Part 6*: More Tips to Hide Your Scent

This just might be “pure genius in a bottle!”  Because of the hydrogen peroxide, I’d put this on par with Oxi-Clean — for a lot less money!

A Clever Brew for Hunting Clothes

Place 2 cups of water in an empty spray bottle. Add 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup of baking soda.

Stir in 1 oz. of unscented shampoo and place the top back on the spray bottle. Shake the bottle and then spray your hunting clothes down with the mixture.

Passing the 'Sniff' Test!

This will freshen up the clothing and take away any odor the hunting clothes have. This will keep animals from smelling you and give you a better chance of catching one.

Use this formula on hunting clothes that you’ve already washed with residue-free detergent.

–from Alicia Bodine, eHow (source of this recipe)

Why Use Baking Soda/Washing Soda for Hunting Clothes?

- Both products are natural and have been used as washing products for more than 100 years!

- There are no additives — they are pure products (there are no UV brighteners).

- They are economical.

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More Tips on Masking/Eliminating Your Scent

Hunters use a variety of ways to mask their scent while hunting. Some buy every jim-crack and ge-haw available.  And that’s OK, if you have a gushing oil well in your back yard.

These additional tips are for hunters interested in having a good time, without over-spending….

- Unscented Arm & Hammer deodorant uses baking soda to absorb your scent  – for a lot less money than the fancy hunter’s brands.

- Shampooing before going out on a hunt?  Be sure to leave the tooti-fruiti smelling shampoos on the shelf and use an unscented brand.

- Some hunters are so serious about de-scenting themselves that they wash their bedding, towels and sleeping bags in unscented detergents.

- Other hunters don’t want house smells to contaminate their clothing/bedding/etc.  They leave these items outside – at all times.

- Instead of storing hunting clothes with pine boughs, etc., some hunters store theirs in sealed tubs or plastic bags with charcoal in the containers.  They state that they do not remove their clothing from the bags/sealed tubs until they are ready to hunt.

- One of the most unusual ideas: Avoid wearing your hunting boots and clothing in a cafe or to a gas station!

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Part X*: = This year’s report, versus last year’s info.

Disclaimer: I don’t sell any products I mention in this series. This is strictly educational information.

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Next Time: There are at least 2 more parts of this series! Stay tuned for more!

This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Turkey #7: Survival Skills Turkeys Use to Stay Out of Your Oven

Turkey Survival Tricks 101 *

Turkeys have brains the size of a walnut. But don’t let that fool you — they use every trick they can to survive a meeting with a hunter.

Gobblers are Sociable

The group provides warnings of danger for its members.  The good news is that there are lots of  ’false alarms.’

Ultimately, each gobbler is responsible for his own safety.  When an alarm sounds, everyone pauses and checks the nature of the danger.

If the bird does not see any danger, he returns to feeding.  The bad news is that turkeys lack a single gene of curiosity! If the noise concerns him, the gobbler leaves.

The Gobbler’s Senses

The sense of smell in a turkey is about the same as ours.  Their hearing is not much better than ours. However, their eyesight is another matter.

Because of the particular placement of their eyes, their peripheral vision is excellent.

Turkeys & UV-Brighteners on Clothes

Frankly, I hate to open this can of worms again.   Deer and turkeys see colors. They are adept at seeing the UV-Brighteners in hunter’s clothing.

If you want to learn the full story on UV-Brighteners, please refer to these articles:

10/1/2008    Hunting News: Why You Just Might Not Get a Turkey or Deer this Year

10/3/2008    A Few More Facts About Deer Hunting (actually covers deer and turkey issues)

10/8/2008    Anyone Out There? Questions for My Reader(s)!

11/3/2008     UV Brighteners: We’ve Got the News

Why I Don’t Care About UV Brighteners

In those articles, I’ve protested that  someone is making a wonderful income by preying on hunter’s fears.

(In the last article, I name names — there are companies that produce laundry products that do not add UV Brighteners to hunter’s clothing. They are available on your grocer’s shelves.)

Biologists have proven that turkeys are not startled by bright colors — ONLY COLORS THAT MOVE!

They’ve placed bright objects in front of these big birds.  In one test, they put bright orange hats on turkey decoys. Turkeys strolled amongst them with no concern — unless the orange hats moved!

Biologists theorize that bright colors abound in nature. Turkeys are used to random brights and darks in their habitat. They are only troubled by movement — not the colors.

There’s scads more to talk about, but UV-Brightener discussions wear me out.  

* Photo is from Wikipedia!

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Coming Soon: Hunter Strategies to Out-Smart Turkeys

BTW: You  may be wondering how I can speak with such assurance. I read everything I can get about a subject, take notes and  share the most interesting with you.

There’s one resource that I’ve used extensively in this series: The Complete Book of Wild Turkey Hunting, by John  Trout, Jr.; 2000, The Lion’s Press.

2008 Collection: Hunting Clothes & UV Brighteners

What UV Brighteners?

This is a fascinating topic – that won’t go away. Why? A clever company has found a way to capitalize on a glitch in the hunter’s clothing market.

Is this a Serious Problem?

I don’t know; it depends on who is doing the talking.  Some folks swear by “UV-Killer” and some swear at it.

So far, I’ve been unable to determine if there’s another way to remove UV brighteners, once they’ve been added to hunting garments.

MDH doesn’t have a single garment that does not have  UV brighteners (in other words, everything he wears has the brighteners, which is supposed to be the ‘kiss of death’ for hunters).

Yet, Richard hauls home at least one deer or elk every year. He seems unfazed by the problem. Is it because he’s always in a blind (thus deer cannot see his clothing)?  No, he stalks game too.

I hear from others who wouldn’t dream of setting foot in a hunting situation without all clothing being carefully cleaned of UV brighteners.

Anyway, the issue is as intriguing as it has always been. Here are the articles relating to this issue, for your perusal.

Why’s That Nasty ‘Ol UV Stuff Hangin’ ‘Round My Huntin’ Clothes?

Hunting News: Why You Just Might Not        posted__ 1 October 2008                      Get a Turkey or a Deer this Year!

A Few More Facts About Deer Hunting     _________ 3 October 2008

Anyone Out There? Questions for My Readers!    ____ 8 October 2008

Words of Wisdom & A Bit of Humor ______________21 October 2008

Answers to Questions from Recent  Articles _______  27 Oct. 2008

UV Brighteners: We’ve Got the News ____________    3 Nov. 2008

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UV Brighteners: We’ve Got the News :) **

Because I know there are inquiring minds that want to know more about the UV brighteners issue and

We are Constantly on the Prowl for News!

products that can be used, I’ve literally worked myself into a lather over this problem!  :0  Now, it can be revealed.

Did you know you aren’t the only folks needing detergents without brighteners? Law enforcement and the military also need to keep brighteners out of their uniforms.

Can and Can’t Detergents

Finding that the wheel had already been invented, I checked some sources, and got two lists. Please note my additions at the end.

From 4MilitaryFamilies.com : “On the care label, the instructions are to launder in a mild detergent which does NOT contain ‘optical brighteners.’ No laundry detergent lists whether or not it contains these brighteners. By contacting the individual laundry detergent manufacturers the following list was compiled of detergents which do contain optical brighteners and those which do not:

DO NOT CONTAIN BRIGHTENERS:
Country Save* * 4MilitaryFamilies.com Approved!
Bold Powder
Cheer Liquid (all versions)
Cheer Powder (all versions)
“All” Powder (all versions)
Surf Powder (all versions)
Woolite (all versions)

Because the “do not use – they have brighteners” and the “questionable items – do not use” lists from both sources are identical; I only printed them once, to reduce the word count.

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Here’s another list, stated in a different way. It comes from: http://www.rangerjoes.com/acu_care.php I added the ACU (Army Combat Uniform) washing instructions, for any newbies out there. They apply to hunting clothes as well.

ACU Care Instructions

Before washing, close hook and loop fasteners to prevent snagging.  Turning the uniform inside-out while laundering prevents the hook and loop from attaching to other items and prolongs the usefulness of the hook and loop.

Washing: Machine wash in cold water using Permanent Press Cycle or hand wash using a mild detergent that DOES NOT contain optical brighteners or fabric softeners. DO NOT USE CHLORINE BLEACH. Rinse completely. DO NOT WRING OR TWIST.

Drying: Hang dry or machine dry on low to medium setting, between 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from dryer immediately. To drip dry, remove from water and place on rust-proof hanger.  DO NOT STARCH or COMMERCIALLY HOT PRESS.

Detergents that CAN BE USED, as they do not contain optical brighteners or fabric softeners:
All® Powder (all versions)
Bold Powder
Cheer® Liquid (all versions)
Cheer® Powder (all versions)
Surf® Powder (all versions)
Woolite® (all versions)

Avoid using these products, as the contents are questionable:
Calgon® (all versions)
Spray ‘n Wash® (all versions)

DO NOT USE these detergents which contain optical brighteners:
Ajax® (all versions)
All® Liquid (all versions)
Arm & Hammer® FabriCare Powder (all versions)
Arm & Hammer® Liquid (all versions)
Arm & Hammer® Super Washing Soda
Arm & Hammer® Fresh ‘n Soft Fabric Softener (all versions)

Colgate-Palmolive laundry products
Delicare® Fine Fabric Wash (all versions)
Dreft® Liquid
Dreft® Powder
Dynamo® (all versions)
Era® Liquid (all versions)
Fab® (all versions)
Gain® Liquids (all versions)
Gain® Powders (all versions)
Ivory Snow® Liquid Ivory Snow® Powder
Rain Drops® Water Softener and Detergent Booster
Suavitel® Fabric Softener (all versions)
Surf® Liquid (all versions)
Tide® Liquids (all versions)
Tide® Powders (all versions)
Tide® Tablets (all versions)
Wisk® (all versions)
Yes® (all versions)

Dial® laundry products including:
*20 Mule Team® Detergent (all versions)
Purex® Baby™ (all versions)
Purex® Fabric Softener (all versions)
Purex® Liquid (all versions)
Purex® Powder (all versions)
Zout® (all versions)

CAUTION: If using a store brand or ‘generic’ product, the label usually states ‘compare to [brand]‘ on the front panel. Match that product brand to the list above for ingredient content.”

Compiled by A. Hammond, 3rd IBCT RFG Assistant 10th Mtn Div, July 2005.

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* 20 Mule Team Borax: I’m still going to stand by this product, in its pure form – original formulation.  I’m talking about the version that does not include any additives. I called Dial (who now owns the product) and the original formulation IS ONLY BORAX.

Also, I do not trust any of the fabric softeners or dryer sheets. I do not use them on hunting clothes.

Perhaps, if someone called Dial and asked if their detergents had brighteners, they would have to say, “yes.” However, if you ask specifically about 20 Mule Team, the answer is “no.” Still, you have to be the judge of this info!

Well, there you have it. More than you’d ever want to know about UV brighteners.   Just in case you were wondering, I worked like a dog to get this information.

Until next time, best wishes!
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** 10:31 am/November 4, 2008: I’ve just received written confirmation from Dial’s corporate office that 20 Mule Team does not have UV Brighteners.
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This is an update of previous postings:

Hunting News: Why You Just Might Not Get a Turkey or Deer the Year   1 October 2008

A Few More Facts About  Deer Hunting     3 October 2008

Anyone Out There? Questions ….   8 October 2008

Answers to Questions from Recent Articles    27 October 2008

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This blog is a companion to my website, EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Answers to Questions from Recent Articles

Redneck Tube Top

RE:  Redneck Tube Top

The Redneck Tube Top photos don’t seem to come up in Internet Explorer. The photos are fine in Opera, Firefox, etc.  Therefore, try another browser.

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RE:  Bird Cleaning 101 for Hunters

Why don’t taxidermists want to mount a duck with lots of pinfeathers?

Taxidermists are in the business of making you happy. They know that when you come to get your duck and you see a mounting with lots of ugly, scraggly feathers, you won’t be happy. Note the photo in What Do Pin Feathers on a Duck Look Like? (click on underlined words, then scroll {to nearly the bottom} on that page for correct photo and article).  That’s why teal are rarely mounted in September — they are still molting.

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RE: Hunting News:  Why You Just Might Not Get a Deer or Turkey this Year

RE:  A Few More Facts About Deer Hunting

If you have new hunting clothes – that have not been washed yet – then use borax from day 1. Do not use fabric softener, do not use dryer sheets.  Borax in a large load – use 2/3 to 3/4 cup in load; medium sized load = use 1/2 cup; and small load = use 1/3 to 1/4 cup borax. All US detergents have UV brighteners in them which, according to the two articles above, add these brighteners to your clothing. You do not want this. So never wash your hunting clothes in detergents from the store.

If you have hunting garments you’ve had for awhile, you’ve put UV brighteners into the clothes by using detergents. I’m working on a test to see if the brighteners subdue over time, by washing in borax. I’ll report as soon as I’ve finished the study. Stay tuned.

Have you ever started the clothes washer and bubbles start forming around the clothes? That is soap/detergent left in your clothing from previous washes. That’s why I stated that most people use too much detergent/soap.

If you are washing in cold water (because of the residue of blood stains in the clothing), pour the correct amount of borax in a large cup or bowl and add very warm, or hot water, and stir. This will dissolve the borax; then add to the load after the water line comes up over the clothing. Wash as usual.

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Why are there asterisks (**) on some articles and not on others?

When I add info after the article has been published, I add asterisks (two so they are easy to notice). It tells you that something has been updated in the article. Usually, there is a note below the article (with another two asterisks) about the additions/changes/corrected errors.

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Words of Wisdom & A Bit of Humor**

**Be sure to note the “PS” — it’s more info about borax for hunters’ clothes!

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There’s a rumor going around that even macho-types in ghillie suits and knives have a softer side! The following offers ‘words to live by’ in a humorous way. Enjoy !

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Always try to help a friend in need

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Believe in Yourself

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Be Brave...But it's OK to be Afraid Sometimes!

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Study Hard

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Give Lots of Kisses!

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Laugh Often!

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Don’t be Overly Concerned with Your Weight; It’s Just a Number!

(Go tell that to my doctor!)

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Meet New People; Even if they Look Different to You!

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Remain Calm, Even When it Seems Hopeless!

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Take Lots of Naps...

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Be Weird Whenever You Have the Chance!

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Love Your Friends, No Matter Who They Are!

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Always Try to See the Glass Half Full!

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Don't Waste Food!

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RELAX!

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Take an Occasional Risk!

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Try to Have a Little Fun Each Day. ...It's Important!

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Work Together as a Team!

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Share a Joke with Friends!

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Fall in love with someone…

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...And Say 'I Love You' Often!

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Express Yourself Creatively!

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Be Conscious of Your Appearance!

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Always Be Up for Surprises!

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Love Someone With All of Your Heart!

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Share With Friends!

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Watch Your Step!

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Things Will Get Better!

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There is Always Someone Who Loves You More Than You Know!

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Exercise to Keep Fit!

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Live Up to Your Name!

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Seize the Moment!

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Hold on to Good Friends; They are Few and Far Between!

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Indulge in the Things You Truly Love!

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Cherish Every Sunday!

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At the End of the Day... PRAY

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Close Your Eyes!

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And Smile at Least Once a Day!

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‘Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason.’

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– Many, many ‘Thanks’ to Dorothy139

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PS: I’m getting questions about the amount of borax to use for hunting clothes. I use:  2/3 to 3/4 cup in a large (full) load of clothes, 1/2 cup for a medium and 1/4 cup borax for a small load of clothing. Many people use too much detergent.

This message is referring to info in 2 stories: Hunting News: Why You Just Might Not Get a Turkey or a Deer this Year and A Few More Facts About Deer Hunting (see listings of previous columns on right side, under “Top Posts.”

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&&&

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Anyone Out There? Questions for My Reader(s)!

Calling All Readers!

Just want you to know that it gets mighty lonely in my Ivory Tower, issuingCalling all Readers! pearls of fascinating lore.  If there is anyone in cyberspace who has read my article: “Hunting News: Why You Just Might Not Get a Turkey or Deer this Year” (dated 1 October 2008) or “A Few More Facts About Deer Hunting” (dated 3 October 2008) — I’d love to hear how you are handling this issue.

Hey, I’m even willing to listen to anyone who hasn’t read either article!

Briefly, hunting clothes purchased from China AND/OR washed in detergents have UV brighteners. This is a real bummer if you are hunting either of the two species with extremely sharp eyes — the turkey and deer. Essentially, folks with brighteners in their hunting clothes “glow” — making it very easy for the turkey and deer to elude those hunters.  Either of the mentioned articles has a photo of the “bright, blue, glowing hunter.”

What I’d like to know is –

Are you concerned about the issue?

Have you tried the product mentioned (UV Killer)?

Did it work? As well as advertised?

Have you discovered an alternative method of removing (and keeping out) “the glow?” What is it and how does it work?  Inquiring minds want to know!

I appreciate your input; thanks for taking time to respond. (No Mom, you don’t need to answer these questions. I want to see if I have any readers besides you!)

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Please Note: There’s an update on the UV Brighteners issue on my blog dated 4 November 2008
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