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What are you trying new this year?

Hey everyone...I'm psyched for bow season next weekend. Will be the first time going out for opening day...usually other obligations have been ruining it for me lately. Anyways, what are you trying new this year? Is it some new gear, new strategies, new land...what?

I got the Tethrd Phantom and Predator XL platform for this year. I think it's going to be a game changer. I really love it just being in the tree and practicing all my shots. I'm also shooting a 200 grain Iron Will V series broadhead this year...total arrow weight around 520 grains. Something else I will be doing is primarily hunting public land instead of primarily hunting private land. Trying to improve my woodsmanship and true deer knowledge so that it can help me when I start doing out of state hunts next year. I have bought a lot of FirstLite gear for this year, and will probably continue to buy more. Been very impressed and I'm at the stage where I can afford it, and I want to cut down on bulk and be more efficient in everything. Another first will be taking my wife out this year. She hasn't been shooting as much as I would like her to, but just getting her out there this year will be a win. Alright...enough babble from me.

New broadhead. Evolution outdoors 125 grain Hyde’s. I finally found a fixed blade broadhead that groups and shoots the same as my field points all the way out to 80 yards in practice. Thier super tough. Can’t wait to run them through an animal

The other thing I’m trying new this year is being 100% set up for season 3 weeks before opener. Normally I’m struggling into October and has hurt my success I believe. I have 36 stands and 13 cameras set up in 3 different states and vacation from October 30 until November 22. I’m hopin to run into at least one!!!!

WI Shedhead, sounds like you did your 'chores' early. What 3 states? I presume Wisconsin is one of them.

New this year for me will be a selfbow, river cane arrows with obsidian heads.

A new knew replacement, going slower than normal.

A new Grandchild on stand with me . Connor will be # 7 in the last 18 years. 3 of them are still hunting with friends or relatives .

I updated equipment last year so it hopefully just execute this fall on a good one.

I'm staying the hell away from my 3 stand sites. I set them up July 30th and will not get near them until Halloween day. I also did not set out either of the trail cams I own. The twice weekly or more trips to check them and the sitting in stands before rut I know bugger's it all up. I will do all day sits no matter rain or shine depending on wind from oct31 thru nov7. Will not set foot in those cattail oak islands until then. Period. No cams. No entering. No nothing till Oct 31. I bump too many bucks, make them know where I'm at and enter from so this year I'll let them "bump" Into me. I'll fish, get yard work done stuff like that until Halloween.

Other than that no changes. Same old school approach. Play the wind and thermals. Heavy poundage recurve 60#. Big heavy broadheads and arrows and point blank 15 yard shots. No gimmicks. No gadgets. No scent control scam clothing or goofy mouthwash or any of the stupid gizmos they use to sell hunters. Just old school wind, thermals, in the stand a hour before light and out a hour after. Slowly. Alone. Park long ways off. I'm gonna do the basics. No more.

Draw wt 10 lbs lower . New arrows. New release . New site . Shooting like Robin Hood .

Iowa and nebraska

Iowa and nebraska

I usually don’t check any cameras until in go in to hunt my stand sights. I have 4 that are on terrain influenced fence crossings in fields I can drive the truck to like a farmer. I don’t worry too much about them

Bought a light for my sight, I lose sight of pin to early in the ground blind. I also put a pair of cheaters in a baggie on all my blinds, seems to be the one thing I forget too often. Old eyes make it hard focus close up on sight.

Going to north dakota for the first time. Bought a new tethrd phantom saddle. Got a heavier arrow setup. Got a goal this season to spend more time in season scouting than I do hunting. Also like every year spend as much time in the woods as possible

I’m going to start the year strictly in the ground with my longbow. I scouted a few spots where I can become one with the bush with my ghille suit. I also brushed in a few spots. All set up for shots of 12 yards and under. Hoping to get my first deer with my trade gear.

Please let me know what you think. I burn a vanilla candle in my man cave to cover my basement smell. Do you believe that burning a candle in a deer stand would be a good cover scent. Thanks for your thoughts.

Scott, my friend's father would always take a clump of dried leaves and burn them near his stand before every hunt. He was not a trophy hunter, but he shot deer because he ate them. He killed a lot of deer with their nose in the air, smelling the wind, as if they were curious. A true story I'll share, is his son and I hunted together. His son decides to burn a clump in honor of his dad. Five minutes after the few leaves turn to ashes, a buck comes in. I walk to where we seen him last, and my friend circles around to cut him off on where we think he will go. This was 1991. I walk right up to him, scent checking the wind, and shoot him where he stands. He's on my wall. Another true story is, I've never done it again. I wonder if he has? I'm a firm believer in trying to be less intrusive, and I play the wind, and I am as clean as possible. Nothing fools a deer's nose completely, but confusing its senses might not hurt? I'll have a thermacell on during early season, and it has really never hurt me. I say try it! I say try everything. I say do what works. I say do anything that gets you off the couch. Plenty of naysayers out there who speak with blinders on. They refute anything they would never consider. I'm the opposite. I will continue to crack the code. My eyes and ears are wide open. If we remain absolutely static in life, and never try anything, we've sort of failed at life. How will we ever learn anything, without failing at it? How will we ever fail, without trying? How will we ever truly know, without doing it, or seeing the results first hand? That might mean you do it a few times. There are things I do, that others scoff at, and I can only laugh at their resistance.

Pete, excellent post.

My dad in his day killed a lot of deer with a cigarette burning. A few bear also.

You know Pete your right. You just never know. What works today blows up tomorrow. We think too much. We react too much. You just gotta be in the bush. I know my stink blows them up. Every time. I just gave up on all the intrusion. Wind thermals is my best play. Intrusion. Look at it this way. If I came into your house and moved your coffee table a foot away from where it was you would notice it right off. Would you think of it as a danger sign? Prob not but you would alert to it. INHO we over think it all. All the gizmo and gadget makers sell us in that. It just comes down to being in the right place at the right time.....place and time. I picked my place and time. Until then I'm staying out. God bless ( still learning at 68) you all.

LOL, well I was going to try shield cut feathers this year. Wow, they suck for my setup. I can' control my broadheads with them. My parabolic feathers fly perfect. I could not believe that there was going to be that big of a difference.

I'm surprised that there's that big of a difference. All my arrows are parabolic but shield looks a lot nicer.

I've been scouting some new areas but nothing promising so far. I do plan on hunting the rut at my campsite in Marinette this year. I have enough done that I hope I don't freeze too bad. Also finally got some Bunny boots. I've battled cold feet for awhile now and really hope these do the trick.

I don't think it's the feathers, I'm in between spines. My draw is 31", arrows are 32. 400 spine's are slightly week at 10 gpp and 340s are slightly stiff at 13 gpp. It's been a struggle getting good arrow flight. I thought I had it set with the 400's, but this threw a wrench into it.

Were you able to get them to fly straight bare shaft before adding the fletching?

Yes and no. I was told to forget bare shaft tuning as far as how they were positioning in the target and use the line method. I did and the 400's bare and fletched hit right on the vertical line together. I then put the BH's that I was going to use and they flew great. Set my nock point to get the field points and the BH's hitting together and then just practiced with the field points. I ordered 6 new arrows to set up for hunting and thought I would put some shield cut's on them for s#$@ and giggles. I shot them to make sure and now I'm at this point and season is going to start. I thought I was set.

Tweed try some alpaca socks. Pricey but I bought two pair. They really helped. In fact at home at night I gotta take them off cause my feet and ankles actually get to warm! Give them a shot I'm sold on them

I actually have a week of vacation to use for the rut this year.

Saw this ad in 1 of my hunting mags. The doe attachs to your bow for stalking. I thought why not sew a does ass with a white tail on it to cover your back.

Of course make sure you hunt in a spot with no poachers or road hunters .

Or overly excited bucks coming from behind.....

Sucker born every minute. Gadget

Or with the now days, overly excited new age "archers" in the woods.

Although I can still run and gun, going to really refine my ground game. for the hardwoods in some areas, going to have the Millenium tree seat on the back, for some comfort, and tuck in. I use a very light guille, which is on the back, and not put on till I am set up........

Bow weight is lowered to 45lbs, with a good arrow and head set up. One thing I learned about the hill country I do also hunt, sitting in a tree all day, may not be the way to go. Moving parallel along the side of the hills, and setting up lets say about every 2 hours, sit and then move, has allowed me to see more deer and action.

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