***Archery Tip of the Week 2007***

[Nate McVey]

Hey everybody, the season is almost upon us and I for one cannot wait. I decided to go with a topic that may keep us out in the field a little longer as we get later in the season.

Backpack Essentials for Bowhunters

This is something that I learned the hardway during my time in CO, but can be very useful in MN as well. Being prepared for anything mother-nature may throw at you can keep you in the field longer and give you more shot opportunities at a monster buck.

I will cover a handfull of things starting with lightweight rain gear. This may be the MOST important thing I carry into the field. You will want the gear to be durable but also quiet. Try to stay away from the vinyl/plastic suits since they make a lot of noise, not only with movement but also from the rain drops. I also pack an extra fleece underlayer just in case the weather turns (we all know how reliable the weather men can be) for the worst. I also have an extra pair of gloves, a beanie and baseball hat. For some reason, one of those things always seems to fall out of the tree at some point in the season and having extras with you in the stand can save a lot of movement and energy. Safety equipment should include a small first aid kit, hand warmers, extra rope, waterproof matches, vaseline soaked cotton balls and a cell phone. Of course, the most important safety equipment is a harness. I also have a compass and a GPS with me even on quick, close-to-home hunts. As much as we all practice, bad shots do happen and you never know how long and which direction that deer may run.

Since my job doesn't allow me to have a ton of hunting time, I need to be able to stay out from sun-up to sun-down. This means I have to have enough food, water and any other beverage (N.A. of course) to keep me in the stand. I try to use the roll top sandwich bags as well as opening up any prebagged items (Doritos, peanuts, candy bars, etc.). This way you're not tearing into a Snickers with a deer staring at you all you have to do is open the top of the bag. Ziploks are good, but some brands can be noisy and difficult to open. I try to have a "P-Bottle" with me as well and limit my intake of beverages so I don't have to climb up and down the tree.

So let's see, we all should have a headlamp (great for cleaning after dark and for walking in to the stand in the dark) as well as a hand held light (mini mags are perfect for throwing in the pack), but how many of us carry extra batteries? Anything that you take in the woods that runs on batteries should be backed up with at least one extra set.

Things that I have from personnal experience and for personnal comfort include the following:

T.P. (obvious reasons and should be mentioned with essentials)

Flagging (for marking distances and blood trails)

Grunt tube, rattlebag, scents (to each his own)

Camera (to record the hunt)

Knives (at least 2 and a sharpener)

Sharpie (for filling out tags)

Plastic bags (for liver, heart, etc.)

Extra release (just in case)

Wind detector (unscented baby powder in a Viseine bottle works well)

Maps (to track animals and stay off private land)

Cover wafers (fox urine, pine, depends on the situation)

Haul rope (getting bow into stand and for dragging)

Zip-ties (you never know)

Folding saw (for quartering and cutting shooting lanes)

Rangefinder (to aid in setting the flagging)

There are other things that I carry depending on what part of the country I am hunting, but this list is what you will find with me on the city hunt, on a buddies land, or out on public land. If I have room in my pack after all of these items (which I usually do) and since the pack only weighs 35-40 pounds for bowseason, I throw some rocks in to get ready for elk season in CO.

I hope this helps and maybe there were some things that you guys and gals had not thought about. If anyone has anything else that you carry, please post.

[DonBo]

Even on short hunts, the raingear is a great tip! I remember one time in S.D. We arived late in the day and had already set up camp. With just a few hours of daylight left I headed out to hunt. An hour later it was raining hard. $500 worth of Gore-Tex back in camp! It may as well have been back in MN.

Good tips Harvey!

[harvey lee]

Thanks for the kudo's but Shiner will get all the credit for this week as he is the man of the hour for the week.

[bigbucks]

Nice job shiner, I really like the rocks part, not that I plan to do it...

[DonBo]

sorry Harvey, way to go Shiner

[Nate McVey]

No problem Don, Harvey's tip was good!! Thanks guys!

[Stratosman]

Great tips shiner! Interesting read.

[Stratosman]

We as deer hunters and particularly archery hunters take alot of steps to make sure our season is a sucessful one. From shooting hundreds or thousands of times at a target trying to hone our accuracy, to purchasing the latest and greatest gear, all anticipation of the upcoming archery season. Whether you measure your sucess by the munber of points, or simply by the amount of deer and other creatures you are able to witness moving about their natural habitat throughout the season, one thing remains the same. The need for us to control our scent at all times.

As we all know whitetails rely upon their sense of smell more than any other of thier senses, simpy because it doesn't lie. Or, at least they think it doesn't. Although it may be impossible to completely trick their sniffers there are many steps we as hunters can take to up our chances in the stand this fall.

Now some of you reading this may be thinking to yourself, "blah, blah, blah, scent control my antlers...I have never paid any attention to my scent and still enjoy sucess!" Well that may be true, but you just might not know what you are truely missing. Anyone that has spent much time sitting in the woods has had deer catch their scent, we all kow it, the tell tale wheeze and foot stomp, followed by one or more white flags bouncing away in the opposite direction of us, it's demoralizing and sometimes aggravating. And those are the obvious ones. How about the deer we never see, the ones that wind us without us even knowing? It happens, probably more than we even know. With the larger more mature deer being the most likely of these candidates. So with little or no attention paid to scent control, like I said earlier, you may be missing more than you think.

It goes beyond the immediate response of spooking deer from near your stand. Deer are for the most part creatures of habit, and as long as they are in thier comfort zone, they will remain within a core area making routine movements. Now say you spook a couple deer every so often, you think, big deal, well, with them winding you it is putting them out of their comfort zone and they will change patterns and may even become even more nocturnal, both the deer you know you spooked, and the ones you don't. It can make the difference between eating venison or buying beef this fall.

We have all seen the commercials and read the ads in sporting magazines for all the products marketed to hunters for the purpose of controlling scent. Whether it be carbon suits, or apple scented spray. Hunters spend millions of dollars each fall in the hopes that these items will be the magic wand. Well unfortunately there is no magic wand, but whether your budget is endless or non-existant, there are steps you can take to help yourself have a more sucessful season.

Here are some tactics that I employ throughout the pre-season and season to limit the scent I leave behind.

Wash all clothes in baking soda, including gloves, hat, face masks, ect. Hang outside to dry, and store in a large, sealable container. Not simply a rubbermaid or other plastic bin, it must be 100% sealed from outiside contaniments. I also will throw into the container an earth scented wafer as a cover. I will re-wash all clothing a few times during the season as well.

Never get dressed at home or before you arrive at your hunting spot, including wearing your boots. No matter what the temperature, I always strip down to, at the very least, jeans and a t-shirt, early season, all the way to the skivies... and get dressed with the clothes stored in the container. And always reverse the process 100% before leaving in my truck and the end of the hunt.

Wear rubber boots, leather will retain unwanted scent and transfer it to the ground as you walk to and from your stand. I wear a tall rubber boot and tuck in my pant legs before I walk to my stand, and once in the stand, I pull the pant legs out and pull down over my boots to help retain any smell emulating from my feet.

Always make sure you are clean before your hunt. I will shower each and every time before I leave home. Wash with only unscented pruducts, including your hair. Scent free soap is available most any sporting goods retailer. Use a scent free deoderant as well. I do this and leave the house as soon as possible afterwards. Never stop to fill your vehicle with gas if possible.

Scent control is important as far as stand location is concerned as well. Alway position stands according to prevailing wind directions and in relationship to the direction you expect deer. Have multiple stand locations for different wind directions and no matter how tempting, never hunt a stand if the wind is wrong. Also, stand height can play an important role in controlling scent. Place your stand as high as you feel comfortable, this may allow some of your scent to be carried out and over any deer that happen to pass closely down wind. Always remember though, safety first.

Now scent control or carbon apparal, think of it as a gimmick or the real deal, that choice is up to you. I do own one and I honestly know that it alone will not control my scent 100%, I maybe simply wear it because I think it works and it gives me confidence. I do know that I have had numerous deer down wind of me without them even knowing I was there. The last buck I arrowed reminds me of the benefit of taking scent control very seriuosly. He was following a doe as she made her way towards me, approx. 100 yards behind her, as she approached, she turned and walked directly under my stand and continued about 10 yards past, directly downwind, and stood there, for what seemed like an eternity, while the 10 pointer following her closed the distance, many things were running through my mind. Will she wind me? Will she see me draw back? Will he smell where I walked to my stand and bolt? Guess what, meat in the freezer!

Take the time this fall to evaluate your scent control measures. Maybe you will find something that you can do to help you enter the world of the whitetail endetected.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Balsam bows are also good. Stink like a christmas tree. I give myself a rub down with a fresh bow before I leave my truck.

[snapcrackpop]

Once-in-a while like to use my scent to an advantage.

I will take a used sock or tee-shirt and hang it upwind of my hunting area, preferably 1/2 a mile or even the adjecent woods.

[Rotwieler]

i use a ton of scent killer each time i go out, about 7 OZ. and i try to eat an apple before i go out and have one to eat a hour or two later. i tried that gum-o-flauge but it was like chewing on a pine bow. watching what you eat prior to the hunt can make a big difference.

[harvey lee]

This is what I like about the Tip of the Week. One can see all the different ways there are to go about things and we can learn from each other.

Good job.

[Meat-Run]

Quote:

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i use a ton of scent killer each time i go out, about 7 OZ. and i try to eat an apple before i go out and have one to eat a hour or two later. i tried that gum-o-flauge but it was like chewing on a pine bow. watching what you eat prior to the hunt can make a big difference.

---

Eating an apple before you hit the stand is a great idea. Thanks for sharing hope you don't mind I steal your idea?

Later,

mr

[Nate McVey]

Great Tips guys! Not filling up with gas is a great point, no matter what clothes you are wearing. Thanks for the apple tip as well, as embarrased as I am to say it, I never thought about that. Although when I used to chew, I chewed a certain apple flavored tabacco while hunting. Good job guys!

[delmuts]

i had read about the apple trick my years back in a "play boy" magazine, ad a way of avoiding morning breath !

[Scoot]

I'm a little early with my Archery Tip of the Week, but my wife is progressing along pretty quickly and we may have a new baby at home any day now. So, here goes...

Groups of One

Lots of us are shooting our bows an awful lot these days in an attempt to be really “shaped up” for the upcoming season. We all talk about the size of groups we shoot at different distances. “I’m inside a silver dollar at 20 yards” or “Groups the size of a paper plate at 50 yards” are commonly talked about. Being able to consistently put arrows in or very near the bullseye is a key to being adequately prepared for shooting a deer with a quick, clean, ethical shot.

But when you’re out in the field, just how important are arrows #2 through #5? The vast majority of the time it’s only arrow #1 that matters when you’ve got a deer in front of you. It really doesn’t matter how well you group arrows if you can’t put your one and only chance in the bread basket when that buck of a lifetime is in front of you. When it comes to hunting situations, groups of one arrow are usually all that matter.

Here’s something that I occasionally do before the season starts to really help me concentrate at putting my one and only chance in where it needs to be. I’ll go to our archery range and take out one arrow. I’ll go to some predetermined range, usually 40 yards, and take ONE shot. This is the only arrow I’m going to shoot this end, so I really concentrate and try make it count. After I’ve flung my arrow, I go and get it from the target. Next, I… do pretty much nothing. Maybe I’ll BS with somebody else up at the range, I clean up my equipment, wax my string, tidy up my box of archery gear, etc. I’ll do this for a minimum of five minutes, often ten. Then, I’ll go back to 40 yards and shoot one single arrow. I might only shoot half a dozen arrows in 45 minutes. Doing this really helps me concentrate on my shot and gets me in the mentality of making my shot count, because it’s the one and only crack I’m going to get. I suggest you guys give it a try and see if it helps you put your money arrow where it needs to be more often.

So… get out, shoot your bow a whole lot in prep for the upcoming season. Fling lots of arrows and get your groups as small as you can by improving your form, tweaking your equipment, and improving your “bow muscles”. However, keep in mind that when you’re out in the field 90+% of the time it’s really only the first arrow that matters. Occasionally give the practice tip I mentioned above a try- I think you’ll find it helps you concentrate and better prepares you for that “moment of truth”, when Mr. Big strolls down the trail and is only going to allow you to fling one arrow in a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I hope this tip helps you out as much as it has me!

[harvey lee]

Makes alot of sense Scoot. Thanks.

[chucker34]

Scoot, right on. Quality over quantity. I can shoot in my backyard so once I switch over to broadheads exclusively, starting this weekend. I will shoot one to three arrows max in one session per your philosohy. At this point in the prep for the season I am focused on making that one shot count, not groups. Not that groups mattered much to me anyway. I focus more on hitting the (Contact Us Please) I am aming for.

Scoot's suggestion also saves you a lot of arrows and broadhead damage from bonehead moves like shooting for the same spot twice with broadheads. And for those who are fortunate enough to be able to shoot in your backyard, stepping outside for 1-3 shots a night is not a major time committment.

[bigbucks]

Good job to both guys on the last two tips. Both great things to think about.

[Nightcrawler]

A good way to work on making the shot count.

My son and I like to play a game of not to hit a tennis ball. From the ladder stand (20 ft),3 with arrows with broadheads and 3 tennis balls. no points hitting ball and point for rolling ball and no point for missing. object move ball.

we use a pendulum sight ,and no knowen range.target where the ball lands. mqkes pratice more interesting and fun.

[Nate McVey]

Good tip Scoot......I am going to give that a try.

[Rotwieler]

excellent advice Scoot!!! I'm gonna do that! as a caveat on that, an old bow hunter told me that i should practice the same way your actually going to shoot. by that he meant practice shooting from a chair, twisted around behind you ect. just picture your deer stand and where your shooting lanes are, and practice the sometime awkward body positions you might get caught in if the buck gets to your shooting lane before you can get your ideal form.

[Cooter]

I agree, great tip Scoot. I'm up for Sept 2 tip but it very well might have to wait til Tues mornng with the holiday weekend - it might even be worth the wait....probably not

[Cooter]

Sorry for the late post, hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

In-season scouting

Here's a topic that I learned the hard way. Too many times I'd head out scouting, find good sign, set up, and then return later to hunt and end up with poor results. Finally figured out by the time I'd hunt that area, the deer were off on a different feed pattern. So many variables in most areas, especially the early and middle part of bow seasons.

A couple of examples: alfalfa or beans are hot and then the oaks start dropping; leaves on beans turn color; a couple apple trees start dropping; the neighbor plants winter wheat that is young and tender late in the year; corn gets picked or chopped....lots of possibilities.

The tip is to not get in a rut if you aren't seeing deer. Take a day or night off from hunting and scout. Do it smart - be scent conscious, bring your bow and combine scouting with still hunting, play the wind in areas you check out. Stay in tune with those whitetails and your results will improve. Good luck.

[Dark Cloud]

Sept 9th Tip of the Week

Morning Hunts...

Some guys prefer evenings, others mornings and most of us like any second we can be in the woods...

I hear alot of people complaining about mornings and not haveing success. Personally I really enjoy mornings and by adjusting our tactics a bit they can be real succesfull also.

My better morning stands have a few things in common. First they are very near bedding areas and on trails leadding back from major feeding areas. Dont be afraid to hunt close to bedding areas if you have a quiet easy way to slip out late morning and if your are willing to get in well before dark.

My better AM stands also are secondary feeding areas on the way back to bedding areas. Areas where deer just brouse through, like brushy scrubby areas, a small patch of acorns, and my favorite - a secluded apple tree or two. These areas are really hot during early season.

As the rut gets closer I'll look more to the travel corridor areas that bucks like to troll. These are usually identified by rub lines and scrapes. For the patient archer these areas will produce all day.

Another plus to mornings is the wind. Often times even during windy days the morning starts off calm. And as the temp rises you will get a thermal upwelling helping lift your scent above the deer.

The only down side to mornings the way I see it is actually getting out of bed. But once your on stand and seeing daylight begining to break and the birds chirping, followed by the steady walking of a deer towards your location, that warm bed is a distant forgotten afterthought...

[chucker34]

Great tip Dark Cloud! 90 percent of my hunts are mornings in the exact same set-up you described. Since the deer are headed back to bed or just getting up, I find the key is to get to stand a good hour minimum before legal shooting time.

[BLACKJACK]

My favorite hunts are morning hunts, I love watching the woods come, trying to identify that distang blob, only to find out its a tree. More than once I've had deer in shooting distance as it got lighter!!! Good tip!

[DonBo]

I keep a journal of all my hunting. I have approx 1/3 fewer morning hunts than evening, yet I have shot approx 1/3 more deer in the mornings. Gotta like those odds...

Also, more of my bigger bucks have come during morning hunts.

[Deitz Dittrich]

That is very interesting Donbo.. thanks for sharing that...

[bigbucks]

I too have shot a lot of morning deer, with far less hunts, but my evening deer totals have started to really climb the last few years. Okay I guess not last year, every deer I shot with, bow, shotgun, rifle, & ML were off my morning stand. 4 different stands, 3 different properties.