VT Outfitter

I purchase wooden clothes pins and industrial adhesive tractor trailer bumper reflector tape. I cut the reflector tape into strip's and stick them to both sides of the clothes pin. I clip them on tree limbs about every 30 yards. With a green, blue, or white flash light they light up like someone shinning a flash light back at you. I have put them 200 yards across farm fields and they reflect great even at that distance.

Those are some great pictures. That is cool you hunt rabbit with a red tail hawk. I hunt rabbits with beagles. We should team up and go rabbit hunting. The beagles can jump and run the rabbit and your red tail hawk can catch them! Together we will strike fear into the hearts of rabbits world wide!..................................no joke, I think hunting with a hawk has got to be the coolest thing I have heard in a while. Good luck.

I have had great luck with Timber Hawk Packs. They are in your price range. Very durable, very soft and quiet in the woods for walking, and you cant kill them. I have had the same pack for guiding clients year round (archery, rifle, black powder, turkey, ice fishing, and rabbit hunting) for the last three years without a broken zipper or rip. I have the Rut Buster for $100. www.timberhawk.com

Almost pissed myself laughing! Better put up a "one buck at a time please" sign...HAHAHA! That looked like a lot of work, kudos to the craftsman. What lengths we all go through to get into the woods, building a super long foot bridge is on the extreme end of deer crazy.....I fully understand.

That name fits. I used the chainsaw rope again today. I was taking down limbs left and right. Looked like my woods were attacked by a herd of porcupines, I just couldn't help myself.

Sorry, my bad....

Awesome! Very cool to watch....

These are a few of the bucks that got passed on, couldn't get a clean shot, and just plain never saw them from stand. They should all be a bit bigger and I cant wait to see them on cam again.

Hello everyone, I just wanted to post a thread about a very cool tool I used today. I was on one of my hunting properties setting stands and checking trail cameras. Lots of pictures of Doe's with fawn's and some small bucks, few turkeys too. This tool I bought while working for an archery outfitter in IL many years ago. I found it at a farm supply place, the name escapes me at the moment, but it seemed like a nice tool to have. It was inexpensive, like $20. It is very, very simple. But extremely effective. I describe it as a long length of heavy rope with a weight sand bag at one end, and a clip on the other end. In the middle there is a long length of chainsaw chain attached inline and has a metal piece about 6 inches long at one end of the chain. For those limbs that need to be taken in shooting lanes, no matter the size, this tool chews through with ease. All you have to do is throw the sand bag over the limb and pull the chain up to the limb and start pulling the rope back and forth like using a small hand cable saw that you would carry for wilderness survival. I was throwing the bag from the ground and from the tree stand. It rolls up to about the size of a softball with a baseball (sand bag) attached to it. I have tried the extending pole saws. I have even cut a pole and tied my hand saw to the pole to cut lanes. This rope chainsaw doesn't bind like a blade saw does, plus I can sharpen it. Anyone ever hear of or use one of these? I cant even remember the name of this thing, but it is taken the place of my pole saws from here on out.

I have both Summit Viper and Ol'Man Drone climber. Both are very comfy, both are about the same price. The Ol'Man Drone is a bit more bulky and heavier to carry, but it has a footrest and full adjustment for platform angle while in the tree. I use Summit climber for long hikes, and Ol'Man for shorter hikes. If I had to choose only one climber it would be the Ol'Man Drone for me without a doubt.

I was told long ago that Albino genes are inferior and that they have a poor immune system. I have no idea if this is true. I have seen a few albino deer and a couple piebald deer in my area. I had a client shoot a 5 point buck last year that was piebald. It had white hoofs and a few white spots on the hide. He had it mounted and it looks very cooI. I never have got the opportunity to shoot one, but I have to say that a albino buck would be a great mount to have at home. Does the meat have a vanilla taste? Joking, I'm joking......

I have had a few deer hunting clients that are fairly new to hunting, purchase a Mossberg .06 from Dick's Sporting Goods for around $400. The Dicks Mossberg .06 proved to be very accurate out to the 100 yard mark. For the money, the Dick's .06 is a good hunting rifle that you wont get upset that you put a ding in the stock (scratches are character marks and maybe have a story). And like everyone has stated, .06 is a great hunting round capable of taking game up to the size of a Moose. If recoil is a issue, Simm's vibration makes a recoil pad that slips over the butt stock and works wonderful. Good luck to you.

Looks like you and your wife had a great trip, it looks so fun, maybe some day I my get the opportunity to go on safari. Nice photos!

Obsession bows is one I have heard much of. Are they a new company? How do you like it for forgiveness, vibration, comfort, ect...?

I am very happy with Victory Archery VAP's. They are a bit high in price, but you get your money's worth with accuracy, consistency, and confidence. I only shoot a few deer with my archery equipment each season, so a dozen go's a long way. Having the confidence to hit my mark at any reasonable yardage is worth spending a little extra in my opinion. www.victoryarchery.com

This buck looks like he got caught with his hoof in the cookie jar. I bet your excited for season to start, I would be anyway. Good luck and I hope you see him from stand.

I found this for you. Check it out. I think your looking for the 28" brown cables. http://www.huntriversedge.com/foundations/store/shopdetail.asp?params=RE501*101&tab=parts

Cool videos gunner1. They are a beautiful creature, until a wounded bear or sow with cubs rips your face off. Sounds like your paying attention with the fact you notice her favoring a foot while moving around, but still, be careful and stay safe.

Hope you have a great day Lawdwaz.

It wont be long now, it was 50's yesterday and certainly felt like fall. Just a teaser day I am sure, plenty of August left for hot temps.....I took advantage of the cool day to start setting stands for archery season. Is it considered a date if your wife goes with you and the kids stay home? It is fun and easy to cut shooting lanes with two people, she is on her 4th season of archery hunting with some misses on yardage guessing. She is like a sponge in the woods, soaking up any information she can. It's so much fun watching her take notice of deer trails and selecting a tree location. Reminds me of when I first started bow hunting at 12 years old. My guess is the learning curve never changes regardless of age when you start. Some mistakes everyone just has to make to learn to become a good bow hunter.

That is a great variety of forage for your critters. I am curious to see how your strip planting turns out.

I would shoot the freak non typical cause it fits my nature. I enjoy the strange and weird anomalies that nature can produce. My girls found a 5 legged frog once, it was growing out of the back of the frog. It even kicked when the hind legs would move to jump. I had my girls set it free back into the pond before I realized I should have taken a photo, darn it!

Head scratcher for sure......What's it smell like, maybe that will tell us what it is. Also try stacking the poop in columns to see how fresh it is. Is your neighbors plumbing on the fritz? Of course I am joking with all of this. Set a trail cam up to catch the culprit.

dbHunterNY, I second that suggestion and advice. In my area there is land that you cant discharge a weapon unless at a legal game animal. Rhinehart makes a soccer ball looking target on a rope that you can throw and shoot it where it lies.

Yes, I cleaned the hide for hours and hours. I wasn't sure when or where I was going to take it to get it done. A friend told me to get it super clean and rap it head inside with fur to fur, skin to skin and rap it tight. I have had it on ice for 5 years now. Wow how time slips by, I hope it is still ok. Probably freezer burned ears and stuff.