The Big Things...... and the Little Things

[B-man715]

As the hours tick away today, I began to think of all the big and little things that make bowhunting more enjoyable and successful for me.

I started bowhunting 18 years ago, all on my own; without a mentor and of course without the internet

I wish I knew half of what I know now, back then. Through a lot of trial and error, today I feel I've become a half decent bowhunter.

There is so much information from tactics, preseason preparation, methods, and equipment. Here I'll spit out some info that can hopefully help a novice, and even perhaps someone with three times my experience. Some is so basic that many may scoff at it, but it may often go overlooked.

In no particular order, here are a few things I've picked up since day one, and I'm still learning today. None of this is ground breaking, but I'm particularly bored today

Please keep on adding to the list

Practice shooting your bow.

Practice with all of your hunting clothes on.

Practice with the same broadhead brand and weight you will hunt with.

Practice out of a treestand, with extreme angles and a contorted body. This will teach you what you can and cannot do.

Shoot at a deer target, not just a square one.

Always wear a safety harness. Far too many of our brothers have been crippled or killed doing something that they love. Many say it is too uncomfortable or a pain in the rear, but it sure beats hunting out of a wheelchair. A few years ago I switched to a rock climbing harness and will never look back. There is a ton of information on the web about it, and it is the future of treestand safety.

If you use a climber or a stand and sticks, become comfortable with the set up and practice during the off season.

When choosing a tree with any stand, look at the way it leans compared to the way you want to face. A tree with even a small lean the wrong way makes it uncomfortable and in a sense gives you a smaller platform. Look at a tree like it is a recliner and setup accordingly.

When there is two or three inches of snow, bucks will drag the hooves in it. Does will not.

When using sticks or steps, make sure they go your full height above the platform so you can safely enter and exit your stand.

When using a climber, cinch the top and bottom together while hunting to create a rock solid setup. Third Hand Archery has an awesome system for this.

If you are a pack in/pack out mobile hunter, save your money and buy the best stand that you can afford (aluminum). I wasted hundreds of dollars on various stands when I should have bought the best to begin with, and been money ahead.

If you want to hunt all season and be comfortable, invest in specialized clothing like a Heater Body Suit or an IWOM.

Use a bow arm, not just a small hook on the tree. This minimizes movement and noise.

Deer are not afraid of human urine. If you didn't drink a pot of coffee and eat a pound of asparagus, wizz away

99% of the time a deer will flick it's tail before moving. Don't shoot at a moving deer.

Aim low on a nervous deer, or even take no shot at all.

Scout, scout, and scout some more in the off season. If you have full confidence in your spots, you will hunt longer and be more successful.

Learn how to use a lineman's belt, lifeline and a tree tether, and use them.

A foot rest is worth it's weight in gold on a tree stand.

Sling seats are far more comfortable than a piece of metal with foam on it. When you are comfortable, you will hunt harder, longer, and more often.

Your first hunt in a particular tree is going to be the best. By no coincidence, every deer on my wall was shot the first time I hunted a stand.

Hunt the wind

Don't buy into all of the gimmicks. Some work, many do not.

Buy un-scented soaps and deodorant without a drawing of a deer on it. It's all the same, "hunting" products are just marked up more.

Face your stand as close to 45 degrees as feasible from where you anticipate your shot. If you are right handed, you want the deer 45 degrees to your left, if left handed, you want your shot to be towards your right. This minimizes movement and allows for your most natural shooting position.

If you "think" you have a clear shot, you don't. Only shoot when you know you have a clear shot.

That's about all I can think of right now

Oh, and don't play on your phone too much like I am doing now

Please add to the list to make us all better bowhunters!!!

[Siwulat]

Nice list! I would just add to listen. Listen to everything and anyone who will give you the time of day about hunting. When you listen, you learn. You do need to be cognizant of B***s*** because you will hear plenty. But even if you pick up one tidbit of new info it was worth it.

Also, take the time to ENJOY what you are doing. Remember that it's not always about the end result, it's about the journey!

[B-man715]

But even if you pick up one tidbit of new info it was worth it.

Also, take the time to ENJOY what you are doing. Remember that it's not always about the end result, it's about the journey!

Great point. Keep it fun and not turn it into work. I've burned myself out more than one fall, and have learned to focus my energy on the best days of the year. Even then, I still need to take a day off of bowhunting here and there and instead go chase ducks, rabbits, fish or squirrels.

Another tip I want to add, is to make sure you aren't over-bowed. Just because you can draw back 70 or 80 pounds doesn't mean you should hunt with it. So many hunters would improve their accuracy and confidence by backing down.

I remember when I first started hunting, it was like a competion between my friends and I who would hunt with high draw weights. Now I pull back 60 pounds and have never shot better. My little rule is if I don't think I could pull it back laying down in my bed, I'm at too high of a draw weight.

When crunch time hits and you are cold and stiff, a high draw weight is the last thing you need.

On a related note, many hunters would benefit from a shorter draw length as well.

Speed is useless if it takes all you have to draw back, and then have the string slap your heavy coat. It's just another thing I learned the hard way, and it cost me more than one deer

I wish somebody would have told me that from day one

[Big Country]

Never ever,ever shoot at a deer that is quartering towards you. One of my best friends did this a few weeks ago. He has been at this sport for over ten years and let the adrenaline get the best of him. He knows better. End result was a shot that never allowed him to retrieve his deer. It's extremley hard to get one or even impossible to get two of the lungs on this shot. It is irresponsible in my opinion. Quartering away is totally do-able. Hit the last rib and you touch both lungs, a very good shot. BC

[Deet]

Deer are not afraid of human urine. If you didn't drink a pot of coffee and eat a pound of asparagus, wizz away

Are you serious? I'm not arguing with you - I'm asking honestly.

I really hope this thread keeps going. I've hunted deer for about 12 years and killed a bunch, but still consider myself extremely uneducated. It's time I get better.

Thanks.

[B-man715]

I hauled my pee out of the woods for almost 15 years. Then I read about whizzing from the tree on AT and how it doesn't bother the deer.

So for the last three years that's all I have been doing. Not once has a deer even stopped to smell it for more than a second (95% of the time they don't even stop), let alone run away scared. I've shot a nice buck each of those years from a stand surrounded in my own urine

One less thing to carry in and out of the woods is a great thing

[Farmsfulltime]

I too used to carry a bottle out , one day forgot wasn't getting down prime time couldn't hold it any longer let go got some relief about 20 minuets latter got a nice buck maybe 10 yards from the tree , They don't care or recognize danger , Good day to be out today damp and overcast no wind to speak of lots of activity here in last two or three days anything with horns is moving

[eyeguy 54]

filled my tag a few years ago early in ND so grabbed an old camera and went to a stand. had to wizz so I wizzed. 2o minutes later a young 8 pointer was licking the leaves. lol cant find that pic but I know its in the house somewhere.

[Bear55]

Are you serious? I'm not arguing with you - I'm asking honestly.

I really hope this thread keeps going. I've hunted deer for about 12 years and killed a bunch, but still consider myself extremely uneducated. It's time I get better.

Thanks.

When I make a mock scrape I pee in it, only scent I use. The deer show up, mature bucks as well.

[Wanderer]

I don't carry a wizzinator any more either. Can't say it's helped or hurt any but my whole scent eliminating process has relaxed since last year.

I did everything I could with scent eliminating products last season and was busted regularly. This year I just make sure I'm wearing clean clothes and hunt the wind. I also approach my stand from whatever course is needed to NOT walk over any trail I'm expecting deer to approach me from, even wearing rubber boots. Sometimes this means walking well out of the way of the shortest route.

[eyedr]

Is everyone serious about peeing out of the stand? It goes against everything I have ever believed, I don't know why I believed it, but still....I feel like this is going to be an instance where I start wizzing out of my stand and everyone else is chuckling as the pee in their bottles because they got some poor sucker to believe you can actually pee out of your stand. Don't know if I can bring myself to do it. Until then ill keep dribbling all over my hands and bibs trying to aim that sucker into a bottle.

[DonBo]

Is everyone serious about peeing out of the stand?

Yep, dead serious. This is no concern at all. I know many who pee in scrapes and have great success.

[pointerdog]

I have no worries at all taking a leak from the stand. Never had one deer get spooked. One thing i've use for scent control is to take a "smoke" shower. Start some leaves or branches on fire and walk around in the smoke as a cover scent. This has worked for me numerous times for deer that have gotten down wind.

[brassman]

I have peed off the stand for the last 8 years or so, shot most of my bucks since then. Never once have I had a problem with it causing alarm to deer. (The only time it has was when I was caught in the act) Urine starts to break down the instant it hits the air, after awhile all urine will smell the same to a deer. Many well respected deer hunting related writers make mock scrapes from their own. (Cautionary tip. don't go into the wind and watch where it lands, nothing like climbing down a soaked ladder.)

[ozzie]

Never have done anything but [PoorWordUsage] out of the tree...deer don't seem to care at all in fact I have had deer walk right under my stand shortly after relieving myself

[NoWiser]

I take a leak right out of my stand all time. Not once has a deer even showed any sign of being alarmed by it. I think there is a way better chance of spooking a deer while getting down or dinking around with a bottle.

[eyedr]

Mind blown. I have always thought this would be the worst thing you could do. This would be like someone telling me my wife really doesn't mind my musk after not showering for a while and in fact she's really attracted to it. First thing I'm doing when I get out to the stand friday is taking a wizz., just because I can.

[deerminator]

I almost always pee on my mock scrape when leaving my stand and have numerous photos of bucks and does investigating.