In the sport of bow hunting, there are many factors that can affect your outcome for a successful hunt.  Ideally, most bow hunters would like their prey to be within a 30 yard shot, so it can be a challenge to avoid detection. I’ve been a bow hunter for 16 years and have plenty of stories of getting “busted” by deer.  Not only does a hunter have to carefully blend into his or her surroundings and avoid being heard, but to evade their nose is not easy.

Few animals have a more highly developed sense of smell than the whitetail deer.  Some researchers claim that a deer can smell up to 4000 times better than a human nose and with a slight breeze can pick up the scent of a hunter up to 200 yards away. The scent elimination industry has sky rocketed in the past decade with scent blocking clothing, wash and sprays.   Some traditionalists may simply be content in trying to play the wind, but using a good scent reducing system may help get that trophy deer within shooting range.

I recently came across an advertisement for “SMOOCHIES,” a disposable carbon hunting mask designed to absorb the scents and odors from a hunter’s breath.  I’ve often wondered why I hadn’t seen a product like SMOOCHIES before.  Imagine coffee breath 4000 times more powerful!  I ordered a package and started hunting with them this past fall.

I believe SMOOCHIES not only helps in eliminating hunter’s breath, but they are extremely comfortable.  Gone are the days of tight camo masks that block my sight when I turn my head or leave rubber band lines across my face.  The SMOOCHIE mask fits comfortably around the ears and stays put with an adjustable nose bridge.

I was fortunate on November 8, 2008 to have a nice 11 point buck walk within 15 yards of my climber.  He was downwind of me and never knew I was there.  I let my arrow fly and needless to say, had a visit to my taxidermist the next day.  As any hunter knows, many pieces of the puzzle have to fit in order to have a productive hunt, but if we can be proactive in the factors that we can control, then the odds of success will definitely increase.  Thank you, SMOOCHIES!