Duncan, these are both excellent tips that I will probably steal from you for the newsletter. 😆 So simple, yet very important points. Thank you!

Come on guys. You might have a tip you think “everyone must know this” but they don’t. We all learn from each others. Keep ’em coming.

Use milkweed seeds as wind testers. The dried pods are full of them, and they will float and drift in the smallest current of air. They are much better than small tuffs of cotton balls and are much easier to see compared to powders.

I cover my fletch on my bow quiver with an camo pants leg cut off of about 10 or 12 inches in length. Put velcro straps across on end so that you can hang the skirt over the rubber arrow gripper. I think it helps to keep the deer from seeing my fletch especially when still hunting.

The milkweed really works well. I use that too.

I cover my fletch on my bow quiver with an camo pants leg cut off of about 10 or 12 inches in length. Put velcro straps across on end so that you can hang the skirt over the rubber arrow gripper. I think it helps to keep the deer from seeing my fletch especially when still hunting.

The milkweed really works well. I use that too.

When hunting whitetails ALWAYS cover the face and hands. I use camo paint in the early season, and camo gloves and a face mask in the later season. If you are going to use gloves and a face mask make sure you practice shooting with them on as well.

Always take a compass reading when first heading out – fog, injury, fever, mild hypothermia and weather can all disorient your bearings and you just never know.

Great Post, Duncan!

My uncle told me about something he saw on a hunting show sometime in the past, and when I tried it, I had decent luck getting within bow range of several deer, some of which were decent bucks during the summer. I actually used it to get close enough to have the opportunity to shoot a buck (which I passed on the idea until it was too late and he left), and then used the following evening to close the gap on a doe that I did kill.

If you come across a deer that sees you, knows you’re there (say you’re on an open field, clear cut, whatever…), slowly walk toward the deer at an angle that should put you within bow range as you come abreast of the animal. As you walk, periodically “flash” your palm at the deer, keeping your arm and hand down at your side. Stop every once in a while, too, like a deer that’s wandering around eating. Near as I can figure, the deer sees the “flash”, and just thinks you’re a funny looking deer that’s flipping its tail every now and again. Anybody who has watched deer as they feed has probably seen them flick their tail every so often, pick their head up, look around, take a step or two, flip their tail, etc… As I said, this worked for me to get close enough to have a shot opportunity at a small buck, and also helped me to kill a doe the next day. Give it a shot.

Michael.

If I see a deer that doesn’t just blow out I’ll have to try that angle wave thing. I also use thistle seeds instead of milkweed. I took time to pull the seeds to keep the thistle from spreading to new locations. Great tips.

Always let someone know where you are going and when you are returning.

Always practice with crested, or bright fletches, so the aarow’s flight becomes ingrained into your subconscious. It will make your instinctive shooting, well, instinctive!:P
Nate

I used to use milkweed seeds but I found a better solution.

Still very visible but not so messy.

Cattails, I just cut a bit off the top, not much. Pick it a bit and the pieces will begin to float out. It’s easy to do, also they tend to hold their shape real well. I carry mine in my pocket, pull it out when I want to check the wind/thermals. You can watch them float for a long long way. I once watched them float on thermals as the sun was setting for 10 maybe 15 minutes. In the first picture below you can see them slightly to the left floating down that old logging road.

When you walk in the woods take 3 or 4 short steps at a time then pause for a few seconds.This will make you sound like a squirrel and not like a human.You can slip through the woods and the wildlife will let you get right up on them.

I have a little piece of dental floss tied into the serving at about eye level. It is there as a little reminder “bear down,pick a spot“
Bruce

Stay in the stand longer by texting a friend or two (even send them a picture so they can look at you hunting while they are at work 😀 ).

When I start getting the desire to leave the stand (or woods altogether), I text a friend and find waiting for their reply provides enough of a break and motivation to “stay out there” a little longer.

Of course make sure your cell is on vibrate. Unless, of course, you can find deer grunts as a ringtone.

Things I don’t want to hear while in the woods: Ring tones, vibrations (unless thunder or earthquake), or any other techno-noise. I go to the woods to get away from technology. 🙄 By the way, what’s a cell phone? 😡

Here’s a tip: Keep a toothbrush in your quiver or fanny pack. It comes in very handy for cleaning dirt off field points or broadheads, and helps clean up the hands and finger nails after field dressing….with the help of a little water.

I take one or two of those real fine, downy underfeathers you see where turkeys have been dusting and tuck it between the bow limb and quiver. The slightest little puff of breeze shows, plus they’re just a cool looking copper color. Probably no better than feeling the breeze on your skin realistically. Also, bring 2 flashlights if you are way out in the boonies. Had one die a couple miles out in the northern Wi. woods one year and you know how you know the trail during the day but then the lights dim and you lose it quick, got back to camp a few hours late that night!

My tip is this, learn to identify the Bunch Berry. I don’t know the extent of its distribution but it is a common mid-late Summer berry in Alberta. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture but a image search should bring up a suitable pic. I suggest this because as I found out it cures upset stomach and diarrhoea. While on hike this Summer I suffered a sudden severe case of thee above. I had read about the Bunch Berry and figuring I had nothing to lose I swallowed two hand fulls. They are of bland taste but the effect was that within twenty minutes I felt right as rain and was able to continue my hike without any more woodland potty breaks.

4 weeks before your season opens or you go on a hunting trip,go for a brisk 1/2-1 hour walk every evening.
By the time opening day rolls around you will of lost around 4kg and everything you do will come easier and you’ll be more mentaly alert.
Those first 4 weeks of an exersize regime are the most important as far as recognisable effect goes,plus they require less effort than at any other stage of trying to improve your fitness levels.

John.

George D. Stout wrote: Things I don’t want to hear while in the woods: Ring tones, vibrations (unless thunder or earthquake), or any other techno-noise. I go to the woods to get away from technology. 🙄 By the way, what’s a cell phone? 😡

Here’s a tip: Keep a toothbrush in your quiver or fanny pack. It comes in very handy for cleaning dirt off field points or broadheads, and helps clean up the hands and finger nails after field dressing….with the help of a little water.

I certainly get what your saying. However, they are handy if you get hurt or you get that deer and need help following a blood trail packing it out and can call a friend in. (we have to present the entire deer at a check sation so you can’t do any field butchering beyond gutting it.)

1. Animals, whether wounded or unwounded, usually circle in a down wind direction before bedding down. From such a down wind position they will be able to scent any predator (including a tracking hunter) following their trail. This is extremely important to the hunter when trailing potentially dangerous wounded game. Any ‘ambush’ almost always comes from the downwind side, and frequently after the hunter passes the animal’s position. Remember that animals do not realize that humans lack their sense of smell, and they want to be in a position to smell the ‘trailing threat’ before you smell them!

2. When following an animal’s tracks, it is best to keep the sun on the opposite side of the track from one’s position of observation. The shadow cast by the track is best observed from this position, and the track becomes more visible. The shadow is also more pronounced when the sun’s angle is low. Tracks are most visible in the morning and afternoon hours, and hardest to see when the sun is overhead. For nightline tracking, it is also best if any light source used can be placed at a low angle, and on the side of the track opposite the observer

3. Need to temporarily camo your bow? Paste auto wax can be colored with food colorings to make almost any shade. Mix the colors you desires and just ‘dab’ on with a moist cloth or sponge and allow to dry. The finish will be ‘flat’ and glare free. You can use this method to easily and quickly alter the camo pattern/colors of your bow (or other gear) to match the area you’re hunting in at the time. An added bonus is that the wax protects the bow. I also like to use a ‘unruffled’ coat of paste wax over my bows when bow fishing, especially in salt water. The wax is easily removed with a wet cloth or sponge and a little ‘elbow grease’, and leaves the bow waxed and shining!

4. Excellent, and inexpensive, camo clothing can be made by tie-dying old clothes. Multiple colors, and endless ‘irregular’ patterns, can be created. Start with the lightest color in your desired ‘finished pattern’ first, and progress to the next darkest color in each subsequent dying of the garment, re-tying the garment before each re-dying to achieve a random pattern of the colors.

5. If you’re going ‘all out’ for camouflage don’t forget the face. A broad face with two forward facing eyes is a characteristic of the predatory animals, and most prey animals readily recognize this feature. Try to break the outline and mask the ‘two eyed monster’ appearance. Don’t forget the eyelid! If not camouflaged, it will stand out like a ‘flashing light’ with each blink.

6. One of my most favored ways of scouting an unfamiliar hunting area is to pick up the spoor on one animal and then track him; slowly stalking along as stealthfully as I can. Should I lose that individual track I pick up the spoor of another animal ad start all over.

Not only are you hunting as you go, as you can stay on the track you will learn where that particuar animal feeds, waters and beds; areas often of ‘common use’ for others of that species. You will also learn the travel route(s) used between these areas. As you follow the track your will also locate the trails and areas many of the other animals are using. These can be explored later. This exercise not only scouts the area, and allows you to be hunting as you do so, it hones you tracking skills.

7. Most big game bowhunters spend hours and hours of each ‘off-season’ practicing their shooting skills but very few spend much time honing their hunting skills. Doing a lot of small game hunting can help, but the finest off-season hunting for honing your hunting skills is predator calling.

When a predator responds to a call he is expecting SOMETHING to already be there; generally another predator. They respond very alert and cautious. If you can learn to get into your shooting position, draw and get a shot off at a critter responding to a perdator call, without being detected, beating big game ‘to the draw’ becomes easy.

Ed