We all struggle to control our scent as we prepare for outings in the fall, but what about spring? Many seasoned hunters have realized that minimizing scent helps tremendously during turkey season. Why you ask? Because turkeys and deer warn each other. If a deer goes on alert with a turkey around, the turkey is on high alert and you can get busted. Call me crazy, but I spend just as much time controlling my scent during turkey season as I do for deer season…and it pays off!

Here’s an idea to scent your clothes with leaves from your area. Many of us have paper yard waste bags, which typically have a very minimal odor. Save one or two bags filled with dry leaves from late fall. About two weeks prior to any hunt, pour the leaves out and begin to layer your hunting clothes–shirt, pants, jacket, boots, and backpack–between layers of dried leaves back into the bags. Since the leaves are dry, there’s no concern about mold. The scent is perfect for spring or fall hunting. This process reduces, if not eliminates, the use of additional cover scents in the spring; just another edge over those elusive gobblers.