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    String Trackers

    I have literally used string trackers since before they were invented. I may have co-invented them but just wasn't smart enough to market them. Before they came along I used JetLine. It was a spool of line that you blew through conduit with a vacuum cleaner so that you could pull a heavier line through to pull cable with. I used the size for 3/4" conduit. It only had 400 yards of line on it but that was sufficient for recovering most game. The String Tracker spools have 2500' on them and can be used on several animals if they don't run too far. They cost about $7 the last time I bought them and that is cheap for what they can do for you.

    There is two colors of String Tracker, white and flo. orange. Only buy the white ones. The die they use for the flo. orange tends to make the string stick a little and it doesn't shoot out as smooth. The 2500' spools are 17# test. They also make a 1500' spool that is 30# test. I wouldn't buy that one either. It just isn't as smooth shooting as the 17#. I can't tell that the 17# makes my arrow drop enough to notice it out to 25 yards or so. Even with the lighter bows it doesn't matter much, maybe because of the heavier arrows we shoot. I have shot a doe at 30 paces and a couple hogs at around the same with the string on. Even so, I usually suggest people buy an extra spool and shoot it up at longer and longer distances just so you know. You will think it is too noisy but that is just because it is close to you. Standing out front while some one else shoots you can tell it is really quiet. It's never been a problem with deer moving at the shot any more than with out it. I've shot over a couple deer with it and had them stand there with the string on their back. It just doesn't seem to bother them.

    Getting it on the bow can be a problem though. String Tracker makes a spool holder that screws into the stabilizer hole. I don't have one of those on any of my bows so I just taped it on for years. I finally made a little hootus that holds it on the bow. It has the benefit of being able to take the spool off and putting it on a tree limb after you shoot something. That way if they should run again while your looking, it can still feed out.

    To make it you will need to have a piece of 2" elastic that is 5" long and a piece of 3/4" elastic that is 13" long. You will need some 1/2" wide velcro as well. I think you can see by the pictures well enough to build it from here.
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    #2
    To put it on the bow, you stick the velcro on the smaller elastic to itself on the other end, to form a loop. You set the spool on the outside of your sight window, pull the loop around the bow and back over the spool again. It's ready to go.

    You can see it here on my Pronghorn. It's kinda a medium size handle. Then there is a picture of it on a Robertson Stykbow, a little handle and then a picture of it on my old Brackenbury, a large handle. It holds snug on all of them real well.
    Attached Files

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      #3
      Now that is really neat.
      Thanks for a great tip !

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        #4
        Thanks for taking the time to post this. So how do you attach it to the arrow?

        Matt

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          #5
          I remember that stuff from way back and I had forgot all about it. I didn't think they made it anymore.

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            #6
            The original way was to loosen your point on screw in points) and wrap the line around the shaft and screw the point back down. On wood arrows I would tie a clove hitch and then a couple over hand knots right behind the head.

            If you can imagine a shot that the arrow goes through the animal and sticks into the ground, as the animal runs or flies off, the line would have to slide through it. On a turkey this is a good thing, the string from the bow with no pressure and the string to the arrow having to slide through the bird making more pressure on that side. This will keep the bird from flying off, a bad thing. I've shot a lot of turkeys and I have lost every one that flew and found all but one that ran. But with a deer it doesn't seem to matter except that you are using your string at twice the rate. However I have had bones cut the string. There was a little doodad made for years that had a straight fish hook molded in a little plastic thing so that when the arrow went through the animal the fish hook with string attached would come out of the doodad and be stuck in the animal. That way only one string attached and less likely hood of a broke string.

            I lost contact with where to get the straight fish hook doodads quite a few years ago though. My friend Steve Slevin(Rotag on here) has been looking for them and says Saunders has them and he has orderd some for us. You wouldn't want to use them on turkeys as the hook wouldn't work well with feathers. It's at the bottom of the page.http://www.sausa.com/category.php?category=40

            Hope this helps and any more question feel free to ask.

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              #7
              I used one once and made the mistake of shooting thru the net of my Double Bull. The result wasn't quite what I expected. As the thread came blitzing out of the canister it sort of caught on the inside of the netting with a loud crack about as loud as a 22 rifle. From that instant on it got worse. Not only did it yank the arrow down into the ground about half way to the intended piggage about 12 yds away, it also unloaded several hundred feet of orange string inside my blind and almost hog tied me. Luckily I had my trusty gut hook Gerber on my belt and was able to cut myself and my bow and quiver loose and escape without injury. I guess they work OK if there is nothing between the bow shelf and the target but I never tried it using again. Could be just a mental thing but I don't trust that gadget anymore. I do use pieces of the string for tying nock points and for fish tape on other stuff and I probably have enough to last me the rest of my life.

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                #8
                I have used string trackers quite a bit as well. I never made my own set-up like this but just bought the commercial type. I also don't have stabilizer holes drilled in any of my bows so I bought a "gadget adapter" from 3 Rivers. It straps on the bow with rubber straps and has a threaded hole to screw in the string tracker. I've also used it to attach a bow reel for bow fishing.
                A few words of caution: the string comes out and makes a much larger loop than you think it is going to. Hence, you have to have plenty of clearance in front of you or the string will catch on limbs, etc. when you shoot. You can shoot it out of a pop-up blind but obviously not through the "shoot-through" netting. Best thing here is to shoot a practice shot or two with it and have a video camera behind you to film the shot; then go back and watch it in slow motion and you will see how big a loop the string makes as it is coming out.
                Another thing: The line always seemed to feed better if the string tracker was attached above the arrow instead of below it; at least, that was my experience.
                I've recovered a few animals, especially hogs, that I probably wouldn't have without the string tracker. Even if the string breaks after a little while, it gives you the path the animal took for a ways. Hunting hogs at night, you can't always tell exactly where they go after you shoot them, especially if there is a group of them in front of you when you shoot. This also helps because, depending on where you hit a hog, blood may not hit the ground for a few seconds.....and a running hog can cover a lot of ground in a few seconds. You can follow the string until you find blood most of the time, and you may not have ever found the blood without the string.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by muzzlebrake View Post
                  I used one once and made the mistake of shooting thru the net of my Double Bull. The result wasn't quite what I expected. As the thread came blitzing out of the canister it sort of caught on the inside of the netting with a loud crack about as loud as a 22 rifle. From that instant on it got worse. Not only did it yank the arrow down into the ground about half way to the intended piggage about 12 yds away, it also unloaded several hundred feet of orange string inside my blind and almost hog tied me. Luckily I had my trusty gut hook Gerber on my belt and was able to cut myself and my bow and quiver loose and escape without injury. I guess they work OK if there is nothing between the bow shelf and the target but I never tried it using again. Could be just a mental thing but I don't trust that gadget anymore. I do use pieces of the string for tying nock points and for fish tape on other stuff and I probably have enough to last me the rest of my life.
                  I would love to have a picture of that. Funny right there.
                  I had a friend of mine use the string thing many years ago and the best I remember it didn't work all that great. I didn't know they even made it anymore. Seems like a great idea if you can keep the string from catching on stuff. I do remember he shot a deer one time but the string hung up on something and it broke after the deer ran a few yards so it wasn't much help then.

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                    #10
                    I use to use them a lot. I once shot 4 animals in one sitting (3 pigs and doe). I looked like a big Ol spider with lines running out

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                      #11
                      Looks goog

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                        #12
                        i hunt with draco alot he got me to using the string tracker and i use it often i dont shoot out past 25 yards with it but i swear by it i shot a doe several years back shot was alittle for back she went about 700 yards i would have never found her if it wasnt for the string but i dont use the orange one just the white because it seem to come out smoother but that just me

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                          #13
                          I did a little research on this last night and found that Carbon Express bought out Game Tracker so now it is called a CX String Tracker 2500. Seems a lot of places carries the whole unit, but very few have the replacement string.

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                            #14
                            Thanks for that bountyhunter. I'm getting close to needing to order more. String trackers and 2 part skunk scent is things I just can't hunt with out.

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by Draco View Post
                              Thanks for that bountyhunter. I'm getting close to needing to order more. String trackers and 2 part skunk scent is things I just can't hunt with out.
                              2 part skunk scent??? Do we need a seperate post?

                              Matt

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