Whitetail energetics shows us that whitetails are not simple-minded animals that aimlessly walk through the woods with no purpose. It’s quite the opposite. Their entire lives revolve around maximizing energy use for survival and reproduction. With this information, you can put the odds more in your favor by creating a strategy for each hunt that maximizes your success. Randomly meandering or sitting in the woods is a recipe for failure. To get the most out of a hunt, you need to think about what a big buck would want to do on that particular day. It could be to conserve the most energy or to have the most reproductive success, or a mix of both.
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What Is Whitetail Energetics?
I define whitetail energetics by; a whitetail’s thought process on how to most efficiently acquire/expend its energy to maximize its survival and reproduction.
There are many similarities between big bucks, young bucks, and does in energetics, with the ultimate goal being the same; use energy as efficiently as possible to maximize survival/reproduction. However, between bucks and does one big difference; thought processes. Thought processes between genders are different to achieve this goal. However, for this article, I will primarily explain how energetics directly influence the decisions of big bucks.
To explain the importance of whitetail energetics, consider this; energy is a whitetail’s form of currency. How so? Energy can be spent on survival and reproduction, and the more energy a particular buck has the more he can spend on those things. So, until the rut, bucks are focusing on one thing; acquiring and conserving energy.
Knowing this, wouldn’t it make sense to learn what decisions big bucks make to acquire and use energy most efficiently? By understanding whitetail energetics, you can find big bucks more successfully. You will be more able to get into the mindset of the caliber animal you’re hunting and predict movements depending on the many factors that influence whitetail energetics.
Whitetail Energetics & Habitat Relationship
There is an energy flow between a whitetail and the habitat it has chosen to live in. Another way to look at it is the high-quality habitat has chosen the big buck to live in it. When you look at habitat this way, after a while you can start to pick up similarities between the highest-quality habitats and you can start scouting habitat instead of bucks. This is because big bucks will gravitate to the highest-quality habitat to maximize energy efficiency.
Whitetails are slaves to nature. They have to seek out high-quality habitat to sustain their energetic demands for survival and reproduction. Unlike people, deer cannot manipulate their habitat to increase survival. Also, people don’t worry about the energy we exert because we have so much food, water, and shelter available to us that we can replenish our energy at any time. Whitetails and other wildlife have to try to save and store energy at certain times of the year when food is abundant so it can be used when it is needed most.
Mature bucks are very patternable from year to year. Especially so during years when food sources and abundance remain similar. They have fine-tuned the most energetic way to survive from previous years. To deviate much from this would likely lead to unnecessary energy expenditure, reducing chances of reproduction and survival.
Although some areas may be good enough to support a whitetail’s life, they are still going to choose the highest quality habitat available to them to maximize their energetic gains. I can only think of a couple of reasons whitetails would choose to live in a lower-quality habitat than what is available in the surrounding area. Reasons would include; too many deer in the high-quality habitat already and high hunting pressure/poor safety.
High-quality habitat will maximize energy gains. Energy gains are the life goal of big bucks until the rut rolls around and it switches to breeding. As a deer hunter high-quality habitat combined with energetics is important to understand because helps predict with a higher degree of accuracy where a big buck is likely located before the rut.
Science Behind Whitetail Energetics
Energy is the biggest factor influencing the success of a buck to breed and survive to pass on his genes, and bucks know it. The more energy a buck has, the more it can be used when it’s needed most. Having a surplus of energy at the right time of year gives certain bucks a competitive advantage over other bucks. So how does a whitetail acquire more energy? By using less than it burns.
To understand energetics, you should know what a Calorie is, simply put, it is a measurement of energy. Three bodily functions burn Calories in organisms;
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Thermal Effect of Food (TEF)
Physical Activity (PA)
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
BMR+ TEF+ PA = TDEE
BMR is the absolute minimum number of Calories (energy) an organism, such as a whitetail, needs to consume to maintain its current body weight. TEF is the energy it takes to digest food. PA is the energy expended exerting any type of movement. When you add these three Calorie consuming bodily functions up, you get the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). A whitetail that consumes and digests more calories than TDEE will gain weight and vice versa. To simplify this, take a look at this equation:
TDEE – Energy Consumed = Calories Gained or Lost
TDEE > Energy Consumed = Lose Weight
TDEE < Energy Consumed = Gain Weight
Body Fat, Energy, and Survival
When a deer consumes more energy than what its body needs (TDEE < Energy Consumed), it will be stored as body fat. Why does a deer want body fat? Because fat is stored energy that can be used when external sources of nutrition don’t provide enough Calories to exceed TDEE. When deer can’t eat enough Calories or are burning too many Calories from activity, then body fat will be burned instead. Essentially, it is backup energy.
Whitetails cannot control their BMR or TEF to a large degree, but they can reduce energy expenditure from these through rest and sleep. They can control their amount of physical activity to a much larger degree. Limiting physical activity, such as fighting is important for survival. The reason bucks will fight is that there is an opportunity for reproductive success. Often reproductive success outweighs the energy costs of fighting. In a fighting scenario, a win would energetically make sense because the buck would be able to pass on his genes. However, bucks take risks when they fight with each other. Not only will the loser spend a lot of energy that could be used for survival, but he will also not pass on his genes. Too much fighting will limit the energy bucks have for breeding.
Fat is essential for survival in the colder months for insulation and nutrition. Having body fat during the cold months means more backup energy for when weather conditions don’t allow deer to stay at or above TDEE. This is how deer can survive periods of harsh weather conditions. A deer that uses less energy will generally put on more fat because physical activity is lower, which conserves more Calories. This is why hunters often don’t see big bucks until the rut has started. Big bucks are resting and digesting all day until the rut so that way they can maximize their stored energy for reproductive success.
Body Fat, Energy, & The Rut
Having healthy stores of fat gained from the growing season allows bucks to focus on one thing, reproduction. Because bucks were putting on as much fat as they could during the growing season, they could afford to take a short break from focusing on energy accumulation. Instead, they will burn these energy reserves and put them towards reproductive success.
Because of the importance and short window of the breeding season, reproductive success is ranked higher than everything else in the mind of a buck. Essentially, this is what bucks have been preparing for since the growing season. Fat reserves allow for a higher competitive advantage over other bucks with less available body fat during the rut. The reason for this is the bucks with more body fat have more energy to use. The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) states “bucks can easily lose 20 to 25 percent of their body weight during the rut”. This goes to show you how important fat is to rutting bucks.
Weather & Whitetail Energetics
Snow, rain, wind, hot, and cold…etc all play a role in how whitetails move from day-to-day. Knowing that bucks are trying to use energy as efficiently as possible to maximize reproductive success during the rut you’ll need to ask yourself before every hunt: “What is a buck going to do today? Will he want to be on his feet? Or will he spend too much energy doing so based on the weather conditions so that it’s not worth his time or effort?”
Does it make sense to hunt from a treestand if there is a blizzard with 40 mph winds? What about in 70º F temps in November? No, deer are likely not moving because it’s too energetically expensive. They will be resting and digesting and waiting a day or two for conditions to improve. Bucks will get the most out of their energy this way. Knowing this you could make a more aggressive game plan and increase your odds of success. Thinking about how weather affects energetics will help put the odds in your favor for success.
Whitetail Energetics & Hunting Pressure
Although understanding whitetail energetics is a fantastic tool to improve your hunting success, it’s important to understand that energetics is best understood if hunting pressure does not exist. This shows how whitetails would interact with nature under unpressured conditions. Under non-pressured situations, whitetail energetics is very accurate in predicting what deer are up to throughout the year.
It’s important to first understand how deer move in unpressured scenarios because it allows you to understand where deer want to be naturally. When pressured, these deer still want to be where they would be if unpressured. However, they know that it’s too risky. This causes them to avoid going to these areas or at least until they feel safe (like at night).
However, the truth of the matter is that you are probably dealing with a certain degree of hunting pressure. Once you understand how deer would react in unpressured scenarios you can start thinking about what the bucks might do under the specific amount of hunting pressure your area is receiving.
When hunting pressure is involved, energetics provides the framework for determining where deer will be. But survival is another large piece of the puzzle. Bucks especially will veer away from making the most energetically-sense decisions if there is a threat to their survival. This is because bucks bed for security and does bed for food. Because bucks are bedding for security they will go out of their way and spend more energy to get to places that make them feel safer. This may mean creating a nest in the middle of a swamp somewhere in a highly pressured area.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve taken away some insights that help you become a better deer hunter. Energetics is a large portion of the puzzle in finding big bucks. Knowing that a whitetail’s life revolves primarily around energy acquisition for reproduction and survival, you can more accurately predict what bucks are thinking throughout the year. This greatly improves your chances of taking a big buck.
That being said, does whitetail energetics predict the movement of all bucks 100% accurately? No. Information in this post is what I’ve found to be what the average big buck is thinking based on energetics at different times of the year. Bucks could be moving at any time, anywhere, for any number of reasons, and you could see success despite the information in this article. However, this article does help you put the odds in your favor for the most success. Most people can’t take the whole hunting season off from work, so knowing when to use your vacation time wisely based on energetics will put you in a position to have more consistent success in the woods.
Thinking in terms of energetics has helped me become much more successful in finding big bucks. I hope this article has helped you think about how you can put a big buck on the ground this fall. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below, I will do my best to get back to you.
It’s difficult to get into the biggest bucks in Maine club by shooting a buck over 200 lbs if you don’t know where to find big Maine bucks. In this article, I will teach you how to position yourself in areas with the highest probability of taking a big-bodied buck. I use science and numbers to explain where to find big Maine bucks.
A 200-pound caliber buck is a regarded accomplishment for Maine deer hunters because they aren’t super common. Shooting a buck of this weight places you in the Biggest Bucks in Maine Club. The bucks of this caliber are old, smart, and cagey, making them veterans of survival and difficult to kill. You can greatly improve your odds of shooting the biggest bucks Maine has to offer by understanding a few key concepts about body weight and temperature. These concepts are described in more detail below.
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Where To Find Big Maine Bucks
Body size changes to attain appropriate thermal regulation based on the climate a particular animal (deer in this case) are living in. This concept is explained by Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s Rule.
Bergmann’s Rule
Bergmann’s Rule Example
Bergmann’s rule states that species found in higher latitudes will have a larger body size to survive colder temperatures that coincide with higher latitudes. This is an evolutionary process that allows species to keep appropriate internal body temperatures in relation to external environmental temperatures.
Larger body sizes can withstand colder temperatures because they have lower surface area-to-volume ratios. This is shown in the example above; 24/8=3 whereas 96/64=1.5. Having a lower surface area to volume ratio allows larger animals to retain heat. Below is a graph showing how buck weights change as latitude increases in Maine. This graph was generated from data supplied by Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Bergmann’s Rule – Average Maine Whitetail Buck Weights vs Latitude by Wildlife Management District (WMD).
Allen’s Rule
Allen’s Rule Example
Allen’s rule states that body form or shape is linear (long and skinny) in warm climates and more rounded and compact in cold climates. So, just like Bergmann’s Rule, the main principle is that surface area to volume ratios change depending on the climate.
For example, round forms have smaller surface area to volume ratios than long and skinny thus retaining heat more efficiently. In comparison, an animal that is long and skinning will have more surface area and will dissipate heat more easily. An example of this is shown to the right:
Bergmann’s Rule & Allan’s Rule Summary
In summary, these two rules are saying deer body size becomes larger, rounder, and more compact as climates become colder. The further north you hunt in Maine, the colder temperatures will become. For this reason, it is safe to say whitetails will be bigger, stockier, and denser the further north you travel. This means your odds of shooting a buck over the 200 lbs. mark increases as you move north (or more accurately, in the coldest areas of Maine, which is generally north). These first two concepts are the bread and butter of where to find big Maine bucks.
Hunting Pressure
Hunting pressure in southern Maine is much heavier than in the northern woods of Maine. For this reason, big bucks are rarer in the south because they often get shot before they reach 4+ years of age. Additionally, even if you do your homework and find a handful of big bucks to hunt in southern Maine, they still are not necessarily going to weigh over 200 lbs. per the rules described above.
Since hunting pressure in northern Maine is much lower than the pressure that occurs in southern and central Maine it allows more bucks to get 4+ years of age. A buck that has reached this age class will be more likely to weigh 200+ pounds compared to younger bucks. That combined with the genetic tendency for bucks to be larger in the north puts the odds in your favor (Age + Big Deer Genetics = Big Maine Buck). The trade-off is that the deer population in the Northwoods is lower. Thus, you’re less likely to see deer.
Habitat & Nutrition
Civilization
Habitat does play a role in how big an animal will grow. In the Northwoods, there is so much land that bucks can roam to find all the food they need. However, not all food is created equal. The food in the big woods of Maine, although enough for survival, is not necessarily the most nutritious when compared to crops. Sometimes the bucks that receive the best nutrition will be those who have taken advantage of crops, fields, and other amenities that human civilization offers for deer.
Weight & Antler Growth
You might think that shooting a big Maine buck weighing over 200 lbs will mean that this deer will support a giant rack. However, this is not always the case. Big bucks in the Northwoods get a lot of food from what they can find naturally on the landscape. Although the forage they find is plenty to sustain a big buck’s life, it is not as plentiful and nutrient-dense when compared to areas closer to civilization/agriculture.
For this reason, big Northern Maine bucks put all of their energy into bodyweight production in preparation for the cold winters, any leftover energy can be used to generate antler growth. The majority of the time they don’t produce large racks because they don’t have a vast surplus of nutrients. This is especially the case with older bucks because they aren’t able to extract/attain the same amount of nutrients as they did when in their prime.
Bucks found close to agriculture/warmer climates don’t need to put on as much body weight because it’s necessary for optimum survival. On top of that, they have more nutritionally dense diets which allow them to put on weight faster, allowing for more energy toward antler production.
Maine Deer Wintering Areas
Deer wintering areas play a huge role in the number of deer that will be in a given area. This is increasingly so in the Northwoods of Maine. High-quality deer wintering areas have a food source and a tall dense softwood canopy. In addition to a tall canopy, a dense softwood mid-story provides thermal shelter in the cold months. This reduces the amount of snow that reaches the ground. With less snow on the ground, deer use less energy moving around when snow conditions are bad.
Large and abundant deer wintering areas allow deer to survive harsh winters. A higher-quality deer wintering area helps reduce energy expenditure. Less energy is needed to acquire shelter and food. With good nutrition and shelter, bucks will enter the growing season with good health. This will enable bucks to allocate more energy on weight gains and antler growth.
By finding and hunting in the general vicinity of high-quality deer wintering areas you will increase the odds of seeing more healthy and mature deer. It’s going to be difficult to find deer, let alone a big buck if you’re hunting in an area with no deer wintering areas in the vicinity.
Big Maine Bucks & Genetics
If you relocated a southern Maine deer into the Northwoods of Maine and it bred with a Northwoods deer, this would cause some genetic contamination. This is true because some offspring would likely be smaller than the average Northwoods deer. This would reduce the odds of offspring survival in colder climates as demonstrated by the rules above. Therefore, genes for smaller deer have been removed through evolution. Since big deer can survive better in the colder temperatures of the north, genes for bigger deer remain in the north.
Having pockets of deer in the Northwoods that are superior to other pockets is unlikely. This is because bucks travel far during the rut to breed. This creates a lot of genetic mixing, meaning it is unlikely genes are the cause for any particular area to have better potential to hold big bucks. The only aspect genetics allows you to take advantage of is genes for larger bucks that will be found in colder climates.
Average Whitetail Buck Weight vs Latitude in Maine by Wildlife Management District (WMD). This graph was generated from Data supplied by Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have a good understanding of where to find big Maine bucks. The takeaway might be to hunt as far north/northwest as you possibly can to increase your odds of shooting the biggest buck possible, right? As far as strictly weight is concerned, you would be correct. However, it’s important to consider the hunt you want to experience.
There are some trade-offs to consider to have the best hunt for you.
How much excitement do you want to have? Is seeing a few deer per week good enough?
Do you want to be in the middle of nowhere and not see another person? Or do you want to have some comfort knowing other people are around?
Do you care about antler size? Big Northern Maine bucks often don’t support big racks. More often it’s the deer that are between 180 and 200 lbs. that are in their prime that support the best racks in the Northwoods of Maine.
I believe hunters can find their ‘sweet spot’ in Maine. By ‘sweet spot’ I mean a location in Maine where you’ve considered all aspects of your perfect hunt. Align yourself by location based on those aspects to put the odds in your favor. This will increase the probability of bringing a successful hunt into reality. This might mean sacrificing some percentage of shooting a 200-pounder so that you can see more deer and smaller bucks to have an enjoyable hunt.
If all you care able is bagging a 200+ pound whopper and you could care less about seeing any other deer, hunting as far north/northwest as possible, while also considering the other points mentioned in this article, will create the highest odds for you.
You Might Like My Other Maine Related Hunting Articles:
This Rynoskin review is based on my extensive use of the clothing for my profession and hobbies over the last decade. I’ve used the original Rynoskin for about 7 years, and Rynoskin’s new Rynoskin Total clothing for the last 3 years. During this time, I have regularly been in the harshest insect conditions Maine has to offer.
When I’m not working in the outdoors as an environmental consultant I’m either hunting, fishing, or exploring the outdoors. For these reasons, I wear my Rynoskin almost daily from April into December. Because of my occupation and outdoor hobbies, I have been able to draw strong conclusions on how they both (original and new) perform and how they compare to each other. These experiences and conditions are what this Rynoskin review is based on.
The purpose of this post is to share a product I believe in, and that will help keep people safe in the woods. I’ve been so happy with the results I wanted to share my experiences with them. I am not affiliated with this company in any way. However, I am an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you’re looking for a rigorous field test to determine if Rynoskin actually works, or wondering how Rynoskin Total compares to previous versions of Rynoskin then this post is for you.
What Is Rynoskin?
Rynoskin Total is a chemical-free, breathable base-layer that is designed to protect you from ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, biting flies, no-see-ums, and other biting insects. The clothing is created with very fine mesh material, making it difficult for insects to bite or penetrate through the Rynoskin fabric.
The original Rynoskin also protected against many biting insects. The major difference is that it did not protect against mosquitos. This Rynoskin is no longer made, only Rynoskin Total is currently made.
Rynoskin Review – Original Rynoskin (Camo & No Longer Made) & Rynoskin Total (Black and Green) Other colors are available. Currently, camo is not an option for Rynoskin Total.
How Breathable is Rynoskin Clothing?
Maine’s Hot Summers
The first question I often get asked is: “Is it breathable?” Since insect season is during the hot spring/summer months this is an important question. The answer to that question is a resounding yes. It reminds me of Under Armour, but with insect-resistant capabilities. It may not be quite as breathable as Under Armour due to its close-knit fabric, but it works very well. For the extra protection, it is well worth it in my opinion. It’s thin and stretchy, allowing sweat to dissipate. While working in Maine’s hot summers I’ve relied on Rynoskin Total to keep me cool and dry for the last two years and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Other States
The hot months of Maine are cooler than the hot months of other states. I have not tested this clothing in other states. For this reason, I am personally unsure of how it would perform in hotter locations. That being said, I did a little digging and on Rynoskin’s website they state that:
“The answer will depend on the climate and the season of where you are located. For those in the northeast of the United States, the New England states where you want that extra layer of protection from Lyme Disease. We’ve heard positive feedback in terms of the coolness in the comfort level of the wearer. However, in the southern part of the United States where humidity is 80% in the summer months it may feel a little warm by having an extra layer of clothing, but during the fall and spring months, are generally more favorable for the wearer that resides in those more humid climates. Now for those who reside in a dry climate during the summer months, there hasn’t generally been any complaints about Rynoskin Total providing any extra heat for the wearer.” – Rynoskin
Is Rynoskin Chemical Free?
One of my favorite aspects of Rynoskin is that it is chemical-free. Since I am outside all the time and always need protection during insect season I decided for health reasons that being as chemical-free as possible was the route I wanted to take. Since I don’t currently use the gloves, hood, or socks that Rynoskin sells, I do have some areas where insects can bite. When insect densities get bad I’ll throw on a head net and I’ll spray my hands with bug spray. Even though I do use bug spray on occasion Rynoskin Total reduces the overall amount of chemicals that I need to use which I appreciate.
Insect conditions in Maine can be very dense, especially around wetlands, which is where I spend most of my time at work. Rynoskin has done such a great job that I only need insect repellent for non-Rynoskin-covered areas in the harshest of mosquito conditions. As I mentioned, I am outside all of the time for work and for fun. For this reason, my skin would be in constant contact with repellent all day, every day. I don’t know about you but I’d rather not have chemicals on my skin all day long if I don’t have to, even if it’s low exposure.
Frequency
If you’re someone who does not go outside much and you’re worried about getting bitten it’s probably not going to affect you all that much to use chemicals now and again. But like I mentioned above, I’ve found that ticks still find ways to get under clothing, and mosquitos still bite. If your mind is made up on using chemicals I highly recommend doubling up with Rynoskin for extra protection. Rynoskin will prevent ticks from getting underneath regular clothing. It will act as an extra layer of defense against biting insects, and will also help put distance between your skin and the chemicals.
Insecticides & Repellents
Before I started using Rynoskin I used chemicals such as DEET and Permethrin to help prevent ticks and insects from biting me. Even after applying the chemicals ticks would still find a way to get under my clothing and mosquitos would bite me. Some chemicals work better than others, but in general, the ones that work better are more potent.
Consistent contact with chemicals over time has been shown to irritate the skin, and absorption of the chemical into the bloodstream. It’s more than likely this will cause harm to your body over time. There are many insecticides, repellents, and insect repellent/insecticide clothing on the market today. In my opinion, these repellents are not the best option for health reasons. I don’t claim to be an expert in toxicology, but if repellents are strong enough to kill and repel bugs, especially those with exoskeletons, they are probably not the safest items to use on our bodies consistently. For more information on the side effects of these chemicals/insecticides check out this article by Indiana University Bloomington:Insect Precautions – Permethrin, Deet, and Picaridin.
I don’t claim to be an expert in toxicology, but if repellents are strong enough to kill and repel bugs, especially those with exoskeletons, they are probably not the safest items to use on our body on a consistent basis. Photo From: https://draxe.com/health/news/deet/
Rynoskin Review – Rynoskin vs Rynoskin Total
Original Rynoskin
I received my first pair of the original Rynoskin as a gift about seven years ago (2012) and consisted of the Rynoskin pants and shirt. The original version of Rynoskin claimed it would protect against ticks, chiggers, biting flies, and other biting insects. Prior to 2017, however, it did not protect against mosquitoes. I knew this as the company made it clear. However, this was not a problem for me because I was only worried about ticks at the time.
Rynoskin Total
The newest version of Rynoskin (Rynoskin Total) was brought into the market in 2017. The claim to fame of Rynoskin Total is that it protects you from a wider range of insects. On the company’s website, they state Rynoskin Total prevents ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, biting flies, no-see-ums, and other biting insects from being able to bite through or penetrate the fabric.
The biggest difference that I noticed between the original Rynoskin and the newer Rynoskin Total shirt and pants was their ability to protect against mosquito bites. From wearing the clothing there is a clear difference between the two. Rynoskin Total was so much more effective. Mosquitos were still able to penetrate Rynoskin Total but you can tell mosquitos struggle with finding a spot to get through the fabric. I noticed they’d oftentimes get frustrated because they were not able to penetrate the clothing and would try to find a new spot. Sometimes they were able to get through if you gave them enough time.
Rynoskin Review: Field-Tested Results
Lucky for me 2017 was the year I was hired as an environmental consultant. Not wanting to use my hunting pair of Rynoskin for work, I found out very quickly that I would need to buy a second pair. A big part of my job is providing wetland services. Wetlands are where many insects breed so I often find myself in the middle of prime biting insect and tick habitat. After finding ticks crawling on me throughout the day I knew I would need to get a new pair for work, and pronto!
At this point, I was unaware that Rynoskin Total had been brought into the market. When I saw Rynoskin Total protected against both ticks and mosquitos, as well as other biting insects it had me very excited. In addition to improved clothing, many more color and size choices were available as well. I purchased Rynoskin Total’s shirt and pants right away.
I’ve tested the clothing against ticks, mosquitoes, horseflies, and black flies so that is what this review will cover. I discuss the results below:
Rynoskin vs Ticks & Lymes Disease
Maine is close to ground-zero for Lyme disease. Ticks in Maine come out of winter hibernation in April, peaking in May, June, and July. Ticks remain at lower numbers throughout the Fall. After being treated for Lyme disease myself I did not want to take any chances of getting bit by a tick again. That being said, refraining from the outdoors was a non-option for me. Rynoskin clothing seemed like a more than reasonable alternative so I decided to give it a try and I’m glad I did.
I am blown away by how effective Rynoskin and Rynoskin Total are against ticks. During the summer, it is common for me to pick off between 30-50 ticks per day! From the thousands, and quite possibly tens of thousands of ticks I’ve had on me I’ve never had a tick fully burrow into my skin. In a year I might get one or two ticks that bite quickly and only penetrate partially through the skin layers, not making it to the bloodstream. These bites are not deep enough to cause an infection like Lyme disease because they haven’t made it to the bloodstream.
Tick Bite Prevention Method
Although I give almost all of the credit to Rynoskin for this feat, I do have a tick-prevention regimen that I follow. My regimen greatly reduces the odds of being bitten. I have fine-tuned this regimen over the years and it works very well for me. My regimen protocol is simple and is outlined in the next section below called: Rynoskin Regimen – Get the Most Out of your Rynoskin Clothing. My regimen combined with Rynoskin clothing is a brilliant combination for preventing tick bites.
Rynoskin vs Mosquitos
As mentioned earlier there was a major difference between Rynoskin Total and the original Rynoskin when it came to mosquitoes. I have tested both against mosquitoes to see what the results would be. Rynoskin recommends it be worn as a base layer but I wanted to see the results when the bare fabric was exposed to mosquitoes.
Out of curiosity, I let mosquitos land and stay on the Rynoskin Total on my forearm so I could observe their behavior. What I found was that mosquitoes had to poke and prod with their mouths, otherwise known as their proboscis, then reposition and move to various areas of my forearm to find just the right alignment in the fabric where it would get through. Many times they would become frustrated that they were not able to find a spot so they would fly away or land on a different spot on my forearm. Eventually, with enough time, mosquitoes were able to penetrate the Rynoskin Total clothing, but they had to take their time. The fabric of the original Rynoskin clothing was almost immediately penetrated by mosquitoes. The improvement from the original Rynoskin to Rynoskin Total is a big win in my book.
Experimenting with Clothes
As stated above Rynoskin is made to be a base-layer, so the fact Rynoskin Total did this well without any additional clothing added was very impressive. I started adding more clothing slowly. Next, I wore an Under Armour T-shirt over my Rynoskin Total, and I saw the same results; mosquitoes were able to penetrate through my Under Armour and Rynoskin Total if given enough time. However, I was sitting very still without moving. Walking through the woods I noticed mosquitos had a lot of trouble biting me with the movement of the Under Armour. It seemed like they didn’t want to risk hurting their proboscis with the increased movement between the two fabrics.
Button-up Cotton Flannel For Added Bite Prevention
I was bitten more often when wearing polyester (like Under Armour) than when wearing cotton. The thin and breathable properties of polyester seem to be penetrated more easily than other materials. From what I have tried, cotton seems to be the best. Currently, I use a lightweight, long-sleeved, button-up cotton flannel. This works very well for me. I think the fibers of cotton are more rigid and dense, making it harder for mosquitos to penetrate.
In my experience, if you are moving around or able to brush away mosquitos periodically then mosquitoes don’t have a chance to bite you. Just a lightweight shirt, preferably cotton, is all it takes to keep from getting bitten in low to moderate mosquito densities. If you have to be very still – like in hunting situations, or if you’re in high mosquito densities you will get bitten if you don’t wear some additional clothing. I recommend a cotton long-sleeved shirt. The hood and gloves would probably be a good addition in these scenarios as well.
Although mosquitoes can penetrate Rynoskin Total, it’s much more difficult for the mosquitoes to do so. Because of the increased difficulty of mosquito’s ability to penetrate clothing, it greatly reduces the number of bites you endure.
Rynoskin vs Horse Flies
I have never been bitten by a horsefly through Rynoskin Total. That being said, horseflies are much easier to detect than mosquitos and are more easily brushed away. I did not let a horsefly land on my Rynoskin clothing and waited to see what would happen as I did with mosquitos. However, in the last seven years, I can’t recall a time when I was bitten through any version of Rynoskin by horseflies.
Rynoskin vs Black Flies
Both Rynoskin and Rynoskin Total have worked well for me against black flies. For me, Rynoskin shined during fishing trips to remote locations in Maine. Black flies at dusk while fly fishing can be brutal. Before Rynoskin, it was hardly worth trying to tie on a new fly. Once both hands were occupied you were defenseless against the swarms. In the time it took to tie on a fly, you’d be just about eaten alive.
Both versions of Rynoskin kept black flies from touching my legs and body which was fantastic. However, black flies seem to be able to find any little spec of open skin. For this reason, black flies were able to bite me everywhere the Rynoskin was not present such as my head, hands, wrists, neck…etc. That being said, no black flies were able to get underneath my Rynoskin and no black flies were able to bite through the fabric so it performed as advertised.
Furthermore, Rynoskin offers additional articles of clothing. The additional articles of clothing consist of: a hood, gloves, and socks. These additional articles of clothing would have been a great addition to preventing black fly bites especially. I have not personally tested these smaller articles of clothing out, but because they are made from the same material and double-layered. I imagine they’d work the same if not better than the shirt and pants. They have been designed so that you can tuck the smaller articles of clothing into the shirt and pants to create a seal so no skin is open to insects.
Rynoskin Regimen – Getting The Most Out Of Your Rynoskin Clothing
Below I share my tick prevention methods that I apply every day to make sure I don’t get bitten by ticks while wearing Rynoskin:
Wear a Ball Cap to Protect your Head.
Wearing a ball cap to prevent ticks from getting into your hair is important. Usually, ticks will get onto your body at waist height or lower because that is their preferred size of vegetation to wait for hosts. That being said, if you’re ducking under branches you’re more apt to get one higher than waist height once in a while. It also helps prevent ticks from crawling up your neck and getting deep into your hair. Wearing a ball cap is a worthwhile prevention method.
Wear Rynoskin Underneath Clothing
By wearing layers, it makes it harder for ticks to come into contact with your skin as it is an extra line of defense. More importantly, Rynoskin is not all that durable and is designed to be worn under clothing. This is how it is meant to be worn as recommended by the company. Wearing layers on top of Rynoskin will keep your Rynoskin intact for many years. I still use my older original Rynoskin when sometimes from 7 years ago!
Tuck Rynoskin Into Itself
Make sure to tuck Rynoskin in as shown in this picture. This allows for the greatest protection. Photo From:(https://www.rynoskin.com/)
To prevent ticks from biting around the ankles I tuck my socks over my Rynoskin pantleg cuffs. I also pull my pant legs over my 18″ Lacrosse Grange Rubber boots. This will prevent ticks and debris from falling into your boots that could potentially come crawling out at a later time. I also tuck my Rynoskin shirt into my Rynoskin pants.
Regularly Checking Clothing Throughout the Day
I get just about all the ticks off of me in a day but regularly check the front and back of my pants from the waist down. I do this every time I walk through scrubby brush or grass. Because ticks utilize a lie-and-wait tactic to come into contact with a host they will almost always attach to the front part of your body. I’m 6’3” and the vast majority of ticks I get are also below my waist. But routinely looking down on your pants and shirt you can eliminate 90-95% of the threats, which will greatly reduce the number of ticks that make it to your neck.
The other 5-10% will migrate upwards on the body until they reach the skin. Since Rynoskin will prevent them from getting on your skin until they reach your neck (assuming you’re not wearing the hood) you will eventually get the remaining ticks on your neck if not picked off. DON’T PANIC. I find my neck to be more sensitive because of the fine hairs located on the neck allowing me to easily notice crawling ticks and pick them off before biting. Although this sounds a little unsettling for some, this has worked better for me than any other method so far.
Prevent Hitchhikers – Bring a Change Of Clothes And Storage For ‘Tick Clothes’
Since Rynoskin does not use chemicals it does not keep ticks and insects from being on the clothing, it only prevents them from getting onto your skin. For this reason, it is common to have ticks alive and, on the clothing, when you’re done with your outdoor adventures. You might have looked yourself over good, but trust me it’s inevitable some will still be on you, they’re difficult to see.
Rynoskin will protect you against ticks but watch where you drag them. I’ve had a few close calls where I’ve dragged ticks into my car on my way home from work without knowing it. Later, when my Rynoskin was off, on my way to the grocery store I had ticks crawling on me. Friends and family have also got them from being in my car.
After learning from these incidents, I decided it was time to make a change. Now when I am finished in the outdoors I remove all clothing I had on outside, including my Rynoskin. I use fabric grocery bags, they work well if I roll up the tops so the ticks don’t get out of the bag. The bags in the link above are white, so it will be easiest to see ticks. Ideally, you could invest in a sealable bag. I like fabric bags because I toss them in the washer/dryer along with the clothes so any ticks that fell in the bag will be killed.
Right: Unfolded Grocery Bag – Left: Folded Grocery Bag to Keep Ticks from Crawling Out
Throw All Clothes In The Washer – Dry On High Heat For At Least 10 Minutes
Before getting into the shower wash or dry your clothes. I like to do this step before getting into the shower because a few times I’ve had ticks get onto me from handling my ‘tick clothes’. The last thing I want is to feel nice and clean and then feel like I have ticks on me again.
Throwing your clothes in the dryer on high for 10 minutes will kill the ticks that are on your clothes. So, if my clothes are clean I will always throw them in the dryer after I come back from the field. If they’re dirty, I will wash and dry my clothes. This helps ensure that when I wear my clothes and Rynoskin the following day there won’t be any surprises.
Take a Shower and Comb your Hair with a Fine-Toothed Comb
The final step is to take a shower. The sooner you can take a shower when you get home, the less likely a straggler will inhabit your house and bite you or someone else. Additionally, when I take a shower I use a fine-toothed comb to comb my hair to ensure no ticks made it into my hair. In my time using Rynoskin, having ticks on you after removing the clothing is a very rare occurrence. I have only had a couple of ticks make it into my hair, and the comb has been effective at removing them.
Hunting With Rynoskin
Turkey Hunting
For me, I find Rynoskin shines during turkey hunting season. Turkey season coincides with peak tick activity (May) here in Maine. During this time of year, I find it doesn’t matter if I’m busting through brush, or just sitting on the ground waiting for a gobbler to come into range, ticks seem to find me in numbers. It is not uncommon for me to get 10-20 ticks in a morning of turkey hunting. Mosquitos also start popping up later in May and Rynoskin Total does a great job of protecting me in turkey hunting scenarios.
Early Season Deer Hunting
The expanded archery season in Maine starts at the beginning of September. During this time ticks are still around but are not nearly the same as they were in May. However, mosquitos are surely still around. Rynoskin helps reduce the number of mosquito bites during this time of year.
Scent-Free
As a diehard whitetail hunter, being as scent-free as possible is very important to me to get the most out of my hunts. Since no chemicals are used to create the product, there is no smell. Also, there’s no need to spray repellents on the clothing because it already prevents insects from biting. Rynoskin clothing is a huge win as far as I am concerned in regards to hunting. You can wash Rynoskin in your favorite scent-killing detergent and they’ll be just as scent-free as the rest of your clothing.
Less Movement
Since the clothing does a great job at preventing insects from biting through the clothing, I am not moving around nearly as much trying to swat away bugs when in the treestand or the blind. Sure, I am still doing a little swatting, but not nearly to the same extent. I can take a little bit more time to brush off bugs, instead of flailing and swatting. Less movement helps reduce the chances of an animal spotting me.
How Does Rynoskin Fit?
Being tall and skinny (6’3’’ 155lbs) I chose the large options and it fits well. The elasticity of the material allows it to stretch and take the shape of the individual wearer. On Rynoskin’s website, they have a sizing chart so that you can see what size would work best for you.
As a skinny person, I have noticed that the neck of the product does not fit all that tightly around my neck. This was concerning at first because I thought ticks would be able to fall down my neck and into my suit. However, since I’ve been wearing Rynoskin I haven’t had a problem with ticks getting under my suit. For some reason, they just don’t seem to crawl downward once getting to the neck. They crawl upwards from the suit up my neck where I can feel them and pick the ticks off.
Rynoskin Review Considerations
Skinny People
At first, I was skeptical if the Rynoskin was going to work for ticks. Being skinny I thought the elastic cuffs of the pant legs, sleeves, and neck may be too loose to prevent ticks from working their way underneath. But after putting my first pair of Rynoskin to the test I found this not to be an issue. The elastic cuffs worked well, not once did I have a tick get underneath my Rynoskin while hunting. You can see an example of this in the video provided in this review.
Durability
Rynoskin is plenty durable as a base-layer and will last a long time if worn underneath clothing. However, it is not durable enough to be worn as an outer layer. Thorns will chew through the fabric and sticks will tear the clothing over time. For this reason, it is best to wear the clothing as a base-layer, as designed, for maximum longevity.
Threading
On both the original Rynoskin and Rynoskin Total thread starts to come loose due to the type of material it is made out of. Thread has a hard time staying in the fabric, I’m not if this is because it is very elastic. The company realized this was a problem with the original Rynoskin and made upgrades to the new Rynoskin Total to prevent this from happening. From what I have found Rynoskin Total is much better at keeping the thread from coming out, nonetheless, over time it still does come out. That being said, for me the thread only comes out around the cuffs, but the cuffs act as a scrunchy whether the threading is in them or not. For this reason, there was little to no negative effect on the performance of the clothing because of some thread loss.
Thread does fall out over time, but it does not affect the effectiveness of the clothing.
Rynoskin vs Wet Feet
Be careful if your feet or legs are wet like when getting out of the shower. It is easy to pull too hard on the material and rip the cuff. This is not a fault of the company but a lack of taking care on my part. However, it shouldn’t be a deciding factor in your purchase but rather something to be aware of so you can get the most out of the clothing.
When you have wet feet be careful when putting your Rynoskin pantlegs on, it can over-stretch and rip the cuffs.
Rynoskin Review Conclusions
Rynoskin has proven to be a game-changer for anyone seeking effective, chemical-free protection against biting insects. Over the past decade, my extensive use of both the original Rynoskin and Rynoskin Total in Maine’s harsh insect conditions has demonstrated their exceptional performance. While the original Rynoskin offered solid protection against ticks and other biting insects, the newer Rynoskin Total goes a step further by providing significant defense against mosquitoes as well.
Although not impervious to all bites, Rynoskin Total greatly reduces the risk and frequency, making it an invaluable tool for outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, environmental consultants, and anyone frequently exposed to insect-dense environments. Its breathability, lightweight design, and lack of chemical treatment make it a healthier alternative to traditional insect repellents, especially when combined with effective layering and tick-prevention strategies.
Despite minor durability concerns, particularly if worn as an outer layer, the clothing’s overall effectiveness far outweighs these drawbacks. Whether you’re hiking, working, or hunting, Rynoskin Total is a highly recommended investment for staying protected and comfortable in the great outdoors.
The best anchor point for drawing a bow will vary depending on the individual archer. There is no cut-in-stone anchor point formula that will work best for everyone. With that being said, there are some fundamental steps to consider when choosing the best anchor points for you.
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What Are Anchor Points For Drawing A Bow?
Anchor points are designated points of the face to be touched by the draw hand and/or bowstring when at full draw. The placement of these points on the face should be identical each time the bow is drawn. Not all archers will use the same anchor points. Archers determine their own anchor points by comfort and repeatability. Anchor points that are comfortable and repeatable will ensure the best consistency. Comfortable, repeatable, and consistent anchor points will result in the best anchor point for drawing a bow. Archers commonly designate points on their mouth, chin, jaw, neck, nose, or ear.
Although the best anchor point for drawing a bow will be different for everyone, these are some common examples.
Why Do You Need Anchor Points?
Anchor points are critical for maintaining a high degree of consistency between shots. The increased consistency will improve accuracy, which will allow you to group arrows much closer together. Your draw hand would be at different positions on your face after each shot without designated anchor points. This inconsistency will show up in your arrow groupings downrange leaving you confused and frustrated.
Slight changes in your anchors between shots will change where the arrow impacts the intended target. This change is compounded at further distances. The closer you can get to identically re-positioning your anchors will result in better results downrange.
Try to think about shooting a bow like trying to be as close to a robot as possible. A robot that is programmed to shoot a bow would perform the same exact motions the same exact way every single time. Trying to obtain robot-like performance will ensure the best consistency, thus the best accuracy. A point that will allow you to obtain robot-like performance will be the best anchor point for drawing a bow.
How To Pick Your Anchor Points
Some common anchor points are described below:
1. Position Release in Hand Consistently
You should first consider the position of your release in your draw hand. Make sure you’re placing your release in the same spot of your draw hand (or wrist depending on what type of release you’re using) every time you shoot. Doing this will help you achieve the best anchor point for drawing a bow with your release hand. Draw length and form will vary between shots if your release isn’t positioned identically in your hand every time. This will introduce inconsistency into your shots.
For non-index style releases, it may be helpful to mark your release. By marking your release you’re able to refer back to the same spot on the release every time you shoot. For index-style releases with a wrist strap, make sure the trigger sits consistently and at a comfortable distance on your index finger. I make sure the trigger of my index-finger style release sits just behind my first knuckle on my index-finger when at full draw. I’ve even drilled an extra hole in my wrist strap so that it fits very snug to eliminate sliding.
Comfortable and repeatable release placement in the draw hand will ensure more consistency. By consistently bringing the bow to the same spot of your face every time you will see better accuracy.
2. Draw-hand to Face Anchor
The next anchor point to consider is what points of the draw-hand to place on points on your face. Picking points on your draw hand and associating those points to a specific point on your face will help improve consistency. These points will be matched to each other identically every time you shoot. The best anchor point for drawing a bow when considering a draw-hand to face anchor will be comfortable and repeatable points. Additionally, if bone to bone contact can be implemented it will further increase consistency. Just make sure you can maintain comfortable and repeatable anchors.
Where you are able to anchor points of your hand to points on your face will largely be determined by; the type of release you’re using and the shape of your face. For example, I use an index-trigger style release. Because of this I find it most comfortable to anchor my draw hand pointer finger knuckle on my ear lobe. If you use a handheld release you may find it easier to place a knuckle/s on a specific part of the jaw.
3. Bowstring to Face Anchors
Additionally, the bowstring can be used as an anchor point. This can be accomplished by placing the string on a point or points of the face. There are two places I anchor the bowstring on my face. The first bowstring anchor point I use is the tip of my nose. My second bowstring anchor point is the corner of my mouth. Having these two points makes sure the bow is aligned to my face the same every time I draw my bow. The best anchor point for drawing a bow when considering bowstring to face anchors are those that are comfortable, repeatable, and don’t cause a lot of facial pressure.
4. Peep Sight Alignment
After choosing your newly designated anchor points, adjust your peep sight up or down until you can clearly and comfortably see through it. You’ll know when it’s adjusted properly when your sight housing sits just inside of the peep sight.
After you have set anchor points and have adjusted your peep sight, draw your bow and bring it to your face with your eyes closed. When you feel like you have properly anchored the bow open your eyes. You should be able to see perfectly through your peep sight. Although not a physical anchor point, having proper peep alignment acts as an anchor point validator. Having a properly aligned peep sight will ensure you are coming to the same spot of your face every time with you anchor points. If you sometimes cannot see perfectly through your peep sight, you’ll know that you are not anchoring consistently.
Anchor Point Best Practices
When choosing the best anchor points for drawing a bow there are a few things to consider:
1. Comfort & Repeatability
Anchor points are designated by the individual archer and are determined by comfort and repeatability. It is crucial to comfortably come back to the same exact anchor points every time you shoot. Comfortable anchor points will allow you to more precisely refer back to the same points. If you are not coming back to the same points every time then you won’t be consistent and accuracy will suffer as a result.
2. Light Facial Pressure
When choosing the best anchor point for drawing a bow it’s best practice to not have too much facial pressure. Too much facial pressure will cause face distortion making it difficult to get back to the same point on your face every time. Additionally, too much facial pressure may cause the string to contact your face or facial hair. The difference in friction between shots may cause the arrow to veer off inconsistently.
Also, squishing your face too much when anchoring will cause the elasticity of the skin to push the string outward upon release. This causes the tail end of the arrow to veer away from your face affecting accuracy. The goal should be to rest the bowstring on your face lightly so there is no influence on the bowstring.
3. Bone to Bone Contact
When possible it is best to use a bone on your draw hand and match it to a point on your face which is also bone. Bone to bone contact will help you become more effective at repeating the motions identically each time you shoot. This will result in better consistency because bone won’t move like facial tissue. If your anchor points are soft facial tissue than there is slightly more opportunity for error. If points are comfortable and repeatable the best anchor point for drawing a bow will include bone to bone contact.
4. In the Saddle (aka “cradle”)
You also don’t want your arrow to rest too high or low on your face when at full draw. Having an arrow too high or low on your face will result in unwanted facial pressure from the bowstring or arrow fletching. The bowstring will be pushed outwards during the release of the arrow if facial pressure is occurring. The outward push of the bowstring will cause the arrow to kick sideways.
On your face, there is a ‘sweet-spot’ located between your cheek and lower jaw called the saddle. This is where you want the arrow to sit. The saddle allows the arrow to sit as far as possible from your face, resulting in less facial pressure and facial hair contact. The best anchor point for drawing a bow will utilize the saddle. Below is a video describing where the saddle (aka cradle) occurs:
5. Kisser Button
A kisser button is a small object or knot of thread that is placed on the bowstring. It is designed to be felt on an archer’s lips at full draw which acts as an anchor point. Not everyone will need a kisser button. However, if you do not have a way to anchor with your draw hand, due to the type of release, or the shape of your face, you should then use a kisser button. Not everyone has the same shaped face, so not everyone will find a good anchor against the jaw.
I am able to anchor my draw hand on my face so I don’t use a kisser button. However, I still place the bowstring in the corner of my mouth just to have some additional control.
How Many Anchor Points Should You Have?
You would think that the more anchor points you have the better your consistency would be right? Not so fast. This is true in concept, however, there is a point of diminishing return. Too many anchor points will have you thinking too much about anchor points and not enough time focusing on the shot. For this reason, having 3-4 anchor points will be all that is necessary.
Personally, I use three anchor points (my specific examples stated above) as well as peep sight alignment to ensure that my consistency is top-notch. Having three anchor points allows me to create an invisible triangle between my anchor points.
Using three anchor points will allow you to create an invisible triangle between your anchor points.
I found having three anchor points on my face and maintaining this triangle helps me to ensure my anchor points are in the right position in relation to one another. The third anchor point helps to magnify any mispositioned anchor points. For example, I will notice if one anchor point is out of place because my other anchors will be slightly out of place as well.
Anchor Points And Steep Angled Shots
I shot over the back of a few deer when I first started whitetail hunting with a bow from treestands. I couldn’t figure out why. At this time I was using two anchor points with proper peep sight alignment. After some archery lessons, I finally figured out why steep elevations were giving me trouble.
I learned that my anchor points weren’t necessarily changing, but they were rotating in their spots. This rotation of my anchor points, unknowingly to me at the time, changed the way the bow rested on my face. Because of this, it was difficult to properly see down my peep sight. I had to adjust my head to see down the sights better. This created a lot of inconsistency between level shots and angled shots.
Maintaining the Triangle
I realized when using two anchor points I was dropping my bow arm and slightly altering my head to re-align with my peep sight. Because I only had two anchor points I did not notice the slight rotation in my anchor points when shooting angled shots.
Establishing a third anchor point allowed me to maintain the same triangle on my face, thus eliminating anchor rotation. Therefore I was able to correct my peep sight alignment at steep angles. Maintaining the triangle on my face also forced me to rotate at the hip. Below is a video describing the importance of rotating at the hip during angled shots.
Maintain Spine Angle
Spine angle is the angle of the spine in relation to your bow arm when shooting. For example, your arm will be roughly 90º to your spine if you are shooting at a target on flat ground . This creates a T- Shape. When you’re up 20-25ft in a treestand and an animal is 10 yards away, you need to maintain this same T- shape.
Shooters often lower their bow arm and arch their back when shooting at downward angles . This will rotate anchor points in their positions, greatly changing the angle between the bow arm and the spine. Your peep sight picture will change as well, further negatively influencing accuracy between level and angled shots.
It is important to maintain spine angle by rotating at the hips only. This will maintain the same T- shape or spine angle that is achieved when standing on flat ground. Maintaining this shape will prevent your anchor points and peep sight from changing.
So What Is The Best Anchor Point For Drawing A Bow?
By now you should have a good understanding of anchor points and that the best anchor point for drawing a bow will vary depending on the individual archer. I used personal examples for learning purposes. Every archer has a unique facial shape as well as prefers a certain release. These all play a role in what anchor points are best for you. For these reasons choosing the best anchor points for you entails some adjusting and experimenting.
You may have also noticed the repeated use of the terms “consistency” and “accuracy”. This is because these two words are the goal of anchor points. You have chosen the best anchor points for drawing a bow if you can be consistent with them. The more consistent you become the higher accuracy you will achieve.
You can increase a small property’s ability to hold deer by improving habitat that will make deer want to remain on your property for longer periods. If you give them everything they could want, they will have less of a reason to leave. Below I explain how to improve your habitat to hold deer on your small property.
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Small Property vs Large Property
My degree in wildlife ecology, combined with over 20 years of hunting deer, and my current job as an environmental consultant has given me a wealth of information regarding deer behavior and deer habitat. This experience has had me on hundreds if not thousands of properties. Properties ranged from the northern big woods of Maine and New Hampshire to small properties of the more developed southern Maine. Through these experiences, I’ve seen all kinds of properties from all sizes, some that hold deer and some that don’t. By seeing the differences in these properties I’ve been able to distill what works for holding deer on small property.
What I have come to realize is that a property’s ability to hold deer has less to do with the size of a property and more to do with the habitat a property offers. Of course, all things being equal a larger property has more potential to hold deer but a small property with excellent habitat will outperform a large property with poor habitat every time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve scouted large properties and found little deer sign, then once I found a small pocket of high-quality habitat within that large property it was like a whitetail zoo.
Does this mean that deer never leave these small pockets of high-quality habitat? No, it doesn’t. It is just about impossible to hold deer on a small property permanently. However, steps can be taken to greatly increase a small property’s ability to hold deer for longer periods. More time spent on your property increases hunting season success.
Hold Deer On Small Property With High-Quality Habitat
Naturally, deer will gravitate to their preferred habitat. By creating this habitat on your small property it becomes much more attractive. This will lead deer to spend a disproportionate amount of time on your property because they have less of a reason to leave.
The type of habitat to be created will depend on the individual property. Creating a high-quality habitat will give deer a reason to start using your property more frequently. If your property is lacking in some areas then deer will go elsewhere to seek what they need.
It’s helpful to know the plants deer hunters should know to understand what vegetation might be best to implement on your small property.
Basic Habitat Requirements
The basic habitat requirements of a whitetail are food, water, and shelter. Creating high-quality versions of each of these will limit deer movement off your property. There are many ways to create high-quality versions of these. Some of these ways consist of sanctuaries, bedding areas, food plots, clear cuts, hinge cutting, screening cover, and water hole creation. These are just a few of the many great ways to improve basic habitat requirements.
Additionally, deer habitat changes throughout the year. It is important to consider habitat that reflects what time of year you want deer to be using your property. For example, if you only want deer on your property during the hunting season you might not want/need to create deer summering habitat.
Landowner goals and individual property needs will be different for each property. For this reason, every property will require a customized approach when implementing habitat improvements. This will ensure a proper balance that will maximize a small property’s potential to attract and hold deer based on its characteristics.
Switchgrass and winterberry provide good security cover on this property during most of the year.
Assess Neighboring Properties
Poor Habitat On Neighboring Properties
Understanding habitat characteristics on neighboring properties will help you determine your property’s potential to hold deer. If neighboring properties have poor habitat, then there is a good chance your small property could benefit greatly from habitat management.
If neighboring properties don’t have good whitetail habitat then creating high-quality habitat on your small property will be extra appealing for deer. By having the best habitat in your area you are going to attract new deer to your property.
This means deer will spend more time, or even take up residence on your property. Even if your property is small it will hold deer over neighboring properties with poor habitat.
Notice the heavy browsing in this picture. If heavy browsing is occurring on neighboring properties then providing more forage opportunities will hold deer on your small property.
Create Better Habitat Than Neighboring Properties
If neighboring properties do have good whitetail habitat, then creating high-quality habitat on your small property will be even more important. Better whitetail habitat on neighboring properties will give deer little reason to come onto your small property. Creating high-quality habitat on your property will level the playing field. It will also give deer a reason to start using your property more frequently.
If neighboring properties do have good deer habitat this is a good thing. Although deer may not be as permanent on your property as you would like, the herd, in general, will be healthier and it is more likely to produce bigger bucks as a result. But that does not mean you shouldn’t do everything in your power to get those bucks to stay on your property as much as possible.
Understanding what habitat components neighbors do and don’t have, and to what degree, will enable you to make educated choices on what habitat strategies your property needs. This will allow you to effectively compete with neighboring properties.
Pressure On Neighboring Properties
Pressure on neighboring properties is another way to gauge how effective your small property will be at holding deer. Quality deer habitat becomes somewhat irrelevant if deer feel pressured. Deer are adaptive and catch on quickly. If hunting pressure is high on neighboring properties then it likely will not take long for deer to move somewhere they feel safe.
This is good news because pressured deer will relocate to your small property. As long as you have great habitat and take precautions not to alert deer on your own property then it is likely deer will remain on your property. This could easily lead to deer permanently taking up residence. It is crucial to make your property feel like it is as unpressured as possible for the best results. This way you aren’t scaring deer off your small property and back onto the neighbors. Taking care not to spook deer will greatly help to hold deer on a small property.
Low Perceived Hunting Pressure Is Key
Having low pressure on a small property is as equally important as having high-quality habitat. For example, you can have the best habitat in the world but if you’re pressuring deer on your small property then deer will not stay. Vice versa, you could have the lowest pressured property of all time, but if there is no quality habitat then deer have no reason to use your property.
Keep deer from discovering that you’re hunting them. If deer feel pressured they will adapt. If you’re repeatedly getting seen, heard, or winded by deer they are going to move somewhere where they feel safe.
Although low pressure hunting is important no matter what size your property is, it becomes especially crucial when trying to hold deer on small property. On small properties, there is little room for error. Mistakes that are made on small properties have larger consequences.
Give deer the illusion that they are not being hunted. For detailed information on how to achieve low hunting pressure while still hunting often check out Tips 5 through 10 on my post 15 Most Important Deer Hunting Tips of All-Time [2024].
Sanctuaries
Sanctuaries are very important for keeping deer on your property feeling safe. Creating dense cover where deer feel safe will allow them to use this sanctuary as a bedding area. Getting deer to bed on your property has many advantages. Bedding areas are one of the most important components to consider to hold deer on a small property. Deer spend most of daylight in their beds. Having high-quality bedding areas will greatly improve the time deer spend on your small property.
Excellent entrance and exit routes are critical for holding deer on small property,
Holding Deer During The Rut Phases
It is difficult to hold deer on small property once the rut kicks in. Bucks can range for miles from their core areas in search of does. Although it is pretty much inevitable bucks will leave your small property during the rut, some steps can be taken to hold them as long as possible.
How To Hold Deer During The Pre-Rut
Once you’ve created a high-quality habitat that holds does, local bucks will want to be on your property during the pre-rut. This is because now that your small property supports a doe population there is more opportunity for local bucks to breed. With more opportunity to breed locally, they will be less apt to leave in search of does elsewhere. This helps hold pre-rutting bucks longer into the rut before they leave in search of does elsewhere.
Another way to hold bucks on your small property longer is by having a healthy doe-to-buck ratio. Ratios are pretty much impossible to manage on a small property. However, by talking to neighboring landowners you can come up with a plan to have an impact on the herd ratio.
A buck-to-doe ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 will keep bucks more likely to stay around than a tight 1:1 ratio. If this can be accomplished a healthy buck-to-do ratio will keep local bucks chasing local does for a longer time during the pre-rut. Less tight ratios will also reduce the likelihood of dominant bucks driving smaller bucks off your property.
Another way to keep bucks on your property a little longer during the pre-rut is by creating mock scrapes. Scrapes are used mostly during the pre-rut as a communication hub for deer. These hubs are abandoned once the rut kicks in. Placing mock scrapes on your property is a great way to keep bucks curious. This will keep them checking to see if any does have come into heat. Also, if bucks are leaving your property during this time, mock scrapes will give them one more reason to come back onto your property.
How To Hold Deer During The Rut
During the rut, bucks, especially mature bucks don’t completely throw caution into the wind. They still want to feel safe. Creating high-quality habitat that meets all of the requirements stated previously is crucial. This is because cruising bucks will prefer to use your property over others if done correctly.
Another benefit of having high-quality habitat that supports a doe population is that new bucks during the rut will be found cruising your property. If your property has high-quality habitat and healthy doe numbers then bucks will gravitate to your property over other properties. The reason for this is your property now has everything bucks are looking for during this time; does and safety.
Although local bucks have likely left at this time, the good habitat will hold new bucks during the rut. These new bucks will likely stay for a longer time. Quality habitat with a healthy doe population is good enough to keep their interest for a while.
How To Hold Deer During The Post-Rut
The post-rut is when some fawns start coming into heat later in the season. When this happens some breeding occurs. You can hold deer during the post-rut by creating high-quality late-season cover and food on your property. This will attract/keep does on your property, which will likely have fawns. Holding does and fawns on your property later in the season with quality late-season habitat is a great way to hold bucks during the post-rut.
Often with good late-season habitat, local bucks that were using your property as part of their core area during the early season will return towards the end of the rut. Having quality habitat for post-rut will increase the effectiveness of a small property to hold deer at this time.
Often small landowners abandon the idea of managing habitat on their property. This may be because you feel improving their habitat won’t make much of a difference. Or perhaps you think improvements will cost too much time and money, or you don’t know where to start.
Habitat management does not have to be expensive. A chainsaw with a little elbow grease will go a long way to improve the whitetail habitat on your small property.
Questions & Community
If you have more questions you can ask them on Facebook. You may also find answers to your questions on my YouTube Channel.
How to scout and hunt deer in September can be difficult if you don’t understand a few key concepts about this timeframe. The transition from August into September causes a big shift in the whitetail world. Towards the beginning of September, bucks are starting to lose their velvet and testosterone levels start increasing. When this occurs bucks lose their tolerance for their buddies that they have been hanging out with all summer and start fighting each other to establish dominance. This behavior causes bucks to separate and claim their own core areas. This can make shooting big early-season bucks difficult.
From numerous trail camera photos, I have noticed that starting anywhere between the beginning of September into the beginning of October bucks often stop traveling as they had been all summer. The timeframe for this movement is different at each location. Whitetails change patterns at different times at different locations depending on the resources available to them. The very first few days of hunting season can provide an excellent opportunity to kill a mature buck if he is still using his summer routine but just be aware patterns are changing quickly.
Summertime Bachelor Group of Bucks that will likely break up in the month of September.
Many archery seasons start around October 1st. I’ve noticed that many hunters set up their treestands based on where they are seeing bachelor groups in early September, this can be misleading. Often only one or two bucks in a bachelor group will remain in the area, sometimes none of them will remain and will move to a more adequate fall habitat with better early fall food sources like white oaks. Bucks separating and establishing in different areas just before the season starts often leaves hunters scratching their heads, wondering where the bucks they were observing all summer wandered off to.
Behaviors change quickly at this time of year and if you are unaware of the changes that are occurring you may be wasting your time hunting the wrong locations. If you don’t have any luck hunting where you had been observing bucks in the early summer it is probably time to transition and figure out what the deer are doing in their early fall patterns.
Table of Contents
Early Season Food Sources
White oak leaf. Note the rounded lobes.
Food sources are important to keep track of during this time of year because there is going to be a shift in the type of food whitetails will be eating. When there is a shift in food sources there will be a shift in movement.
I believe white oaks are the most important food source to key in on in September because they are the first major food source to drop and likely will alter deer movement if you have them in your area. A gradient of white oaks occurs in my state of Maine. The gradient consists of higher populations of white oaks in the south which decreases as you move north. In fact, I’ve never seen a white oak in northern Maine.
Understanding this has helped me become a better hunter because I’ve learned to keep my eye out for white oaks throughout the year. If I find a stand of white oaks in an area where white oaks are rare I will keep that area in the back of my mind for future hunting opportunities. White oaks will drop their acorns before red oaks. They will drop in mid-September into early October. Whitetails key in hard on white oaks during this timeframe.
Late summer is a stressful time for whitetails because food quality has reduced, and vegetation isn’t as succulent as it was in early spring and summer. White oaks provide needed nutritional replenishment and a sought-after change in palate. If you can find a stand of white oaks in areas where generally low numbers of white oaks reside you may have stumbled upon an early season whitetail honey-hole. The shift from grasses, sedges, and rushes (forb phase) to the acorn phase during September will change how whitetails move along the landscape.
So how do you prepare for the change in food sources?
Hunting Early Season Bucks
September marks the beginning of deer hunting season for me here in Maine. The expanded archery season starts at the beginning of the second week of the month. I personally struggle with this month and am always trying to figure out how to hunt this time of year. The reason why I struggle with hunting at this time of the year is that I haven’t been able to learn from making very many mistakes hunting early season. From past experiences, I have ruined spots by hunting them too early in the season. From these experiences, I have become cautious about hunting my best bucks early. That being said you can still kill mature bucks during the early season. What I have started to figure out is how important bedding areas are during the early season. The dilemma I run into is that hunting bedding areas are higher-risk hunts than hunting food sources.
Hunting Bedding Areas
I have found bucks naturally gravitate to high-quality bedding areas. Here is one example of a confirmed bedding area based on a hunch from aerial imagery.
It would make sense that if whitetails are keying in on white oaks you should hunt within shooting distance of a stand of white oaks right? Perhaps, but not necessarily. Bedding areas are where bucks spend most of their time during daylight. The closer you are to their bed when they decide to move the higher odds the deer will pass your stand in daylight. Sure you could hunt the food source but that gives the big buck you’re after more choices and time to meander around before he comes into the food source, often only revealing himself under the cover of darkness. Getting close to a bedding area in the early season can be risky, the trade-off being it can be a much higher reward.
Being able to identify the shift in whitetail movement during September has been difficult for me. Food sources, specifically individual mast/ apple trees that the deer gravitate to change from year to year and can be difficult to predict. To compensate for this I’ve started focusing on high-quality bedding areas. By focusing on these bedding areas I don’t have to worry so much about the change in food sources because often bucks will continue to use the same bedding areas if they are of high quality. With this in mind, it would make sense that hunting bedding areas would be more beneficial during the early season. The drawback is that it is a much higher risk. I could hunt inside bedding areas and get right on top of the bucks I’m after in the early season and probably have some success. However, this is extremely invasive, and mature bucks will catch on fast if I’m not successful the first time or two.
I have found that leaving bedding areas alone until the time is right during the pre-rut and rut phases puts the odds much greater in my favor. Doing this also allows bucks to feel safe because I am letting all deer in the area feel like they are in a sanctuary. For example, hunting pressure from other areas will drive deer into the areas that I have left alone because deer feel safe. This false sense of security actually can greatly increase the number of bucks in a given area. Mature bucks are smart and are very sensitive to hunting pressure and will move away from the pressure they are feeling. So where do they move to? They move the sanctuary that I created. This means bucks from great distances may move into the false sanctuary I’ve given them. Then when the pre-rut rolls around I now have a pocket of bucks within my “sanctuary” and they will be up and about looking for does at this time. That’s when I go in for the kill. This game plan has worked better than any other.
Hunting Food Sources
Hunting food sources on the other hand is less invasive. If a buck catches onto you at a food source he will likely stop using that food source until after dark. However, if you know where he is bedding he will likely remain bedding in that area. You may still have a shot at this buck during the pre-rut and rut if you set up close to his bedding area during that timeframe.
On the other hand, if a buck catches onto you hunting near his bedding areas in the early season he may likely stop using that bedding area. When a buck stops using a bedding area and relocates he becomes much harder to kill in my opinion. He may have relocated a mile away or more dwindling your chances at seeing him again.
So you might be asking…so do I hunt bedding or feeding areas? The best way to answer this is that there are no one-size-fits-all all scenario when whitetail hunting. You’ll have to consider what makes sense in your situation. The best I can do I share with you my personal experiences and let you decide. If a buck is showing up almost every day at one food source right before the hunting season in daylight it would probably make sense to hunt the food source. If I was constantly getting trail camera pictures of a big buck in daylight just on the outside of a bedding area, I would try one or two hunts up against that bedding area. If unsuccessful I would let that buck “cool down” to my disturbance and wait until the pre-rut before I hunt that buck again.
Trail Cameras
Starting around the beginning of September I will move some trail cameras to areas that I have previously determined to be fall whitetail habitat. I have determined this by using trail cameras in the past and visual observations. An area that gets very little movement during the summer months, but as food sources change and bucks separate I tend to get many more pictures in these areas. Doing this has helped me find early-season bucks to hunt. By catching bucks switching from summer routines into fall patterns I am more effectively able to capitalize on changing patterns.
Trail camera pictures of big bucks from previous years also provide valuable intel. Whitetails are very habitual creates and tend to do have the same patterns year after year at specific times of year. For example, if you had a big buck show up on cameras on October 15th last year for a few days there is a fair chance that this buck will be back very close to this date the following year. From setting up cameras in the same areas year after year I have seen this pattern. Sometimes right up to the hour! Using old trail camera photos to predict when a big buck may show up in a particular area is a surprisingly accurate way to determine when to hunt particular stands.
Unless past or current trail camera pictures are giving me a reason to hunt early season I will generally stay away from hunting my best rut sign spots until the pre-rut and rut. Usually, a couple of trail cameras every year provide reasonable enough intel to permit a few worthwhile sits in the early season but I am careful not to overdo it.
Season Prep
By the beginning of September and hopefully sooner I like to have my broadheads sighted in, my form down to a science, and my confidence high going into the season.
I also wash clothes in scent killer and let them dry outside, then store in a plastic tote. This tote remains in my car during hunting season. I make sure to wash EVERYTHING I hunt with. I am an absolute minimalist when it comes to gear. More gear being brought into the woods increases the likelihood of contamination with an unnatural smell to whitetails. I never bring a wallet with me as the leather scent is very strong. I highly recommend leaving your wallet in your car. I usually don’t bring binoculars or a backpack either. My usual gear consists of Lonewolf climbing sticks, New Tribe Aero Hunter tree saddle, bow, arrows, rubber boots, release, Scent Lok suit, headlamp, tree steps for my platform, string to pull my bow up, and a bow hanger. All of which get treated with scent killer in one way or another. Everything I can fit goes into my Scent Lok suit pockets when not in use.
Questions & Community
If you have more questions about GumLeaf boots or questions in general you can ask them on Facebook. You may also find answers to your questions on my YouTube Channel.
In this post, you’ll learn how to scout deer in August. In August deer are still in their summer patterns and bucks are still carrying their velvet. There isn’t much change from July to August in the deer world. By the end of the month, their velvet will be very close to what their hardened fall antlers will look like.
One change I notice each year during August is that deer change feeding patterns. I’ve consistently observed deer hitting a particular field or food source in early July only to have them disappear from that food source in August. I later learned that starting around late July into early August vegetation loses much of its nutritional value. Whitetails will often change food sources to locate higher-quality food. August is one of two main food stress periods for whitetails and continues until mast starts dropping in early fall.
Don’t be surprised to see the big buck you see all summer disappear from a particular field or food source. Likely, he is still nearby using a different food source, the key is to locate high-quality bedding nearby.
Wetlands
Whitetails in August are trying to conserve as much energy as possible. When temperatures are hot they seek the shade, water, and wind to ease their burdens. Wetlands that produce high-quality bedding opportunities are my absolute favorite spots to hunt and scout.
If wetlands do not provide high-quality bedding into the fall then the deer will likely move to a fall range. However, if the bedding in the wetlands is thick and secluded throughout the year there’s a good chance it’s a big buck hotspot.
During summer months deer are often found bedding in wetlands to keep cool from the brutal heat. Whitetails seek cooler moist soils found in wetlands to help lower their body temperature which reduces energy expenditure.
A few of my favorite wetland vegetation species for whitetails include; dogwoods, cattails, speckled alder, winterberry, and switchgrass. Wetlands comprised of these species create hard to get to, thick, dense, nasty cover. Bucks feel comfortable in areas like this and will move more during daylight hours during the hunting season. Bucks will generally leave more rut sign in these areas. Many of my best hunting stands are located in wetlands where I’ve observed mature buck sign during previous scouting missions.
Even when leaves drop in the fall wetlands can still provide adequate cover. Since bucks are looking for security over all other factors in pressured settings, wetlands offer prime opportunities for high-quality bedding.
In my experience bucks bedding in high-quality bedding areas located within a wetland often remain in that wetland into fall as long as there are pockets of dry higher ground for bedding. This keeps bucks off of wetter soils during the cooler months. Wetlands are my favorite type of habitat to hunt bucks because of this.
I’ve been able to pattern bucks better in wetland scenarios like this better than any other habitat. Trail cameras in wetlands have confirmed bucks use these areas from summer into the fall year after year.
A cattail swamp like this a classic example of a high-quality buck bedding area. Bucks will often bed at the edges of islands in moist soil during summer then transition to dry hummocks in the fall.
Treestands
I believe there is no single tool more valuable than having a plethora of stands to choose from for all types of weather conditions during the different phases of the hunting season. More scouting equals more spots to hunt during the upcoming hunting season. Overhunting stands leads to unsuccessful hunting seasons for most hunters trying to kill big bucks. My best tip for scouting deer in August is to get as many treestands areas with good buck sign. This way you have a good rotation for the fall.
Increasing the number of stands locations reduces pressure per stand and enables me to spread out pressure out among these stands. When preparing treestands during this time of year it is important to do it as non-invasively as possible to not disturb doe family groups or specific bucks. I prepare my stands to take advantage of as many wind directions as I logically can. This way I have opportunities to hunt an area more often. I’ve frustrated myself in the past by not placing enough stands for certain wind directions. This greatly reduced the time I was able to hunt and my success.
Treestands used during prevailing winds can be over-hunted quickly which will burn those stands for the rest of the season. This reduces the chances of harvesting a big buck. Keep this in mind when setting up treestands during this time of year. Setting additional stands up for the prevailing winds will likely be very beneficial for the upcoming season.
During scouting missions in August, you may be tempted to place treestands over heavily used trails. This is more often than not a mistake. Patterns will change a lot from now until the hunting season starts. I used to make this mistake a lot early on in my hunting career. When I started setting up specifically on rut sign (even in the summer) my success increased dramatically. The images below show one example of big rubs I discovered during a summer scouting mission in 2017. When I set my trail camera up I captured the buck who made these rubs in the fall.
Summer Scouting – Rubs
Big Buck
Although I do most of my scouting in spring I have found great hunting spots in August. No matter what time of year I am scouting I focus my efforts on finding big buck rut sign in the shape of big rubs and scrapes and their proximity to a high-quality bedding area. I refrain from going into bedding areas to keep stress levels at a minimum.
If the property has good buck sign I’ll prepare a tree that day. Accomplishing everything in one day keeps stress levels at a minimum. Repeated invasions from entering an area multiple times to set up a stand will likely increase deer stress levels. This could cause deer to change patterns. Keeping invasions to a minimum is a must.
Trail Cameras
I placed my trail cameras out around the 4th of July, I will start checking my trail cameras at the beginning of August. This is an exciting time because this will be my first true trail camera check with antlers close to their peak. From these photos, I will determine my hitlist for the season.
Creating A Hitlist
Creating a hitlist has a lot of value to me. I can tell what caliber bucks are living in a particular area. Determining the caliber of bucks before hunting makes decision-making while hunting much easier on whether to pass or shoot a buck. In a hunting situation, I will quickly be able to judge if the buck is a shooter or not because I have already decided from photos during August. This will help reduce the odds of pulling the trigger on a buck that is not what I am looking for and gives me confidence more in the field. Below you can see my hitlist for 2017.
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
2017 Hitlist
Conclusion
My pre-season regimen for August is very similar to that of July. Deer are often in the same in August as they were in July but could be hitting a different local food source. By August I like to have my bow tuning gear, and projects wrapped up, and be shooting confidently and feeling ready for the season. I am still glassing and shining fields in hopes of locating a mature buck feeding so I can try to puzzle together where he’s feeding.
Whitetails, especially bucks, drastically change their patterns in September. Deer summer patterns start to diminish and fall patterns emerge. I hope you found this post on how to scout deer in August to be helpful. Stay ahead of the game by reading How to Scout & Hunt Deer in September | The September Fall Shift.
This Aero Hunter review covers the benefits of the Aero Hunter vs conventional treestands. I made the switch and I haven’t looked back. I’ve spent countless hours in saddles while deer hunting, this post will cover everything you need to know to determine if the Aero Hunter tree saddle by New Tribe is the right saddle for you.
UPDATE: I created this post in 2018 when this was the only saddle available on the market. The saddle market has exploded since then and significant improvements to saddles have taken place, especially in regards to comfort. I would not recommend this saddle anymore. Instead, check out some of the newer saddles on the market that I have reviewed:
The Aero Hunter saddle is made with high strength fabric and rope with two carabiners. The Aero Hunter package consists of a tree rope that goes around your tree of choice, a bridge rope that attaches to this tree rope, a lineman’s belt, and of course the saddle itself (see picture below). I have the older model of the Aero Hunter which is very similar to the new model, however, mine did not come with the back band.
Overview of the Aero Hunter System.
How To Climb & Setup With The Aero Hunter Saddle
Aero Hunter Review | Why The Aero Hunter Is A Must
If you are a serious big buck hunter the Aero Hunter is a must to have in your arsenal, here are 11 reasons why:
You Can Climb Imperfect Trees
With this system, I am able to get around trees that are full of branches without ever having to completely detach myself from the tree. This allows me to climb ugly trees full of branches during run and gun setups that are in the right spot, rather than having to settle for another tree further from where the action is. Also, I can hunt trees that are leaning. With a higher selection of trees available I have been able to put myself in better positions making my hunts more successful.
You Can Climb Trees Of Almost Any Size
The Aero Hunter allows me to climb trees of any size that will support my weight. I have found this to be important in swamps where vegetation is stunted. The ability to hunt smaller trees gives me the ability to hunt where other hunters cannot. I can also hunt trees as large as the linesman and tree rope will reach. I shot my 2017 buck in a white pine that was around 30” in diameter. If you need to hunt larger trees you can purchase your own ropes to meet your needs, but the standard Aero Hunter ropes have been more than enough for all the trees I’ve hunted in.
The Aero Hunter Is Much More Cost-Effective
Once you buy the Aero Hunter you will not have to buy another treestand making it very cost-effective. It replaces the reason for buying multiple permanent ladder or hang-on stands which adds up quickly. This is how I think about cost-effectiveness: One Aero Hunter = infinite treestands. Five hang-on or ladder stands = five treestands.
You Can Have Multiple Stands
I have personally noticed and most successful big buck killers agree that hunting the same treestand repeatedly will quickly burn out spots and that the first couple sits are the most effective. This makes permanent ladder and hang-on stands easy to over-hunt and for big bucks to pattern you. I recommend only hunting stands when conditions are perfect for that particular treestand. This will increase success of particular treestands by keeping them fresh. Hunting only when conditions are perfect, however, greatly reduces the time you are able to hunt.
If you’re like me you’re going to hunt every chance you get one way or another, so being restricted like this was not going to cut it for me. I needed a better option. To increase my success I needed to be able to spread out my hunting pressure within multiple high-odd locations and hunt them when conditions were right in order to keep my stands fresh.
With the Aero Hunter I am able to hunt any location because the saddle comes home with me after every hunt. It is simple and easy to set-up so I can avoid hunting the same trees over and over keeping them fresh, making each hunt essentially the “first sit”, keeping big bucks from patterning me.
Maneuverability Is Unmatched
My Ameristep Tree Step platform placed around the diameter of the tree enables me to shoot a full 360º around the tree as well as directly underneath. Big bucks often don’t come in where you expect. Other treestands don’t offer this type of maneuverability, being able to maneuver like this puts me in control so I can take a good shots when they are presented. I can also change my vertical height slightly if I need to shoot just above or below a branch. By fully extending my legs from my platform it raises my elevation a few inches. Scrunching up close to the tree lowers my elevation.
My Ameristep Tree Step platform placed around the diameter of the tree enables me to shoot a full 360º and directly underneath.
The Aero Hunter is Quiet
There is very little metal on the Aero Hunter, everything else is rope and fabric. The carabiners are the largest pieces of metal. Some small strap adjusters are made of metal as well. Out of the box the saddle is pretty quiet, much quieter than conventional treestands that are made entirely of metal. To make my saddle silent I added some tape to all of the metal pieces and that did the trick. I feel much more confident in my approach when setting up in bedding areas with the Aero Hunter.
The Aero Hunter is Very Mobile
It only weighs 5 lbs 5oz making it incredibility lightweight. Additionally, it is fabric so it can easily be rolled up into a small bag and placed into a backpack. It can also be worn to the treestand which is what I prefer, I drape the ropes over my shoulders when walking to my stand making transportation simple and noise free.
This is how much my Aero Hunter weighs in-bag, with a homemade back-band, and applied silencing applications.
It’s Easy To Conceal
Another great benefit of this system is it enables me to use the tree I’m in to my advantage. If animals are coming from a certain direction I can move to the opposite side of the tree to stay hidden. Since you are facing the tree you can straddle yourself right up tight against the tree. Another perk is that since you do not have to cut limbs down to get to where you want to hunt on a tree you can leave some natural cover to blend in better.
Is The Aero Hunter Comfortable?
The Aero Hunter is quite comfortable. Even when in awkward leaning trees the saddle remains fairly comfortable. Adjustable straps located on the back and leg portions of the saddle allow for customized pressure point relief. My Aero Hunter did not come with a back band as I mentioned previously, however, I created my own by using a neoprene firearm sling.
The back band is fantastic for long sits in the tree as your back does tend to get tired over time without one. I have sat in the stand for around 12 hours a couple of times and I do start to ache, but I am able to extend my legs, stretch, maneuver, and change position to lessen the burden. Sitting anywhere for 12 hours would make anyone squirm. I have not been able to sit as long in other conventional treestands.
Here you can see buckles and prusik knots which can be adjusted to fit individuals nicely. The saddle forms well with my body for comfortable long sits on stand.
Can The Aero Hunter Be Stolen?
Theft can be a problem on public lands, and even on private land! The piece of mind of being able to bring the Aero Hunter home at the end of the day is huge for me. There’s nothing worse than getting excited about going hunting only to find your stand missing. Or going to check game cameras with months of data on them to find them stolen. With the Aero Hunter this is not a problem. Additionally, not having a bulky ladder or hang-on stand permanently placed on a tree prevents treestand locations from being discovered by other hunters.
Is The Aero Hunter Safe?
In my opinion the Aero Hunter is just as safe, if not more safe than traditional treestands. It has been designed specifically for fall prevention and is rated for 5000 lbs.
When used properly you are harnessed to the tree throughout the entire climb. When ascending the tree you are harnessed in with the lineman’s belt. Once you get to the height at which you will be hunting you’ll need to also use the lineman’s belt to place the tree rope. The lineman’s belt allows for a quick, painless and safe installation of the tree rope. Once the tree rope is secure to the tree you can attach yourself to it via carbineer. Once attached, the lineman’s belt can be removed. To descend the tree reverse the process. It is quite simple.
If you encounter tree limbs that your lineman’s belt cannot get around you can set up the tree saddle as you would to hunt, as I just mentioned, then remove your lineman’s belt and re-attach the belt above the limb and carry on your way up the tree, thus being attached to the tree 100% of the time. A second lineman’s belt could also be added to climb branched trees even quicker.
I’ve often found myself getting lazy and not wearing, or forgetting to bring a safety harness when using conventional ladder and hang on stands. The Aero Hunter does not give you a choice. To climb the tree fast and effectively you must be harnessed in at all times.
Aero Hunter Considerations
The Aero Hunter is a fantastic system but there are some things to consider before you purchase:
1. Video.
I have never done any videotaping while hunting, but it is something I am definitely considering in the near future. I am not sure how difficult videotaping would be but I imagine the footage would be a little shaky while being semi-suspended from the tree.
2. Weight.
A person’s size may also affect their ability to stay in a Aero Hunter for long periods of time. I am a skinny dude 6’4 and 155lbs and it works great for me. Larger hunters may find it causes more strain at pressure points.
3. Practice.
It takes a little bit of practice to use the Aero Hunter. For me it felt a little awkward at first with the bridge rope getting in the way of pulling my bow back. Switching sides of the tree to shoot can be difficult because you have to get a bow, with a knocked arrow around the bridge. Target practicing in different scenarios while in the Aero Hunter helped me figure out how to make shots count in the most awkward of situations. I highly recommend practicing tough scenarios.
4. Knee Pads.
Personally, I don’t use knee pads when hunting with the Aero Hunter, but many people do. For long sits I may start wearing them. The reason being is as your knees press against the trunk of the tree for long periods of time they get sore, especially if the bark is ridged. Also, over time, I could see the bark wearing holes in the cloth of your pants at the knees, knee pads would be a good solution for this. I alternate between straddling the tree trunk and using my knees in order to keep my knees from getting too sore.
5. Smell.
Out of the box the fabric and rope have a chemical-like, factory-processed type smell. It is not a bad smell, but to a whitetail it is strong and not natural. I spent a lot of time trying to get rid of the smell of the Aero Hunter system with little luck during the first year of use. I tried soaking everything in warm water and baking soda, I also let it soak in scent killer laundry detergent which helps a little, but not much.
What I observed was the excess coloring of the fabric would come off in the water a little bit after every wash. This was evidenced by the dark tint of the water post-wash. I believe the smell is related to the coloring used because after each wash the smell reduced ever so slightly every time. Each time I washed the saddle less color would come off.
It took about a year for the scent to reduce to a point where I could not notice it. After washing a dozen times of so, letting it dry/air out outside for weeks, and practicing and hunting with it in the elements the scent has finally dissipated enough so that I don’t notice it anymore. I still wash and soak the system in scent killer laundry detergent before each season, and sometimes during the season.
How Much Does The Aero Hunter Cost?
As of this review, the Aero Hunter Kit costs $259.00 for just the saddle, for $372.00 an entire kit (at the time of this post, please see website for more information) but like I mentioned it replaces the need for purchasing multiple hang-ons and ladder stands in order to hunt different locations which adds up quickly. With the Aero Hunter you can hunt anywhere at anytime! Platform prices range because there are so many of them out there. The Ameristep Tree Steps that I use are around 2$ apiece, and I rarely use more than 5. So for 10$ you can have a more than ideal platform.
Aero Hunter Review Conclusions
I hope you gained some helpful insights from this Aero Hunter review. In my experience, the Aero Hunter system is one of the safest, most lightweight, and versatile option on the market. You can find them here: Aero Hunter By New Tribe
