Wash or Not to Wash: Your Camo?

[brichards44]

I pulled out my camo out of the bin. It has been about 3 years since I've washed them. Last year my buddy gave me one of those Cow Elk scent waffers that you pin to yourself. OMG Everything smells horrible, but got me even more excited. I'm sure I have a lot of my scent on all my gear. Having mixed feeling if I should wash or not. What do you guys do?

[BULLBLASTER]

I start each hunt clean and scent free. Including my clothes. Only helps if there is less chance of being smelled. On long camp hunts just use lots of scent free spray and wipes.

[WA hunter14]

wash it then get fresh pine branches(depends on terrain ur hunting in ofcourse) put the natural vegetation(pine branches ect) in garbage bag with your cloths an put em on right before ur hunt. IMO

[pianoman9701]

Wash 'em every year with Scent Killer No UV and put 'em in a bag with dirt scent. After about 5 days in the woods, I come down to Hood River and get them all clean again, pick up supplies and go back. There's only so much cover scent can do.

[Fullabull]

Always wash them before the season...to many smells can get in them. Best to start fresh using the sent free (UV).

Or, you can just role around in every fresh pile of elk pellets you find 

Fulla

[pianoman9701]

I pulled out my camo out of the bin. It has been about 3 years since I've washed them. Last year my buddy gave me one of those Cow Elk scent waffers that you pin to yourself. OMG Everything smells horrible, but got me even more excited. I'm sure I have a lot of my scent on all my gear. Having mixed feeling if I should wash or not. What do you guys do?

I'm guessing you're single! 

[wildmanoutdoors]

I wash everything in scent and uv free detergent also. Then store in bags with vegetation. I have about 3 to 4 sets of base clothes and wash in the creeks after every day and hang in trees to dry. Then back in the clean bag. This is during Sept archery so its usually nice out. I have one big tent that I use to dress and wash as well dry for winter use outside my camper to keep the food and camper smell off my clothes.

[brichards44]

Great stuff guys. Went and got the Scent A-Way Scent killer today. Going to wash, hang dry outside and stuff in bag.

[BowBender87]

Wash 'em every year with Scent Killer No UV and put 'em in a bag with dirt scent. After about 5 days in the woods, I come down to Hood River and get them all clean again, pick up supplies and go back. There's only so much cover scent can do.

+1 

[bloodhound]

if you can wash the bag also so you dont throw your scent free cloths in a scented up bag!!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Wow bet they work good this year 

[Alan K]

If you're stuff is waterproof, I'd worry about washing it too often because I'm fairly certain it breaks down the liners.  I usually give my stuff a wash at the beginning of the season, and only do so during the season if I was extremely sweaty in it.

[halflife65]

Not waterproof stuff but pants, shirts, etc. I try to wash whenever I can.  If I'm coming home at night I'll wash every day.  Hang them outside to dry if you can.

[sebek556]

i always run a load of laundry with out any thing first to clear out any remaining soap or residue, then run it empty then wash all my gear in scent and uv free detergeant.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

One of the many tools in my arsenal of Elk hunting equipment is my nose.
I can smell Elk from a good ways away.
Don't use Elk scent on my person because of that.
I do carry scent and when in a close encounter I will spray in the air, but usually try to get downwind myself, and have shooting lanes expecting Elk to try to circle downwind.
if you spray fresh scent on vegetation, they (sometimes) will sniff it, hopefully giving you a shot,
but on your clothes ? If they sniff you, your too close !
Although in my opinion,
It really does not matter, they smell in parts per million, you can try to cover it up, but you cannot hide it, they will smell you if they get downwind, period.