bojangles

i'm big into tree stands. i've got 3 out there right now, and killed a buck a couple weeks ago out of one. the number one thing with tree stands is the wind. if the wind is bad, get out. or better yet, don't go. that's why i have several out there. one for each wind scenario. the second thing is, you have to hunt where the deer are. i know this seems obvious, but i'm not gonna hang a stand if i saw a doe on that hill one time. i'm gonna look for well worn travel corridors covered with deer poop. i want deer falling out of the trees, or i'm moving on. i like to find where the does are moving in the fall, and hang stands in their travel corridors, then wait for the rut to kick in. then try to get a buck following a hot doe. I don't sit all day. i try to figure out when their moving, and slip in an hour before. the longer you sit, the more your scent moves around, and the fewer deer you'll see. I like to spend 4 hours in the stand, max. I only like to hunt a stand once a week. if deer continuously smell you in a spot, they gone, bro. and they aint comin' back. leave the book at home, and the phone in your pocket. You won't hear a deer 40 yards behind you. You've got to keep your eyes up. Hang your stand as high as you can. Wait for them to look away before you draw. If you can stand before you shoot, you'll be better off, but you'll have to do that before they get close enough to see you. Silence is golden. make sure you bow doesn't squeak, and your jacket doesn't catch on the bark of the tree. Wear a safety harness. bring a rope to pull your bow up and lower it back down the tree. be careful with the broadheads, don't cut yourself and bleed to death. i don't like to eat in the stand. food is smelly. no coffee. not only does it smell, then you hafta pee. i bring a small bottle of water to sip, and an empty one to pee in, if i'm feeling real cautious. don't leave the bottle of pee in your truck. maybe your buddies truck, but not yours. you don't want to make a mistake in a week, thirsty moment. i'm not a trophy hunter, by any means. i whack the first legal thing that trots by. that's just how i roll. one of the newest lessons i've learned, is use the IQ sight if you can. i missed 4 coues in a row, because i was torquing my bow and didn't know it. it's one thing to shoot on the ground, or even practice out of your stand. But the deer never come in exactly where they are supposed to. You have to lean, and twist, or maybe wear a glove because it's cold. All this torques the bow. the IQ sight will help you correct that in the moment of truth. i wish i'd bought that sight years ago. there's one really big buck i shot at, and back strapped him because i was wearing a glove. He comes in on camera, but never when i'm there. He has my number. It haunts me. You make mistakes, and learn.

i have a friend who has a hand made double barrel shotgun, probably French, mid 1800's, and a winchester lever action 308 that he wants to put up for sale, but has no idea of their worth. where does somebody go for firearm appraisals? thx! i think the winchester is more common, but i was scratching my head on the antique muzzle loader shotgun. i have no inclination of it's value, neither does he, but it does look valuable.

thanks! you know, i couldnt tell what guage, looked like it may have been somewhere around a 16 guage. it's interesting looking, and definitely old. not sure if it has value or not. i was hoping to get pics this weekend the the wife hit a deer, in fountain hills of all places, and now we have no car. so...i'll do what i can. also, the lever gun is a pre-64, not sure if that helps out non model 70's?

i'm also interested in 218 bee ammo. i have a hard time wondering why that round is not more popular.

sold. thanks guys.

this is a very smooth drawing bow. it's been on a lot of hunts , but it's still very functional. 60-70 pounds, 29" cams. it's not letting me upload pics. maybe i can do it off my phone.

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shoots so nice, i had to post it twice.

also, try mtbr http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showcat.php?cat=38 they have a pretty good following in the valley. this stumpy's the real deal.

welp, maybe it bounced out of somebody's truck at an inopportune time, then somebody else drug it off the road to avoid further road damage. sounds like a long shot, but i've seen an amazing amount of big game parts lying on the side of the road during hunting season, that appeared to have been unsecured.

nice build for a butt-buster. i more of a full- squish kind of guy. but if i wasn't, i think i'd buy that, and throw on a suspension seat post.

i'd buy traps if someone would teach me how to trap

no, i thought i stumbled on an illegal substance, but, then i've been informed that salt is ok. truth be told, i'm pretty sure i know who the hunter is, so i threw this out there to see the reaction of hunting over bait when it's been banned. i had been told that hunting over salt was illegal. but then i learned otherwise, so it's a moot post.

interesting. i guess hes ok then. still i hate being on camera. my big buck isnt showing up. maybe he got him. i thought we couldn't hunt over salt. i stand corrected.

no, i'll leave his location to himself. it's a decent spot, i hope he gets lucky. i didn't think you were supposed to hunt over trophy rocks, no?

lol, no, not this time. i did have to think back and try to remember if i was pickin' or scratchin' something.

....i'll be your bestest friend...

there is some graphic wildlife events here, and maybe a cussword i think, so you may want to send your tender eyed toddlers out of the room.

my best friend started the company that is now owned by Site Expedite. It's a great company in a great industry. I came pretty close to being a tower jockey myself, i even went up a tower just to check it out. If i was young and single, this would be a no brainer. There's a lot of guys with college degrees that don't make as much as his climbers.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/06/04/lauren-hill-supporters-design-sell-real-mvp-t-shirts-after-espy-snub/ i'm buyin'. Can't believe what makes the news these days. It's embarrasing.

I'm looking at holding out for a trophy mule deer tag. I figure i can hunt archery every year until i get a trophy tag, and possibly shoot a monster on one of those hunts, too. But if you were holding out for a trophy tag, what unit would you choose, and why? I'm looking at 13a and 13b, but should i be shopping other units too? what about 12a eas/west? 12b 3c 23 late? Mind you, i want to come home with a b&c on this hunt, and i'm willing to wait for the tag. thx!!

welp, thanks. i've made my decision to keep after the strip tag for now. that gives me a chance to chase them with stick and string and help me improve my skills while i wait in line. thanks, guys, great replies, and great pics!!!!

Again, thanks for the input. I can count on one hand the number of big game animals i've taken outside of unit 22, so to those of you with experience in other units, thanks a million.

thanks for the input.