Mathews Pro Tips
“TOPO” Maps
I use to think that odd-looking “TOPO” maps were just a waste of time. I mean, all I really cared about was finding the hottest sign and throwing up a stand somewhere nearby.
The concern over the lay of the land honestly didn’t mean much to me. Then something happened. After several fruitless seasons I came to the conclusion that something just wasn’t right. If it were as easy as finding fresh sign and waiting in ambush for the biggest buck in the woods to show up, I would have a wall full of antlers. But I didn’t. So, naturally I changed my approach in an effort to improve my plummeting success rate. Slowly, things began to turn around; simply by letting the terrain determine where I hung my stands.
Eliminating a few pins
I’ve never understood the need to complicate bow shots from a treestand by carrying 5 or more pins in my sight housing. Sure, that many aiming points may have their place where shooting distances run the gamut, but bowhunting whitetails from above ground is not one of them.
Eliminating a few pins will not only clear up your sight picture, allowing you to see the spot you want to hit more clearly, it will also reduce the chance that you pick the wrong pin in the heat of the moment. When that big buck moves in close I can hardly remember my name, let alone which pin to aim with. Also, considering that the average whitetail shot typically occurs between 20-25 yards, two sight pins (one set at 25, and perhaps another at 35 yards) can easily cover 90% of the shooting scenario’s you will face while in your stand. Therefore, do yourself a favor and save the 5 pin sight for mid-western hunting where long-range opportunities are the norm.
Positive and Negative
When using the lay of the land as a guide for stand placement, whether you’re in an entirely new spot or on very familiar hunting ground, the first thing you need to do is realize that there are 2 types of terrain features….Positive and Negative.
Both will influence deer movement. Your job is to utilize the clues found on your topo map to determine which types your area holds and how the deer are going to respond to them. Then, act accordingly.
Always keep a rangefinder handy
No matter what type of hunting you are engaged in you should always keep a rangefinder handy. While treestand hunting, they are a great tool to help you establish landmarks that coincide with particular yardages.
These reference points (trees, logs, rocks, etc) can be called upon when the shot happens too quickly for an actual reading from your rangefinder. Also, these versatile little devices are important when shot angles are steep. With the best models today offering “angle compensation” features, the days of misjudging distance due to the degree of incline are over. As an added bonus, rangefinders are becoming smaller and smaller so they are less likely to get in the way during the shot as well. While in my stand, I prefer not to have my rangefinder positioned around my neck or chest. Instead, I like to hang mine on a retractable tether system and attach it to my back pack….which is usually fastened to the tree. When it is not in use, it remains within easy reach, but well out of my way.
Accurate broadhead
No matter what broadhead you choose, make sure that it is accurate. That may sound like elementary advice, but I am constantly amazed at the number of bowhunters who fail to test shoot their broadheads before opening day.
Yes, they may have given cutting diameter, blade angle, and overall number of blades a good deal of forethought, but they know very little about the flight characteristics of their chosen head. Even mechanicals, which are touted as flying like field points, should be test shot before taken afield. Still, there is an additionally overlooked aspect to broadheads and that is exit holes. When it comes to choosing a broadhead for treestand hunting, I think a good deal of bowhunters fail to consider this very important attribute. That is a mistake. You see, because of the high impact point common with treestand shots, your broadheads ability to exit through the bottom portion of a whitetail is vital. Why? Well, without an exit hole, blood would have to fill up the body cavity of the deer and then flow out of the top before exiting—-highly unlikely.
Use a peep sight with a large opening
When hunting older-class whitetails you should expect some shot opportunities to occur at first and last light. Outside of the rut, most mature bucks don’t make a habit out of cruising during daylight hours. Your whitetail bow should be set up to deal with this inevitable fact. The best way to do that is to use a peep sight with a large opening.
This will allow more light to reach your eye, making it much easier to see your sight pin when attempting shots at dawn or dusk. You can also take things a step further by choosing a peep with a diameter that matches that of your sight housing. Once you come to full draw, simply align the two circles together for even more accuracy and shot consistency. Any differences in anchor point, or torque in your bow hand, will be easily recognized as the two rings will no longer appear as one. This is vital as the majority of treestand shots place the shooter in awkward positions not typically experienced while shooting flat-footed in the back yard. The chance that poor form will ruin the shot is a legitimate concern.
Don’t get caught up in the speed craze
Speed kills. There is no arguing that fact. However, don’t get caught up in the speed craze to the point that you choose arrows that are a little too weak for your set up;
simply because they are lighter and will allow you to shoot a faster arrow. While raw arrow speed might bail you out of misjudging the yardage to old tangle-horns, an arrow that is under-spined will not provide the kind of arrow flight that is conducive to accurate, lethal shots. Not to mention penetration from such an arrow will likely suffer as well.
Remain under the whitetails radar
While looking for a place to hang your scouting camera, look for heavily used trails leading to pinch points that choke deer movement into a confined area; increasing the likelihood that you will capture useful images.
Remember though, that the overall goal is to, so try to keep a low profile while conducting your camera hanging/scouting. Also, do your best to get the camera location right the first time in order to avoid disturbing the area any more than what is absolutely necessary.
Aspire to increase your fitness level
In addition to profiting medically, there are numerous reasons why the serious bowhunter should aspire to increase their fitness level.
Improved endurance, heightened awareness to your surroundings, ability to hunt hard for consecutive days without wearing down, resistance to colds and other illnesses, reduced effort when climbing tree steps, less game spooking perspiration during long hikes, increased endurance when hunting in high altitudes, and improved stalking skills due to enhanced muscle control.
