Thanks for all the great tips and the funny ones too. I use a climbing stand so stand position is variable. I've been hitting an oak grove for the last few days of hunting this year. I did see a huge buck this year during the rut. It was a 10 pointer. First time ever seeing a whitetail that big. When I grabbed my xbow, without any noise, he freaked and ran off. My guess is he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. This deer was almost under my stand. Maybe 5 yards away. I think I should have been more patient and let him walk 20 yards away before reaching for my xbow. That would have let him get his eyes and ears facing away from me. How come the movie guys are talking, running cameras, doing whatever and the deer just play under their stands?

Do you hang your xbow when glassing? It seems like I need 2 hands for that, so I hang it, but picking it up spooked the last deer! Also, do you sit or stand when hunting? Now, I do both. I will sit for an hour, stand for an hour. I like to alternate because standing allows me to see much more area, while sitting seems more quiet. My stand is quiet to move around on so this isn't a worry.

My climber is a bit noisy to get on the tree, so it is on the list to get replaced, but many use a similar climber without complaint. I'm thinking Equalizer or Ameristep this spring. I think I could put either of those on the tree with minimal noise. Any tips on being quiet with the standard pinned cable type climber? It is sooooo loud to get on the tree, it seems.