To Fool a Big Buck's Wary Nose, Scent Control Clothing Is a Must

Got big dreams for a big buck this fall? Then you've got to beat a whitetail's senses, starting with his nose.

October 04, 2018 By Lynn Burkhead

To put venison in the freezer and a big-antlered buck on the wall, a deer hunter must do several things right.

For starters, there's being in the right spot at the right time with your stand perfectly positioned to intersect with a big buck's daily movements. That's quickly followed by the need to be proficient with your weapon, the ability to make a steady and true shot when the biggest and best opportunity of the autumn season presents itself.

But none of the above will matter if a hunter fails to beat a whitetail's senses — most notably that amazing nose — an olfactory computer that can detect danger from incredible distances. In fact, so important is a whitetail's sense of smell that if you don't beat an old monarch's Roman nose testing the freshening breeze, the simple truth is that you'll never put your tag on his outsized antlers.

"A whitetail may question what it sees, it may want to further confirm what it hears, but when a whitetail detects danger with its sense of smell the confirming process has ceased," wrote the late Minnesota outdoor writer Gary Clancy in his excellent book Treestand Hunting Strategies. "A whitetail, you might say, lives or dies by its nose."

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As a serious whitetail hunter since the early 1990s, that idea is something that I try to live by each fall as I seek to fill an unused deer tag. Years ago, that meant getting the wind right, showering in scent-free soap and laundering my hunting clothes in a scent-free detergent. While all of that still applies today, there's another tool to put in my deer hunter's backpack — high-tech clothing that can absorb and trap human odor that can kill a hunt before it even really begins.

One option available to deer hunters this fall is the Magellan Scent Control line of Realtree EDGE clothing offered by Academy Sports and Outdoors. If you're in the market for cost-effective scent-control camo clothing for early- to late-season hunting plans this autumn, consider these options designed to fit every member of your deer hunting family.

Men's Mesa Softshell Jacket

Offering water and wind resistance in addition to Scent Eliminate technology, this cost-effective Magellan Outdoors Men's Mesa Softshell Jacket combines Bill Jordan's Realtree EDGE camo pattern with interior ceramic printing that reflects body heat for warmth without bulk.

Add in two zippered waist pockets, a zippered inner accessory pocket, a semi-lock chest pocket and a semi-lock zippered sleeve pocket and this Silent Tech fabric jacket is both whisper quiet and big on storage. Finally, give hunters a storm flap, adjustable cuffs, underarm venting zippers and a back opening for a safety harness and this is a big-time winner in the whitetail woods.

MSRP: $59.99

Men's Mesa Softshell Pant

To complete a hunter's Realtree EDGE clothing lineup, don't forget to add the Magellan Outdoors Men's Mesa Softshell Pant to your closet this fall. Big on warmth thanks to interior ceramic printing, as well as Scent Eliminate technology, silence and ample storage, this softshell pant features silent snaps for whisper-like function in the field. If your hunting plans include a trip out west to spot and stalk pronghorn antelope, mule deer, elk or even river bottom whitetails, there's also a side opening to add knee pads (not included.)

MSRP: $59.99

In recent years, growing numbers of women are taking to the whitetail woods each year as they bring home not only a fresh supply of venison, but also some huge trophy bucks that grace both the printed page of outdoor magazines as well as the cyberspace of hunting websites like this one. As the number of female hunters grows, so too is the lineup of high-tech and feature-rich clothing that is available to them including the Magellan Outdoors Women's Mesa Softshell Jacket.

With a silent outer shell, interior ceramic printing for warmth, water resistance, wind resistance and Scent Eliminate technology, this is a high-tech garment and then some. Add in ample storage and hunter-friendly features like a back opening for a safety harness, and this Realtree EDGE jacket is stylish around camp and in town while offering great hunting advantages in the whitetail woods.

MSRP: $59.99

Women's Mesa Softshell Pant

Like other hunting clothes offered by Academy, the Magellan Outdoors Women's Mesa Softshell Pant offers plenty of high-tech hunting advantages including Silent Tech fabric along with Scent Eliminate odor control technology. Combine interior ceramic printing that reflects body heat for warmth without unwanted bulk, and a total of six pockets, and this is the perfect companion to the Mesa Softshell Jacket mentioned above.

MSRP: $59.99

Youth Mesa Softshell Jacket and Pants

With both mom and dad covered head-to-toe with some great Realtree EDGE clothing options for the whitetail woods, the folks at Academy haven't forgotten the kids as the family heads to deer camp this fall. With the Magellan Outdoors Youth Mesa Softshell Jacket and the Magellan Outdoors Youth Mesa Softshell Pant, there is a line of high-tech hunting clothes designed to outfit younger hunters without breaking the bank.

Combining the same Scent Eliminate technology and interior ceramic printing to retain body heat as mentioned in the items above, this youth-sized whisper-quiet line of clothes also features ample storage, water and wind resistance, an adjustable waist and articulated knees for the growing deer hunters in your household.

MSRP: $39.99 each

Midweight Fleece Reversible Beanie

Last, but not least, don't forget the Magellan Outdoors Midweight Fleece Reversible Beanie when you head afield this fall. While this Realtree EDGE beanie might be low on price, it isn't short on features. They include Scent Eliminate technology to help absorb and capture odors, flex technology for comfort and fit in the field, and reversible color schemes from the deer hunter's Realtree EDGE to the duck hunter's Realtree Max-5.

MSRP: $5.99

As another fall of deer hunting fun rolls into camp, why not give these budget-friendly, family-pleasing, high-tech clothing options from Academy Sports and Outdoors a try? With the big-time features that they provide — as well as the ample money that you'll save while beating a whitetail's nose — don't forget to keep two very important considerations in mind.

One, of course, being the need to clear some space in the freezer for a fresh supply of venison, while the other is to find a time-honored spot on the wall to hang the big buck of a deer hunter's lifetime!