# Scent free bar for hunter hubby :-)



## simplicitysarah (Sep 24, 2014)

Hi! My hubby usually buys scent eliminating soap from hunting store! He asked if I could make him some.. I showed him my unscented(Coc. Oil, olive oil), and he said it still smelled like soap... Any suggestions!?


----------



## shunt2011 (Sep 24, 2014)

I can only speak from my personal experience with hunters.  They love my green apple scented lotion and soap.  I have several that have continued to purchase them and swear they work.  I'm not a hunter so can't help with true life experience.  Other's have suggested cedarwood & Balsam.


----------



## DeeAnna (Sep 24, 2014)

Pine tar soap is used by hunters here in Iowa to mask or eliminate scent. Anise essential oil is another scent that is popular with fishermen and hunters to mask our scent. 

You're going to see suggestions to use a "dirt" fragrance oil, but I personally am not convinced that an FO formulated in a lab to smell like "dirt" to humans will smell at all the same to a deer. I'd rather stick to a smell that is reasonably closely related to a scent that would be found in the natural world. That's just me, however; others feel differently about it.


----------



## Susie (Sep 24, 2014)

I'm with DeeAnna.  I think if you have lots of cedars in your area, go with just enough cedarwood EO to cover the "soap" scent(I would probably start with 0.1 oz PPO, then increase by 0.1 oz until you can just barely smell it.).  If you have lots of firs, go with that.


----------



## sagehill (Sep 24, 2014)

I'd use anise or fennel (a sweeter, milder version of anise).  The sweet smell of anise is extremely attractive to deer.  I made an anise bar once years ago, took it to my goats who then tried to EAT the bar. lol

Goats are very similar to deer, moreso than to other farm animals.http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


----------



## Ruthie (Sep 24, 2014)

Many hunters use cedar eo for a mask.


----------



## shunt2011 (Sep 24, 2014)

sagehill said:


> I'd use anise or fennel (a sweeter, milder version of anise). The sweet smell of anise is extremely attractive to deer. I made an anise bar once years ago, took it to my goats who then tried to EAT the bar. lol
> 
> Goats are very similar to deer, moreso than to other farm animals.


 
I read somewhere that Anise is bear bait. It may have been on here somewhere in a previous post. Don't know if it's true but if you have bears I'd be careful.
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=45100&highlight=hunters&page=2


----------



## simplicitysarah (Sep 26, 2014)

Thanks ladies! He says he want to eliminate scent not mask! But I might make one that you guys have suggested and see!


----------



## lsg (Sep 26, 2014)

Hmmm, some  guys don't bathe for two weeks during  hunting season.  Needless to say, they are probably high smelling.  I would think that soap made with straight lard or tallow would be more natural smelling.


----------



## sagehill (Sep 26, 2014)

He can't eliminate scent because his body is exuding scent all the time... the best he can do is mask it with an attractant.

I vote for anise, unless you have bears... seems the stuff attracts deer, fish AND bears!


----------



## goji_fries (Sep 26, 2014)

shunt2011 said:


> I read somewhere that Anise is bear bait. It may have been on here somewhere in a previous post. Don't know if it's true but if you have bears I'd be careful.
> http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=45100&highlight=hunters&page=2



I use Anise and love it. Was going to mention Anise... until. The bear thing is crazy. Have to look into it. 

Also, Anise/Star Anise is known to attract bees. Someoldschool beekeepers use it when they think their bees are going to take off or they did take off and they need to be lead back home, they leave anise oil near a hive and voila.


----------



## grumpy_owl (Sep 28, 2014)

I can't speak to an odor-eliminating soap, because 1) there may still be a residue of soap ingredients and their natural smell left behind after washing (which may be detectable to sensitive animal noses) and 2) ditto humans and their dratted human scents, but I have a hunter friend who likes my red apple scented soap since apple is deer bait. It's water white and I tint it slightly and mold it in the egg-holder tray thingy that came with my fridge. The shape was upon his request. If you know what those look like you'll understand when I say hunters get lonely out there in the woods.


----------

