Hi Folks,
We just returned from the 30th Annual SHOT show in Las Vegas, Nev. The shooting, hunting and outdoor industry's largest trade show smashed all-time records, posting new highs in attendance, exhibition space, exhibiting companies and media turnout. According to NSSF, the show, held Feb. 2-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, covered 715,000 square feet of exhibit space with 1,950 exhibiting companies.

The largest companies in the outdoor business were all in attendance, showcasing their newest products (look for some of our favorites in coming issues of Deer & Deer Hunting). However, one trend that seemed to reoccur throughout all of the new clothing lines was the addition of anti-microbials into a variety of hunting garments.

From scent-suppressing base layers to fleece coats, stocking caps, gloves and boots, hunting clothes are now easier than ever before to keep scent free. The key, though, is still to keep these garments from picking up external odors on their way to the hunting grounds. You can take all the scent precautions you like, but if you throw them in a dirty truck with moldy onion rings on the floor boards and a leaking can of motor oil behind the seat, all the scent suppressing, anti-microbial threads in the world won’t help keep a wise old buck from catching your wind. Good gear is essential. But don’t forget common sense. Use a sealed container to carry your clothes to and from your hunting area, because even the best garments can’t shed all the stink of modern living.