Question about the new Muddy Sticks
07-01-2009, 08:46 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 71
Question about the new Muddy Sticks
Todd, What diameter tree can the new sticks adjust to? I really want to eliminate tree steps all together if these will fit the bill. Sometimes you find the best tree is a huge ol oak tree that is like three feet in diameter....lol Thanks in advance!
07-02-2009, 11:23 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,241
RE: Question about the new Muddy Sticks
Hey Indi Todd is up here in Michigan at a music festival and wont be by a computer for a few days, I am sure he wil get you your answer when he returns to IA..I can tell you it is going to go around alot buigger treethan the LW does just because of the design and the rope used buthow big I will let him answer you. Walt
07-12-2009, 08:22 PM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 71
Thanks Todd...Ok one more thing. The sticks are 20" each, spacing them at equal distance puts you roughly 13 feet in the tree. I hunt anywhere from 25 to 35 feet typically. Will the stick continue to stack on one another, or is there a carrying system for carrying 8 sticks? Thanks again in advance.
07-14-2009, 08:59 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,933
Dude, WTF are you hunting 35 feet off the ground for? My god, that's just too high for a bow and arrow IMO. Unless you like spine shooting deer?
I only hunt 18-22 typically, with a cameraman, and it works great. 4 Muddy sticks will get your stand to 20 feet if you space them out a little. Carrying 8 sticks through the woods is just crazy IMO - but that's just me.
With that much of an angle, your making a smaller and smaller target to aim at! Eye level is where it's at!
I only hunt 18-22 typically, with a cameraman, and it works great. 4 Muddy sticks will get your stand to 20 feet if you space them out a little. Carrying 8 sticks through the woods is just crazy IMO - but that's just me.
With that much of an angle, your making a smaller and smaller target to aim at! Eye level is where it's at!
07-14-2009, 06:27 PM
#7
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 71
WOW Todd, that was colorful. I actually only have one stand that is 35 and it is a killing post if not hunted too often. Due to the terrain features though when I shoot a deer from that stand they are on an opposing hill side and I am actually only about 15 feet higher than the deer. But 99% of my stands are at the 25ft height. I will try 4 sticks, it will be all about the right tree with the right cover. Just an FYI.....I always practice at that height every year prior to season. I have killed two does where the shot was a little high and only got one lung. but did recover the deer. I certainly wouldn't recommend that height if you can't practice from that height. I have never hunted lower then 20, but now that I am going with a hang on I may be able to get into some trees that I couldn't do with our other stands. As always thanks for the reply, I certainly hope I am not annoying you.
07-15-2009, 02:45 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,241
Indi, Your not that is just Todd!!! I am glad I don't film with you because wow 25-30 you wouldn't get my fat butt up that high in a hang on maybe a climber but no hangon!! With your long skinny legs you will have no problem getting 20 ft with 4 muddy's.. Walt
07-16-2009, 03:55 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,933
Yeah dude, I'm not trying to be rude or anything - I'm just very direct and sometimes may come off bad! Sorry if I sounded like a jerk - I'm just trying to help you out!
I hear you about terrain and all that. I just have come to find out that being higher doesn't really give you much of an advantage. The higher you get, the less back-drop cover you have to work with. The 15 ft. mark is about the top of most of your underbrush in a typical timber type situation. So, we've learned over-time to adapt by moving down to the edge of that cover, instead of trying to get way above it.
Good camo is critical though IMO. It's the most under-rated aspect of how we get away with what we get away with.
Like anything, everyone finds their own way of doing things that they find to have success with. I just kinda have this little problem where between my analytical mindset (engineering), design background (hunting products), and my life - which is bowhunting whitetails - I tend to want to push my tactics onto people because I know they work - and they have NOTHING to do with selling products, marketing, or advertising. I feel that the marketplace gets so much BS jammed down their throat, the typical hunter who may not have the experience in the field, really doesn't realize how many of these "theories", articles, videos, tv shows - are based 95% on selling something, and like 2% on an actual proven tactic to killing a mature buck.
This year I hope our format will allow me to maybe get into this a little more. We'll see.
I hear you about terrain and all that. I just have come to find out that being higher doesn't really give you much of an advantage. The higher you get, the less back-drop cover you have to work with. The 15 ft. mark is about the top of most of your underbrush in a typical timber type situation. So, we've learned over-time to adapt by moving down to the edge of that cover, instead of trying to get way above it.
Good camo is critical though IMO. It's the most under-rated aspect of how we get away with what we get away with.
Like anything, everyone finds their own way of doing things that they find to have success with. I just kinda have this little problem where between my analytical mindset (engineering), design background (hunting products), and my life - which is bowhunting whitetails - I tend to want to push my tactics onto people because I know they work - and they have NOTHING to do with selling products, marketing, or advertising. I feel that the marketplace gets so much BS jammed down their throat, the typical hunter who may not have the experience in the field, really doesn't realize how many of these "theories", articles, videos, tv shows - are based 95% on selling something, and like 2% on an actual proven tactic to killing a mature buck.
This year I hope our format will allow me to maybe get into this a little more. We'll see.
07-16-2009, 06:43 PM
#10
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 71
No worries my friend. Just surprised me a little and was worried that I had offended or aggravated you with all my questions and specifically my hunting technique. I am often offended when I hear of guys that never get their bows out until the weekend before season and think if they can hit a pie plate at 10 yards they are ready to hunt. Then later hear stories throughout the season where they have wounded multiple deer. Then there are the guys that buy slugs the night before opening day of gun season...drives me batty.
I certainly value your opinions for sure so don't apologize for that. I appreciate that you shoot right through the smoke screen of marketing for quality gear and techniques that works.
The high stands actually came from many moons ago when I was about sixteen and was starting to get serious about my hunting. For me the greatest bow hunter alive at that point was Miles Keller. I read an article where he said he hunted 25 to 30 feet to get above the deers ability to wind you and also allowed him to get away with more movement. I was nervous as all get out that first season hunting at those heights, but man I seen a lot of deer that first year and just stuck with it. I actually really like the idea of hunting in the 15 to 20 foot range, but always feel like if I blink I am going to get busted. I guess it is just a mental thing. I am excited to try using the muddy sticks and hang on and trying some run and gun stuff. You are the first person I had ever seen move around that often and it is very intriguing to me. I mean I have always fine tuned my stand position, but never hunted fresh sign while it was hot. I was one of those guys who would find hot GIANT rubs and pick a tree, clear some lanes then come back a couple weeks later and find it cold as ice. What you said really made sense to me about hunting hot sign right now. I mean really once I am in there and contaminated the area I have to hunt it then for it to be virgin. After that it would be a game of luck, with luck being on the side of the whitetails nose that an intruder was here. Any way thanks for all the input, I truly appreciate you and Walt and all the guys at WKP who entertain the question of the little folk...lol
I certainly value your opinions for sure so don't apologize for that. I appreciate that you shoot right through the smoke screen of marketing for quality gear and techniques that works.
The high stands actually came from many moons ago when I was about sixteen and was starting to get serious about my hunting. For me the greatest bow hunter alive at that point was Miles Keller. I read an article where he said he hunted 25 to 30 feet to get above the deers ability to wind you and also allowed him to get away with more movement. I was nervous as all get out that first season hunting at those heights, but man I seen a lot of deer that first year and just stuck with it. I actually really like the idea of hunting in the 15 to 20 foot range, but always feel like if I blink I am going to get busted. I guess it is just a mental thing. I am excited to try using the muddy sticks and hang on and trying some run and gun stuff. You are the first person I had ever seen move around that often and it is very intriguing to me. I mean I have always fine tuned my stand position, but never hunted fresh sign while it was hot. I was one of those guys who would find hot GIANT rubs and pick a tree, clear some lanes then come back a couple weeks later and find it cold as ice. What you said really made sense to me about hunting hot sign right now. I mean really once I am in there and contaminated the area I have to hunt it then for it to be virgin. After that it would be a game of luck, with luck being on the side of the whitetails nose that an intruder was here. Any way thanks for all the input, I truly appreciate you and Walt and all the guys at WKP who entertain the question of the little folk...lol
