Hi everybody; I just found this forum today am enjoying it! I was just wondering if any of you use game tracker strings. Myself and about 7 of my buddies always use them and have had great success. I usually get at least the first 100yards of travel before the line breaks and found many right at the end of the string! I mentioned it to some co-workers a few days ago and they thought I was crazy!! What are your thoughts?

"Don't Look Em In The Eyes"

I used the game tracker for about 10 yrs with great success. It helped me find numerous deer that may have been lost without it. Although it did cause me to miss my first 2 deer because I forgot to uncork the spool. My arrow hit about 5 yds short. Last year I had horrible luck with it. I bought a new bow and I think it was shooting too fast for the spool. The string would ball up inside of the spool and caused me to miss 2 does b/c it would knot up immediately and the arrow fell short of the deer. I took it off immediately! I spoke with another guy that told me he had the same problem. He said that he can only use a spool for one shot and then he buys a new one. I guess with the new spool the insn't room for the string to knot up. I will only use it this year during poor weather.

I'm having trouble finding replacement spools. I use mine for hunting sika deer on MD's Eastern Shore. The place is full of swamps and marshes and the tall grasses that go along with that mess.

The deer are non-native and sport a thick layer of fat due to the fact that they do not have hollow hair. This causes sparse blood trails, hence the tracker.

Barile, I think you are correct about being too fast, but I'd wager that you went to a lighter arrow also. I found that heavier setups tend to be affected less by the drag created by the string.

One small catch in the line and your done, I would hate to have
that happen on the biggest buck of my life. (murphy's law)

Like all your gear, its one of those things you test prior to going in the field. I shoot a pretty fast bow but 125grain razorback 3's and have only had one messed up shot. It was my fault because I didn't check it out prior. Now I always take a shot with a new spool to make sure everything is cool(Live and learn). Our group has a pretty good success ratio on hit deer because the tracking line.

"Don't Look Em In The Eyes"

Just started bow hunting. Friend of mine is a big time bow hunter and loaned me a bunch of his equipment to start with including a Game Tracker. I found replacement spools on-line at Cabela's. Showed up two days after I place the order on-line.

Been practicing using field points without any problems. Of course, that is not in heavily wooded areas or on live targets....

Going out this weekend "live" so to speak. Feel more comfortable working in an area with heavy undergrowth having that tracker string available.
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I eat, therefore I Hunt!
"Vegetarian" - also translated as "Bad Hunter"!!

Cyclone
Actually I went to heavier arrow. I was shooting Gold Tip 5575 with 100gr tips but I switched to 125 grain tips with the same arrow. Good luck to everyone using it.

I went back to the old school, heavy arrows, 2317 xx78's sporting a 168gn head....quiet, heavy but can pull a lot of string. I haven't a clue as to how fast they fly, but don't really care...

Thanks for the heads up on Cabelas sqrl...

Cyclone, Walmart in Cambridge has them now, I picked up a couple for my father this past Sat.
I used to use one, but for onee reason or another didn't one year, and never started again.
My father and a lot of guys in my club swear by them.

"In heaven, even the fish have antlers"

i have a game tracker on my bow all times,but for deer i only use it during rainy times.i origanaly started use a game tracker many years ago while turkey hunting with the bow,it deffinetly comes in handy.i found that by running the first 30 or 40 yards off the spool(this can be done while practicing)it shoots much smoother and quieter.