Bow Hunter Derek

Re: Some Leaf River Digital Pictures I really like the camera as well. Real easy to work with, well constructed, and good picture quality. The only thing I wish was better was the trigger time of the camera. It can take 3 to 5 seconds to wake up, do a systems check, and take a picture. I guess this is normal and 3 seconds is actually at the faster end of the spectrum for digital cameras. But, you miss several deer, or just get their hind end passing out of the frame. I've got pleanty of those pictures! I'm learning that you need to set these cameras up so that they are pointed in an area where the deer are going to hang out for a little bit (like a feeding area), or compensate by pointing them down a trail, so that the deer stays in front of the camera long enough to get a picture. Overall, I really like this camera. I've got the bug now and am thinking of a home brew camera as a winter project. My wife will kill me.

Re: Question about shoulder shots with a bow It's definately not the best shoot, but I've done it with success. Two years ago, I shot my first P&Y 8 pointer through the shoulder. He was slightly quartering to me. It was the only shot opportunity and he would be gone. I let a razor sharp Steelforce fly into his left shoulder. Blew clear through the deer. He went about 80 yards and fell over. Not a lot of blood. Fortunately, it was a picked bean field and I saw him go down, so tracking was no problem. It all comes down to how comfortable you are in shot placement and your equipment. Would I take the shot again? I don't know. Maybe.

Re: Ethics.... If you are concerned about being busted by the law, then practice the old 3 S's ... Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up. We don't even have a fall season here in Indiana (next year). But I can tell you that if a big tom or hen is hobbling around and it is obvious that it will not make it on it's own, then I'm putting an arrow in it. Some things are bigger than the law. I'd shoot the animal and make the best use possible of the meat. I doubt I'd tell the DNR as they would just turn it into more hastle than it would be worth. I'm generally a "by the book" hunter, but there comes a point when common sense and ethics must come before the law.

Re: Muzzle rubbers, what are they called? Even cheaper solution. Take a piece of black electrical tape and put it over the end of the barrel. It will simply blow off when you pull the trigger, yet it keeps all the water out.

Re: muzzleloader scope suggestions I'd invest in something good. Like a previous poster, when I got my first muzzleloader, I pulled my 3-9x32 Simmons off my 22 for use on the new smoke pole. It has been accurate enough, but I am loosing confidence in it. It needs to be re-zeroes after a lot of shooting (that could be the rings too). This will be the last year using it. I'd buy a new one this year, but I've already spent WAY over my hunting budget for the year. If I buy one more thing, my wife will skin me and take MY head to the taxidermist. Next year a new Nikon shotgun scope will adorn my muzzleloader.

Re: Benelli nova? The Nova is a great gun. While I don't own one, I've known several guys who either do have them or did at one time. The only complaint I ever hear about them is the recoil. 3" are bad and 3 1/2" are NASTY. (But, then I own an 870 and a Browning BPS and 3 1/2" shells can still rock your world with those guns if you aren't prepared for them.) I'm no expert on the Nova, but I believe the recoil reducer refered to by a previous poster is a kind of floating weight that is installed inside the butt stock of the gun. This is supposed to reduce the felt recoil. I'd say get that and invest in a better butt pad (assuming they are available for the Nova). I'm sure some Nova owners will give you better advise than I have.

Here are three decent photos from my new Leaf River trail camera. I'm still trying to find a spot that will get some good deer pictures. I'm seeing more deer while hunting than my camera is. Maybe I should strap it to one of my tree stands! Got it set on a rub right now, can't wait to check it in a week or so. Here's some recent pics. A forkie A doe at night Three young bucks out crusing together

Re: AAAUUUGGHHH! Been there, done that. Last year, I smoked a doe at 115 yards with my muzzleloader, then a couple nights later missed one at 40 yards. I hung the muzzleloader up and went back to the bow. At least you missed clean. The only thing worse than missing one is wounding one.

Re: Whould you shoot a deer while waling to your stand Heck yea. I shot a doe a couple years ago with my bow one morning as I was walking out from a morning hunt. She walked out 15 yards in front of me and never saw me (I was walking behind some thicker stuff). I saw her, knocked an arrow, stepped into an opening, and let if fly. 40 yards later I was doing some unexpected field dressing.

Re: Buck down!! Congrats! Pictures! Let's see em'!

Re: WARNING - Summit Climber & Bowhunting Buckey - It is a Cobra model, which is the same frame as a Bushmaster. Outside of their new Clear Shot, I think my cam would have hit whatever climber I had been in. Just watch those upper support arms when taking shots behind you. If you hit them, it makes for a very exciting moment.

Re: Before and after 10 pointer Too sweet. Congrats!

Re: Pics of what happens when U fall 17ft with a tree That is messed up. Glad to hear that you were not hurt too badly. Looks like your pride more than anything. Be carefull out there!

Re: Infrared pictures did you build that IR camera yourself? I'm thinking of a winter project of building my own camera, but want to do an IR one.

Re: **Big 9 point Swamp buck is dead to D-mans arrow** Awesome! Pictures, we want pictures!

Re: Morning or afternoon? I hate to track after dark, but I must admit that I have much higher success rate (especially in early season) during evening hunts. I just see a lot more deer then. What I really like about evening is that once you get there, in theory every minute that goes by gets to be better hunting and then there is a definate ending point (end of legal hours). Mornings are tougher for me. The best hunting peaks and then it is down hill from there with the occassional late morning movers. Also, there is no definate cut off time. I'm always questioning myself ... "It's 9:30, is it too early to leave?" type stuff.

Re: WARNING - Summit Climber & Bowhunting I was standing and it was an off hand shot (probably the worst postion to shoot from these stands). Totally my inexperience hunting out of one of these stands. Next time out, the top portion, will be hanging much lower. Live and learn. Fortunately, the bow was fixed in an hour at the shop and the doe walked away without a scrape. Just thought I'd throw the warning flag out there to many of the others on this board that are first time climber hunters like me.

Let me preface this by saying that I am relatively new to the climber world. I bought a slightly used Summit Cobra last spring and am still getting adjusted to it. So, I guess this warning would apply to any climber. Tonight, I had the ultimate set up. Wind was awesome, everything was right. At about 5:30 pm, the largest greyest doe I've ever seen came strolling through the woods. I was not going to take a doe yet, but this doe was amazing. I've shot A TON of does in my time, but this doe was like a small cow elk walking through the woods, HUGE! She was going home with me (and maybe on the wall!). Well, she comes in from behind me and circles directly under my stand. I mean litterally under me. Then the circled again behind me. Finally, at 15 yards, she stopped and offered me the PERFECT quartering away shot. So, I leaned around the tree and came to draw. I set that top pin right behind her shoulder and let it fly. BOOM! My bottom cam, smacked the riser on the top section of my Summit climber. I had neglected to account for the fact that the riser was in the way! Fortunately, the arrow sailed over her back, or else I'm sure she would have been wounded. However, my bow did not fair so well. The string came off the cam. The serving was ruined and the cam had a big hickey in it. So after many explatives, I ran to my local pro shop, where he slapped a new cam on and reserved my string and then put it all back together. Fortunately that is all the damage that was done! So, a word of warning, climber users, BE CAREFUL when shooting directly behing you. I got lucky, I could have easily broke the string or cracked a limb.

Re: Ameristep Outhouse Blind I've said it before and I'll say it again. As a FORMER Ameristep Doghouse Blind owner ... Spend the money and get a Double Bull. Sheen was one of my biggest issues with the Ameristep. They are blinding when the sun hits them right. Say what you want about the price of a D.B., but the material is the best out there. No glare what so ever as there should not be for that kind of money. I've got to admit, the Brick House looks like a good design (very similar to the D.B.), but it is the material that would keep me from spending the money on it. If Ameristep would put good material on their blinds, they could still sell them at a resonable price, and they would be 10x more effective.

Re: Team Realtree E-Z Hangers? I've got two of them, the long one and the short one. I love them. I primarily use the short one, only because the long one is too big to fit in any pockets of my Primos vest, or jackets. They screw in super easy. Yea, hardwoods can be tougher, but most trees are very easy. I extend mine out straight, then stab it hard into the tree and start turning. After it gets a good bite into the tree, I turn the arm 90 degrees and use it as a leverage arm to screw the hanger easily all the way into the tree. I'd recommend buying the actual Realtree ones, instead of the knock offs. The most important part is the thread design. The knock offs just don't have the agressive design that the Realtree ones have.

Re: Gumoflage Total scam. It just goes to show that you can market and sell anything. Give me a break.

Re: 10 Brand New 2004 Summit Climbers For Sale Cheap!! Sent you an email.

Re: My First Bow Kill (pic) Great job Harv! The first one is always the sweetest. Something to be proud of. Congrats!

Re: range finder for bow Yep. Cabela's Archery catalog, page 67. $199.99. My neighbor has one and swears by it. He used it when he shot a 325" bull elk in New Mexico two years ago. He said he just pushed the button at full draw and it said the bull was at 18 yards, so he let the arrow fly. I'll stick with my Bushnell Scout range finder. I don't need another gadget on my bow.

Re: WEIRD My local proshop has one. It is not for sale, they have it as a conversation piece more than anything. I've never shot it, but the guys that have say that it is horrible. Besides, I doubt it is legal in very many states. The thing weights a TON.