The proven science behind enzymes, a mammal’s olfactory system and the science behind a wide variety of odors, not just bacteria, all play an important part of scent control.  Is it natural or chemically based, skin safe and will it work on a broad spectrum of odors a hunter commonly encounters not just bacteria based odor? You and your gear are inseparable in the field. Dead Down Wind developed innovative scent control products like Totally Odorless Oil because your gear can give you away as well. It’s not just perspiration or bacteria.

At Dead Down Wind our product priorities have always been to produce the safest, most effective, natural, biodegradable products possible using real science as our foundation.   We will not produce a product if it doesn’t have a foundation in science.  Developing the most effective products for odor elimination, control or prevention requires a great deal more than simple antimicrobial properties.   Not all odors a hunter needs to control are bacteria based.  In fact, some serious odors like foot odor occur when the bacteria die, (brevibacteria).  Antimicrobials by themselves are not effective on a wide range of telltale odors that can cause large game to spook.  Antimicrobials have little if any ability to reduce or eliminate carbons like gas, smoke or other odors that are not bacteria based.  We think it is important to reduce or eliminate chemicals or heavy metals wherever possible knowing our skin is the body’s largest organ.  Using chemicals often times create their own odor signature and are not natural to the animal’s environment.  Most antimicrobials are also considered biocides.  Some companies using chemicals wisely put “Do not use directly on skin” on their labels.  Be sure to read product labels.

Much of what we actually know about a whitetail or other mammal’s nose today has evolved in the last 5-8 years with extensive research that helps us separate the facts from the fiction.  Whitetails actually have 2 olfactory systems.  One is primarily used for finding food, defense and territorial surroundings. A secondary “vomeronasal system” is used almost exclusively for breeding or finding a mate. The vomeronasal organ is mainly used to detect pheromones, chemical messengers that carry information between individuals of the same species; it is sometimes referred to as the “sixth sense”. Pheromones cannot be duplicated or replicated with today’s science or technology. That at least raises questions about lures and attractants related to a whitetail or other big game animals.  When the urine is emitted from the whitetail initially, it is essentially odorless.  It does not begin to have that strong odor until bacteria growth occurs and the degradation process begins. That awful smell associated with many lures or attractants is a chemical by product in synthetics and a bacteria ridden shelf aged concoction in others.  The reason we do not make a urine based lure is we can find no supporting science or facts to support the application or that it actually works given that big game animals are using a specialized vomernasal system that is based on pheromones.  Every hunter is challenged to look at the facts, their personal experience and then make a decision.  Based on the science we have seen, we think striving for a zero scent environment without added odors that can heighten the alarm status of the animal is more effective.   If you walk down the aisle in a sporting goods store where the attractants are displayed – you can literally smell the odors off-gassing in that aisle and a whitetails sense of smell is exponentially better than ours.

Two scientists, Buck and Axle won a Noble Prize in 2004 in physiology for their research related to the olfactory systems of mammals.   In part, they identified 1,000 genes that are part of a whitetail’s sense of smell. To effectively combat odors that whitetails, elk or other mammals use as their primary defense requires that we dig into the science of their nose or olfactory system. Dead Down Wind does not attempt to cover or mask odors because the science indicates a whitetail can separate, process and tell the difference between the cover scent and human odor at the same time.  They can process up to 7 or more odors simultaneously.  The real science indicates they can pick up the cover scent and human scent, separate them and process them within milliseconds. We do not make a cover scent even though consumers and retailers have asked us to. We feel that any added odor that is not natural to that animal’s environment actually raises the alarm status of that animal.  The science we have seen just doesn’t support it. Urines basic composition, degradation and structure changes rapidly once it hits the air and bacterial growth begins literally within minutes. Commercial products take months to get through the distribution chain to the consumer.  What was emitted from that animal is dramatically different in chemical composition months later.  Again a hunter has to make their own decisions based on what they know, their personal experience and if they care to dig into it – the real science.  Although, we want hunters to know why Dead Down Wind doesn’t make lures, attractants, cover scents, earth or pine scented type products.  We don’t think you can define an earth scent.  The natural odors in that animal’s environment vary widely, there is no one earth scent and if it is chemically created we question whether it is a benefit or a deterrent.  

There is no one product wonder that eliminates 99% of all odors a hunter needs to protect against.  Scent control spans a broad range of odors, not just bacteria based perspiration. Our products are developed for the serious hunter, hunters that have to get close or want a science based solution based on facts for a whitetail’s best defense – it’s nose. That is why we make a dry powder product for boots and storage.  Liquids or moisture actually contribute to foot odors and you wouldn’t want to use a field spray in footwear.  

At Dead Down Wind our goal is to strive for a zero scent environment using ESP™ technology and enzymes as the catalyst to change odors at the molecular level.  Enzymes are found in all living organisms, plants, animals and humans although they are not classified as a living organism themselves. Enzymes are essential to humans as well. Without enzymes we would die.  Often referred to as nature’s catalyst with an ability to change what was into something else. Converting the food we eat into something our bodies can use as nourishment is a good example of what enzymes do.  They are a product of nature in many cases reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals in applications for a safer, greener product while improving performance in the process.  Today enzymes streamline the process in more than 40 industries, including odor control, detergents, animal feeds, wastewater treatment, even food, juices and medical applications to name a few.  Using real science and proven advantages, enzymes have dramatically changed entire industries for the better like the detergent or laundry category. (For more about enzymes or the science behind scent control visit deaddownwind.com)

If you have questions or comments about enzymes or the science behind scent control, please feel free to email info@deaddownwind.com

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