Thursday, July 15, 2010

Tree Saddle Reviews - Why It Should Be Your #1 Secret Weapon

When it comes to hunting whitetail deer, most hunters have their favorite method from ground blinds to treestands, to spot and stalk. Treestands have come a long way and are a lot safer and more comfortable than ever leading many hunters to have their favorite type and brand depending on the type of trees available in their area. I also have my favorite and that’s why I want to give you my tree saddle reviews.

I like to hunt in thick cover where there aren’t very many trees big enough or straight enough for most treestands. Trying to haul a climber through the thick brush is almost impossible. I’ve used fixed position hang-on stands but found I needed multiple stands for different wind directions and to prevent overhunting one spot. Then after the season I still had to take them all down and store them.

One day while at a hunting expo I saw someone in what looked like a tree sling of some sort about 15 feet off the expo floor. I was very skeptical. But after trying it out, I was amazed how much more comfortable it felt than it looked. I knew exactly which trees from which I was going to be able to hunt. Many of these were too small or crooked to get a stand hung.


In my tree saddle reviews, I can’t tell you how much it is a “must have” for hunting whitetails, especially mature whitetails on out of state hunts. My whole family uses the tree saddle, That includes my 3 daughters and their husbands.


With tree saddles you can hunt out of any tree that can support your weight. That means real small diameter trees that are not an option for fixed hang-on stands, climbers, or even ladder stands, can all be hunted with a tree saddle. Have you ever gone into a thick area with lots of deer sign only to find that there aren’t any trees that will work for your setup? Imagine having several trees on every side of a thick “hot spot” to accommodate any wind direction, and having those trees prepped with steps and shooting lanes well before the season, preferably in the spring. Then when its time to hunt that spot in the fall, you can easily enter the area wearing your tree saddle (which only weighs about 2 pounds), and create a true ambush situation.


Try doing that with a climber or ladder stand. Even if you have a light weight hang-on stand you have 2 options, take it in with you and hang it when you arrive to hunt, or hang it well before the season and risk the threat of someone stealing it even if its locked to the tree, or allow other hunters to see your hot spot and ruin for you. In either case, the element of an ambush is greatly reduced. Also, if you choose to leave your stand in your favorite tree because maybe you have your own large piece of property, are you only going to hunt that tree and risk burning out that spot? If not, that means you need another stand or two or three. How much are you willing to invest in stands? And after the season are you going to leave all those stands up?


With a tree saddle, you can prep an unlimited number of trees in multiple states and hunt all of them with just one tree saddle, slipping into your spot quietly, not giving away your position to other hunters or to any approaching deer, being able to shoot 360 degrees from your tree, and never worring if your stands will get ripped off.




You may think that all these advantages comes with the price of not being a comfortable way to hunt. If you look at the pictures that the manufacturer uses in their advertising, I can see where you may assume that. However, what they don’t show is the ability to be comfortable in a sitting or standing position. Trust me, I was skeptical. I’m 6′5″ and weigh 230#. But when I put one on and got into a tree to test it, I was amazed. My family and I hunt whitetails from our tree saddles all day 3-5 times every year spread out throughout the rut.


Many guys refuse to even consider using one because they think its not comfortable or the strap gets in the way or whatever. At least find someone who has one and give it a try before you dismiss it.


If you already have one, leave a comment below with your own tree saddle reviews. I would like to know what you think.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Improve Whitetail Deer Habitat

Most guys who want to improve whitetail deer habitat on their property focus too much on food plots and nutrition for the deer. Food plots are great but they can also be planted with crops that do not attract deer for the most critical time of year for nutrition needs and safety from other hunters.

One thing that is critical to improve whitetail deer habitat that is often overlooked is what I like to refer to as "Segregation of the Sexes". We all know that 4 one acre plots is better than 1 four acre plot...same with bedding areas, beds, etc. However, I think it's more extreme to the point that 4 well placed 1 acre plots is better than 1 ten acre plot. The more feeding areas you have, the more bedding areas you have, the more room you make on your property for segregation of the sexes. You not only allow room for both sexes, but age of sexes as well. Improve Whitetail Deer Habitat

That's why I personally don't advocate large, single plantings of any species. For example, if you planted a two acre brassica field and the deer didn't touch the brassicas until mid-Nov., that would eliminate the deer usage in the early season. However, I don't like to see 8 plots with different plantings on each plot. Instead, I like to see combinations of plantings within the same plot. You can do this with designated perennial portions that you maintain indefinitely by alternating combination plantings that include cool season plantings, and you can also include designated annual planting areas that are rotated between cool and warm season plantings in the same year.

In the end though you keep each plot’s efficiency high for the entire year, you scatter the deer herd, and you make room for more deer including both sexes. Unless you want deer NOT to use a plot for some reason during certain times of the year because you have to walk through them to access stands, etc....then by all means do not plant single plantings on a plot because that plot will experience time line holes in nutrition and attraction that lead to less deer that can use your property, in particular when they have the largest chance of being shot.

If I had to choose 1 crop to improve whitetail deer habitat, I would go with cool-season crops so I'm getting the highest amount of efficiency when the local deer herd is the most susceptible to getting shot, basically the month of November.


Also, on your property with all the switchgrass, your plots will actually help to separate your bedding areas, at least by defining them more for various family groups or bucks to use as opposed to one large wandering, undefined bedding area. Improve Whitetail Deer Habitat Multiple efficient plots will also help to encourage more use of the defined bedding areas throughout the hunting season as long as those plots offer great attraction during Nov. and later. I've never cared if the deer were eating on my neighbors great crops and nutrition during the summer...as long as they lived in and around my property during Nov. and Dec.

There is no reason that with that much cover you shouldn't actually be collecting deer as the season progresses as food supplies are dwindling and hunting pressure is most intense, but you have to have enough quality small food sources and diversity in bedding area.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Where to Buy Pallets in Michigan


Pallets may seem like almost an afterthought. Aren't they all basically alike? The answer is "no." Pallets come in many different sizes and formations, and when you need pallets in Michigan, you will have the best selection an service from an established company that knows that vocabulary and knows how to connect you with the pallets that will serve your needs best.


The environment in which pallets are stored makes a great difference in their performance. Pallet companies that store their pallets outside often end up attracting birds' nests and insects. And gravel staging areas can cause the bottom pallet of a stack to accumulate dirt and gravel. The more care taken in storing pallets, the better the pallets will perform, and this is true whether you're in the market for new or used pallets.


If you're buying pallets in Michigan, beware of any pallet company that treats "pallets" as a generic item. They vary in length and width, for one thing, and for another some have the deck boards flush with the stringer boards on the sides of the pallets. Others, the "wingtip" pallets, have deck boards that overhang the stringer boards on the sides.

Depending on what you need your pallets in Michigan for, you may want two-way pallets, accessible by forklift only on the ends, or four-way, which are accessible by the ends or the sides.

If you require a certain number of top boards, or require hardwood top boards, be sure to ask any supplier of pallets in Michigan how many top boards there are, and whether they are made from soft or hard wood.

Like many supplies, the more specific your needs in pallets, the more expensive they will tend to be. If your needs are more general, then you will have a greater choice, and a greater price range to choose from.

With some pallets Michigan suppliers offer free delivery for certain volume orders, so be sure to ask if this applies to your order. Also be sure to ask about recycling pallets when you no longer need them. Pallets are regularly reused and recycled, so you should never have to throw them away or leave them in a pile of junk. They can be repaired and reused many, many times, and when they can no longer be repaired, they can be recycled into other wood products.

Whether you're in the grocery, telecommunications, beverage, automotive, or retail business when you need pallets in Michigan, look for an established company that sells both new and used pallets and that knows the differences between the various types of pallets used by different industries and for different applications.



If you've seen huge stacks of pallets in outdoor lots, it may look like pallets are all basically alike, and that you can get the same thing at one seller of pallets in Michigan as another. But this is definitely not the case. If you take the time to note your requirements in pallets, and where you can afford to be flexible (for example, if either flush or wingtip pallets are acceptable), you will be able to make an apples-to-apples comparison among pallets in Michigan and find exactly what you need at the best possible price and with the best options for disposal when your pallets are no longer needed.

There is one pallet supplier located in Grand Rapids, MI that takes all these considerations into account. Discount Pallet Co has been providing quality used pallets in Michigan for over 20 years. Give them a call today at 616-453-5455 or visit their site at http://discountpallet.com

Thursday, July 8, 2010

An Overview of Pallet Companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan

It is no wonder why pallet companies are thriving in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Businesses in the area are showing strong support in recycled products such as used pallets. In fact, 47% of pallet companies all over the country are including reconditioned used pallets in their inventories. When you search for local pallet companies in Grand Rapids, it is rare to find one that does not have recycled pallets on their list. As long as there are businesses that need pallets, these pallet companies will continue to thrive.

The pallet companies in Grand Rapids implements the same procedures in manufacturing and re-manufacturing wooden pallets.

But since they are producing both new and recycled pallets, I will take you on a tour inside a typical pallet manufacturing company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The usual scene that you find when you visit is the operating workforce assigned in different work stations namely shipping and receiving, the dismantler bandsaw, the repair station, and the sorting area.

A minimum of five people are needed to work in a pallet recycling operation. Two people to run the dismantler, one to cut the lumber, one to assemble, build, or repair the pallets; and one to operate the forklift truck. Woodworkers must be skilled in using various pallet tools and equipment. The city was known for woodworking so local pallet companies have minimal problem in finding the right labor. They must also have enough knowledge on how to repair and maintain these tools. In the same manner, a forklift operator must have passed the certification test before it can be qualified to drive the machine. Companies all over Grand Rapids are using recycled items for business use. With this, care should be exercised by these pallet companies when deciding to choose used machinery and equipment for the operation.

Larger pallet companies enjoy the lower population density in Grand Rapids, Michigan as compared to Detroit. Their facilities are zoned to accommodate a fleet of trucks for parking and mobility, and allowing loading and unloading of pallets.




When used pallets are discarded by various businesses, they are gathered by pallet companies in Grand Rapids for free or for a fee. The pallets are unloaded in the receiving area where they are graded as reusable, restorable, or scrap. Pallets that are graded for parts go to the disassembly station where the parts - stringers and deckboards - are separated. Then to the assembly lines where they are constructed again, this time, with the reclaimed parts from other dismantled pallets. The deckboards are nailed to the stringers, then are brought to storage to wait for a new owner when the process starts all over again.

If you want information about the different types of used pallets in Grand Rapids, or need to have some unwanted pallets removed, visit his Discount Pallet Co website for a full description of all the different pallet types and sizes available or to contact Randy for a free quote.

Link this article to: http://discountpallet.com/2010/06/quality-used-wooden-pallets-serving-grand-rapids-and-the-midwest/

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Why Buy Wooden Pallets in Grand Rapids MI


Are you wondering where you can buy wooden pallets in Grand Rapids MI? If you need pallets, Grand Rapids is the place to buy them. Businesses everywhere need pallets of some kind to transport their goods, stock their inventory, and to keep their equipment safe. While pallets are sometimes made with other materials like metal and plastic, most people agree that wooden pallets are the best choice. Because wood can be recycled, this is a more cost effective material to use. Other materials that pallets can be made from can be more costly.

Consider buying wooden pallets in Grand Rapids MI. Grand Rapids is known for its furniture industry and many furniture companies either own a warehouse in the area or get their materials from a wholesaler. Although you'd think that wood is mostly used for furniture, in Grand Rapids MI, wooden pallets actually use more wood than any other industry.

When you buy wooden pallets in Grand Rapids MI, you will find a variety of sizes to choose from. While the standard size of a wood pallet is 48X40, they are available in sizes that are larger and smaller if you need them. You can recoup some of your investment if you recycle them back to company you purchased them from when you are finished using them. Not only does this keep costs low, it's environmentally friendly.

It doesn't matter if you're in the paper, automotive, plastic, or food industry, pallets are essential. They maintain the quality of goods as they are stocked or shipped to other locations. In fact, many companies expect shipping companies to use wooden pallets so their products will be in good condition when they're received.

Pallets are an essential cost for your business, so you should also consider buying used pallets. As mentioned earlier, the wooden pallets in Grand Rapids can be recycled or even reused. Many businesses will send it back to the company when they no longer need the pallets. Buying them used well help you cut costs considerably and if they are kept in good condition, they can be resold.




Before you buy any pallets, check with several merchants. Look through their inventory of pallets to see if they have the size you need. Additionally, check if they have wooden pallets rather than pallets made from other materials. Don't be afraid to ask if they have any used pallets that they're willing to sell and if they'll buy them back when you're finished with them.

There are repair services that will help you get some extra uses from your existing pallets if you don't want to buy new wooden pallets in Grand Rapids MI. Because this is much cheaper than buying new or used wooden pallets, this is something you should investigate if you want to save more money.

If you need pallets for your business, you can save money if you buy wooden pallets in Grand Rapids MI. You will be able to find some great deals on wooden pallets in Grand Rapids because there are many pallet companies there.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Tips for Buying Compound Bows in Grand Rapids MI


Hunting enthusiasts know that in order to get the most of the experience, you have to have the right equipment. The compound bow is by far the most important piece of equipment that you will purchase for bow hunting. The right bow will help you with distance, mobility and accuracy. Of course, finding the perfect compound bow Grand Rapids may not be as easy as you might have thought.

Shopping for compound bows in Grand Rapids MI is more than just looking for a bow, you have to make sure that you are purchasing it from the right store. There are many stores in the Grand Rapids area that sell compound bows since there are so many popular hunting grounds around. However, the problem is finding the best store to buy from, just just finding any store.

Picking out the perfect compound bow Grand Rapids can be tricky because there are certain rules that you have to keep in mind when you are shopping. You will need to take into consideration the material, the length, the type of bow and the weight of the bow. These things will affect your hunting game for you will want to make sure that you are getting it right from the start. You want to make sure that the store for compound bows in Grand Rapids MI is equipped with staff that can truly be of some assistance to you.

Now, because of this, you will want to make sure that you are sticking with the smaller archery stores instead of shopping with the large chain retailers. In the large chain stores, you are usually just going to find sales people working the bow section because that is where they got stuck, not because they have any real experience or knowledge. This means that you are basically on your own when you are shopping for your compound bow Grand Rapids. In the smaller shops, you will find that you will be greeted with expertise, something that you will not find in the larger stores.




Even if you require more advanced compound bow Grand Rapids, such as special modifications, the smaller shops are still your best bet. This is because you might be able to consult with expert technicians and some fellow hunters which will provide the service you need and want. Remember too, just because you purchase one of the most expensive compound bows in Grand Rapids MI, does not mean that you have the best bow for hunting.

You will need the help of experienced technicians in order to make sure that you are getting a compound bow Grand Rapids that suits your specifications perfectly. All of this is why shopping at the smaller stores is much better than the large chain stores.