**** Team 9 Double Lung Liquidators *****

Thanks for the reminder and yes, this is for fun and getting to know some of our bowhunting brethren.

 

Tim, what is age of your oldest again?

My 9yr old shoots the PSE Rally, 7yr old the PSE Mini-Burner, then have a PSE Snake (plastic recurve) and cheap small bow from farm store for the 2 little ones to shoot. The Mini-Burner has been great for both boys to learn on as it's smaller and lightweight for them to hold up.
My opinion is that anyone about 9yr old and up cannot go wrong with the PSE Rally: Main Line Compound Bows, Rally
This bow has 14 inches of draw adjustment and poundage from 30-70#. Only reason I wouldn't start real young kids on it is that it's a full size bow that is heavy for them to hold up with one arm for extended time. Very impressed with this bow, just two allen screws to move and I can have it set up for my wife to shoot, and then move it right back for my son. Also, it's my backup bow in an emergency as I can adjust it to 29" and 70" in a couple minutes (no press needed). Both of the kids PSE compounds I got the RTS (ready to shoot) which I highly recommend...comes with sight, whisker biscuit rest, peep, and quiver. Cannot say enough about how great a bow this is for anyone age 9-90 that would want to get into bowhunting for little money and have quality flat shooting bow. My 13 yr old nephew got one last year when he was 12 and took his first deer last fall with it. I will also never put anything but a whisker biscuit rest on the kids bow (heck, that's all I'll ever shoot now also - I switched just seeing how great they operated on the kids bows), but especially safe and hassle free for new shooters.

Good Luck - any other questions let me know!

 

Isaac, my oldest, will be five in October. I have been looking at the bow weights and am starting to take that into consideration. I was going see if he could hold mine (5.6 lbs loaded, 30 1/2" ATA) because that's relatively close to the Diamond Infinite Edge, the one that he picked out of the Bass Pro catalog yesterday and started the whole thing. I will look at the PSE Mini.


Thanks for the insight.

 

Tim,
I bought the PSE Mini-burner 3 yrs ago, at the time my 6 and 4yr old boys both shot it very well and no issues with the weight. Only downside is that it will never grow into the length and 40+lbs needed to hunt. But I knew at the time I had 4 kids coming up the ranks so it would get plenty of use over the years...regardless, its one purchase you will enjoy a bunch...love shooting with my kids! One of our favorite things is after Halloween to put the pumpkins out back at different distances and everyone shoot them up

 

prayers sent treehopper, to you and your family.

 

Thanks guys much appreciated.

 

Anytime

 

well guys seems we have died down on conversation matter because the seasons arent in yet so lets hear about the tactics you guys use to hunt! Ill start off.
First of all I'm an extremely mobile hunter. My most important piece to my success is my climber. I hunted in lock on ladder stands until three years ago, and not that they dont work because ive harvested plenty of deer out of them, but ever since i started using a climber ive shot a buck with my bow every year. It has alot to do with my knowledge of deer and deer hunting going up but i credit alot of it to the mobility of my climber. Here in PA we dont have large food plots, most of us are stuck on small posted plots of hard woods. the climber allows me to hunt every tree in the woods on any given day. This is key because i can move when i please and also it goes alot into my strategy about wind. By using my climber i can hunt almost all of my properties on any given wind by just positioning myself down wind of where the deer are coming. also, although not safe, it gives me no height limit. When your hunting large oak flats 20" just doest seem to do it, they can see you too easily and it keeps your scent low. By using my climber i can get closer to the canopy, out of sight out of mind sort of thing AlWAYS WEAR MY HARNESS THOUGH!

Also ive done alot of "homework" on how to find and hunt natural pinch points and funnels. I used to hunt just beaten trails, and though i saw deer i didnt see the near the number i do now hunting funnels. Not to mention they are the key to rut in my area. If you hunt a good funnel you have as good a chance of as any to take a buck. I started hunting funnels three years ago and have been three for three ever since. My best friend was the one who really changed my perception of hunting because hes shot a deer out of the same stand on the same morning ( november 2nd) for 3 years running. It is just a natural funnel that bucks cruise in the rut. After i saw that, i was a believer.

I am anal about my scent and do everything i can to keep it under control. I have a scent blocker carbon suit, wash clothes and body in scent free / eliminating soap, and spray all gear and clothing down thoroughly before entering the woods. I always pay attention to wind direction and only hunt stands where conditions are perfect ( or as stated above position myself differently so wind is favorable). I also noticed a huge difference in deer sightings once i stopped hunting wrong or marginal winds just because i had an itch to hunt a stand, and not to mention i see a whole lot more bucks!

I have always been an advocate of using anything you can to entice a buck into range. I use mockscrapes, scent lines, and calling just to name a broad few. My dad and I are also working on a new invention for scent dispersal for hot doe trails and cant wait to try it out this season.

I have been infatuated will calling deer since i can ever remember and have it down pretty good now. I never blind call, i only call when i can see the buck, assess his age , mood/demeanor and come up with the appropriate calling sequence to lure him in. One thing you guys MUST check out if you want to improve your calling is Rod Whites calling videos on youtube. He goes very in-depth as to why he makes the call he is, how to make the sounds, and goes over pretty much every sound a deer will make in the woods. It helped me a lot. Also if you dont have a snort wheeze tube you need to get one ( or just know how to do it with your mouth ) because it has worked wonders for me, especially for old wiley bucks in pre rut - rut stages.

This is really long winded, just figured id let you guys know some of the things i do to better my success and try to intrigue convo.

 

Very nice and great idea on sharing. I spent this season spotting and stalking. I saw 2 bucks and 9 does in three separate encounters, but was never able get close enough to see/assess a shot. I've been working on the After Season Review for a few days now. The big hitters on that are put in for the late season hunt and actually scout. My scouting plans were thrown for a loop because my new bow "timeline" was pushed back when my work didn't get the semi-annual bonus out on time. In hindsight, I could have scouted while waiting for my bow.

I thought about trying to call as I was on the sneak on my one buck, but I'm not sure how mule deer would respond. I also wasn't as strict with my scent control, as far as washing clothes/myself. I did use DDW field spray throughout the hunting day.

Looking forward to seeing your guys hunting strategies and will share my ASR once I get it finished.

 

Tactics for me usually consist of 3 or 4 lock ons and a ladder. The ladders stays year in year out. I have killed a deer out of it every year the last 3 years. I only take it out for maintenance when needed. The lock ons I set up before season. Will probably do that next week. Usually try to get them up earlier but life happens. Those pretty well stay in place through the season. I usually will hunt them the first several outings.

As the season goes I have a lightweight lock on and sticks I use. A lot of times I find myself close to my lock ons but generally after the season is in and I have sat in my lock ons I can get a much better sense of angles and where the deer I actually want to shoot are coming and going from. Also, this allows me a little more stealth especially if I was busted in a lock on. Many times I have been busted in a lock on then move to my mobile set up in the afternoon or next day and they always look in the lock on don't see me then let their guard down a bit. I used to use a climber but here in Kansas the trees just aren't straight and climbers can be very difficult to use.

As far as what I want to shoot. I would like to shoot a doe maybe 2 early and would like to put a 150+ on the ground. I know they are around and have seen them literally in my yard. I will hold out till the around the 3rd week of November then whatever walks by will get it. Last year I really trophy hunted but I had bought a cow and had a ton of meat in the freezer that didn't happen this year so I need to fill the freezer.

Really looking forward to season. Can honestly say I have never been more confident in my shooting than I am this year at this point. I am a little behind on my stand hanging but I don't think that will hurt me much.

 

Just came out of the woods. I scouted the property where I shot my 10-pointer last year. It again looks very promising. I don't have cameras on this property because I move around so much. I use exclusively my climber on this property. The landowner, who hunts with his rifle only, says he has seen 3 large deer: a thick and wide 8-point, a slender 10-point, and a very big 11/12 point. I found some beds today and plan on hunting around a steep ridge where I have seen a lot of deer activity last season. The only downside to this property is that I am not able to hunt past 2pm.

On another property I hunt I have a camera out and checked it for the first time today. While I didn't get a large quantity of photos I did get pics of that big 8 from last season...He's back and much bigger. It is going to take a lot of work to try to pin-point him. I don't know the property very well but I'm setting up in a swamp where I have seen a lot of sign. I have a hang-on stand and sticks on order for this property because it is a long walk to use my climber and a pain to walk through the swamp with it. But I almost am hesitant to set it up because 1. It's so close to the season opener and 2. I don't have that big buck patterned yet. He is also close to another tree stand that is not mine. If I can get permission I would likely hunt out of the other stand and there's even less work for me.

On my third property I haven't seen much action. I went to watch a clover field where I shot an 8-pointer last year and only saw one doe and she winded me and that was the last deer I saw for the rest of the night.

Here's the big buck...I'm gonna call him Monster. Even if he has half the mass after he loses his velvet he will still be the most massive deer I've shot.

 

Definitely a well deserved name Chris.

 

that is a pig! is he a symmetrical 8?

 

I don't have any pre-set stands but hunt with my stand and sticks on my back and set up on fresh sign. Usually I will travel the transition lines and if I find fresh sign I will set up and hunt the sign right away. If I don't see anything that night I move on. Occasionally I will hunt the same spot two days in a row but not necessarily the same tree. I find using a Lone Wolf lock on along with Lone Wolf sticks so I am able hunt out of nearly any tree or bush that is in the woods. I also try to scout both off season and in season to find bucks beds and then hunt as close as I can without alerting them of my presence. This past off season my scouting was inhibited by all the snow we had and then all the rain, so I will be doing a lot of in season scouting. I also glass and shine the areas that I hunt in to help locate shooter bucks.

Two years ago I started self filming and it is a blast. Last year it cost me a shot at a very nice 3.5yr old, but then 5 days later I was able to video myself shooting my biggest buck...150" 11 point 3.5yr old that I had a bunch of trail camera pics of. My goal this year is to shoot a 4.5yr old or older. If a mega 3.5yr old comes by and trips my trigger than I may shoot.

I usually try to shoot a doe or two early in the season so that I can then focus on bucks and not the freezer. Good luck to all you guys and remember to always wear your harness no matter what type of stand you are hunting out of.

 

Great looking buck Chris and good luck getting him!

 

Can't wait to see some film!

 

I believe he is. He was an 8 last year. It seems he's put on a lot of mass. I'd love to find a drop tine on him though.

 

Ive always dreamed of shooting a drop tine buck. One of the property owners called me and told me there was a monster with an incredible drop tine on him. Ive watched the field that he was attending and put in some cams with no luck. They started drilling oil there recently so i feel he may be spooked or have moved. That property has an apple orchard on it and every tree is FULL of big apples so i hope to see him once they start dropping heavily. Well see though, if he does show back up best believe im coming after him.

 

Hey guys, been out of state for a few days for a class for week. I hunt all private land. I have access to 7 pieces of property. 4 of them are family owned, 2 are owned by friends and 1 is a lease I just went in on with my uncle and cousin. The lease is the only property I am not familiar with but I am looking forward to learning it. I did some exploring on one property and found the NW corner of the and that is where my big buck pics are from. I don't have much of a strategy this year. Just going to watch my cams and scent. My biggest goal this year is to get my nephew his first deer and my other goal is to have fun!

 

Good stuff guys - looks like we should have some action to share with each other this season!

Pretty simple for me, we have two small parcels that we do the majority of our hunting on, 35 acres and 20 acres. We've had them long enough that we have about 10 ladder stands up that rarely move, sometimes just a few yards each season to get the best shooting lane, or if patterns switch slightly. I also utilize my climbing stand if I need to.
I also hunt a large public property right next to our properties...its 2200 acres of solid timber, very little pressure away from the roads because most guys simply cannot get a deer out of the large/steep ravines (only deer carts allowed). I use my climber exclusively here...and everytime I sit in my climber I wonder why I don't hunt everyday out of it - so comfy, safe to climb with harness on from ground, and can get nice and high. Here is quick story of buck I took last year on the public ground: http://forums.bowhunting.com/2012-bowhunting-deer-contest/41588-fitz-need-ruling.html

Strategy for me has changed over the years, I still take precautions with scent-free shower, clothes in a bin, spray down...but have to say I believe very little in all of that and scentblocker clothing. Wind rules...and my only focus on stand selection each day is wind direction. It has really helped me with getting deer closer the last couple seasons.

Mostly hunt a weekend morning if time allows (2 oldest boys in flag football and I coach one of the teams)...but good news is I just lined up a buddy from Utah that I met in Elk camp back in 2010 to come and hunt his first whitetail with us this season. I plan to get 3-4 days off work in Nov and will hunt all day while he is here...looking forward to this.

Otherwise, I will be "off the grid" in a couple weeks as I return to CO for an OTC DIY Elk bowhunt. Going with my Dad, and a close buddy since Kindergarten and his Dad...going to be a great week. For those of you that have ever longed to hunt the mountains - let me know if I can help make it happen. The graciousness of a previous poster on this site is what started the fire for me...and I'm in love now with Elk hunting. Here is my post from my first ever out of state hunt in 2010: http://forums.bowhunting.com/bowhunting-talk/16026-my-name-matt-im-elkcoholic-co-elk-2010-a.html

Keep the posts coming team - I enjoy checking out the updates each day. Good Luck to all, Have Fun, and BE SAFE!!!