With this late flush of cool weather, conditions should be ideal for the opening day of archery deer season Saturday.
Even in the decades when archery season opened Oct. 1, the weather in central Arkansas and points south was a little too warm for comfort. Many mornings I worked up a sweat huffing it to a stand, and then spent dawn getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.
I didn't use bug spray because I didn't want the scent to spook deer. Thank goodness for the ThermaCell. The battery-powered insect repellent eliminated that ordeal. I consider it the single most important technological advancement for hunters in my lifetime.
Another great advancement is the climbing tree stand. It allows you to hunt from an elevated position anywhere you can find a tree of suitable diameter. I bought a Summit Viper several years ago, but I've never used it. It terrifies me.
People in the hunting industry say the only hunters who have never fallen from a stand are the ones who don't use them. I know that's hyperbole because I know people who have used them safely for years, but with so little margin for error, the risk/reward ratio never balanced for me.
Instead, I've always used a Millennium hanging stand. It's a moderate compromise because it requires considerable forethought. It comes with a chain-link collar that you attach to a tree. The stand has a big aluminum tooth that slips into a big aluminum channel on the collar. It's sturdy and solid. I bought extra collars that I put on different trees. I move them around to take advantage of deer travel patterns.
Getting into a Millennium also requires a ladder, as does any hanging stand. That means you have to commit to certain trees, or you have to lug a ladder to different trees. It's not nearly as handy or as flexible as a stand that you can put on any tree on a minute's notice
I am the picture of security when I climb and descend a tree. I use a Hunter Safety Systems vest. Its leg loops clasp to the vest with automotive grade buckles. I also use a Hunter Safety Systems lineman's belt when climbing or descending the ladder.
There is, unfortunately, a brief moment of insecurity when I step onto the stand from the ladder. Once on the stand, I clip a tether that's attached to the tree to a loop that's sewn into the vest shoulder. In the event of a fall, the fabric tears away and reduces the severity of the jolt. This keeps the wearer from hitting the ground and should enable you to get back to the ladder.
I've used this system countless times over the years, but I've never felt comfortable with it. Now that I have a gillie poncho, I feel so much more confident hunting from the ground, especially in such tight quarters as the woods in which I usually hunt.
If you hunt from a stand, let safety be your first and last consideration. Stay tethered to your tree the entire time you're off the ground.
If you use a climber, tie the bottom platform to the top. The bottom can lose its bite on the tree. If it's not tied to the top half, it can fall away and strand you in the tree.
This happened to a friend in Oklahoma City who is a sales rep for Beretta. He was testing a new stand on a power pole beside his long driveway when the bottom half of his stand fell away. He did not have his cellphone. His wife came home from work and drove right under him without noticing him. He was trapped for hours until she finally heard him yelling.
Tell someone in your family where you are going to hunt and when you plan to return. If you know them, leave the coordinates of your stand. That will make it a lot easier for someone to find you if a mishap occurs. Take your phone, but remember that reception might be poor or nonexistent at your stand.
Also, leave your bow and arrows on the ground while you climb or descend a tree. After you're in position, use a rope to hoist your equipment into and out of your stand.
The weather should be perfect for hunting this weekend. May your outings be your best yet, but not your best ever.
Sports on 09/25/2014