Tricks of the trade
 

I' ve always found that no matter how much experance you have with something there is always something to be learned by another persons personal experances.

What litte tricks have you came up with to make your hunts more productive and enjoyable?

One I have is to wear a turkey vest in the stand so you can keep track of your gear and get to it with little movement.
Another trick is to carry a pair of boot blankets to your stand and wear a light pair of boots. after getting to the stand take off your boots and put your feet wearing sox only inside them with a set of hand warmers thrown in. After all your feet get cold sitting not walking.

RE: Tricks of the trade
 

I have sewn a couple of loops of elastic onto the right side of my hunting jacket, just below my shoulder. With that I take my grunt call and secure it under the loops. It keeps the call out of my way and allows me to use it " hands free" . Works well for that one grunt to stop that buck from moving so I can take the shot.

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When hunting from the ground it is better to have a large tree in front of you instead of behind you. The tree makes perfect cover and gives you an excellent place to hang your bow or lean your gun against during the wait. I still make sure my backside is built up also for those deer who without fail decide to come in from the wrong direction.

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If I eat the right combination of taco bell for lunch I can fart just like a buck grunt on the evening hunt. Thats all well and good until I get home and find out how well those scent lock suits work..PPPPPUUUUUU

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ROFLMAO!!!

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farting in a scent lok suit is not a good idea!

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When hunting the edge of a thick bedding area of soft bark saplings - and are having a hard time figuring out what trails a buck is using - look low to the ground at the bases of the small trees. Good Racks will often leave small little dings on them as they squeeze thru the thicket.

RE: Tricks of the trade
 

35mm film canisters...how may I use them let me count the ways.

We could start a whole thread on the uses of that item alone. By the way those new SILVER SHARPY markers are great for marking the contents. Great for anything that needs to stay sealed, dry, spill proof, odor proof, etc...

These are a few ways I use them. I don' t take all to my treestand, just the ones I need for that outing.
[ul][*] w/cotton balls for scents (most obvious)[*] liquids - mylanta if not feeling well, pyroxide (for tracking)[*] breath mints, rolaids, other medication, (with cotton balls to keep from rattling)[*] small supply of reflective tacks (instead of whole box they came in)[*] replacement broadhead blades or other small parts you may need
[/ul]I am sure many of you have found other great uses.

I also use PLASTIC DIP to ruberize things. It deadens the sound and has other qualities. Great for tree stand parts to quiet them, on metal parts like on your release so they are' nt as cold,

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i have bicycle locks on all my treestands. i buy the kind that has a coated thick steel coil of cable and a bracket that would bolt to the frame of the bike. i use the bracket to bolt to the stand, in an out of the way place, and because the cable is coiled, it is out of the way until you need it.

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I use a bungy cord on my climber stand, first time I used it I also most lost the bottom of the stand climbing down. So I use the bungy so the botton dont get away from me keep both ends together.

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I pare down my gear to absolute minimum. The less ' stuff' , the less possibility of noise. The less possibility for scent contamination. The less weight I have to carry. The less likely I am to lose something. And the less money I spend.

The only things I carry that I might not use are a first aid kit and a drag rope. One is called insurance and the other is called hope.;)

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Also works for hanging tree stands. Only problem is that you have to stand most of the time and look behind you.

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I like the loop on the shoulder Idea I think I' l try that one.

Another tip I have is to face our left shoulder (right handed) toward the direction you expect something to come in this makes it a lot easyer to draw without moveing. Jim

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Jimbow, my wifes originally from kettering. we will be heading back there this weekend to visit her mom. we always stop at Carmels (by oakwood i think)for some chips n salsa and a margarita! great town

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inside of a 35mm canister i carry a length of fishing string with a treble hook and a magnet glued to the bottom of the hook. this way when i drop a glove or my arrow, binoculars, etc, i can either hook it or get it with the magnet. the heads on my arrow can be picked up with the magnet :)

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KoBear Wow that is a realy good idea. Thin, light and strong. Doubt you would pick anything up that exceeds the test of even light fishing line.

dwhod I' m a wimp... i just can' t bring myself to use them. lol

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Tampons-Makes great scent wick. Great absorbtion and has a string which can easily be tied onto tree limb.

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A bungee cord works great for the tree stand hunters that like to take off their quivers. Just attach one end to the quiver, stretch around a limb or tree trunk and attach the other end. Very quick and easy.

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hunt3r,

You actually take breath mints in the woods?

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Instead of packing in a drag rope to get your deer out, I use my safety belt. It' s the type that the length of rope going around the tree can be adjusted. This makes a perfect length drag rope. And, if your hunting buddy has one as well, two people dragging a deer makes it really easy.

Another great suggestion: use your safety rope or better yet, get a climbing type back harness/safety rope for putting in stands. I don' t know how I used to do it without one of these things. It allows you to hang from the tree freeing up both hands.

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Doemasters , No no, i don' t take them into the woods I just keep some in my backpack and the best way I have found to carry them is a 35mm film can.

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Whats wrong with eating mints on the stand?????

Do you think they will stink any more than our foul human breath??

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I always take mint gum, breath mints, and this year listerine strips. The listerine will kill the germs that cause bad breath. HeHeHe. :D

Seriously.

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I didn' t mean I don' t eat mints in the stand I just ment I dont take a whole 35mm can of them. lol

I useually will pop one in before I head to my stand. The mint is for me, not the deer :) lol

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Thanks for the tip about the boot blankets and hand warmer packs. That will come in handy this weekend since I just picked up a pair of boot blankets at Cabelas.

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More good tips I also lke the tampon one (I just won' t buy them). George S I actually live in BeaverCreek Ohio. Just north of Kettering We lived in kettering for a year and a half unitll we got a house. I' ve changed my profile at least 8 times but it won' t update.

One more tip, if you use a kwikee quiver you can get a spare bracket for one and attatch it to your stand with sheet metal screws. Just unsnap it from your bow and snap it on your stand. I dropped mine one time and don' t want to go threw that again. Thanks Jim