[Jakeway]

I closed the curtain on another ML season this morning. Totals: shot one nice doe. Saw 18 does and passed on 4 young bucks out of 4 days in the woods.

As I was packing out all my gear and headed to the truck after the hunt this morning, I was wondering where all the simplicity went.

It used to be, to go deer hunting all I needed was warm clothes, a shotgun, a handfull of shells, and a folding seat. Now I'm carrying, besides my gun, a 22 pound climbing stand, a folding saw, safety belt, binoculars, range finder, pre-measured re-loads, short starter, cleaning patches, 2 knives, two kinds of scents with drag rags, three grunt calls, a digital camera, a small video camcorder, a cell phone, and a backpack full of warm outer clothes (because I sweat so much carrying in all this crap). The only way it would be worse would be if I carried a plastic urinal bottle and Butt-out.

I think this weekend I'll just take warm clothes, my 260, a handfull of shells, and a folding seat.

 

[jodum]

Like you I used to hunt with nothing more than a gun, a few shells and a sack lunch. I was young and could stand being cold, thirsty and could see anything that moved in the woods. As I get older, I don't tolerate these inconviences like I used to. I would rather carry a little heavier bag and have the things I need to be comfortable and effective.

 

[kdub]

Hmmmmm.....................

The most important thing I carry is some matches to light the butane heater in the deer blind! Like jodum, I'm too old not to appreciate the creature comforts afforded today. Have cut down the load considerably the past few years, but still need a couple of knives,field dressing kit with latex gloves, drag rope, canteen of water, small thermos of coffee and the usual accoutrements of rifle, ammo, binos and something to munch on.

 

[MikeG]

I can get ready to go hunting a LOT faster by myself, than if the wife and kid are along!

 

[tpv]

I closed the curtain on another ML season this morning. Totals: shot one nice doe. Saw 18 does and passed on 4 young bucks out of 4 days in the woods.

As I was packing out all my gear and headed to the truck after the hunt this morning, I was wondering where all the simplicity went.

It used to be, to go deer hunting all I needed was warm clothes, a shotgun, a handfull of shells, and a folding seat. Now I'm carrying, besides my gun, a 22 pound climbing stand, a folding saw, safety belt, binoculars, range finder, pre-measured re-loads, short starter, cleaning patches, 2 knives, two kinds of scents with drag rags, three grunt calls, a digital camera, a small video camcorder, a cell phone, and a backpack full of warm outer clothes (because I sweat so much carrying in all this crap). The only way it would be worse would be if I carried a plastic urinal bottle and Butt-out.

I think this weekend I'll just take warm clothes, my 260, a handfull of shells, and a folding seat.

I don't want to be a mountain man anymore. I just want to be comfortable while I watch the show. So, I take a lot of stuff so I can enjoy myself more. Sunday afternoon is my day to recuperate from hunting, and I don't want it to extend into Thursday morning

 

[hillestadj]

If it cant fit in my coat pockets it doesnt come along......although the truck is only about 600 yards away filled with goodies .

 

[Tnhunter]

Well, some of the stuff you carry in are already in place (read that the climbing stand) OR stay in my truck until I whack a good one (read that the cameras). But I never, NEVER go to my stand without both my urinal (old sport drink bottle) or my butt-out

I am definitely with you with carrying a pack full of heavy clothes to put on when I get there!

 

[[email protected]]

I think for me it is the fact that I "appreciate" comfort so much more these days......

TPV said tit best. I don't have to prove myself tough anymore. I raised great big young men that do that stuff for me when testerone is needed!!!!!!!! I tell them I am the brains of the outfit

 

[Jakeway]

Well, some of the stuff you carry in are already in place (read that the climbing stand) OR stay in my truck until I whack a good one (read that the cameras). But I never, NEVER go to my stand without both my urinal (old sport drink bottle) or my butt-out

I am definitely with you with carrying a pack full of heavy clothes to put on when I get there!

You're joking about the urinal, right? Not only is a urinal un-necessary, it's actually a waste to pee in the bottle. Peeing on the ground will actually attract deer, not scare them away.

As for the other comments on here, I meant to say that carrying all that stuff is making it less comfortable for me. I'm wasted after getting to the stand. I won't leave a climbing stand in the woods, because even on private land, I've had strap-on stands and stick ladders stolen. And some of the stand sites are just better hunted with a climber, due to the need to get up 25 feet or higher.

 

[BarkBuster20]

You're joking about the urinal, right? Not only is a urinal un-necessary, it's actually a waste to pee in the bottle. Peeing on the ground will actually attract deer, not scare them away.

As for the other comments on here, I meant to say that carrying all that stuff is making it less comfortable for me. I'm wasted after getting to the stand. I won't leave a climbing stand in the woods, because even on private land, I've had strap-on stands and stick ladders stolen. And some of the stand sites are just better hunted with a climber, due to the need to get up 25 feet or higher.

uh, how do you figure human urine attracts deer? Or are whitetails just special?

 

[Saskshooter]

I was wondering where all the simplicity went.

I'm not sure where it went for you, but I AM sure you can have it back the instant you decide you really want it.

 

[MikeG]

When your stand is 10 or 12 feet off the ground, it's good to have a container for liquid waste collection And make sure it's of a larger capacity than your bladder, trust me on that.....

Walk 600 yards from the truck to the stand? Now I feel lazy, I think one of my stands is closer to the camp than that!!!! I have been known to park behind the stand, when hog hunting and the wind was right...... to be more honest, I have used the truck as the stand for pigs, when the weather was bad!!

To each his own......

 

[Greenhorn Dave]

What about the TV?

The TV. Nobody mentioned the TV.
Actually, at the management area I go to a father and son brought in a nice deer and the father said the son didn't even realize what was happening until the shot was fired because the son was playing his portable electronic game.

 

[broom_jm]

Old thread, but still a great topic, considering seasons are opening up very soon, if not already.

One of the things I've done in the last year is radically change how I hunt the places where I have permission. It all starts with stand locations that favor my approach going undetected, as well as allowing me to hunt in most wind conditions. From there, I have created habitat changes that encourage deer to be in the places I can hunt from those favored stand locations. I have done this with trail modification and food plot designs.

One benefit from this, that I hadn't really thought about ahead of time, is how much easier it is to get myself and all of my gear to/from the stand site. The walk in is shorter and more direct, because of how I have placed the stands/blinds, with trails that are cleared so I can walk in almost complete darkness, without needing a flashlight. Also, having things set up ahead of time means I can be a lot quieter and make less of a disturbance, for a shorter period of time, before settling in.

Not having to carry in or set up a stand makes a big difference, IMO. Also, it is fairly easy to secure your climbing stand with two simple, vinyl-coated cable locks...one around the tree and another through both sections of stand, and then through the one around the tree. When you're ready to hunt, it's a snap to quietly remove the one from your stand and leave it on the ground...your climber will go right up and over the one on the tree very easily.

I'm convinced that for hunting whitetails, the key is getting in and out of stands w/o being detected, leaving minimal scent behind, (my trails are cleared so I don't have to touch anything!) and having your sites all set up ahead of time, so deer get used to them. Adding habitat features that encourage deer to be where you want them is the icing on the cake.

So much for simplicity, huh?! Doing a lot of work ahead of time can make the hunt itself a lot simpler...and more successful!

 

[Greenhorn Dave]

Landscape changes spook animals

Broom_jm
I've often wondered how much animals notice about hunter changes to the area. Last night in the Hunting section I posted a link to a video called "My Life as a Turkey". It is a full length professional film, so it might be removed from YouTube pretty quickly - don't wait to see it.
One part of the film shows how the turkeys notice EVERYTHING and EVERY CHANGE!!!
See it here: My Life as a Turkey - YouTube
This is viewing suitable for the whole family, even if they aren't interested in hunting. Be sure to click on the lower right button to make it full screen - it is in very sharp HD video.
Just looked it up on Amazon - the release date for this DVD movie is November 22, 2011

 

[m141a]

If it cant fit in my coat pockets it doesnt come along......although the truck is only about 600 yards away filled with goodies .

On the occasion that I do big game hunt, that's my philosophy too....
warm layered clothes, a knife, my gun, some shells and a few sundries on a daypack. I still hunt from ground cover, or at time, just walk till I see sign and then stalk if they are close enough.

But I am a bird hunter by love and choice, and prefer hobo-n round the woods with my dogs and a very light 20 ga.

 

[kdub]

As I've grown older, the pack has grown lighter!

Anymore - a bottle or two of water, cracker snacks and hard candy for the grandson, a knife, latex gloves, hank of rope and, by all means, T.P.!

Grandson packs along the GameBoy/Nitendo/IPad (whatever) and some tissues for his runny nose.

Naturally, we have our firearms and a few rounds of ammo. No more taking a whole box to the woods.

 

[jodum]

I have a standard day pack that I have been carrying for about ten years. All my standard stuff stays in this pack year round except food. Green jerky doesn't look to appetizing. I can ride my ATV within 50 ft of my ground blind, so I often take two or three different guns with me, rifle, shotgun and handgun. I sometimes sit all day so I bring enough to eat on. Oh yeh, don't forget you meds. ( this is for you older guys)