I can completely perceive why many hunters gained’t look twice at an ozone generator machine for scent management. Admittedly, I used to be additionally skeptical of the claims related to the merchandise. The looking trade doesn’t precisely have the perfect repute for merchandise they name “recreation changers,” particularly for whitetails.
Do you keep in mind “Gum-o-Flage,” the “Acorn Kruncher,” or the “Deerview Mirror?” There’s a motive all these embarrassing merchandise had been on clearance racks briefly order. I don’t assume any made it by means of their first looking season on retailer cabinets.
Ozone machines stroll a positive line between a must have product and one thing you’ll get made enjoyable of for utilizing. The Ozonics HR500 takes established ozone-generating tech and makes it completely silent and extra environment friendly, even in windy situations.
In brief: The Ozonics HR500 merely can’t be grouped with the opposite looking gimmicks as a result of it’s a uncommon product that really operates precisely as marketed. It does one thing to human scent that made me a ghost within the forest final season. And it almost helped me harvest the perfect buck I’ve seen whereas looking in nearly 20 years.
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Dimensions
7” x 2.5” x 6.5” -
Weight
16 oz. -
Mounting
Screw-in swiveling arm
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Easy operation -
Nice battery life -
Smartphone app appropriate -
Works nice on whitetail deer
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Bizarre metallic scent when operating -
Mounting arm feels over-engineered -
Attainable well being issues with ozone
Ozonics HR500 Overview
Overview
This machine is a battery-powered ozone generator. The best way it really works is that it generates ozone that’s alleged to bond with human scent molecules. In response to Ozonics, this renders any human scent solely unrecognizable for deer. I can’t confirm what is occurring, however I consider it’s doing one thing. We’ll get extra into the efficiency and deer reactions in a bit.
Ozonics makes a number of variations of its machines, however the HR500 is the most recent and the cream of the crop. It has the best-advertised battery lifetime of the bunch. I acquired about 10-12 hours off a contemporary cost.
The HR500 additionally has essentially the most working modes. The enhance and hyper-boost modes are notable right here. These are supposed to provide further ozone to cowl the scent throughout essential looking instances or to counteract issues like excessive wind. The unit additionally has a “Driwash” mode that’s designed for use with Ozonics’ different merchandise for deodorizing looking clothes.
The Driwash was the one mode I didn’t take a look at on this unit, and I’m not even positive if it’s crucial. I’ll get extra into that later when speaking in regards to the efficiency. The Ozonics HR500 additionally pairs with a smartphone app by way of a Bluetooth connection. I like this concept primarily as a result of I can simply modify the facility ranges with out a whole lot of extra motion.
Testing
Most of my testing occurred in Michigan, however I additionally examined it throughout a brief deer hunt in Wisconsin. Both manner, I used to be coping with two extremely pressured states throughout the coronary heart of firearms season. I reasoned that if the Ozonics HR500 may idiot whitetails in these two states, it may do it anyplace. I didn’t have to attend lengthy on my first hunt on Michigan’s opening day to learn the way nicely it really works.
Lower than an hour after dawn, a mature doe and her two fawns entered my setup. Sadly for me, they walked in on the dreaded downwind aspect. Certain sufficient, the large doe stopped useless in her tracks 15 yards from my stand. (I measured the space with a rangefinder later). As her eyes burned a gap into my soul, she raised her nostril within the air and curled her lips. It was a traditional second the place a deer was making an attempt to catch the scent of hazard.
At that second, the wind was robust out of the south, and the doe stood north of me. Normally, this situation is a hunter’s worst nightmare. Nevertheless, this encounter was completely different. For 15 agonizing minutes, I remained frozen in place because the doe frequently tried to wind me. She bobbed her head and stomped her foot. There was little question she knew one thing was up. Amazingly, the deer by no means busted me.
Ultimately, she lowered her tail and walked away, tail flicking casually. Her twin fawns adopted, apparently satisfied it was a false alarm. They even paused to feed for a couple of minutes earlier than persevering with their authentic path. Think about me impressed. I by no means used to win these staredowns with a intelligent, mature doe.
Different Encounters
In later hunts, I had deer as shut as 10 yards with the wind of their faces who by no means smelled me. Half a dozen mature does had been standing immediately downwind from my stand at 20 yards throughout one hunt. None of these deer ever alerted my scent regardless of larger winds.
I lastly encountered my goal buck on the final day of Michigan’s common firearms season. I had by no means seen this deer in individual earlier than this hunt. The HR500 was operating full blast on Hyper-boost mode as a result of it was a windy night. That buck by no means as soon as checked out me.
Sadly, I missed the 90-yard shot alternative with my 350 Legend. Chalk it as much as a bit little bit of buck fever and unhealthy luck; I used to be simply grateful for the chance.
After that encounter, I used to be totally satisfied this product works. In actual fact, it really works so nicely that I made a decision to see simply how a lot I may get away with. Through the muzzleloader season, I broke each rule about looking the wind.
I purposely arrange on poor winds a number of instances, one thing I might by no means dream of doing often. It didn’t make any distinction within the variety of deer sightings. I acquired by means of the 2023 season with out being winded as soon as.
As I discussed earlier, Driwash was the one mode I didn’t take a look at. My common technique was not placing on my outer layers till I arrived at my looking space. I’d hold them sealed in a scent bag till then. Nevertheless, curiosity acquired the higher of me.
So, I began carrying these layers on the drive there. It made no distinction within the variety of deer sightings. The machine features nicely sufficient that I felt like I didn’t must be such a scent stickler anymore.
Areas of Enchancment
I’m not a fan of the sensible arm mounting system included with the Ozonics HR500. It’s not that it’s flawed, nevertheless it does really feel a bit over-engineered. This arm was designed to swivel and pivot to regulate ozone stream into the prevailing winds. It really works, however I have to admit it generally feels a bit janky throughout setup.
I’ve used one other generator model with a extra simple single-ball joint system that works a lot better. Ozonics additionally consists of solely the screw mount as customary for this machine. Meaning public land hunters should shell out a further $20 for a non-damaging ratchet strap bracket. It could be good if Ozonics may embrace each choices with its most costly machine.
The HR500 does emit a slight however noticeable odor (ozone). A pointy metallic or burnt digital scent is the one strategy to describe it. It’s not tremendous disagreeable, however I didn’t prefer it after I caught a whiff, both.
Lastly, I really feel I might be doing a disservice if I didn’t deal with the elephant within the room. Ozone is a fuel typically related with lung and respiration issues. I discovered numerous websites warning in opposition to the usage of ozone mills.
Nevertheless, it’s value noting that each one the warnings I noticed had been for enclosed areas. Most of those mills are designed to take away the odor from houses or autos. They’re typically a final resort for auto detailers on cussed odors. The commercial-grade machines are additionally a lot bigger and extra highly effective than what Ozonics has right here.
I searched and couldn’t discover something about any well being dangers related to utilizing an ozone generator outdoor. For what it’s value, I did some all-day sits with this factor operating for as much as 9 hours straight. I by no means felt any ailing results. Make of that what you’ll.
Ozonics HR500: Ultimate Ideas
I’ve been looking skittish Michigan whitetails for 23 years. It’s notoriously onerous to see a good buck right here, not to mention get a shot at one. In actual fact, I solely noticed indicators of misery from deer 4 instances throughout the season.
Twice, it was as a result of coyotes had been crashing the get together. The opposite two instances had been as a result of I shot at a deer. First, I harvested a doe in Wisconsin with the Ozonics HR500 operating. I missed my goal buck of the final couple of seasons solely per week after.
As disappointing because the miss was, the Ozonics unit put me ready to reap that deer. That’s actually all I ask for with my looking tools. Merely put, I noticed greater than sufficient proof to persuade me of the HR500’s usefulness. Prefer it or not, there’s something to this know-how. There are many gimmicky looking merchandise on the market, however the Ozonics unit isn’t certainly one of them.
