Again, thanks for all the help. In light of the obvious mistake I've been making, the fact my 4 day old blind is up in a sunnier edge of the field, and it's not brushed in, do you guys think it could hurt any further to put it in a shady path in woods I've seen tracks on. Throw some scent kkilled gloves on, and grab the hatchet. Brush in my blind completely with brush and such from the area. It seems I've spooked um, put foreign objects in there path, and came in hunting too heavy footed and on the wring wind. I guess what I'm asking, is in this scenario would y'all go for broke and set it up on a funnel leaving to the field they frequent in for the last few days?
Hit a brick wall
- Thread starter PSE_Ryan
- Start date
Jeff H
Well-Known Member
I would do this if you plan to hunt it 2 or more days after you set it up.
Here's a thought on brushing it in. Bring your brush with you or cut limbs, grass (ornamental grass works well) near where you park your vehicle vs where you plan to put your blind. Hacking up limbs in your set up spot can also alert the deer that something is not right. An exception to this might be a limb or two off an evergreen tree so that you can tuck your blind under it.
fyi.. large downfall trees make great places to set up blinds. You lose some shooting lanes but they do a good job camouflaging the blind.
Here's a thought on brushing it in. Bring your brush with you or cut limbs, grass (ornamental grass works well) near where you park your vehicle vs where you plan to put your blind. Hacking up limbs in your set up spot can also alert the deer that something is not right. An exception to this might be a limb or two off an evergreen tree so that you can tuck your blind under it.
fyi.. large downfall trees make great places to set up blinds. You lose some shooting lanes but they do a good job camouflaging the blind.
j-bird
Well-Known Member
I was 20 feet up. And I forgot that trees get smaller the further up you go....some change a lot! By the time I reached the height I wanted - the lower platform was at such a steep angle it wasn't funny. No safety harness mind you.... So I need to adjust the lower platform. In order to do that I had to sit on the rail of the upper portion....pull the catch pin and then shorten the cable that goes around the tree......in the dark. So instead of just going back down the tree I give it a shot. As I pull the pin the cable tension pulls it back around the other side of the tree! So now I have the entire base in my hand, as I sit on the top portion.....stuck! well the sun starts to come out and at this point I am considering all of my options...which are few. This is before cell phones as well - so no help was coming to get me from the tree or from the ground either way. So I have to re-position the cable so the natural tension in it makes it want to go around the tree and try to refasten it. It took 3 tries and 1 really puckered butt-hole to get it done, but I did it. Of course while this is going on 3 deer walk in on me. All three look up at me like, "Man! People can be SO STUPID!" Every muscle in my body hurt from the stress and tension in trying to make all of this work. Finally I got the lower portion level and I just sat there! My body shook like it does after killing a big buck. I was simply so thankful I didn't fall and my muscles and mind all needed a break! I then started buying ladder stands and fixed position stands with tree ladders...... I still use a climber, but not near as much as I used to. I have since also developed other helpful practices in dealing with a climber as well.....but those are another story.....
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
The first time I used a climber I wasn't hunting, just trying to get familiar with it, so I only went about ten feet up before I lost the bottom piece. After watching it go down the tree like a runaway bumper jack, I tied a short rope to it. Back in those days they didn't come with one, and I guess I'm not the only fool that ever happened to, 'cause the next one I bought had one with it.
Jeff H
Well-Known Member
The first climber I used was a Baker and the climber part of the stand was an option! The first year we just hugged the tree while pulling up the bottom portion with your feet. Beyond dangerous!
There were a few times that you just bear hugged the tree back down to ground after it came loose from your feet. Of course that was 30+ years ago and I was in my physical prime and fearless through ignorance. I'm too old (and wise) for that crap now!
There were a few times that you just bear hugged the tree back down to ground after it came loose from your feet. Of course that was 30+ years ago and I was in my physical prime and fearless through ignorance. I'm too old (and wise) for that crap now!
TheOldOak
Active Member
If you only have a few days left to bowhunt, a new brushed in blind probably won't help much. If you do brush it in, stay 20 yards off the game trail. The old does don't like to see the scenery change, a big blob right along their trail will get them all fired up. Wouldn't worry about making mistakes. I tried to feather in a blind about a week ago. Busted by the does two nights in a row, gave up on that one and pulled it out a week after setting it up. it's in a good spot, but i should have put it in two months ago, lesson relearned since I've been doing this for 20 years-unfortunately i have no excuses for that one. If you go with a climber, don't go cheap. Always, always wear your safety harness in the stand. A lot of what you're doing now is preparation for next year! Good thing is many of the same trails and patterns the deer use will be the same next year, so make a list of things to do in the offseason and next year it will be a far different story! Good luck!
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
Get a two man setup. That's what all my ladders were and I weigh more than you. Makes it so much roomier also as you have a place to put your pack or whatever beside you instead of under your feet. Makes for less movement IMO. Also the armrests don't get in your way as much.
FL Plotter
Well-Known Member
It's only 74 acres so it's a very small part of a doe's core and less of a buck's core area, so you could sit there for days before you see a deer. Or it could be a nocturnal only transit route with few if any daylight encounters. Deer move to eat and breed....not to come to you to get shot. Is it transit from bedding to feed? A natural funnel? Or just random deer movement in that area because one tree has some acorns. The only way to know how they move or use the property is to either sit there every morning and evening, or run trail cams.
1) Don't underestimate the importance of wind with where you park, where you walk, and where you sit. Small acreage. Small herd. It only takes one mistake and you have educated them to avoid your area.
2) Do away with all the gimmicks, scents and calls. Get your clothes and body as scent free as possible. That means scent free soap and shampoo before you hunt. Scent free towel to sit in your vehicle. Scent free wipes to wipe down when you park. And changing into scent free hunting clothes when you park...no driving clothes in the woods. Wipe down your bow, arrows, cell phone, etc...
3) I don't know your laws, but can you bait at all? Corn is king if it's legal.
1) Don't underestimate the importance of wind with where you park, where you walk, and where you sit. Small acreage. Small herd. It only takes one mistake and you have educated them to avoid your area.
2) Do away with all the gimmicks, scents and calls. Get your clothes and body as scent free as possible. That means scent free soap and shampoo before you hunt. Scent free towel to sit in your vehicle. Scent free wipes to wipe down when you park. And changing into scent free hunting clothes when you park...no driving clothes in the woods. Wipe down your bow, arrows, cell phone, etc...
3) I don't know your laws, but can you bait at all? Corn is king if it's legal.
I've done some work since my last response. I've moved my blind away from there initial entrance point up on a high point overlooking a spot they come in through the creeks and the adjacent woods. I've put down corn twice in the last couple days about 50 yards off. prepping for gun season. I've ordered a refurbished ozonics 200 unit to hang inside my blind. parked 1/2 a mile from my blind out of site. I'm approaching from over the backside of the mountain instead of through the field where i've been seeing them at 3.00 a.m. Last but not least to all the helpful people in this thread. I've brushed in my blind with materials taken from an area where i park my truck far away from my blind. here is a before and after pick of my brush in. Leaving only my two shooting lanes open.
i need to do some detail work around my windows i think, but i used scent washed gloves and a dab of regular deer urine to make it smell natural. plan to let it sit for two more weeks until rifle seasons. any constructive criticism??
weekender21
Well-Known Member
Ryan, welcome to the addicting sport of archery hunting. These early stages of learning can be so much fun, it sounds like you're on the right track. I'm guessing you know this already but you can use your bow during muzzle loader and rifle season if you choose. Just don't want you thinking you have to use a rifle. I grew up just south of you in Mecklenburg County and just bought land in the NW corner of the state up in Ashe County. Good luck with the rest of your season!
Oh, one piece of constructive criticism. Don't feel like you need to add deer urine to mask the smell of your blind. Just try to keep your set-up on the downwind side of where you think the deer are likely to approach. I guarantee you deer are walking right up to your blind at night. To them it still smells like a blind, even if there is deer pee next to it. Your access to and from your blind is extremely important, especially on a small farm. If you walk too deep into the property to hunt you'll educate the deer long after you're out of the woods. If that's the case, it would be very normal to see less and less deer the longer you hunt that spot.
Oh, one piece of constructive criticism. Don't feel like you need to add deer urine to mask the smell of your blind. Just try to keep your set-up on the downwind side of where you think the deer are likely to approach. I guarantee you deer are walking right up to your blind at night. To them it still smells like a blind, even if there is deer pee next to it. Your access to and from your blind is extremely important, especially on a small farm. If you walk too deep into the property to hunt you'll educate the deer long after you're out of the woods. If that's the case, it would be very normal to see less and less deer the longer you hunt that spot.
weekender21
Well-Known Member
Yes, I'm serious. I kind of thought you might not know that by the way you wrote the post. Just google the NC regulations. During muzzle loader season you can use muzzle loaders and archery equipment and during rifle season you can use rifles, muzzle loaders, and archery equipment.
weekender21
Well-Known Member
It's on page 47 of the 2017/2018 regulations PDF:
Weapons and Dogs
Archery. During the archery season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows and crossbows (both described on page 42). It is unlawful to use a dog while hunting deer during this season, except to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 42 for details.
Blackpowder. During the blackpowder season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows (both described on page 42), and blackpowder firearms as defined on page 42. It is unlawful to use a dog while hunting deer during this season, except to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 42 for details.
Gun. During the gun season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows (both described on page 42), blackpowder firearms, shotguns, rifles, and handguns. Hunters may use dogs to hunt deer during this season in counties indicated on the map on page 54, and to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 43 for details.
Weapons and Dogs
Archery. During the archery season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows and crossbows (both described on page 42). It is unlawful to use a dog while hunting deer during this season, except to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 42 for details.
Blackpowder. During the blackpowder season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows (both described on page 42), and blackpowder firearms as defined on page 42. It is unlawful to use a dog while hunting deer during this season, except to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 42 for details.
Gun. During the gun season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows (both described on page 42), blackpowder firearms, shotguns, rifles, and handguns. Hunters may use dogs to hunt deer during this season in counties indicated on the map on page 54, and to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 43 for details.
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
Although I can't see your pics of the blind, and really wish I could, it sounds like you're on the right track. As long as your route to your blind is not through a bedding area, and your face is in the wind more or less, you should be good. I say more or less, because, at least where I hunt, the wind is not too steady this time of the year right around daylight. IMO, egress and ingress are as important as blind/stand placement. I think Bill Winke said, " I would rather have great access to a mediocre stand, than mediocre access to a great stand ". I'm paraphrasing but you get the idea. It does no good to have a great "spot" if you are educating most of the deer going in.
If you want to use a bow, put the corn closer to the blind. For the record, I'm with you, I'd rather use the bow, but I will break out the .280 Rem if necessary.
Using your Ozonics unit, read the directions. It needs to be in the center of the top of the blind, pointed so that it's blowing over your head to cover the direction that your scent is exiting your blind. I've even been known to spray the entire inside of a pop up heavily with the no-scent spray of choice. Wouldn't hurt to spray the outside after you've set it up also. I've used Scent Away, Dead Down Wind, etc. All of them work to some degree, none of them are a magic bullet, but taken together, that is: scent sprays, Ozonics, using the wind to your advantage, etc. will give you the edge you need to close the deal.
I wish you great good luck, nothing makes me happier than to see a successful new hunter, and remember, success is not measured in inches of antler, so shoot what you can in the first years, as long as it's legal, it builds confidence, and that's one of your most important weapons. Now, get it on !
If you want to use a bow, put the corn closer to the blind. For the record, I'm with you, I'd rather use the bow, but I will break out the .280 Rem if necessary.
Using your Ozonics unit, read the directions. It needs to be in the center of the top of the blind, pointed so that it's blowing over your head to cover the direction that your scent is exiting your blind. I've even been known to spray the entire inside of a pop up heavily with the no-scent spray of choice. Wouldn't hurt to spray the outside after you've set it up also. I've used Scent Away, Dead Down Wind, etc. All of them work to some degree, none of them are a magic bullet, but taken together, that is: scent sprays, Ozonics, using the wind to your advantage, etc. will give you the edge you need to close the deal.
I wish you great good luck, nothing makes me happier than to see a successful new hunter, and remember, success is not measured in inches of antler, so shoot what you can in the first years, as long as it's legal, it builds confidence, and that's one of your most important weapons. Now, get it on !
http://prntscr.com/h76fjc before
http://prntscr.com/h76fuw after
don't know why the pictures aren't loading. but that's what i have so far. would like to take the time and fill in between the two shooting windows as that's all that's exposed. any thoughts?
http://prntscr.com/h76fuw after
don't know why the pictures aren't loading. but that's what i have so far. would like to take the time and fill in between the two shooting windows as that's all that's exposed. any thoughts?
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
I would have probably moved it back 10' or so into the woods to take advantage of the natural cover as well as the shadows. I prefer to put mine under a low hanging limb if possible. Two benefits to that are the shade that camos your blind and the fact that you can tie the top of the blind to the limb and brush over the top without the blind collapsing. I don't hunt out of pop ups anymore, but when I did, only the mesh window(s) were open. I shoot through the mesh. Everything else was thoroughly covered. I always had my door to the back where it didn't have to be covered as much. I like cedar or pine, more bang for your buck in camo. The natural smell doesn't hurt either. I think you'll get by with that once it sits a few days though.
One other thing, don't shoot through the mesh with a mechanical head unless you've thoroughly vetted it. Some of them will hang up and go sideways with you. Cut on contact are good to go. Good luck !
weekender21
Well-Known Member
Test out your Broadhead first but it won't throw off a fixed blade out to 30 or so. Some mechanicals can be shot through the mesh too. Make sure it's relatively tight and test it out.
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