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Game Changing Equipment

Anobody said:
For me it has been
Dan infalts DVDs
Mapping trophy white tails

Gear is gear.. some is good some bad but most is similar. it's what's between your ears that makes or breaks your hunt.
Click to expand...

Between Dan and John Eberhart I think about hunting and scouting in a completely different way. Wish I had known about these guys ten years ago.


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I'm thinkin' we need some sort of a "S.H.A."
Forum ...

Saddle Hunters Anonymous;
ie: Hello, My name is __________ . And I am addicted to buying expensive hunting related items I see others using .....:D

With all the varieties of members imaginations ; will we ever attain the ultimate set-up.....?!?!?!
 
Redfeather said:
I'm thinkin' we need some sort of a "S.H.A."
Forum ...

Saddle Hunters Anonymous;
ie: Hello, My name is __________ . And I am addicted to buying expensive hunting related items I see others using .....:D

With all the varieties of members imaginations ; will we ever attain the ultimate set-up.....?!?!?!
Click to expand...

Sign me up


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Redfeather said:
I'm thinkin' we need some sort of a "S.H.A."
Forum ...

Saddle Hunters Anonymous;
ie: Hello, My name is __________ . And I am addicted to buying expensive hunting related items I see others using .....:D

With all the varieties of members imaginations ; will we ever attain the ultimate set-up.....?!?!?!
Click to expand...

I doubt we can obtain the "ultimate" setup since setups and personal comfort are so individual. In fact, I don't know how much more refined we can get things than what some guys have been able to achieve. Ropes will only improve incrementally, climbing equipment functionality will get slightly more user friendly (but general function will likely stay flat), spikes are about as simple and refined as you can get, climbing sticks can't get much lighter and maintain structural integrity.

I think the centralization of all these guys ideas and styles is the greatest single achievement. The speed at which new guys can get to an efficient, comfortable setup is amazing now. This site is the "ultimate" tool.


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IkemanTX said:
I doubt we can obtain the "ultimate" setup since setups and personal comfort are so individual. In fact, I don't know how much more refined we can get things than what some guys have been able to achieve. Ropes will only improve incrementally, climbing equipment functionality will get slightly more user friendly (but general function will likely stay flat), spikes are about as simple and refined as you can get, climbing sticks can't get much lighter and maintain structural integrity.

I think the centralization of all these guys ideas and styles is the greatest single achievement. The speed at which new guys can get to an efficient, comfortable setup is amazing now. This site is the "ultimate" tool.


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Click to expand...
I agree new guys like me can learn quick here. But the choices are overwhelming sometimes... What suits me
 
Anobody said:
For me it has been
Dan infalts DVDs
Mapping trophy white tails

Gear is gear.. some is good some bad but most is similar. it's what's between your ears that makes or breaks your hunt.
Click to expand...
I agree with the biggest thing being mentality and knowledge. I grew up hunting for meat and enjoying it. I have 4 kids and still try to fill the freezer every year as we buy almost no beef. That said the last year or so I feel like I am just starting to understand a bit more about buck movement. Before I always just hunted where I saw numbers and hoped that nice buck would show. This past year or so I feel like I opened the door to a whole new world of hunting knowledge and there is so much to learn. I do love gear and that is what brought me to this site but deep down I know that it has a lot more to do with knowledge and hunting right than it does with having the right gear. Don't get me wrong sometimes it takes the right stuff to get the job done or get in the right place.
There's my confession. Grin... Now to gear...
Watching Midwest whitetail videos is what had started the change for me. The information of how and why they hunted where they did opened my mind. More recently Dan Infalt's info has been very helpful.
A truly mobile hang on stand and set of sticks has also changed how and where I hunt. I bought my saddle after season so I am very hopeful that will help me stay even more mobile and get me in more places. Fun times ahead. :)

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Mentality is HUGE, but there are certain pieces of equipment that can drastically change your plan of attack... regardless of knowledge. I think that is what this thread is about.

I have drastically changed my scouting, setup, and timing based on increased knowledge over the years. But, while the strategies are fairly easy to research, I didn't feel like there wasn't a good consolidation of the tools to facilitate it.
That is the purpose of this thread.
So far, I would say the list stands as such (in no particular order)

*Saddle
*Water access (kayak/canoe)
*Waterproof shoes (snakeproof included)
*Technology improving scouting
*Permethrin (can't believe I didn't Include it in the original post)
*Thermacell
*Scentlock (not for me, but I get it)
*Climbing spurs
*trail cams (knowledge of where to hunt and where is not worth it)
EDIT: *mobile stands

Some of these categories include many individual items, like GPS, google earth, topos and such being lumped into "technology" etc... but, I would like to focus this thread on equipment. I feel that is the subject that is lacking the most as far as easy availability. I know we have covered probably the vast majority of individual pieces of equipment that are game changers, but I want to keep it open just in case someone comes up with something we have overlooked.

I would happily start another thread where we can reference great articles of hunting and scouting tactics... (if it is okay to link outside forums) I have several dozen threads in mind for just this kind of subject.



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IkemanTX said:
Mentality is HUGE, but there are certain pieces of equipment that can drastically change your plan of attack... regardless of knowledge. I think that is what this thread is about.

I have drastically changed my scouting, setup, and timing based on increased knowledge over the years. But, while the strategies are fairly easy to research, I didn't feel like there wasn't a good consolidation of the tools to facilitate it.
That is the purpose of this thread.
So far, I would say the list stands as such (in no particular order)

*Saddle
*Water access (kayak/canoe)
*Waterproof shoes (snakeproof included)
*Technology improving scouting
*Permethrin (can't believe I didn't Include it in the original post)
*Thermacell
*Scentlock (not for me, but I get it)
*Climbing spurs
*trail cams (knowledge of where to hunt and where is not worth it)

Some of these categories include many individual items, like GPS, google earth, topos and such being lumped into "technology" etc... but, I would like to focus this thread on equipment. I feel that is the subject that is lacking the most as far as easy availability. I know we have covered probably the vast majority of individual pieces of equipment that are game changers, but I want to keep it open just in case someone comes up with something we have overlooked.

I would happily start another thread where we can reference great articles of hunting and scouting tactics... (if it is okay to link outside forums) I have several dozen threads in mind for just this kind of subject.



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IkemanTX. You are correct and I didn't mean to derail the thread. Gear has been and can be a real game changer.
Couple more things for me I failed to mention....
Trail cams. This has really changed some of where I hunt and knowing if deer are there and when. Especially if I have limited time to hunt.

For colder weather a good pair of gloves mitts and a kneck gaiter/ face mask has really made a difference in my ability to stay warm and allow me to stay on the stand. That sounds so simple but it took me way to long to get them. Particularly the kneck gaiter. It amazed me how much heat loss there was out the kneck of my clothes.
Waterproof boots as mentioned by others. We have a lot of small streams here in the mountains and being able to wake them and use them as access routes has been beneficial. Shot one my best bucks by accessing a particular funnel through a stream.
Look forward to hearing more from you guys with much more experience than I.


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Derailments are bound to occur, I myself am like a dog who sees a squirrel outside the window. Hard to stay on track, haha. Tactics are definitely a topic I'd love to see more of on saddlehunter. Lots of guys on here continuously get it done, they have to be doing something right!


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IkemanTX said:
I would happily start another thread where we can reference great articles of hunting and scouting tactics... (if it is okay to link outside forums) I have several dozen threads in mind for just this kind of subject.

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Click to expand...
No problem linking to outside stuff.
 
Smartphone : weather and mapping apps

Kuiu: Merino wool base layers and light outer layers have made hunting so much more comfortable. I remember bulking up and could barely move and still be cold.

Castration bands: almost forgot. Only need one but I keep 3 on my tether's loop in case one pops over time with wear. Then I just slide the next one into the working position. Best thing yet I've found to keep my tether snug in place on the tree. Thanks to the saddle hunter member that brought this to our attention. Don't recall his name.
 
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IkemanTX said:
The Saddle (specifically the Sit Drag)
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The saddle has become my saving grace, but not for the reasons most people tout as it's greatest benefit. I have had some pretty bad back pain for the past 10-12 years. With 2 severely subluxated disks, and moderate scoliosis, traditional stands have been true torture on my back. The way it engages your back muscles (as a leaner, not a sitter) alleviates a lot of the posture issues that a permanent sitting position can bring about. I don't fidget near as much, and can sit much longer. Also, as you all know, it is far more adaptable to tree size, angle, and orientations. The versatility of saddles is pretty staggering. I have sat in trees as narrow as 4-5" diameter at tether height. There is no way I could do that in a lock on. That opens up literally thousands of acres of floodplains that only have short, scrub style trees due to infrequent floods killing out the vegetation every decade or so.




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Where did you get the buckle for your sit drag ? It looks stout and possibly load bearing ... sweet set up !


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d_rek said:
I'll have to 2nd the thermacell but not for deer hunting. Late season turkey hunts in Michigan can be brutal without a thermacell and a thorough soaking of bug spray.

I don't want to be 'that guy' but scentlok has increased the quality of my hunts dramatically. I had 2 seasons of hunting with little or no scentlok and experienced a lot of scent busts. Granted some of this was also due to my lack of experience hunting but after applying a strict scent regiment and wearing scentlok my scent busts have gone down to virtually non-existant. Of course this is all anecdotal, but I feel like it definitely improves the quality of my hunts.
Click to expand...

Scent lock may help but a deer will smell you regardless of scent lock if the wind is wrong. I have been paying attention to the wind for nearly three decades and very rarely get busted .. My father smoked a pipe and shot huge bucks in maine his whole life. I hunt public land and get close to deer all the time. Im glad it helps you but you dont need it


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ADP2413 said:
Scent lock may help but a deer will smell you regardless of scent lock if the wind is wrong. I have been paying attention to the wind for nearly three decades and very rarely get busted .. My father smoked a pipe and shot huge bucks in maine his whole life. I hunt public land and get close to deer all the time. Im glad it helps you but you dont need it


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Click to expand...
Shots fired...

There are several great threads on Scentlok and scent control here on the forums. It might be wise to keep that debate in one of those threads. Scent control is a very controversial topic and the discussions usually are very lengthy.

Not trying to be a ****, but I'd hate to see this awesome thread get derailed.
 
I think the biggest help that scentlock gives is a reduced scent presence on a property. I hunt public and move around, but some guys hunt fairly small parcels of private. A strict scent routine can help you get more hunts on a small property before deer feel the pressure. Nothing can completely remove your scent, but drastically reducing the amount of human scent on the ground shortens the time it can be discovered, or gives the impression that your scent trail may be older than it actually is.


I don't use it personally but for the reason stated above, I still consider it a game changing piece of equipment. Many guys would have to drastically change the hunting frequency or setup on their places without it.

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g2outdoors said:
Shots fired...

There are several great threads on Scentlok and scent control here on the forums. It might be wise to keep that debate in one of those threads. Scent control is a very controversial topic and the discussions usually are very lengthy.

Not trying to be a ****, but I'd hate to see this awesome thread get derailed.
Click to expand...

Scent control is one of those topics I try not to get into lol. Everyone has their method and it's all about what gives us the most confidence!
 
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