Preseason Equipment Check
Sep 2011
6
Well it’s that time of year, getting ready for hunting season. There are several checks I always do. Things like spin test my arrows with broadheads attached. A good tip is to make a list of equipment you want in your fanny pack or backpack. One product I always want in my pack is a Tink’s #69 Buck Bomb. I can use it for a wind detector or deer lure and one of my favorite things is to use it to help cover my scent when I see deer going down wind of my stand location. Just give it a few bursts and that puts lots of scent into the air and hopefully the deer will not detect you.
One of the most important checks you can do, and should do each year, is take time to check all your treestands, and climbing sticks. I inspect all hardware, webbing straps and chains. This can be done in your backyard. If you have a tree available I like to attach the stand and get on it. By getting on the stand I can check for any little squeaks. A little squeak can blow a hunt big time! The stand I’m checking in the photo is a Lone Wolf set that uses webbing straps. I also have stands that have chains and will check where they attach to the stand.
If you leave your stand out all year, one thing you need to check for is rust. Stands like ladder stands that use tubes can have water that will get trapped inside and rust. Freezing temperatures can also cause water to freeze and break or expand the tube.
For your convenience, here is a link to a nice checklist from our friends at Bowhunting.com.
Be careful out there and good luck.
FAQ
Question
Will my lure be good next season?
Answer
With any natural urine when exposed to air it will start to break down. As long as the cap is tight and out of direct sunlight and stored at room temperature it will be fine for the next hunting season.
Question
How do I know what type of lure to use for the time of season I’m hunting?
Answer
For the most part you can break down deer lures into a few different categories, those are, Early Season, Curiosity, Buck Urine, Doe P, Doe Estrous, Scrape and Mock Scrape products. The one category that a hunter could use wrong for the time of year is those products that are designed for the Whitetail Rut. These products are doe estrous or doe in heat. The best time to use doe estrous products is when those bucks are chasing does. All other lures can be used through the entire season.
Question
How do I know when the rut is at its peak?
Answer
One of the best ways to find out is to just ask the question at a local sporting goods store. They live in the area and get good information from local hunters. The sure fire way to know is when you see bucks chasing does in the middle of the day and in the wide open. Another way is if you have been hunting scrapes and the buck has stopped tending or visiting that scrape that means he is now tending or spending all his time looking for does.
Question
How much deer lure should I put out?
Answer
Keep in mind that one way deer communicate is by smell. But don’t expect to put out one little drop and expect deer to smell it. To attract a deer using a lure, the deer First Must Be Down Wind of the Lure, meaning the wind is blowing from the lure to the deer. If it’s not, he or she will never smell it! Here at Tink’s we recommend using our Scent Bombs. Take 3 Scent Bombs and fill them with about 1/3rd of your preferred lure and place them in different locations around your stand site. This way if the wind changes and a deer comes in from a different direction, they will smell the lure.