessary. Sport Wash contains no UV. It is used by millions of hunters around the world.
UV – We have a UV filter in our eye because we are active during the daytime. Deer are noctournal and do not have the UV filter. They see UV. If your clothing has UV brighteners, either added by the manufacturer or from washing in detergent, deer will see it as a bright blue glow. Atsko’s UV-KILLER is a spray or wash that eliminates UV glow and is perminant.
Mike took us outside and demonstrated UV with various garments and archery gear using a light with a wave length of 380 nanometers. It is the only way to create how deer see.
Mike gave us the url www.vischeck.com — a web site to see pictures as color blind animals and people see them.
Because much of Mike Jordan’s presentation was outside and in the dark, my video did not come out. Bruce Ryan helped me out by effectively covering the Atsko products on video.
Click on the video below to play it.
The manufacturers attending this Writers Camp are; ATSKO, ( Mike Jordan), Grim Reaper Broadheads (Jay Liechty), Heartland Wildlife Institute (Jeff Neal and Les Ray), Nikon (C. J. Davis), PRADCO Outdoor Brands (Mike Mattly), Lost Camo, (Keith Jennings). Other manufacturers that have provided product are; Darton Archery, Don Wood Polaris, ThemaCell, Fall Guy ( Integrated Safety Systems) and GameHide.
Outdoor writers are; Bob Humphrey, Joe Byers, Tim Dehn of ArcheryTrade mag, Robert Hoague of Bowhunting.net, Jim Miller of Great Southwest Outdoors TV show, and media expert Bruce Ryan.
I always enjoy spending time with Mike in hunting camp! He is a lot of fun to hangout with!