Bownarow

I hear what you are saying here. I agree with the idea that it maybe a little "gameshowish" as you say. I've met Mark before and had a lengthy conversation with him, and I"m sure they would never have bad intentions in mind when they created the show. I hope any future seasons have more experienced hunters though. Remember the heritage of hunting but also have a fun doing it. There's nothing wrong with enjoying yourself or showing your emotions out there. I know I do it, it's just that there is not camera there to capture me doing it. I'm sure I say and do some pretty silly things while I'm out there, but I gaurantee I'm having a blast.

I really like the Dream Season shows but this year is probably my least favorite to date. I don't mind the fact that the women are out there hunting with them men, but they could have at least picked teams where the women have killed deer before. Most of the ladies on the show have been killing their first deer and/or animal ever with their bows on the show. Seems like you would want some ladies that were actually hunters and not beginners. The lady the other night missed three does in a row for goodness sakes. Overall though the premise behind the show is great. I love all the little contests they have and the prizes they give away. It's an awsome deal. Waddell's still the man though!!!! Roadtrips was another awsome episode last night.

Muzzy Zero Effect. Awsome rest.

I have a king kong and a kong and love them both. I really have zero complaints with how they work. The single strap is great for quick setup and I have never had it slip even an little bit. You always hear good things about the LoneWolf stands but I don't have any experience with them. I plan on buying at least one more KingKong before the upcomming season.

Sounds like a cool deal, but that would be an 8 hr drive for this guy.

I'm in the same boat with my Mathews. I shoot the outback and think it is the last good bow Mathews made. I haven't shot the Drenalin yet but I it's gotta be better than those junk switchbacks.

I never wash my ScentBlocker suit. If it gets muddy or dirty I simply rub it down with a damp wash cloth. I always store mine in a scent proof storage bag containing a couple old scent waffers when it's not in use. Then just follow the instructions for activating/reactivating the suit on a frequent basis and you should be good to go.

Your safety harness should have a climbing belt that comes with it. I usually screw in all my steps as I go up and then when I get to an appropriate height I wrap my climbing belt around the tree and pull up the stand by the rope I tied to it and my belt. Then since I have my belt around the tree, I have both hands to position my stand properly. That's pretty much it. I don't have any of the climbing sticks yet. I like the portability, price, and ease of the screw in steps.

My Muzzy Zero Effect has never made a peep on my Mathews Outback.

I get that very same itch about 5 seconds before sunset on the final day of bow season. Cause I know the season has ended and the next one is 8 long, aganizing months away!

That is one sweet ride right there. I've been debating starting a project bike myself but haven't taken the plunge yet. That right there is some inspiration though.

Filtered straight from the sweat off of Bill, David, Micheal, and T-bones brow!!! lol

I've found that in my area the bucks have about a 1-square mile home range. The mature buck in the bachelor group will stay in the same area and drive the others to different areas. So if you are seeing a mature buck in an area now, I would say he'll be there Oct. 1. Hunting just one buck can be a long and tedious process. I did it exclusively last year and it's gets hard passing up 130" bucks and does all day, every day in case that "The One" is right behind them. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed it but it's definitely not for everyone. If there is standing corn around where he is hanging I would say he is most likely living in the corn field. Walk the border between the woods and corn fields and see if you can find where he is entering and exiting the fields. Then it's a set and wait game. Be flexible and move don't be afraid to move (tweak) your stands if you see him just out of range. I made that mistake once last year, and cost myself a shot. Oh well, it's fun right!

In all honesty you've missed the best time to scout for this comming season already. That time is late winter/early spring when the new vegitation hasn't grown in yet and it's easy to see the previous years scrapes and rubs. However, all hope is not lost. Like some of the other guys have already said above, long range scouting if the first step in locating some good bucks. Once you found a good area then you can move in, in the middle of the day and check out all the trails and see which ones are being used by the bucks. By looking at the tracks (all big bucks make tracks) you can determine what trails are being used the most. Follow those trails as far as you can and see where the deer are comming from and why they are using that particular trail. Now find a good tree in shooting range of the "good" trails and hand a tree stand nice and high. My advice at this point would be to get the heck out of there. Especially if you are after a nice mature buck, sitting in that stand in the mornings and evenings at this point would be a big mistake IMHO. You have a huge advantage over a buck as long as he doen't know he's being hunted. Continuing your long range scouting is still a good idea so you can determine if the buck is still using the same fields and trails and then adjust accordingly. As I always say, take my advice for what its worth. Sometimes that's not much!!!

As soon as I get my new string I am also going to use one of the G5 peeps. This peep in made of magnesium, so it is light weight and very durable. Plus in comes in a variety of sizes depending upon your application. For hunting, they have a couple with much larger holes to let in more light and increase your visibility in low light conditions.

Whoa, those must be next year's new Realtree patterns! Pretty sweet. The builtny link didn't work, said the site was under construction. I'll keep searching and post anything I find.

Slap on some bug repellent and keep at it! I always wear rubber boots and a hat when I am scouting to keep those little buggers off the best I can. Then when I get back to the truck I take off the boots, leave them in the back of the truck, shake my pants, shirt, and hat off REAL good, and then head home. When I get home, I leave all my outter clothes in the garage to help ensure none of those critters get in the house (wife's not to fond of creepy crawlies!). Then I immediately head to the shower and proceed to thoroughly check myself in case any of the little devils have latched on. Then you just keep checking yourself to make sure you don't find any more at a later time. It sounds like a bunch of work, but to me.........it's worth it!

Check out the "Waddell" thread in the lounge. It's a few pages deep but it's there. Hope this help you out.

I just use an old razor blade out of a utility knife. I had to be careful when I first started using it b/c it was too sharp. Once it got good and dull though, it works great, and I can really go to town stripping some arrows!

I've got Dish Network and the outdoor channel doesn't come with the basic package, so I have to pay an extra $5 a month just to watch Waddell and the rest of the gang. Maybe you can do the same thing with your Charter?

The difference in range from a certain height (i.e. treestand) to what it is on the ground is actually not all that much. From a treestand height of just 20 feet you would have to shoot at a target at 50 yards before seeing a range difference of just 2 yards. A 20 yard shot from a 20ft eleveated position only results in a difference of .5 yards. With that being said. I think it must also be noted that shooting uphill is not the same as shooting downhill at the same angle. Althought the geometry works out the same way, you must take into account the direction the arrow is traveling in relation to the direction gravity is acting. Uphill gravity is hurting your arrow flight compared to straight line shooting while downhill, gravity is actuall helping the arrow along. It's way to complex to be able to figure out in that split second you have when deciding to take an animal or not, so the best advise is just to keep practicing all the different shots you may incounter in the woods. That way you know what's going to happen b/c you've done it before. Anyway, you've already gotten a good amount advice from all the experts here, I was just adding a little more supporting info.

I can't wait for the deer contest. Seeing all those deer come in, shot with the tribute arrows........it's gonna be cool.

I'd agree with this for the most part as well. I do think you would want the the 100gr. heads for the extra weight, since you are not pulling much poundage.

Prayers are on their way.

I am shooting a Mathews Outback and am looking for a new string. It originally had the ZS Zebra Twist string. It did not have the baracuda string that the switchbacks came with. What are some of the good aftermarket/custom strings that any of you have had good luck with? Or should I just re-string with the same kind of string that is on it now?