VT Outfitter

We have shot multiple doe's from the same stand in areas, with high doe populations, day after day to the point the blood trails get complicated. We have also shot back to back bucks from the same stand. There is always a buck waiting on the edge to take over a territory when a the big buck is gone. If your hunting spot is a good spot to be and the wind is in your favor, hunt it. Happy hunting!

Food plots are always fun to build and watch the deer. I always say any food plot work is better than nothing. You will always get wildlife to respond to a food plot. shooting a deer or turkey on that plot may be a different story. It depends on whats available for other food sources and how big a plot you plant. The books say you shoyld plant 10 percent of your hunting property in food plot. So on 500 acre hunting property you would plant 50+ acres of food plot. Sure, if you have heavy machinery. Realistically I would say plant many 1-2 acre plots strategically on different spot on the property for different wind directions and so you have many choices of where to sit.

I am a fan of Duofold thermal underwear. I wear a fleece top and bottom over my thermal underwear. I wear wool over the fleece. My wool coat has a hood built into into it. I wear synthetic wool blend socks. Where I become non-typical for staying warm is this. A cheap synthetic sleeping bag from Gander Mtn on sale for $20. It packs in small and is not heavy. Heater body suit is great but $400 is a lot of coin. The sleeping bag packs in the same size and keeps me warm all day. When it gets dirty I wash it. The only bad thing is it is a bit noisy for moving but not unmanageable.

Off season?...........There is no off season..........there is only the next season and I love it! In this case your speaking of springtime food plot planting season which is right before turkey season and after spring catfishing season.

The first buck is always a special memory, no matter what age you are. Good job, great buck, and wishing you many more good hunts down the road!

For me, food plots are always worth it. At some point in the year, deer and other game will visit your plot. Sometimes when we put a new food plot in that has never been planted in that spot, the activity can be slow for the first season. Seems like it takes time for wildlife to develop a routine to involve the new plot. By the second season the traffic always increases. There is a risk of over grazing before season starts when you plant small plots. We have a few 1/2 acre plots that we plant a spring mix in the spring. By the end of summer the plot is chewed right down. So we re plow the dirt and plant a fall/winter mix. There are products available like plot saver available. I have heard of some guys fencing off food plots to only allow the deer access to a portion of the food at one time. If you only have a few plots I suppose that's possible, but if you have a lot of plots fencing would be a ton of work. Best I could suggest is to plant a size plot to match the resident deer herd size or a plot that is specifically placed for a hunting spot to pause a buck for a shot. To sum up my opinion, any food plot work is better than no food plot. Any way I can improve my hunting properties is a great feeling of accomplishment, even if we don't shoot a deer directly on the food plot, it is still habitat improvement. Good hunting!

It will be interesting what other members will have for info on this. I have personally seen it go both ways. I have trimmed up shooting lanes in great hunting locations late in the season and had the deer avoid the area completely even when it was done as scent free as I could be and only cutting what was absolutely necessary. I have also been out cutting shooting lanes with a chainsaw and had deer make tracks in the mud that evening and the deer use the area as though nothing had changed. I guess if I had to choose which way to go it would be to NOT cut anything just before you want to hunt that spot. But this time of year there are more non resident deer moving through your hunting areas so maybe they aren't as likely to be alarmed by changes in physical habitat. Good hunting to you this season!

The life line I use when climbing a tree with a climber is very simple but safe. It is a 6' piece of heavy duty para cord black in color with a loop tied at one end and a knot tied at the other end. On the main line I have attached a special grip knot that all life lines use that coils around the main line. Basically this grip knot is a big loop tied. If you google "life line knots" I am sure it will come up. Once I am standing on the platform at the base of the tree, I run the para cord around the tree and into the loop. Then attach my karabiner to the grip knot which is now on the tail end of the life line. My climbing sequence is: Slide life line above me up the tree and cinch, raise the upper section of climber, raise the lower section of climber and repeat. You will be attached to the tree at all times in case of a slip or fall. As far as wet trees go's, if the tree has bark that stands off from the tree trunk then it usually isn't an issue. Trees like white pine, red pine, spruce, hemlock, white oak, and white ash trees have this bark. Trees like red oak and smooth bark hickory can and will slip now and then because the tooth bar on todays stands aren't sharp and are designed to be tree friendly. So I avoid these type trees if I can which usually isn't a problem. About the only problem I have found with climbing tree stands and "wet days" is the water running down the trunk and down your backside as you sit and hunt. I always try to pick a tree that has an angle away or tipped away from the direction I want to look. This way some of the water has a chance to run down the sides of the trunk and not down the back of my pants. Good hunting and stay safe!

I try for the 20' + height with lock on stands. With climbers I go up as high as needed. Sometimes 25' +. Depends on terrain of the area. I try to get as far out of the scent line as possible. Ground blinds that I use are right on ground level so I set them up with a 20 yard shot down wind of the trail or food source.

At some point in your hunting career you obviously paid your due's to the hunting gods. Awesome buck and great shot!

I have always been a fan of the ez-hanger. I put them on all of the stands. Does anyone know if they permanently hurt the tree? Also if anyone has figured out how to make your bow not swing in the wind while on a hanger, but still be secure and easy to get into your hand for a shot?

Any chance that the found 10 point was legally taken but the hunter lost the blood trail and wishes whole heartedly that they could find him?

Awesome to catch a battle in still photo. Imagine if you had the cam set to video! That would have been great to sit down and watch every year before season to get the blood flowing for opening day. Still, some get pics of great bucks, good hunting to you.

I can see why! He will live a long life if he stays out of the road! Good source of photo opportunities I guess.

Nice pic! Just got to find permission bordering the cemetery and hunt him in archery season. Interesting choice of grazing area. Probably should thank the cemetery residents if you get him and hope you don't get cursed.....LOL!