Ozone units and cover scents promise to beat a deer's nose without changing how you hunt. One costs hundreds of dollars and the other costs a few, but the question is the same: what's the evidence? This page checks both.
For carbon clothing, see scent control clothing: is carbon worth the money?. For a low-cost routine, see scent control on a budget. Everything here is researched, with sources at the end.
Ozone: what it claims
Outdoor Life explains that ozone is an unstable molecule of three oxygen atoms that attaches to scent molecules and bacteria and oxidizes them. Units like the Ozonics HR-600 make ozone by running high voltage through a coil and blowing air across it.
Ozone: what testing exists
- No peer-reviewed field research. Outdoor Life says it searched and couldn't find any scientific, peer-reviewed research on ozone killing human scent in the field.
- A dog-nose test. Field & Stream ran a 2014 test with a trained police dog finding hunters hidden in boxes. A hunter in ozone-treated clothes took 42 seconds to find. A hunter running an Ozonics unit took 50 seconds, which the writer called the most shocking result in four years of tests. He still concluded nothing, ozone included, completely covers human odor. A dog in a field is not a deer in the woods.
- Hunter surveys. Outdoor Life's survey of five hunters logged 435 deer encounters with an Ozonics HR 500 and 24 clear busts. Outdoor Life itself calls this anecdotal and far from scientific.
Ozone: the health question
The EPA says ozone generators sold as indoor air cleaners can harm health, and that at concentrations that don't exceed public health standards, ozone has little ability to remove indoor contaminants. It also cites experiments suggesting body odor may be masked by ozone's smell rather than removed. That guidance is about indoor air, not open woods, but both Outdoor Life reviews say hunters should read up on ozone health concerns before buying a unit.
Ozone: the practical downsides
Outdoor Life's HR600 review says the unit still makes static-like white noise that can make it harder to hear deer, is heavy and is a hassle to set up and take down. It also says faster, more turbulent wind needs more ozone, so you have to adjust the unit as wind changes.
Cover scents: what they claim
Cover scents add a smell deer are used to. Code Blue, for example, says deer don't treat fox as a predator threat, so fox urine near your stand reads as normal woodland activity. It sells urines for boot pads, wicks and drags.
Cover scents: what's missing
None of the sources here offers independent testing of cover scents on deer. Field & Stream's dog-nose writer reaches the same overall conclusion for every method: nothing completely covers human odor. A cover scent adds a smell. It doesn't take yours away.
What it costs
Prices checked October 10, 2026. Prices are approximate.
| Product | Type | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Code Blue Fox Urine, 2 oz | Cover scent | $8.99 (Amazon) |
| Ozonics HR-600 | Ozone unit | $699 (Bowhunting.com review, 2024) |
| Ozonics HR600 Essentials Pack | Ozone unit with extra battery, coil, remote and bag | $829.95 (Amazon) |
The verdict
- Ozone: some interesting dog-test and survey results, but no peer-reviewed field proof, a real price, noise and setup hassle, and health questions to read up on. Call it unproven, not a scam.
- Cover scents: cheap and low risk, but nothing here shows they hide you.
- Neither replaces the wind. See hunting the wind, thermals explained and wind checkers compared.
Other good options
- A clean routine and storage. See scent control on a budget and scent-free laundry and body wash.
- Carbon clothing, which at least has lab data on the fabric. See scent control clothing.
Questions hunters ask
Does Ozonics work? Outdoor Life found no peer-reviewed field research. Its surveyed hunters felt it helped but said it isn't a silver bullet.
Is ozone safe? The EPA warns ozone can harm health indoors. Read the maker's guidance and the EPA page before using a unit.
Do cover scents work? No independent deer testing is cited here. They add scent rather than remove yours.
Sources
- Outdoor Life, "Does Ozonics Actually Work?": https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/does-ozonics-work/
- Outdoor Life, "Ozonics HR600 Review": https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/ozonics-hr600-review/
- Field & Stream, "Can Ozone Really Beat a Buck's Nose?" (2014 test): https://fieldandstream.com/outdoor-gear/hunting-gear/big-game-hunting-gear/ozone-scent-control-vs-drug-sniffing-dog
- US EPA, "Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners": https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/ozone-generators-are-sold-air-cleaners
- Bowhunting.com, "Ozonics HR600 Ozone Generator Review," Justin Zarr, July 15, 2024: https://www.bowhunting.com/article/ozonics-hr600-ozone-generator-review/
- Code Blue, cover scents: https://www.codebluescents.com/products/cover-scents