MikeHanback.com

Field Test: Ruff n Tuff Electric 4x4

Thanks to Ray in LA for this report:

Hi Guys: I recently purchased this Ruff n Tuff 4x4. I'm here in Louisiana near the Baton Rouge distributor. Apparently mine was the second retail 4x4 purchase in the country for this new machine.

I was a bit afraid of an early purchase since these machines are just hitting the market and may be prone to problems starting out. But after test-driving one I couldn’t wait and had to get one. Hauling it home from the dealer, I was a bit worried since I had just spent nearly 12 grand on a beefed-up electric golf cart.

I got on it that afternoon and couldn't get off till late that night. It runs 21-22 mph as advertised. The biggest plus, besides being quiet, is the suspension. The ride is truly awesome! The cart has 4 wheel independent suspension w/4 wheel disc brakes. The rear suspension incorporates an anti-sway bar to decrease body roll.

Horsepower is not huge, but remember this is an electric cart. Going uphill it will slow down a bit but has lots of torque at very low speeds. I've been in the mud a few times and it is impressing me more and more. I let my friend drive it in his muddy cattle pasture and we crossed a shallow and wide mud hole where it nearly sunk to the frame. With 3 of us on it, it pulled through and made ruts about 9 inches deep. The front locking differential was very handy.

Battery life per charge is impressive. The 50 mile per charge as advertised is for a straight run on pavement, so off road mileage will vary. Like most carts it has a charge indicator that lets you know how much battery is left. It will not just stop and leave you stranded without warning. I am impressed at how far I can ride per charge. On our 4,000 acre lease I am confident I'll be able to hunt a 3 day weekend per charge. It's not just a hunting vehicle for me; I live out in the country and will be using it every weekend.

I've been long winded, but there is little info on the Internet about these machines so I thought I would share my experience. If anyone has questions I'd be glad to express my opinions. So far I am very satisfied with my purchase! Ray

Fixed-Position Tree Stands

Mike: Do you have any recommendations on a fixed-position stand to bowhunt from? Thanks, John

John, if you feel comfortable way up a tree in a small platform, check out one of the Lone Wolf lock-ons; I love their quality, and they are light and easy to carry and hang. Super-quiet to hunt from too, a big factor for me.

Another good all-around choice is the Kong Lock-On from Gorilla Treestands (picture). Weighs 15 pounds, but solid and pretty easy to set. Good price, $80 at Cabela’s.

Bloggers, it’s stand-buying time, so help John and everybody else out. What tree stands do you use and recommend, and why? Which don’t you like, and why? Curious to see the results of this survey.

2008 Polaris Ranger XP Browning

Spent a few days down in Mississippi test-riding new Polaris off-road vehicles, including the Ranger XP Browning model. (You didn’t even miss me while I was gone, the BIG DEER Blog runs itself these days :)

This is one great-looking machine, with a Mossy Oak Breakup and matte-black finish. I jumped into the Ranger, cranked her up, shoved her in H and sped off. With a 700 Twin EFI engine, the Ranger’s raw power surprised and delighted me. The machine can do 50 mph on good roads; I had her up to 40 on gravel runs and loved the pep. Off road, it handled ditches, creeks and logs with ease (11” ground clearance). The Ranger has a 48” wheel base and independent rear suspension; the ride is improved over older models I’ve hunted with, and maneuverability and handling were good. It has seatbelts for 3 people across; a couple of buddies hopped in, and the ride was still smooth and comfortable. (MSRP $12,200)

The Ranger is a workhorse--26” tires, factory-installed Warn winch and 2,000 pounds of towing capacity. The 13-cubic-foot cargo box can handle lots of tree stands, steps, etc. The Lock & Ride cargo system is innovative and great, and lets you add custom accessories like a toolbox, chainsaw holder and gun-boot scabbard in seconds, no tools needed.

The highlight was the afternoon after some storms and showers when we went digging in the Mississippi muck and mud holes. It was good, dirty fun, and the Ranger’s on-demand AWD was killer.

If you have 10 acres or 100 or 1,000 and want to cut firewood, haul brush, mend fence and/or hunt deer you should check out this machine. I loved it.

First Look: Eyedeal Camouflage

Mike: Didn't know if you have seen this camo pattern yet. It's definitely different and wondered what you thought. Thanks, Jim

I had not seen it, so I checked the Eyedeal website. One thing I read does have some truth and merit:

Most other camouflage patterns create a dark blob that deer can spot in a tree. Eyedeal Camo fools a deer’s eyesight with a vertical illusion, and you blend in perfectly with the tree and sky-line behind you.

I qualify that by saying the “dark blob” would only be a potential problem in mid- to late-season woods when leaves are down (like in the picture) and even then it is arguable that a blob (you up in the stand) would spook deer if you kept still. But I will say this is an interesting concept. By adding the vertical strip it further breaks your silhouette, and that is always good, so I am certain it would work OK in a tree stand.

What do you think, would you buy it?

The bigger question, can a specialty pattern like this go up against Mossy Oak and Realtree and survive, especially in this economic climate? Many have tried, few have suceeded.

Knight & Hale Red Locator Beacon

Today’s earlier post jogged my memory. While I am generally not a gadget hunter, the Knight and Hale Locator Beacon is a good idea and worth $28.

Remember mornings you've tromped in the dark, cracking sticks, falling down, cussing, spreading scent, spooking animals, ruining a spot? This is not just a nimrod mistake. I have done it when I knew exactly where my perch was, and with stands I had bright-eyed with tacks. They go missing in the dark :) One time in the Alabama swamps, I got turned around, ended up on a county road 3 miles after daybreak and to this day have never found the damn lock-on. I didn’t get my buck that morning, LOL.

Hang Beacon on stand, walk into general area, hit small remote, look for red light (will flash up to 100 yards away), go to stand. Sensible gadget.

Buck-Doe Scent Trail

I saw this Double Drag system over at www.codebluescents.com and thought it was interesting and worth $12. You douse the short wick with hot doe and the long one with buck urine/tarsal to simulate a horny buck trailing a hot doe. Will this make your scent trails better? Who knows, but it couldn't hurt to put down both scents in the rut.

Do you lay scent trails to your stands? When? How? What brand? Does the ruse work or is it overblown? Ever had a big buck follow your trail right in?

Buck on a Truck Decals

BIG DEER blogger Mark has started a cool gig. If you're looking for a new sticker for your truck, help a hunting brother out:

Mike: We at www.buckonatruck.com provide hunters with a custom decal of YOUR buck. You sweat, scout, freeze and hunt hard to get your buck, so why not put that proud rack on your truck (or car)? Rather than sticking some generic deer decal on the window, show YOUR buck’s kickers, mass, spread, G-2s, dog catchers or big drop-tine :) Whether it’s a huge non-typical for your 4x4 or a nice, clean 8-pointer for your new hybrid, we’ll make a cool decal for your ride.

Right now we’re offering 10% off for our fellow BIG DEER bloggers, valid until August 8. Go to our site, select a design, upload a photo of a buck you shot, proceed to checkout and enter the code HBKBIGDEER for your discount. We’ll build and send you a durable vinyl decal of YOUR buck. We do elk and muleys too!

Thanks Mike, your blog is great and can’t wait to see the new site! Mark in Texas

Do Deer Look Up in Trees?

Let’s stay on stand gear. It’s not a bad idea to spend $40 for the Pro Cover Treestand blind, made to Velcro to any climber, lock-on or ladder you have. The camo will break your outline and more importantly cover your hand movements and fidgeting when deer approach and look up. They do look up you know, more so in some regions than others.

I once had an old Alabama redneck (term used fondly) tell me, “Boy, our deer walk around with their heads back, looking up in the trees, cause so many of their brothers and sisters and second cousins have had an arrow run through ‘em.” If you have bowhunted pressured, spooky-ass Southern deer you know what my old redneck friend is talking about. 

BTW, I read where a biologist said a deer’s eyes are oriented to pick up predator movement at or just below the horizon. He said a deer is much less adept at picking up movement above the horizon, so you can get away with more movement in a high tree stand than on the ground.

Sometimes, maybe. But when an 8-pointer or old doe is 100 yards out and coming straight in on a string (animal eyes with a wide field of view) you’d better be damn still. Actually, freeze and let the deer walk right in below your stand, then move. Rarely will a deer crane its head and look straight up, unless you bang the stand with your boot or do some other foolish thing. 

Back to the tree stand blind. It is a good idea but not a novel idea, as there have been several versions around for years (or you could just duct-tape a camo mesh skirt around the base of your stand). It couldn’t hurt to cover your moves, so why haven’t blinds caught on? Too much hassle to use, I guess. Come to think of it I’ve never fooled with one either, but it’s still worth 40 bucks.

Like your Tree Stand Big or Small?

Gorilla Treestands introduces King Kong, a 17-foot-high ladder stand with a 39” by 39” platform. Pull a tape out to 39” and hold it in front of you—that's big, man. The company says it built its largest stand ever because “hunters continue to look for stands that offer more comfort and more room."

IMO they are spot-on about the trend. It is mainly because our hunting population as a whole is aging. Guys with graying hair or no hair, bad knees, achy backs and/or a spare tire around the belt like and in fact need more room and comfort, not to mention something  that is safe and easy to climb. Also, it seems to me that a lot of new hunters are not so savvy about hanging and climbing lock-on stands. If those guys are safer in a Kong-size ladder, that is a good thing.

BTW, years ago I would not have been caught dead hauling a ladder into the woods for bowhunting, much less one with a platform you could dance a jig on. I always thought the smaller, the higher, the easier the stand to hide from a buck, the better. I used to happily hunt 25 feet up on a 12” x 12” platform, squirreling my way up and down on screw-in steps.

Hell, no more. I don’t know if I’m quite ready for a stand as big and heavy as Kong (120 pounds) with a gun-shooting rail (we used to call it a "sissy bar") but I admit to fondness for a ladder. Pain in the ass to haul in and/or move, but easy and safe up and down for sure.

What about you, like your stands big or small? Does size matter to the deer? In other words, if it’s too big and looks funny stuck on a tree, will a buck freak and spook?

Buy It: Hooyman Tree Saw

You need to spend $40 for this thing, especially if you hang a lot of bow stands. The Hooyman saw fits in your pack and telescopes out to 5 feet. Whether you’re on the ground or strapped into a stand 18 feet up, use it to reach out and trim branches, vines and shooting lanes.The carbon blade is guaranteed sharp and durable. You'll never lug a big, heavy pole saw into the woods again. You'll never miss another deer because your arrow clipped a @%&&**$ branch you could not reach.