Ty Weaver is Sponsored by: Bear Archery, Carbon Express Arrows, Barnett Crossbows, HECS, AZ Rim Country, Dead Down Wind and Goat Tuff Products.
I do mean this literally! Answer this question; Do you enter the woods before or after hunting season with less emphasis on bio-engineered enzyme technology? Impressive huh? In other words are you tromping around in critter country smelling like something other than nothing?
Most of us take time to prepare ourselves during hunting season to be as invisible as possible when it comes to sight and scent but for some reason we let our guard down when the season ends. Why? We are always so careful to wear camo, stay quiet and practice scent control during the season only to relax after the season ends. A big buck’s senses don’t stop after season.
Technology can actually give the upper hand to the critters versus the hunter. New technology like game cameras are the cause of spreading more human and foreign odors in big buck country than anything else. Every time you enter the woods to pull your card from the camera you are spreading “yuck” in your hunting area, not to mention the smell of the camera itself! Where has it been? Did you touch it with your bare hands? How long was it sitting in the back seat of your truck? Even worse, was your little sister trying to take pictures of herself with it while doused in some smelly foo foo juice that she says smell good? I know this one from experience! Even I could smell the camera!
We do have access to some phenomenal technology that gives us an advantage or at least levels the playing field a bit. That is the technology and products offered by Dead Down Wind. I know that most folks who read my articles know that I’m not great at writing technical articles, I’d rather write about pursuit and adrenaline rushed adventures but I really believe and can attribute many successful adventures due to Dead Down Wind products. I may squeeze in a quick adventure at the end of this article. Yup, I will!
Here is what I do as it pertains to off season scouting. First I take a shower before I head out scouting using Dead Down Wind personal hygiene products, soap, shampoo, conditioner and then apply DDW antiperspirant. I use a towel and wash cloth that was laundered with DDW laundry detergent.
All my old camo clothing are laundered in Dead Down Wind laundry detergent and wear that camo every time I enter the woods during the off season. This saves the wear and tear on my good stuff. Another thing I like about DDW detergent is it will not fade camo even after repeated washings. I can attest to this as Mom washes mine a zillion times a year! It also has UV inhibitors so you won’t glow like a caffeine over dosed lightning bug! And here is the big, big, big, technology plus; It contains bio-engineered Enzyme Scent Prevent Technology to clean, deodorize and unclog carbon molecules! You can read more about this at deaddownwind.com It will also remove TastyKake and Moxie stains from your camo. A few local area folks will know what these tasty morning starting treats are all about! Yum!
After laundering Mom puts the clothing in a drier and then throws in the DDW Dryer Sheets. I reference Mom a bunch in these chores because I wouldn’t even know how to turn on the washing and drying apparatuses in the house. I love you Mom! The dryer sheets help prevent the lightning bug thing, are anti static and are 100% biodegradable. They also work great for patching holes in small game or deer ears when you are doing taxidermy work which eliminates sewing. I can explain that later.
After washing and drying I store my clothes in a container with DDW Boot & Storage Powder. I store my boots in a separate container with the powder. Here is a cool piece of data; each foot has 250,000 sweat pores! Don’t try to count them just trust me on this one! I store my boots with powder in them and also apply the power directly to my skin before heading out. This also works well on gloves and packs! It even works in smelly trash cans! I sprinkle some on my sister to wake her up in the morning!
My favorite product is Evolve 3D Field Spray. I apply this before heading to stand and again once I arrive at the critter hot spot! This stuff is proprietary bio-engineered enzyme technology in a spray bottle! It prevents and terminates the full spectrum of odor molecules; human, smoke, gas, little sisters and other odors and it is skin safe. This is your last line of defense against any critter alarming contaminant scents a hunter or pre-season scouter may acquire before and during the hunt! Do not skip this step!
DDW has many other useful pre-season products like waxes and odorless oils that I use on my tree stands and game cameras.
If you follow this recipe you will not spread yuk during your pre-season outings and the critters will never know that you are visiting their turf! This will pay off big when next season rolls around!
In April Dad and I were on a scouting mission in West Texas. We prepped ourselves and our gear as mentioned above. This was new territory for us and we knew very little about this property but what we did know is that hogs and exotics like Axis deer are open year around in Texas. We decided to scout the old fashion way by sitting in an area that overlooked a large area of land equipped with binoculars and of course our bows just incase we spot something worth pursuing.
Dad was sitting in a hilly area of the property and I was located on a knoll overlooking a small creek. Just before dark I spotted some axis deer below me. All were does and a couple small bucks until Big Fuzzy stepped out the cedar! He was a monster axis buck in velvet! I have always wanted to shoot and mount a buck like this. I have mounted many axis bucks but none in velvet. My only route to reach him in time before dark was to make a very quick stalk with the wind on the back on my neck. Not the best option but my only one at the time. The stiff wind helped to conceal noise a bit but it made me nervous. At 38 yards I settled the pin of my Alpine F1 Fireball on Big Fuzzy’s vitals and touched off my Equalizer Release. The arrow zipped the 125 grain broadhead through the crease of Big Fuzzy’s shoulder. I sent Dad a text and in no time we followed a short blood trail to my monster axis. Big Fuzzy was Dead Down Wind!
How will I ever top this? Would you believe I repeated the exact same thing the very next night? I did! Exactly like the first time! Look at the photos close and you will see that Big Fuzzy has a brother!
“Every kid is waiting to be invited outdoors. Ask them!”
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