Cam lock on calm days

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Davis1990
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Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Davis1990 » Tue Dec 24, 2019 4:54 pm

Hey guys, went into a spot tonight using creek access all the way to the edge of a bedding area. I was able to walk silent in the creek all the way to a tree (sycamore) on the edge of some thick bedding cover. Everything's going well all the way till the cam lock (xop vanish). Made a loud enough noise when it slid down in place that i got down ditched all my gear and burned back to another spot. Its a real confidence killer. Im a big guy and prior to stepping on i use my hands and weight to set it as far down as i can. Anyone have any tips or tricks for hard barked trees? Im to the point where im thinking about running observations in new spots on calm days.


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backstraps
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Dec 24, 2019 11:17 pm

I dont have any tips t make cam locking quieter on trees like this, except I try to avoid climbing noisy trees. I know that sounds easier said than done when you dont have many trees to chose from but... Id prefer to take a chance a little farther away than hunt a noisy tree. Also, I have noticed that on many tree I dont "need" to cam lock the stand. If you are running a stand with a bottom strap may you could just use that bottom strap for the extra peace of mind

I have been in your shoes thought where I made a 100% stealth stalk into setup and that last moment make huge noise locking the stand down
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Tsom
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Tsom » Tue Dec 24, 2019 11:42 pm

Do you use one or 2 straps? Seems to me my vanish doesn't get solid enough with one strap so I put both straps on and lightly Cam it over with my hands before climbing on. That being said I've never hung it in a sycamore and some trees are just loud!
matt1336
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby matt1336 » Wed Dec 25, 2019 12:43 am

You’d be surprised what you can get away with. As long as you’re not making metal/metal noises..noises that don’t occur in the woods, within reason, you’ll be good. You’re right in tightening the stand down by cam locking before getting into the stand. There’s all kinds of stuff making noises naturally. Don’t worry about the cam locking noise
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Racks&Beards
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Racks&Beards » Wed Dec 25, 2019 2:30 am

matt1336 wrote:You’d be surprised what you can get away with. As long as you’re not making metal/metal noises..noises that don’t occur in the woods, within reason, you’ll be good. You’re right in tightening the stand down by cam locking before getting into the stand. There’s all kinds of stuff making noises naturally. Don’t worry about the cam locking noise


Agreed. Plus sometimes, a little noise (even the occasional metal clinking) heard by the right buck at the right time of year might have one come running in to check it out. It just happened to me this year during Missouri's rifle opener. I started out the morning on the ground (super calm morning), and around 8:30 I decided to move over to a ladder stand. As I climbed up, the ladder made a couple of "unnatural" pops and clinks as they usually do. Less than 3 minutes later I had a nice 3.5 year old charge in and stand literally underneath me appearing to look for what made the noises. Only reason I didn't get a shot was that he just came in too fast and was too close, and when he caught my ground scent he bounded off straight behind me which was the only direction I didn't have a clear shot.

With that said, I'm not saying to just disregard all attempts to be quiet. I just don't think a little noise, even little unnatural noises will always ruin a hunt.
Speed is fine...Accuracy is final.
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Enkriss
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Enkriss » Wed Dec 25, 2019 2:32 am

It’s an XOP.... Did it crack???... :shock:
Davis1990
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Davis1990 » Wed Dec 25, 2019 2:37 am

Enkriss wrote:It’s an XOP.... Did it crack???... :shock:

Ha no not yet, dont jinx it tho, big tree fall hard
Davis1990
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Davis1990 » Wed Dec 25, 2019 2:41 am

Maybe im giving them too much, just this late season makes me feel like there's no room for mistakes
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ThePreBanMan
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:32 am

Get a squirrel call. Cam lock stand, throw out a squirrel call. Also - don't cam lock with the bottom strap on. If you do and the bottom strap ends up bearing the weight you can torque the post of the stand enough to start to bend/crack things...

You can also wait for a plane to fly overhead, or a helicopter, or a breeze, or another animal making a noise like blue jays or squirrels. Sometimes a little patience is all you need to get some cover noise.
Davis1990
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Davis1990 » Wed Dec 25, 2019 7:24 am

ThePreBanMan wrote:Get a squirrel call. Cam lock stand, throw out a squirrel call. Also - don't cam lock with the bottom strap on. If you do and the bottom strap ends up bearing the weight you can torque the post of the stand enough to start to bend/crack things...

You can also wait for a plane to fly overhead, or a helicopter, or a breeze, or another animal making a noise like blue jays or squirrels. Sometimes a little patience is all you need to get some cover noise.


Yessir i leave the bottom strap off till the end, never thought about the squirrel call idea before, may have to give that a run.
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PK_
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby PK_ » Wed Dec 25, 2019 11:56 am

If you are running a bottom strap you could just not cam lock if it is a loud tree... I didn’t cam lock, ever, for years until I learned about it.
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raisins
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby raisins » Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 am

I like to cam lock now, but I hunted for 10 years or more before I ever heard of it (pre-internet) and never had a kick out. If you are always tethered and on a straight tree of a reasonable diameter (not super skinny or large), then if you step down carefully the stand seats itself and doesn't move (just like a climbing stick). If you run two straps, then I don't think cam locking is necessary at all if you get both straps tight before you even step on the stand with your tether on (I also leave my lineman's on until I'm about to sit down). Near buck beds and on a calm day, I don't cam lock the stand.
Davis1990
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Re: Cam lock on calm days

Unread postby Davis1990 » Sun Dec 29, 2019 2:26 am

raisins wrote:I like to cam lock now, but I hunted for 10 years or more before I ever heard of it (pre-internet) and never had a kick out. If you are always tethered and on a straight tree of a reasonable diameter (not super skinny or large), then if you step down carefully the stand seats itself and doesn't move (just like a climbing stick). If you run two straps, then I don't think cam locking is necessary at all if you get both straps tight before you even step on the stand with your tether on (I also leave my lineman's on until I'm about to sit down). Near buck beds and on a calm day, I don't cam lock the stand.

Ive done it before too, it just puts added stress on the post, really dont want to buy another.


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