Good luck to all in the upcoming season.  Some I've had differences with (BT) but hopefully that's water under the bridge.  Season starts in Special Regs soon...... May your aim be true.
I'll be toting my bow when I am by myself and I will be getting the kids out this year for Mentored Youth with a cross bow.  At 10 and 8, they still aren't strong enough for a compound that is ethical to use on a deer but, they are definitely excited to get out there with me.  
Have my Barronett 2 man ground blind I used in rifle with them last year and picked up an 18' 2 man ladder at Dunhams last week for $89 that I still need to set. It will be nice just spending time in the woods with the kids and if we get the chance to harvest a buck, all the better.

Right back at ya Eyes, we will be waiting for the pictures.  Mentioning your kids and the excitement over hunting with dad, sure does bring back memories, of twenty years ago for me.  Heck, I'm even getting over the mentored hunt thingy......... just not completely, yet.
 
Kudos
 
 

Happy Hunting both with the kids and alone -good luck out there.

Mr. Gills, I fondly remember those years and the times I spent with my son and daughter both hunting and fishing. Enjoy those times together, and good luck with the season. And to all have a safe and enjoyable season.

Just coming to the realization that it is going to be a stretch to get them out there but we will do our best.  Two different dek hockey leagues that they are both in on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and Soccer on Wednesdays and Thursdays and V-ball for my daughter starts up in November and NFL flag football starts up in October on Thursdays and Saturdays for my son.  Wheww.....we are going to be busy.
 
Might be some "educational" field trips to the great outdoors during the week in their future on non-test days....as long as they keep their grades stellar.

LMAO Eyes, I sure do remember those extra curricular activities, good luck.
 
Myself, after using a bearing type release for 25 plus years, I switched to a caliper type release.  Whyyyy, I asked myself, did I ever wait so long?  
 
I guess being a newbie back then, I relied on those whom I thought to be experienced at the art of archery hunting.  A bearing style release was thought to be more forgiving but unfortunately, is harder on the bow string serving.    Well I don't know about the "forgiving" part but I can attest for the serving thingy.   Seems every six shots or so I was pushing the serving back up the string to close the gap.  Oh, I tried the trick of pinching the brass nocking points above and below the release contact point which didn't take long to create a large gap to appear on the right side of my beard.
 
Anyway, at first I found the calipers somewhat cumbersome as the pincers, unlike my bearing release, doesn't pivot.  The good news, I have not had a problem with the serving.   I seem to be (slowly) getting use to the calipers and, I can hit the dam target three times in a row from, twenty yards out.......  how cool is that??  And they said "bearing style releases" are more forgiving.
 
I make it a point to practice no less than twice daily shooting 4 rounds of three arrows from twenty yards out with a 55 lb draw.  As opening day draws nearer, I'll turn the draw weight up by  1 to 2 pounds until I can draw and hold 65 lbs at 65% let off.
 
I know it is recommended to practice wearing the clothing of which one will be hunting in  but today, is very warm so I shall be wearing only my new 800 gram Thinsulate 8" high waterproof Wolverines and a pair of my favorite shorty shorts. 
 
Now there is a picture to be painted in the minds eye, of those people that know me.  So the next time yinz are sitting  in your favorite tree getting bored, waiting on Mr. Trophy, just remember me practicing with my new caliper release.
 
Good luck to all and to all, from your tree, do not fall.
 
 
Safety first, wear that harness. 

You don't use a string loop for your release?

eyes, you hunt in 2B right?  so, you'll get to start this weekend?
 
so glad i bought a crossbow for my son when he was 10.  hands down the best time of the year to be in the woods.  he missed a great 8 a few years ago (i misjudged the distance - clean miss) but other than that hasn't shot at one with the x-bow.  have had plenty of close encounters though and have seen some great sights you normally don't get to see in gun season when deer are often moving quick.   
 
i love the mentored program!  although, he's 12 now so he'll be toting his own weapon into the woods, which during archery season means i'll be watching since i sold my vertical bow 10 years ago.  
 
love our ground blind.  i hate tree stands, but he loves 'em.  have some friends with 2 man ladder stands set up around their property.  although this year, i guess i can send him up while i sit on the ground 

We could start Saturday but with all the stuff going on, we won't get out.  Have soccer at 10am and then dek hockey playoffs in Murrysville Saturday afternoon/evening.  I have Friday off so I will be doing as much scouting, trail trimming and stand hanging as I can but my spots are all over 2B (except the west side) so I don't know how much I'll get done.  I don't get real excited until the low temps get into the 40's and the highs are barely breaking 60, at most.  I don't have good evening "food" stands or places to put a blind so early season is mostly observational looking for travel routes.

I got somme studs on cam....