Do you mark your way into your deer stands?

[Bucksnbows]

Another thread touched on bright eyes for those that mark your way into your deer stand.  I used to use those in years past and mostly only on private lands, but I haven't now in years.  I think they are fine for someone new to the area that otherwise wouldn't be able to find the stand, but I now prefer to walk in the pitch black to my stands.  I carry a flashlight, but I seldom use it.  I find my eyes adjust to the dark fairly quickly and I'm not announcing my presence with a beam of light bouncing through the woods as I head in for a morning hunt.

 

I have also seen reams of day-glow orange surveyor's tape leading miles through the forest to various stands, a sure way to let others know where you're planning to hunt.  And then there are more subtle methods of marking trees with a hatchet or knife, etc.  What are others doing to find their stands in the dark?  Do you worry about tipping off others to your locations?  I know I always have been on public lands that I've hunted over the years for deer.

[Palawman30]

NEVER!

 

I will not use anything to mark or blaze a trail and some of the places I hunt in pa are at least 1-2 miles off the road. Best bet is a gps! Its an amzing tool

 

 

We had to mark trails for those who were deathly afraid of getting lost.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Palawman30

[Matty]

It depends.

For me....most of the time no. I know most areas that I hunt like the back of my hand...Hey never saw that freckle before. lol

 

Hunting on the fly in deep though, I may need to use brite-eyes. I actually use the clip-on or twist-tie type for that style of hunting and take them down as I leave.

 

If I set the stand up for other people to use, which I do a lot....I often make the trail in and out very clear and obvious with brite eyes. I don't want people getting lost going in our out of stands. Let's face it, if they've never been there before, it's going to be damn near impossible to find in the dark.

[Haskell_Hunter]

I have a red headlamp and use a climber. I usually get to the area I want to hunt, find a tree, and schlep up the side of it. Scouting usually helps picking a spot and getting to know where it's located. 

[Rusty]

Does a cart path count?

[BowTechExperience]

For me, it depends on the type of terrain I'm hunting. When I used to hunt Walpack, I never needed them because the terrain was easy to read, but now that I'm hunting in pines and thorn thickets, I use them to get me on trail. I don't take them all the way to my spots but to get me on point so to speak.

[Bucksnbows]

Does a cart path count?

 

Depends on if you turn on the golf cart lights or not, I guess.  Besides, your bright eyes are 8 foot tall flags at each hole  

[Bucksnbows]

Of course, any one of us could have some fun with things like bright eyes.  Start them in the more packed hunter parking lots at certain SP or WMA lands and run them in a huge circle coming back to the same lot after a long hike

[Axiom]

I never use anything to mark a path to my stands.. I do use a flashlight..

[BowhunterNJ]

Depends where I'm hunting and how familiar I am with the property.

Most properties I'm very familiar with, and even new ones once I've walked in and out in the dark a couple times, I can navigate without tacks in the dark.

Other properties, especially very large FLAT ones where I'm hunting deep and there is no discernible terrain to work off of, tacks help tremendously.

 

I can remember reading and outdoor magazine article many years ago where the Drury's talked about how they would hunt a certain scenario (new woods and unknown to them, just an aerial and topo). They said they would hike in like 2 or 3 miles to hunt this certain area in the dark, but there were no roads/paths/firecuts to use...just 2-3 miles of hardwoods.

No idea how one would do that, in the dark, without some kind of navigation tool or assistance (glow tacks/ribbons/etc)...and in a timely fashion (i.e. you're not wandering around like a gypsy looking for your stand until the sun comes up).

[rec913]

I hunt private land so normaly the frist time I use a new spot I use bright eyes then after a few trips I remove them

[Rutting Buck]

I may go ahead a start using them this year since I plan on hunting more on public land.  I will not have it take me all the way to my stand, but within 100 yards or so

[Bucksnbows]

I have used my handheld GPS units to take me in the past, but only out of curiosity as I knew how to get to them.  They are great these days with "tracks" that plot your path and not necessarily a straight line which is often tough or impossible to walk in the woods.  

[BowhunterNJ]

I have used my handheld GPS units to take me in the past, but only out of curiosity as I knew how to get to them.  They are great these days with "tracks" that plot your path and not necessarily a straight line which is often tough or impossible to walk in the woods.

I was literally just thinking of that when I clicked this topic for the newest updates.

I once TRIED to use my GPS in the dark to get to my stand without tacks.

I must have circled within 50 yards of my stand for a good hour and a half checking every tree for my steps...flash light shinning all over the place, up in the trees...must have looked like a damn concert light show! Last time I tried that!

[Hatchet]

I clear my path of leaves n debri so no need ,also I'm only 40yd from truck to  my stand