Deer Hunting. There’s an App for
that.
By
Troy Knoll
I remember it like it was
yesterday…my first solo bow hunt. My Father walked me to a permanent tree stand
in the predawn darkness and made sure I was situated before leaving for his
stand. We said our “good lucks”
and I was on my own. I can remember being uneasy as I was making something out
of every shape that appeared as daylight approached. I knew Dad would be back around ten but until then I was on
my own. As a thirteen-year-old kid
in 1987 I was amped to be bow hunting on my own for the first time, as this was
what the men in my family did. My Dad, My Uncles, and my Grandfather all bow hunted
so I was ready to prove I was the man too but I have to admit I was a little
bored… And it had only been about a half hour. The sun came up and the visions
of monster bucks with their breath highlighted by the sun as they chased a doe
by my stand had not come to fruition…I know it takes patience but I was getting
kind of fidgety. 25 years later as
a father of 3, I now see just how quickly kids get bored and jump from toy to
toy or channel to channel on television. It’s really no wonder young hunter
numbers decline steadily.
When I think about hunting today I
really look forward to getting away from the day to day. A good sit in a big
ol’ cherry tree is some fantastic therapy for dealing with the stresses of a
hectic life. I still have those same dreams of big bucks today while awaiting
the morning light. There is one big difference… My smart phone usually lights
up my face. I admit it... I still
get a little bored every now and again in the stand. They say that a bad day of
hunting is still better than a good day at work and this may be true, but I
still wish there was a buck behind every tree. Its not only boredom that a
smart phone can help with. There are many reasons for carrying the latest and
greatest techno gadget into the woods with you this season and I’m going to
give a run down on some of the best.
The
first and I would say most important reason would have to be safety. While it
is always wise to let someone know where you are hunting and when you will be
home, plans change, and you may need to move to a different location or hunting
grounds all together. A quick call or text can let a loved one know your
whereabouts should there be an emergency. Speaking of emergencies, a mobile
phone is your best chance to summon help after a fall or other type of injury. The
key is to make sure the phone is charged or it will do no good. When you are
having a medical emergency a mobile phone can be your best friend.
Looking back on my Dad telling me
he would be back to pick me up all those years ago I cant remember a time that
he was ever late. I guess if he ever had been I would have only forgiven him if
it were because of a big buck coming his way. Things are totally different now. Any hunter can instantly
connect with Dad or any hunting partner in the field via text message, phone
call, or email for that matter.
This can be useful in many ways. Say there is a big boy headed your way
and you have previously made plans to meet your buddy for lunch. You will
probably have some time to give a quick text to explain the situation. Or what
if you score and need help dragging the beast to the truck…you got it, call the
boys up and get them to drag your deer out for you because you are obviously
more awesome than them and they owe you.
Of course the only reason you are
so awesome and have had such great success on this hunt is because of your
iPhone right? How can a smart phone help you kill a deer you ask? There are a
ton of apps out there designed with sportsman in mind. Everything from mapping
apps to weather. I will give you a quick rundown of how many times I use my
iPhone during the course of any given hunt and you will understand why bucks
are constantly walking up to me just so I will shoot them. Actually, you will
probably wonder how I see any deer at all with the amount of time I spend
staring at my celly…
The
first time I use my iPhone on any day of hunting is when the Alarm
wakes me up. Once I finish hitting that snooze button I check MyCast for the umpteenth time before getting out of bed.
It probably hasn’t changed since I checked it before I went to bed but what can
I say… I’m a little obsessed. I then probably send out some Texts to make sure the boys are all up and
don’t oversleep. Now I’m on the
road and using it again… No, not texting and driving… I’m listening to my tunes
on the iPod
or Pandora.
What if I’m in a new area like a trip out west for giants? I could use the GPS
to get to the spot or Around Me to find and open coffee shop or
gas station. My battery is dying and we are just getting started. Better leave
it plugged in for the ride.
Ok we just pulled in to the lane
and parked… Can’t find my release in the dark. No problem with my trusty
iPhones handy dandy Flashlight.
Once found I am on my way but I notice the wind is hitting me in the back of
the neck. Hmmm, might have to change stands but what is the wind expected to
do? One quick look at ScoutLook and I know hours in advance what
the wind is doing and where my scent cone will be headed. The next problem is
that the 2 stands I have to choose from for that wind have so many good bucks I
don’t remember which I like best so I get out my iPhone and go through my Trail cam Photos to choose the best one to go after.
(That may be a little far fetched but you get the point) Once the stand is
decided on I use my
MotionX-GPS
to view the easiest route into the stand. I can’t remember how deep the one ravine
is so I check my Topo Map and now I’m on the right track.
Man it feels good to be back in
this stand again. I have not been back here since last year in November when I
shot that big buck. It may be the same day…I will check my blog and find out…
Wow! Same day!! I need to update all my followers on
Facebook and
Twitter
about this!!! Heck, I may as well make a blog entry as I have about 45 minutes
‘til it gets light outside. I use the
Text feature of my blog to update on the
mornings events. Through
Networked Blogs
my blog entry is then added to my
Team Overkill Facebook and Twitter pages. A quick smart
assed comment via my
Personal Facebook
to my wife about the fact that she is working and I am hunting and we are ready
to wait for daylight. A quick check of the
Clock after getting my
cameras all in place and I am ready for action.
This morning is moving slow for the
peak of the rut. I’m gonna play a quick game of Angry Birds
to pass the time. While on the subject of birds…what the heck kind of duck was
that buzzing the treetops? A quick check of Delta Waterfowls
WhatTheDuck
app clears that up. Must be getting close to the morning feed now. I check the HuntCal
and find I’m right on the money…If this moon thing holds any weight I could
have a push of feeding activity and that may be enough to drag Mr. right out of
hiding to investigate.
As I’m checking the Radar
to see why it looks like I’m going to be hit by a rainstorm I hear a loud
crash…OMG there he is… He is making his way into my shooting lane. How far is
he? Now right now I could tell you that I used my iPhone Rangefinder
and I could have…but come on, I’m not that reliant on the thing. I have a real
rangefinder people!!!
The deed is done! My biggest buck
ever is now on the ground! I make a quick update via Text to a few of my
friends. I wrap my hands around the massive antlers on the buck and wonder what
he scores? I have to take some Pics and check the
deer in online before
I enter the measurements into Antler Metrix Rack
Scoring
App…
I take the pics and before I post them to MarylandWhitetail.com and all of my other
favorite social media sites I run the photo through Instagram for effect
and I’m headed back to the truck.
It’s
amazing how many apps are available and how many uses there are for a mobile
device these days. Things sure have changed a lot since I was a 13-year-old
rookie hunter. Twenty-Five years later I can definitely appreciate the peace
and quiet of the outdoors and the time away from the hustle and bustle of every
day life. I am trying to instill that in my kids as well but knowing how bored
I used to get and still do on occasion, I see no harm in a little game every
now and again. I love to take my kids hunting with me and the apps on the phone
keep them occupied during the dry spells. While some people scoff at technology
and taking it with you on stand, I for one embrace it as just another tool in
my arsenal.
Back to my big buck…He is tagged,
gutted, pics are taken, and we are back at the truck. I am so pumped and cant
wait to get this guy home and show the family. The problem is, I can’t find my
keys… Is there an app for that?
