Pack, Boots, Camo and Scent Questions

[deerless]

I've got all of November off work to hunt my first whitetail, and I've got some newbie questions about deer hunting gear:
(before some of you start; yes I have a copy of the regs, all my licenses, I know the rules for the WMUs I'm hunting, everything is kosher)

Cammo:
I'm on a tight budget when it comes to gear. I'm thinking I'll spray an old bed sheet with black, green and brown paint (then wash it in scent remover of course), and make a cammo poncho out of it. Is this realistic, or am I just going to look like a goofy halloween ghost? (this is for ground-hunting in the woods)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8LnzuFkJ7M
Also, do I really need to cover my face?

Packs:
When out in the bush hunting on foot, what do you guys carry in your packs? How heavy is your pack? I'm going to carry the usual survival stuff (firestarter, first-aid, knife, compass, flashlight etc) and lunch, but what else should I bring?

Scent
I'm going to wash my clothes in anti-scent detergent, keep it it a rubbermaid container and change into it in the bush. I'm gonna shower with scent soap the morning of the hunt, and spray all my gear with scent stuff as well before leaving the truck. And of course try to walk against the wind.
Any tips from you guys with regards to all that? Any favorite brands of scent stuff?
What about my breath? Can I have Coffee and garlic sausage for breakfast?

Footware
I've been wearing big rubber boots while hunting grouse (great for going through streams and bogs) but they're noisy (fwap fwap fwap) and will probably be too cold for marching through snow. What do you guys wear this time of year? I was going to wear my winter hikers with some gaiters, would that do?

Thanks for the advice, guys!

[robson3954]

Method of hunting overcomes all of that stuff. Quiet, slow, downwind etc. I've always wondered about sitting clothes in a Rubbermaid. I can smell the plastic, yet I can't smell my clothes in regular detergent after being out of the dryer for a day or so.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by deerless

am I just going to look like a goofy halloween ghost? !

Yes, you will look goofy.

Camo is nice to have, as are all the nifty but expensive scent-free products and precautions. But when our fathers successfully hunted, nobody used any of that. And watch a few hunting shows and you'll notice something... The client is usually in full camo and the guide is wearing jeans.

As for scent, makes sense to use precaution, but I recently read an interview with Jim Shockey where he says he doesn't worry about scent elimination. He just hunts using the wind properly. To me the main reason to use specia detergent is not so much for the lack of scent (a useful byproduct) but to avoind the phosphate in some normal detergents that are alleged to make clothes washed in it almost "glow" to deer.

As for what is in pack, I'd say it depends where you go. I carry what little I need in my pockets if I'm on land I'm very familiar with. If hiking into unknown area, I'd take survival and navigational items for sure, and something to pack meat out.

[grinr]

Camo is wayyy overrated.As posted,generations of very successful hunters simply wore drab colors,earth tones,plaid etc.,and literally MILLIONS of deer hunters across much of North America take to the woods every fall dressed in blaze orange.Movement or lack thereof will either give you away or conceal you far more effectively then the latest greatest digital camo pattern.
FWIW,the late Gerry Blair,a renowned professional coyote hunter of legendary status from Arizona has filmed and called coyotes literally into his lap in the open Arizona desert while dressed in a full Santa Claus suit,simply by sitting still.

Packs....K.I.S.S.
For an all day hunt,I wear a sorta hybrid fanny pack w/shoulder straps.I'll have a lunch/snacks,a cpl Gatorades or waters,knives,sharpener,some rope,plastic bags for heart/liver.Small folding saw for making impromptu ground blinds,sometimes some camo mesh netting for same,and rattling antlers strapped securely to the pack also.I smoke so I always have a couple lighters anyhow.
Shorter duration(1/2 day,evening hunts etc.)I'll often go with a lot less,ditch the pack,wutever I can stuff in my pockets,one good knife on my belt?
I Always carry a head lamp in my pack,most smartphones I'm sure have a flashlight feature these days?I use headlamp/flashlight to walk out at dark-thirty,wether I need it see or not,I don't want to be scoped or worse yet shot at by some yahoo that's stretching wrap up time by an extra 1/2hr or more.

Boots....warm and dry are top priority.Comfort and support if you'll be hiking a lot,bulky clunkers are ok if you'll be mostly sitting/not walking far.
Sounds like your winter hiker/gator system will work fine for this time if year if you are covering some ground,putting some miles on your feet.Waterproof and knee high is desirable for early season,warmth and insulation trumps mobility and weight later on. You'd be hard pressed to find the ideal,perfect,all season/all terrain boot,you really need to choose your footwear to match the terrain,habitat,and temperature for any given hunt.

Scent control.....mehhhh...the wind is your only gauranteed scent control system,animals can't smell you if yer upwind.Personally I wouldn't waste a nickel on all these so called scent control products,carbon impregnated clothing and all that BS.
That said,I do have a great deal of confidence in attractant scents,tarsal and urine concoctions that I prefer to make myself,but I've had good results with a few commercial products as well.I don't beleive for a second that you can hide from a WT's nose with all of this scent control nonsense,so my theory is "if ya can't beat'em,join'em."
Walk like a deer,talk like a deer,move like a deer,sound like a deer,smell like a deer.

[korie83]

For Camo:

I wouldn't bother with the sheet. The most important thing is quiet, warm, and comfortable clothes. Camo is a bonus, but really not completely necessary. Being quiet and steathly will go farther. And being dry and warm will keep you hunting longer.

For a pack:

Like said previously KISS, you dont need to pack a lot. Unless your hiking miles into the bush away from your truck/atv etc, you don't need to carry everything. If you get too big of a pack you'll put too much useless stuff into it. Wait for a deal on a hunting specific pack, in the mean time use something cheap, I like the canada ammo packs for a cheap temp option, I use them for work and range bags.

Scent is easy, do what you said, and watch the wind.

Boots are probably the most important thing IMO. I have a few options depending on weather. For cold winter conditions my baffin titan rubber boots are awesome. Rated to -100c, comfy as heck, and the thick insulation keeps them stable when walking. For anything warmer I have a few different hiking boots/shoes I use, my favorite are my merell goretex mid height hikers. IMO most of the camo boots out there are crap, forget hunting specific boots and just get the best boots for the purpose.

[Fishy]

Camo: Doesn't really matter. Just try to break up your outline with various earthy tone colored clothing. Wear something to cover your face and hands.

Pack: Water, snacks, knife, extra layer, extra socks, rain gear, toque, gloves, fire starter, first aid kit, game bags, bandanna, headlamp. Very basic, feel free to add to it. Google day hunt pack list.

Scent: Stay down wind.

Footware: Goot az pear auf bootz. Seriously though, wear good boots. Keep your feet warm and dry.