Questions about bowhunting...

[Rost]

Okay, this is my first year of this, so bear with my rookie questions...

What should be my next priority(s) as far as purchases go? So far I have:

*A decent Bow/arrows, release etc...
*Camo clothing- pants are carbon incoporated jacket is not.
*1 tree stand
*Target (along with lots of practice)

Now, do I need rubber boots? Or will my Rocky's do?
Maybe another treestand? I already have 4 great areas to hunt.
How important is a Scent Lok coat, hat etc..?

Basically, I want to have all of my bases covered before the season so I don't wind up scrambling.
Any Help?

[Ole1855]

Rost,

It sounds like you have most everything you need, the only thing I can suggest that's not on your list is a big bottle of scent block, I by the big bottle of scent block and a small bottle of earth scent and add them together. I guess the other thing you should add to your list is some sort of hanger for you bow while in the stand, you can sit still and be much more comfortable if you're not constantly holding your bow. I buy these cheap little screw-in wire coat hangers at the hardware store and screw them into the tree, that way I can hang my bow and quiver separately.

Use the scent block liberally all over your clothing and boots and yes I hunt in my Rocky's and have no problem with them. I have hunted from the ground and had deer within 5 ft. of me without them having any idea I was there, so to me killing your scent is the most importanat part.

Other than that, I can't express enough how important it is to have practiced with your bow "ALOT" and vary your shooting distance and also get up in your tree stand and practice. One thing I know for sure, you'll love bow hunting!!!

Ole

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Olson Insurance Agency
[email protected]
952-224-4774

[jlm]

I agree! One purchase you should make is a good safety harness, that is a top priority! I would skip the scent lock clothing, it is a scam in my opinion. It will work for a short period of time but once the system is full of scent molecules, it is worthless (others will dispute this I am sure, it is just my opinion). It states that a dryer can revitalize the clothing but according to research, it takes temperatures much higher than a dryer can produce to remove the scent molecules from the clothing. I would suggest doing as the previous poster stated (sprays). I would also suggest that you have more than one stand (unless you have a climber stand and trees that are good for climbing). That way you won't distrub anything when you want to move. If the wind is wrong, you have to stay home if you only have the one stand (unless you want to still hunt or blind hunt). The most important aspect of bowhunting is to leave yourself as many options as possible, mother nature has way too many tricks to remain static to one or two options. Good luck!

[Finlander]

Practice shooting with your hunting clothes on and up in a tree stand.
I always have about 5 sets of clothing to change into. One for morning hunt, one for evening hunt. I mostly hunt weekends so i'll go through 3-4 sets of clean sent free clothes per weekend.
I also use alot of baking soda sprinkled in my bags of clean clothes so they are sent absorbing when you use them.
Try to put your treestands in the area if it is private land now! Nothing like getting to the woods all set to go and not having to sweat your behind off putting up a treestand and dripping sweat all over the ground.
Also when you put up your treestand now, clear out your shooting lanes so the deer will get used to the area being trimmed out.
Try putting one of those small apple mineral blocks that only weigh 4 pounds, and put it behind a tree of brush where the deers head will be behind it when you draw your bow back and you will go un-noticed before the arrows gets sent thru it's lungs. That little trick worked for me many times and prevents the deer from jumping your string!
Also make sure you shoot only broadside shots at the deer aiming for the heart-lung area, as any other area's are really risky.
In other words, if you don't have a good broadside, no for sure killer shot, then don't take it. There are 3 months to get the perfect shot each season, no sence making a bad one!
Good Luck!

[korn_fish]

Leave the scent lok or whatever "no scent" clothing right in the store. Like was previously stated, the price of a good scent suit is about 2 really nice hang on type stands and 4-5 less expensive ones.

YOu didn't mention if the stand y ou had was a portable, climber etc.... If it is a climber, make sure you practice a lot before your in woods trying to hunt. Preferably practice on the tree you will be using for the hunt.

From what you listed, my next purchases would definitely be some non scented clothes wash, some earth scented wafers (may be different flavor depending on where you hunt pine, apple, etc) and a couple large plastic totes to store your clothes in when you are not hunting. (I usually put some sort of cover scent in with my clothes if I know I am hunting a specific site the next morning and can match the surroundings i.e. wood edge next to freshly plowed field etc.)
Get some rope for hauling your bow up into your stand. a quick release quiver that you can mount to the tree, and mostly, a windproof jacket or vest.

Don't forget a back pack of some sort. If your like me and walk a good distance to your stand, you will probably want to have the bulk of your clothes in the pack and only put them on when you arrive at the stand.

I use rubber boots, but you need to be selective when buying them or use older boots. Have you ever put a new cheap rubber boot up to your nose and sniffed?!?!?!?!

Most of all you are pretty much ready to go. A lot is with trial and error and getting what you want.

[This message has been edited by korn_fish (edited 07-28-2004).]

[norm]

This might sound stupid but bring a flashlight and a knife EVERYTIME you go hunting. Last year my first night out i figured i wouldn't see anything so i made the ***** move of leaving my calls, flashlight, and knife at home. Low and behold i saw a shooter buck about 60 yards away with no call to bring him in. Then i did end up shooting a doe and had no light or knife with me so i had to drive 30 minutes home and 30 minutes back before i could even start looking for the deer. My buddies will never let me live that one down.

[Guest]

A good pair of Rocky or LaCrosse insulated Rubber boots are a must for scent-free travel to your stand and back.

Also, if you carry one back-up item in your pack I'd suggest a spare release. If you're a release user and you don't have one, you're SOL.

Last opening morning I dropped mine from my stand into pitch dark and I was so glad I could grab the extra one out of my pack and strap it on instead of shuffling around my stand on the ground with my flashlight looking for that release.

Ironically, once it was light enough to see the ground I noticed my release hadn't even made it to the ground--it was hanging on a small branch five feet below my stand and I would have never seen it in the dark!

Also, don't forget a quality head mask that fits tightly around your head and eyes--Primos web site has a great one on sale right now FYI...You won't believe how much a non-camoed face sticks out in the woods...

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Chells

[jlm]

I just have a comment about the mineral block that was suggested. Some mineral blocks are considered baiting in this state (MN). They contain pieces of apple and other fruits or extracts from the fruit which is considered baiting in the state of MN. Salt and mineral blocks are ok so be sure to read the ingredients! Better safe than sorry! Good points on all posts!

[Finlander]

The mineral block I was refering to does not contain any food items, only natural apple flavor which is legal in Minnesota as long as it's not considered a edable food item.
Also the main ingredient is salt which is hardly a chewable food item.
The deer usaully lick the ground clean around the block!

[BLACKJACK]

Lots of good advice here. I will second the mosquito netting! Those early season hunts get buggy! If you're swatting mosquitoes, its no fun and the deer have a better chance of seeing your movement. Plan on wearing it over a ballcap to keep it away from your face, if its tight to your skin, they can bite thru it. I'd also like to second the post on more stands, enough so you can put them out now and leave them. Multiple stands keep you from burning out a spot and gives you multiple spots for different wind directions.

A safty rope for sure, you don't want to end up a cripple!!! Practice putting it on in the dark.

Start looking for some heavier camo clothes. Even if you don't hunt in December, late Oct when its 20 degrees with a wind, its nice to be able to pull on those insulated clothes. Too many clothes under your early season camo might make it hard to pull back your bow. I prefer the bib and jacket combo, more heat on your backside. Mine is also reversibe camo and white, so when theres snow on the ground I can turn it inside out. Get one with the leg zippers, easier to put on when you get to your stand and you have big boots on.
A less expensive option is a 'too large' coverall that you can pile more clothes on underneath.

When you see the chemical handwarmers on sale, buy a bunch of them! They're nice to have in your pocket when its cold out, I'll use a new set everytime out!

Just writing this gets me excited for that early November hunting when the rut is starting!! I try to take the whole week first of November off just so I can be out morning and evening!

[This message has been edited by BLACKJACK (edited 07-29-2004).]

[BLACKJACK]

One more item, a pole saw! Invaluable when putting out stands and cutting shooting lanes. Go with a buddy, you sit in the stand and point out the branches that have to go - save lots of trips up and down the tree.

[irvingdog]

8 feet of good sturdy rope. Deer never die in convenient places. Dragging out is where the real work begins.

[bigbucks]

I'd agree with most of what's been said, BlackJack made some especially good points. As far as rubber boots go, I hunt in Rockys & rubber. I tend to use rubber in the mornings if there's any dew or in the evenings if it's rained. I always use some kind of scent blocker, but most important is to sit stands when & where the wind won't be blowing from you to where you "expect" the deer to be. If it gets to be peak rut time, you sometimes can throw that out the window if you've got a spot you know there's a lot of deer traffic in. I hang my hunting clothes out side a lot after I wash them, without drying them, if there's time & actually I try to get them rained on. I have a wood pile, as I burn wood, so I lay them out there. Wood smoke doesn't hurt a thing either, very natural smell to deer. I used to hang them in the apple trees at my folks house too.

As far as more stands go, that depends on your budget, they aren't cheap. Look for ones you like on sale this fall & start your Christmas list early. If there are permanent deer stands in the area, try using them. Likely a lot of them will be too far from trails for bow shots, but some may not be. If nothing else you can better pattern the deer as to exactly where to setup. If it's private land & it's okay with the landowner, you may want to build some permanents if you know they're good spots. I try to build stands anywhere I've identified a really consistent spot, if there's a good place to blend one in. Use my portables where the trees or smaller, don't have permission to build, etc. I'm not talking about a big 4 x 4 box or anything, just a platform even 2 X 2, preferably with a seat, where you can get out of the deer's line of sight. Trees with multiple trunks, especially big double-trunked oaks are prime. You can scavenge junk 2 X 4 pieces for steps & seat, etc. without buying them a lot of times too, treated is better, but have a ton built out of old shelves, old pallets, you name it.

Here's a tip on the chemical hand warmers I learned from a buddy, who I think read it in a magazine. If you keep a small zip lock bag with your hunting gear, put the handwarmers back in that as soon as you get off stand & push all the air out of the bag. The handwarmers will go back to sleep, even the smaller warmers are usually good for at least two hunts if you don't sit more than 4 hours each time. It'll save you a lot of money on those things & they can "sleep" for a week or longer & will still fire up again.

Now I'm getting even more psyched.

[bigbucks]

One more thing, get off the ground a ways. I've got a couple of permanents right around the 16' mark & usually go 12-15' with my portables, sometimes higher. I've never had a deer see me when I was over 15' & can't really remember them smelling me, that I knew about anyway. Obviously, use that safety strap.

[Pooh]

rost
I feel i am a "primitive hunter." all i have is a pair of cheap camo pants, a jersy camo shirt big enough to get a big jacket under, a stand i made, and of course my bow. I like not have to spend a fortune on some cloths that you wear ocasionally 3 months of the year.
i would also have to say you will want a harness. it make you feel much safer if you stand up or need to stretch. a face mask is nice, no paint, it makes you sweat. i got a mask that is see through so the bugs dont get in your ears.
I have to say dont worry about the scent, just dont take a leak by your stand. if you are high enough in the air its not a big deal. i know of guys who wear no scent cover and have no problem seeign deer on the ground at 15 yards and in.

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this is just my 2 cents
Pooh

[TomBow]

Once you figure out the properties that you'll be hunting, Terraserver has USGS topo maps of the entire U.S. You can get a good idea of where to set-up based on terrain features. You can eliminate time and getting your scent on the ground by studying topo maps or talking to the landowners on where they are seeing deer. Use terrain, cover and wind direction to select routes to getting to and from your stand. If you can avoid your scent blowing into cover where you think deer might be holding, that's the way to go. Don't use normal laundry detergent because it has perfumes in it and most have UV brighteners. Avoid drying your clothes in your clothes dryer which may have scent from normal laundry lingering in the filter which will contaminate your clothes. If you do need to use the dryer, hang your clothes outside to air out, then pack them in unscented plastic bags until you get to your treestand. I dress as light as possible when headed into my stand so I can avoid sweating. I'd rather be a little chilled on the way in, then put my hunting clothes on 100 yards or so from my stand. Sometimes I even wait to put on my hunting shirt or jacket until I've been up in the stand and my body temp goes back down. A good pair of rubber gloves, aired out fully (leave them outside until the rubber scent is diminished) should be worn so you can avoid leaving scent from your hands on your steps, brush you touch going in. Pull your pull-up rope up into the tree after you have pulled your bow up. I've had deer smell the rope after seeing it dangling, then spook. A deer that's snorting loudly will alert all the deer that something ain't quite right in the area.
Don't try to draw when a deer is looking at you. If you have a deer coming in, draw your bow when they are about to step into your shooting lane or are looking away or you can't see their eyes. IMHO the most important thing is getting drawn.
Learn deer anatomy and go for double lung shots and learn shot angles. The National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) has good info on deer anatomy and shot angles. Be patient after shooting a deer, don't yell or pat yourself on the back until you have found the dead deer at the end of the blood trail. Also, pick a spot on the deer that you want to hit. If your buck hunting, once you know it's a buck that you want to shoot, IGNORE the antlers, concentrate on the spot you want to hit so your broadhead makes a solid double lung hit with a low exit wound. The lower the exit, the sooner the blood trail will start. Best of Luck, You're gonna get hooked quick if'n ya ain't already now!!

[EXTREME]

Last but not least...have fun. Bowhunting can and is the most challanging way to hunt deer, but it is also open at the best time of year to explore. All the scent tips I have seen on this thread have been good tips, but I would get rubber boots. Leather and gore-tex stinks; rubber does not. Anyway practice untill you are very confident; because you will be shakin' when the moment of truth comes...even at does!

[Finlander]

If you really want to be able to hunt places where people are hesitant to let hunters hunt there land is to get certified as an "Advanced Hunter Education Program" hunter! This really opens the door to let you hunt more places letting people know your not a slob hunter and are educated from the DNR to conduct yourself in a responsible and safe manner while hunting.
You can hunt the metro area hunt that are conducted in the metro area to help thin out the herd in the suburbs that don't allow hunting at all. The program is called the Metro Hunters Resource Base that is intended to reduce the deer population in the metro area. Check you the DNR HSOforum for more details, it's worth it!

[The Grebe]

Scent free soap, odorless deoderant, no cologne, no smoking and don't stop at the gas station, or the cafe before going out to your stand.

I read the other night that certain dogs have a sense of smell 600 times better then a human and I don't suppose a deer is to far behind!

[TomBow]

Hopefully I'm not "Breakin' the Law..", more Metro Bowhunter info is available at www.strictlybowhunting.com under the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base link. I've been involved for 6 years now and there are some great opportunities to hunt and to meet knowledgable bowhunters. Best of Luck.

[buzzsaw]

This thread has posted most of the important things I can think of except.... we all stay in the stand long enough to have to cut a wiz and we can't do it on the ground so I bring an empty plastic gatorade bottle along... it keeps me on the stand alot longer. I second rubber boots, scent blocking spray and alot of practice.

[smoked perch]

another tip on having to take a leak...
the average human body uses 4 ounces of water per hour. so if you limit your water intake to that, and take a whiz before you get anywhere near your stand (the ditch, after you park your car..) and you should be ok.
i take water with me in a 'flexi-flask' bottle. it's like a stiff 16 oz bag, with a twist off cap. as you drink, you can squeeze out the air, so it doesn't slosh around and make noise. nice for still hunting.
very important not to get dehydrated out there. especially in cold weather.
a respectable trophy hunter once told me that deer are not alarmed by human urine. it's just wasted minerals, and salts. but i don't take any chances. maybe he had alterior motives on that bit of knowledge...
i'll echo some good advice from earlier: practice shooting out of a stand! your arrows will hit higher than on flat ground, as gravity is less of a factor at that angle. and i also believe that these fancy scent suits are un necessary. just mind wind direction. i've been 12 ft up, and had down wind deer at 15 yards not spook.
good luck, have fun.
-perch

[Mark Christianson]

Let me add this.
This is instructions to getting 2003 aerial photos on the internet.

Go to www.lizardtech.com to download the freeware to view .SID files.
Once you do that, you can download 2003 aerial photos from:
http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/chouse/naip03mrsid.html
The download from this site is a ZIP file that you need to extract the .SID file from. All the other files extracted can be deleted.
You will be amazed at the quality of the photos. A great tool to look at the area you want to hunt from the air.