# of tacks?

[Weldabeast]

I am making some reusable trail marker and was thinking about how many tacks or peices of flagging tape I would average. I think I average maybe 10-15....how about u guys? How many tacks or tape do u think u average on a given hunt....I'm good with a compass but certain situations call for pinpoint accuracy....like a water crossing point or in the case of my last hunt a tree fallen across thick cover that allowed for easier access....

 

[Jay_Disarray]

i picked up a couple packs of these from my local fleet store, they are orange and reflective, with clips on them. i figure i could use them for marking paths, blood trails, or running one up my preset lines to help find them

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

@Jay_Disarray those things are slick. I used them for the first time last year and they were much better than the cat eye tacks.

 

[Jay_Disarray]

@Jay_Disarray those things are slick. I used them for the first time last year and they were much better than the cat eye tacks.

Yea I think I'm gonna like them, I like the idea of being able to clip it onto a branch or leaf for blood trails

 

[ofor]

0 tacks or marker flags for me anymore. I put all my pins into OnX. If I need a path, then I lay down a tracker on the map. Not accurate down to the yard but usually gets me with 20 yards of where I need to be. This way there is no visible indication to other hunters that I am in an area. When I did use tacks, I typically only used a couple to mark a specific tree.

 

[Weldabeast]

Tacks shortcomings are that you really need 2 per tree....1 coming and 1 leaving. Also hard to see in the daylight for retrieval.
The clip on 1s work good....I find a bunch and got a good collection. The little rivet rusts out and the clip separates from the reflective part.
I like the flagging tape ..the streamer is easy to see in daylight but I haven't found a good reflective flagging tape
My go to marker is small strips of reflective adhesive backed vinyl ...very bright with a light and can be found in daylight but hard to spot if u do t know it's there. I tape it around thin outer branches above head height. Only bad thing is its 1 time use as it rips when u take it down

 

[Weldabeast]

0 tacks or marker flags for me anymore. I put all my pins into OnX. If I need a path, then I lay down a tracker on the map. Not accurate down to the yard but usually gets me with 20 yards of where I need to be. This way there is no visible indication to other hunters that I am in an area. When I did use tacks, I typically only used a couple to mark a specific tree.

That's awesome until ur phone dies

 

[Art_Vandelay]

0 tacks or marker flags for me anymore. I put all my pins into OnX. If I need a path, then I lay down a tracker on the map. Not accurate down to the yard but usually gets me with 20 yards of where I need to be. This way there is no visible indication to other hunters that I am in an area. When I did use tacks, I typically only used a couple to mark a specific tree.

I normally don’t need any tacks or markers but I do mark a lot of stuff on map apps. If I do use a tack it’s 20 ft up a tree that I’ve hunted before so I know which one to climb. I’ve found way too many other peoples hunting spots by following their bread crumbs through the woods. The less sign I leave the better. I also keep a little battery pack about the size of a bic lighter in case my phone ever dies.

 

[Exhumis]

That's awesome until ur phone dies

This is true but I also do what @ofor does but I use huntstand.There's just way too many trespassers and poachers where I live. I carry an extra battery pack. I used to use tacks until one time I couldn't find my trail because a trespasser had removed all my tacks.

 

[Weldabeast]

I have a gps app on my phone I use a lot and also carry an extra battery.....that 1 time I fell in the water and the phone died kinda sucked....used the compass to make it back in the dark.

Question was directed to the people who do still use regular old trail markers...I made 25 cause that seemed like a good number to stop at. I think I pack 15 and see if in a couple hunts I ever use that many.

Reflective rope with that vinyl i normally use. Girth to little branches and have a hi-viz dangler ....far white light shot about 20 yds...not sure the camera picks up how bright the green light reflection is but its bright

 

[Bigterp]

No tacks for me, I don’t want to bread crumb anyone to my spots..... I used too but have transitioned to onX & just use the tracker (on public) on private I haven’t used a light in a long time unless looking for deer.

 

[Bigterp]

I have a gps app on my phone I use a lot and also carry an extra battery.....that 1 time I fell in the water and the phone died kinda sucked....used the compass to make it back in the dark.

Question was directed to the people who do still use regular old trail markers...I made 25 cause that seemed like a good number to stop at. I think I pack 15 and see if in a couple hunts I ever use that many.

Reflective rope with that vinyl i normally use. Girth to little branches and have a hi-viz dangler ....far white light shot about 20 yds...not sure the camera picks up how bright the green light reflection is but its bright
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Whatever works!

 

[Jwiggins762]

Found these left in the woods from last year when i went scouting thought it was pretty smart and seems like a cheap method. Red reflective tape is on the other side.

 

[Weldabeast]

I tried those also....they last for a while but once they get rained on a couple times I couldn't get the stickers to stay on

 

[Knik]

Until OnX I only used enough tacks to keep me headed in the right direction, usually ever 75 - 100yds or so. Started using OnX and now only us tacks for turns or thick stuff. Have always marked my stopping point when climbing with a tack at eye level, keeps you in your shooting lanes.

 

[Exhumis]

When I did use tacks I'd space about every 10 yards or so and I'd put them up high, like eye level which for me is 6' off the ground.

 

[Drslyr]

Ok young whipersnappers. Maybe use boys are all too young to remember G P S. Its an old technology that some of us old guys use to get within 1 meter of anywhere on the planet. Yeah yeah yeah on x on x Huntstand blah blah blah. You want pinpoint accuracy and no trailmarkers learn how to use a GPS correctly. Anybody know how to pull coordinates off a map using UTM?

 

[diggerak]

Tacks shortcomings are that you really need 2 per tree....1 coming and 1 leaving. Also hard to see in the daylight for retrieval.
The clip on 1s work good....I find a bunch and got a good collection. The little rivet rusts out and the clip separates from the reflective part.
I like the flagging tape ..the streamer is easy to see in daylight but I haven't found a good reflective flagging tape
My go to marker is small strips of reflective adhesive backed vinyl ...very bright with a light and can be found in daylight but hard to spot if u do t know it's there. I tape it around thin outer branches above head height. Only bad thing is its 1 time use as it rips when u take it down

I use this idea but attach them to plastic bright color clothes pins

Sent from my KYOCERA-E6820 using Tapatalk

 

[redsquirrel]

I can easily go through a whole bunch of tacks prepping a trail to a tree depending on the distance I have to go through thick areas. I love my gps and use it every hunt, but a lot of the time I need tacks. The gps and spaced out tacks work if you're going through open woods but once you get into briar patches and thickets where you may be cutting a small trail or following deer trails to get in it royally sucks if you can't find your tree in the dark. Great way to ruin a morning hunt if you can't find your tree.

 

[bj139]

Ok young whipersnappers. Maybe use boys are all too young to remember G P S. Its an old technology that some of us old guys use to get within 1 meter of anywhere on the planet. Yeah yeah yeah on x on x Huntstand blah blah blah. You want pinpoint accuracy and no trailmarkers learn how to use a GPS correctly. Anybody know how to pull coordinates off a map using UTM?

I had the app "My GPS Location" on my Android phone. I never used it. I tried it outside and it said the accuracy was 13 feet with clear sky. I might set a few paracord loops and mark the locations with this. I had trouble finding a paracord loop last fall by memory.