tracker string

[Nightcrawler]

was wondering if the big time bear hunters use or recomend using tracker string for bear hunting?

I have been useing the string since 1997 on bear. most shots have been 5 to 15 yds , no effect to arrow flight, granted never had one go over 150 yds.

never in the direction of the truck.

I am sure there are pros and cons on the string but can't find any cons.

[charliepete]

The cons are once in a while it snags and takes our arrow off course. The guide I started out hunting with was a big proponent. The pros are that it definitely helps on a difficult track job.

[charliepete]

The cons are once in a while it snags and takes our arrow off course. Lots of times the string breaks as the bear goes through the woods anyhow. To me if you are a capable tracker (or better yet put it in the boiler room) there isn't much advantage.

[Dark Cloud]

My dad and I went on a guided bear hunt about 10 years ago in New Bruinswick, the outfitter made us use string trackers. I did alot of field testing and saw no diff out to 25 yards. Archery to us is a 20 and under game. I am fully capable of shooting deer at twice that distance but choose not to. Most all of my stand placements dont even offer it. After that hunt we continued to use the trackers and love em! We average 2-3 deer a year and i'd say the string worked to perfection on 90% of them. I had one break on impact and another shortly there after and I remember one that broke on a deer of my dads.

That being said, with the close range of most of our shots, most arrows find top of the heart/center lungs. But things happen and it was nice to have sometimes. We are also hunting some super thick stuff where it came in handy...

It is really cool when you hit one perfect and the sting is flying out then you hear em crash and the string stops!

[mrklean]

what about the string breaking while the bear runs through the woods?

[Muthagoose]

Used them and it makes for easy tracking IF you have a clear flight path.Never had a string break,heard of it but never happened to me.

[Boar]

Too bad ya cant reel them in. HA. I would tempted to watch the string on releash an push the arrow off course, but with practuice I guesse. But one more thing to mount on teh bow an I like to keep things as simplified as possible, more gadgets, more room for error. I would'nt use one myself. Personal preference. Boar

[cherokee]

What happens when you get a pass through? Does the arrow just bounce along or do you wait for a quarter away shot so you do not get as pass through? Leaning toward what Boar said with less gadgets, less room for error.

[lichen fox]

Always go for the pass through whether using a string tracker or not! If you are using one it just means "double lines"...so it should be twice as easy to follow...I used one on the first two bears I shot when I started bear hunting back in 1989-90, mainly because I was concerned about the fat & hair soaking up so much blood it would make tracking difficult...after those two shots, with a blood trail on both that a blind bloodhound with a broken nose could follow, I just took it off...it was just more stuff to potentially go wrong and picking up those strings was a pain....

[Finlander]

How long do you wait before you set the hook?

[Boar]

Ha when he stops running, hope ya got heavy test line. Boar

[cherokee]

I'd say give it a good ten count after it stops moving.

[Boar]

How big a bobber would we need?