Archery Tip of the Week

[deerminator]

Makes sense DonBo. I will think about this and give it a try. I've also thought about just leaving a window or two where I might have to try longer range shots so I can just slowly drop it open and shoot right before the moment of truth. I would just unhook my bungie cord that holds it up in my Escape but a blind like the doghouse would allow for the same thing if you used a piece of camo duck tape to hold up.

[fishinmajishin]

Before I head to the stand(evening anyway) I shoot some 50 yard shots. Then go up to 20 and shoot a few more. My stand locations rarely give me anything over 25-30. Great for confidence.

[tunrevir]

I thought I'd put this little tidbit into this forum on tips. Make sure that you check yourself for deer ticks after the hunt and especially after posing with the animal, moving it from one place to another and or butchering it. I have had numerous run ins with the little devils when butchering them even after haning for a few days.

Tunrevir~

[Scott M]

Don't overlook safety. I read a post from a thread in the deer-moose-bear forum where a guy admitted that he almost never wears a safety harness.

Archery guys spend a lot of time in trees. Might as well be safe while doing it. Here's some tips from the DNR:

• Never carry equipment with you while climbing. Use a haul line to raise or lower your gear. Make sure guns are unloaded and broadheads are covered prior to raising or lowering firearms or bows with a haul line.
• Since most accidents occur when hunters are climbing up or down a tree, always use a climbing belt or safety line. Always use a safety belt or harness when hunting from elevated tree stands. Study manufacturer’s recommendations before using any equipment. Never use a rope to replace a safety belt.
• Check permanent tree stands every year before hunting from them, and replace any worn or weak lumber.
• Read, understand and follow the factory recommended practices and procedures when installing commercial stands. Inspect portable stands for loose nuts and bolts each time they are used.
• Choose only healthy, living trees when using climbing devices. Rough-barked trees such as oak are best. Do not use a tree that is rotten or has dead limbs.
• Never put all your weight on a single branch. Keep at least one hand and one foot on a secure place when reaching for the next hold.
• Climb higher than the stand and step down onto it. Climbing up onto it can dislodge it.
• Wear boots with non-skid soles, because steps or platforms can be slippery in rain, sleet or snow.
• Tell a dependable person where you’re hunting and when you plan on returning. Map your whereabouts and leave a note at camp, at home or in your car so that you can be found.
• Don’t fall asleep. This is a common cause of accidents. If you get drowsy, move your arms rapidly until you feel alert.
• Never wear a ring in any climbing situation. Rings can catch on tree limbs and equipment.
• As a precautionary measure, remove all logs, upturned and cutoff saplings, rocks and other obstructions on the ground below the tree stand.
• Use updated equipment. When used properly, newer tree stand equipment is solid, safe and secure. Older models of safety belts offer some protection, but newer safety harnesses offer more protection.
• Carry a whistle to call for help and carry a first aid kit, flashlight and cellular telephone in a fanny pack.

I'm not too proud to say that I've fallen out of a stand. Luckily it wasn't very high up and the ground was covered in soft pine needles. Felt like a moron though. I was younger and more foolhardy. Definately learned a lesson. It's always smart to review safety before the season starts, whether its gun safety or stand safety or operating your hunting shack's gas heater. People will say you died doing what you loved, but hey, you're still dead! Be careful out there this fall.

[Meat-Run]

Da chise31.

"Don't overlook safety. I read a post from a thread in the deer-moose-bear forum where a guy admitted that he almost never wears a safety harness."

Thanks for the heads-up, friendly reminder, or what ever your true intentions (slap us around kind of warning) are but I will be getting a safety system before my next hunt.

mr

[Scott M]

A guy doesn't have to mean you M-R (and didn't mean you in all honesty). Nothing but good intentions here. I care about my fellow man is all.

Glad to hear you are going to the safety system before the next hunt.

[Meat-Run]

A guy doesn't have to mean you M-R (and didn't mean you in all honesty). Nothing but good intentions here. I care about my fellow man is all.

Glad to hear you are going to the safety system before the next hunt.

I knew exactly your intentions and I know it wasn't toward me personally but I took your advise seriously. Again thanks for stressing it to all that we need to not think just ourselves but the loved ones at home....two boys and a wife.

This is why I'm a member and participate on this forum because of the great advise.

mr

[DonBo]

Good safety tips there da chise.

What I don't get is, why safety vests are SO expensive. Don't get me wrong, I've got one, and I use it, but dang! $100 is pretty average for a vest. I know you can get a harness cheaper, or free with many treestands, but for the most part, they are clumsy and difficult to use. I believe many just won't use them because of this. Don't you think the industry would do all they can to make sure as many people as possible will use them? Child safety seats for example can be had for next to nothing or free if you know where to look.

I know, $100 is pretty cheap insurance for your safety, but lets face it, not everyone can afford that.

[MNice]

I would guess it would be the cost of testing. For anything these days to be "tested & listed" by an independent third party cost major $$$$. Not a bad thing.

[deerminator]

I bought one of those fall guy systems for one of the stands I use the most last year. I love it because I know I'm never detached from the tree at any time.

[so haaad]

I hear what you are saying DonBo, they do seem expensive.

[harvey lee]

That looks like its it for any more tips unless someone else wants to write something up. Don't think that your tip is not worthy as we can all learn from one another.

Thanks for all that has been offered to date.

[harvey lee]

In regards to the cost of the safety harnesses goes, I'm sure the insurance and liability costs have alot to do with the overall cost of the vests.

I talked with a stand company and asked them about the insurance end of it and he stated that if the liability end of it were not so high, the stands would cost considerably less.

[Bear55]

Here is a quick tip for anyone using a climber, carry some kind of s-hook or even a fishing hook you could tie up to your bow rope. Because when you drop something (and you will drop something) it is sure nice to be able to snag it with the rope instead of climbing down and back up again. I learned this lesson the hard way when I dropped my grunt call on a late October hunt, I felt naked without it so I had a not so great time climbing that tree twice.

[fishinmajishin]

Cool...fishing AND bowhunting at the same time!

[PerchJrkr]

I dont remember if it was said and dont feel like reading through all these posts again, but keep practice shooting your bow in season! its good to practice with all your gear on too. I got an eye opener when i tried to pull back last monday night and almost gave myself a hernia. Did get it back, but theres no way i woulda been able to get drawn back on a deer without being detected!!

[snoozebutton]

Good advice PerchJrkr and what I do is step out and take one shot at a time. You don't get a practice shot when a deer comes out.

[jnorm1984]

hey bear55, thats a great tip, never even thought about that. and ive had to climb down the stand in my climber more than once to pick up stuff...forget a pack, or your release on the forest floor( happened to me 3 times last year, yeah, Im special ), nice this accully is a helpful HSOforum, aside from the negative people, who constantly ruin topics

[Archerysniper]

Here is a easy but important one when you are filling your quiver with your broadheads spin your arrows just put it point down and give it a spin if it wobbles your arrow is bent or the broadhead and insert are not square it might not matter on close shot but comes in the farther your shot is spin them all and put your best in the front of your quiver

[WaitForIt]

Your tip won't help me when I drop my cellphone out of the tree - for some reason both my cellphone and handheld Yahtzee take frequent tumbles down to the forest floor (leaving me looking sheepishly around hoping a deer hasn't been watching the whole thing)..

[Scott M]

I suppose it's about time to fire up the archery tips of the week, so I will submit one that I couldn't find with the search function: The prusik knot and safety line. Safety should be the most important thing when it comes to bowhunting. There are some other great tips about bowhunting safety, hanging ladder stands, choosing sites, etc. Everyone should be using a restraint system and a harness of some sort, but what do you do as far as using a restraint system while going up and down the tree? This is the most dangerous time as far as falling out of trees while bowhunting and having a life line to attach to could save your hide. You're going to have to make a decision about where to hang a stand and you're going to need a friend to help you hang it. Unless you're using a climber, I think its best to hang all stands with another person. Installing hang-on style tree stands, ladders, or tree steps is dangerous. Always bring a buddy the first time. Once the stand is hung, now its time to put up the life line. Your best bet is to buy your own line at a big box store, or you can make one at home. Buy some quality 3 strand or better nylon rope. Only buy load bearing rope that has been weight tested; most guys like the camo weave if it has a sheathing on it. Nylon is UV resistant, has some stretch, and has superior strength. You are going to want to have it rated for a great deal of weight; if you fall out of the tree there is more than just your dead weight, there is the force and gravitational acceleration of your mass, so you want to up it a little. I think the tensile strength of the rope I'm using is 800 pounds. Rock climbers could give you a better idea of all the materials and ratings for rope out there, but I'm going to keep it pretty simple. The attachment made at the top of the tree is the most important; it is your load-bearing knot. Therefore, I have been using the Palomar knot. Yep, the same knot used for attaching to swivels and hook eyes can do the same thing on a tree branch.

[harvey lee]

Nice post Scott. I hve a belt that came with my safety vest when going up the tree.

[ARROW 1]

Here is my before hunt prep. Shower with scent away soap put on scent away under arm. I spray down my scent blocker clothes and hat,rubber boots with scent away spray. It was warm so I carried my scent blocker top in with me. The top wasn't my lightweight top because it needed to be put in the drier and activated . The lightweight top zips up around my neck and later I would be wishing I would have taken the time to activate it.

I was hunting on a wooded ditch line leading to a water hole. A light south wind was blowing out over a cut bean field. The deer usually travel in the cover of the wooded fenceline. But I had a small 8pt come across the field and got down wind of me. He stopped dead in his tracks at about 80 yards. He put his hose up in the air and didn't make a sound just bolted. I couldn't believe it. An hour later two does came in under my stand and got down wind in the field. One deer winded me the other didn't. Same thing didn't blow or anything just bolted. At this point I'm not very happy.Im thinking what did I miss. The buck wasn't a buck I would shot but, now he and a doe are educated. I got home and went thru everything. I found a small hole in my rubber boots and fixed it but, I still didn't think that was the issue. Then I thought back at how heated up i got going to the stand. I then wiped my arm pits and took a smell. I could smell my daily under arm. The wash and the scent away under arm away didn't cover it.

I believe while sweating the daily under came out of the skin. So now I start wearing scent away under arm a month before season. I also learned a little more about deer behavior. Deer don't always blow when they smell people. They at times just run the other way. How many times has this happened to people and didn't know it. You can never do to much to fool there noses.

[bigbucks]

Here's a tip I may have mentioned before, but it just came to mind again. Plan on a lot of SE wind for the first two weeks of the season & bank on it for opener. I'd swear at least 3 out of 5 MN openers are warm with a SE wind, it's just the common one in mid to late September.

[Meat-Run]

bigbucks, your correct, saturdays forcast is a SE wind. May have to go to plan B for opening morning.

mr