Social Media in a Tree

[PAwildman]

This post was prompted by a day in the woods with my father a couple years ago. We were hunting a 5,000 acre public piece during rifle season and before entering the woods in the dark, I told my dad my cell phone died so we wouldn't be able to text. He said "Oh great, now I'll be worried. I'll think you're hanging upside down in your tree or something. What if something happens?" Now I was born in 1980 and never got on the internet until I was in college. I said "Dad, remember when I was 16 and could finally hunt by myself? I was up a tree and we were able to cover more ground. You weren't worried then. If I didn't show up at the scheduled time, you'd come whistling up the hollow after me and only start worrying if I didn't whistle back. Now if you don't hear from me in 2 minutes, something bad happened. See how dependent we are on technology?" Instant gratification...?

Now while in a tree you can be on Facebook in a hunting group messaging what you are or are not seeing. You can check emails, do work, watch videos, listen to music, message friends and family....I don't need to go further. You can stay connected to all the things we pride ourselves on getting away from by being in the woods.

I don't have Facebook on my phone or any other social media platforms. Most places I hunt have no cell reception anyway. I do carry a small notebook and pencil. I like to try to shut down my mind and appreciate my surroundings....and of course hunt. I'm no anti-social media saint or anything. Before I committed to the real big woods, I hunted big public with reception and I've had Facebook on my phone in the past. I liked looking at all the bucks people were shooting while I was sitting in a tree seeing nothing. I liked texting my family and friends. It was the social connectedness I liked. I'm a loner in the woods. No hunting camps no like-minded buddies. I just got so tired of seeing someone shoot a spike, which is an absolute trophy and a memory to someone, then have someone else say " oh way to murder a toddler." or "Ida let it walk". "Man up and shoot a real deer not a baby." Judgements judgements judgements...we can go on forever here but it clouds the mind.

I think this is an interesting topic given the members demographic. When Dan was asked during one of the YouTube Q&A's about hunters ethics he said something along the lines of "that's up to the holder. what do I care what weapon a guy uses or if he baits or hunts farmland or public. It doesn't affect me." That can be applied here. There is no right or wrong. I think the answer is with the holder. I'd love to hear everyone's opinions on whether or not, or how we should use our pocket computers in the woods.

[PK_]

I don’t do any social media other than this forum.

One thing I really enjoy about the phone in the tree is being able to send pics/vids of the animals I see to the wife to show my kids.

Other than using my phone as gps to navigate, I wouldn’t mind never having it in the woods...

[Denisboyko22]

I'm pretty young and most people I know cant stay off their phones for more then 10 minutes but in the woods I put it away in a locked pocket in my jacket and only use it for onx maps and If I get lost but I usually have to many what ifs going through my head while sitting in a tree and thinking of my next move for the next hunt and just random stuff like that to even care to check my phone to text anyone ... lol the lady friend is always mad afterwards but she'll never understand the peace us hunters get in a tree freezing our butts off

[Dewey]

You need to be on stand to kill a deer so if this helps you spend more time on stand go for it. Just don’t get so into it that your not paying attention to your surroundings and miss seeing deer or worse yet screw up shot opportunities.

I like checking in on the Beast and looking at aerials while on stand and consider that pretty constructive. It’s nice during the slow periods to pass time. In the past I would get so relaxed that I would doze off during slow times but haven’t done that in many years now.

[brancher147]

I like to text and use onx. I don’t do social media. But I rarely have service anyway. As said, there are some days where you need to be on stand to kill a deer and if being on your phone helps you stay put then so be it.

[PAwildman]

I don’t do any social media other than this forum.

One thing I really enjoy about the phone in the tree is being able to send pics/vids of the animals I see to the wife to show my kids.

Other than using my phone as gps to navigate, I wouldn’t mind never having it in the woods...

GPS navigation is a huge help to us hunters. Especially when it comes guys and gals who hunt the big woods. Pulling up google maps has saved me a few times. I have a buddy who got lost once and the fire department and police were called in. They were able to pinpoint his location because he had a cell phone and they found him. Of course we teased him for months about it after because he wasn't very far from the road.

Once my uncle had his cell phone out and he was taking a picture of a rutting 7 pt when he heard a loud grunt. He looked up and saw a very big bruiser coming his way. My uncle for some reason snapped a picture of this bruiser at 20yds broadside and never ended up getting a shot. He got a nice picture though. Haha. He's still sore about it.

[Ghost Hunter]

Place where I go on public land. I have no signal what so ever, not even able to text. Nice in a way. But, do have to admit. It would be nice to sneak a text message out of that tangle of buck brush. Down on farm in SW Arkansas signal is ok. So I do text that is about it. I try to keep use to a minimum. I have been caught holding my phone when should have been drawling my bow, but only once.

[Rich M]

I text with a few buddies while in the tree. Fun to compare notes.

There was one buck that lived cause I was texting in the grey of dawn - he popped into shooting lane, looked up and was outta there. They usually come thru there after it is full light. Oops.

[Twenty Up]

But how am I gonna show everybody my #Limitz ...?!

All kidding aside, OnX has been a tremendous asset for me. A lot of newer hunters don’t understand how challenging it was to scout “blind” or “free style” by just following the lay of the land and going off memory to hunt it.

Cal Topo is another under utilized resource for my fellow mountain goat hunters.

As far as Facebook in the stand... When you have a P&Y sneak past you inside bow range with your phone in your hand, remember me. You’ll never do it again.

[Tennhunter3]

I very rarely have signal.
And I hunt to get away and have peace.

Technology while in ways it has become a good thing we are too dependent on it. For many it has become a addiction.

I don't do any social media besides hunting beast chat.
Everyone on social media ( You Are The Product ). I'm very nervous of technology so many things warned us against Ai.


I like Onyx maps but don't look at it in the tree.
Probably the most common thing I do in the tree is check the weather.

[stash59]

Like the OP, I hate the negativity that often comes from FB. Personally I still use a flip phone. Don't have a plan that covers texting. At 60 YO I got by without a cell for the first 40 years of my life. So don't feel I need It now. Although I do carry it for safety reasons. Put it on vibrate or just turn it off. Part of why I hunt is to connect with nature. Get away from other people and the drama everyday life can bring. Having my face in a phone all day would take away from that greatly. Plus I'm just paranoid I'd miss an opportunity at a buck. If I had my eyes on a screen. Instead of scanning the area around me. I guess if you have a hard time staying on stand. Use it to keep you there. But that's rarely a problem for me personally..

[gsquared23]

If I have cell service, I spend too much time on my phone. But I do use google drive as a day to day journal, it’s nice to be able to update sightings as they happen.

[BackCoverBowHunter]

I use my phone for all of the above as well. I keep a journal with the notes app, GPS my tracks and spots, text my friends & run my GoPro from it. I try to keep my eyes on the woods as much as possible.