What lessons have you learned?
04-25-2005, 08:47 PM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Buffalo, MN
Posts: 54
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Preperation. When you get in your stand practice draw and let down. Know distances ahead of time, look for good draw points on the trails leading to your stand. You can never be too prepared and you will always run into unseen problems. Good Luck!!!
04-26-2005, 06:47 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Memphis TN USA
Posts: 3,445
RE: What lessons have you learned?
The most important thing that I have found is that you must be there in order to shoot a deer so hunt often. Hunting in the middle of the day can be very productive and it also reduces the amount of time, noise and scent that you create going in and out twice. The more you are in the woods the more you will learn and the better your odds are going to be. Also, you need to practice like you play. If you hunt from a climber with a face mask on then you need practice from a climber with a face mask on. Try to hunt the wind as much as possible. The better your entry and exit routes are the more you can hunt a stand and the more likely that stand is to be a consistent producer. The harder you work the luckier you will get
Nodog,
I think your idea is good but you can get by with a climber on deer that are much much closer than that. I have climbed a tree and had deer stand up shortly after climbing the tree on a few different occaisions that were bedded no farther than 70 - 80 yards. On several other occaisions I have had deer walk up while I was climbing or just as I finished climbing or shot deer within a minute of finishing my climb. I think you are giving their hearing way too much respect. I prefer to hunt a lock-on if I know deer are close but if I think I have 150 yards of seperation then I will hunt a climber in a heartbeat.
Here's another. A climber is noisy. In small plots where deer are no more than a thousand yards away it's better to have several permanent stands that you can slip into unseen and unheard
I think your idea is good but you can get by with a climber on deer that are much much closer than that. I have climbed a tree and had deer stand up shortly after climbing the tree on a few different occaisions that were bedded no farther than 70 - 80 yards. On several other occaisions I have had deer walk up while I was climbing or just as I finished climbing or shot deer within a minute of finishing my climb. I think you are giving their hearing way too much respect. I prefer to hunt a lock-on if I know deer are close but if I think I have 150 yards of seperation then I will hunt a climber in a heartbeat.
04-26-2005, 07:11 AM
#15
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,555
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Tie the seat and platform of your climber together(preferably no more then 4-5 feet apart). If the platform gives and starts to slide you can still recover it and get down safely.
I always carry a spare release. I shoot a truball but my back up is a scott. I've made my treestand and had to pull out my backup release from my pack more then once . If your back up isn't identical to your prefered release make sure you shoot it and are as proficient with it as you are with the one you're not supposed to forget at home.
I always carry a spare release. I shoot a truball but my back up is a scott. I've made my treestand and had to pull out my backup release from my pack more then once . If your back up isn't identical to your prefered release make sure you shoot it and are as proficient with it as you are with the one you're not supposed to forget at home.
04-26-2005, 07:12 AM
#16
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Ever watched a cat stalk a bird in the yard? That's the way to hunt. Stealth, patience and focus. Never get in a hurry to get to your stand. When you're going to your stand or coming back out during legal shooting hours, hunt as you're moving through the woods. You never know when you'll walk up on a deer... or have one walk up on you.
04-26-2005, 07:23 AM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Middletown PA United States
Posts: 3,625
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Over the years I've learned too much to list. I can say one thing that has helped a lot. DRAW LENGTH. If the drawlength is correctly set then you never can hook the harness because the string won't come back that far. Shoot approximately 5# less for hunting than you practiced with all summer.
The most important thing I learned was to wear that "full body harness" every time I leave the ground. No ifs ands or buts about this one.
There are very few noisy climbing treestands. Only noisy people using them.
The "off season" is hunting season. I enjoy shooting a bow enough that hunting season interferes with my shooting. But rest assured that when hunting season does get here my body and equipment as well tuned from constant shooting and tuning.
The most important thing I learned was to wear that "full body harness" every time I leave the ground. No ifs ands or buts about this one.
There are very few noisy climbing treestands. Only noisy people using them.
The "off season" is hunting season. I enjoy shooting a bow enough that hunting season interferes with my shooting. But rest assured that when hunting season does get here my body and equipment as well tuned from constant shooting and tuning.
04-26-2005, 07:46 AM
#18
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Inverness, MS
Posts: 3,982
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Some good ones mentioned here. I've learned some of these the hard way.
IF YOU WEAR A FACE MASK WHILE HUNTING, PRACTICE WITH IT....... that cost me a 15 yd shot on a P&Y, couldn't find my anchor........
KNOW WHAT TO DO AFTER THE SHOT.... NEVER GET IN A HURRY........that cost me a 140 class 8pt that I single lunged and jumped from his bed........ I should have waited........
TAKE THE FIRST GOOD SHOT OPPORTUNITY A MATURE BUCK GIVES YOU........that cost me a nice 120 class 8pt, I passed the 20yds shot hoping he would get a little closer, didn't happen..........
HIGHER IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER
PERSIMMON TREES ARE A GUARANTEED KILL IN MY AREA
IF YOU WEAR A FACE MASK WHILE HUNTING, PRACTICE WITH IT....... that cost me a 15 yd shot on a P&Y, couldn't find my anchor........
KNOW WHAT TO DO AFTER THE SHOT.... NEVER GET IN A HURRY........that cost me a 140 class 8pt that I single lunged and jumped from his bed........ I should have waited........
TAKE THE FIRST GOOD SHOT OPPORTUNITY A MATURE BUCK GIVES YOU........that cost me a nice 120 class 8pt, I passed the 20yds shot hoping he would get a little closer, didn't happen..........
HIGHER IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER
PERSIMMON TREES ARE A GUARANTEED KILL IN MY AREA
