Being quiet/F150 tailgate

Bob Peters

Well-known member
We've all heard or learned to be quiet entering a hunting spot to avoid spooking game. Last year I distinctly remember closing a truck door and a hen flushed wild in the field. When I grab a gun/shells/vest, etc from the back of my 2017 F150, but there are other valuables in there and I want it closed/locked, is there a quiet way to shut the tailgate? I swear I have to slam it to get it to latch. My buddy has a chevy and he can just put a slight pressure on it and it will latch.
 
If you have a bubby that works at a auto-body shop, he is your answer. Or maybe a body guy is here to help. I have an '08 and don't seem to have an issue with closure.
 
We've all heard or learned to be quiet entering a hunting spot to avoid spooking game. Last year I distinctly remember closing a truck door and a hen flushed wild in the field. When I grab a gun/shells/vest, etc from the back of my 2017 F150, but there are other valuables in there and I want it closed/locked, is there a quiet way to shut the tailgate? I swear I have to slam it to get it to latch. My buddy has a chevy and he can just put a slight pressure on it and it will latch.

Will it close to the point that it will stay if you gently close till you here it catch? It may not be fully latched, but enough to keep it from falling open. But then again it may not lock??
 
Put everything in the cab, before you get there. Ford tail gates are always loud, but they are good trucks
 
I shut my tailgate after I have hunted an area. If I suspect birds my be close I don't even shut the door just close it enough that it is not open. I keep everything in the cab but my dog, box, and water.
 
Not only being silent, but approaching an area without walking in the open.Pheasants can see you, and hear you, and they run.In Montana, I approach a coolly on the low side.I want to be below the birds, usually. I don't make noice, and I try to keep my dog close to me.If my dog gets into the coulee, I RUN, to get there!!
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I chuckle at this post and not to make light of what you are asking but, the birds know your there when you pull up. Nine times out of ten, it's not the noise that scares them, it's the immediate silence that follows. It's like walking a field and holding at the end...they get nervous and go.

remy is right...check with a body shop or throw some white grease on the latches. Good luck!
 
We've all heard or learned to be quiet entering a hunting spot to avoid spooking game. Last year I distinctly remember closing a truck door and a hen flushed wild in the field. When I grab a gun/shells/vest, etc from the back of my 2017 F150, but there are other valuables in there and I want it closed/locked, is there a quiet way to shut the tailgate? I swear I have to slam it to get it to latch. My buddy has a chevy and he can just put a slight pressure on it and it will latch.

A squirt of WD40? Pheasant look around too so if you can be stealthy, be.
 
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I chuckle at this post and not to make light of what you are asking but, the birds know your there when you pull up. Nine times out of ten, it's not the noise that scares them, it's the immediate silence that follows. It's like walking a field and holding at the end...they get nervous and go.

remy is right...check with a body shop or throw some white grease on the latches. Good luck![/QUOTE

This last trip hunting with my BIL I couldn’t believe the birds he put up by stopping. My dog favors my side most of the time so he will range out a good 40 yards or so and stop every few minutes. I think it’s darn near impossible to get the dogs out, guns loaded, and things shut up without letting the birds know. We are careful to a point, but don’t worry about it as much as we used to. The one thing we don’t do anymore at the vehicle or in the field is talk to each other or the dog. We both do a fair amount of pausing tho, and with the dog still moving, boy do they get nervous. We also just meander part of the time, without any real plan. We just follow the dog. (Pointer) I don’t know if any of it helps because we know we can’t fool em’, but it’s fun to try different tactics. The neatest thing I’ve seen in the field is when the rooster jumps straight up 10 feet and settles right back down in the same spot. They got the upper hand and we are in their house. The later in the season, the harder it is to get that reasonable shot, that’s for sure.
 
I chuckle at this post and not to make light of what you are asking but, the birds know your there when you pull up. Nine times out of ten, it's not the noise that scares them, it's the immediate silence that follows. It's like walking a field and holding at the end...they get nervous and go.

remy is right...check with a body shop or throw some white grease on the latches. Good luck![/QUOTE

This last trip hunting with my BIL I couldn’t believe the birds he put up by stopping. My dog favors my side most of the time so he will range out a good 40 yards or so and stop every few minutes. I think it’s darn near impossible to get the dogs out, guns loaded, and things shut up without letting the birds know. We are careful to a point, but don’t worry about it as much as we used to. The one thing we don’t do anymore at the vehicle or in the field is talk to each other or the dog. We both do a fair amount of pausing tho, and with the dog still moving, boy do they get nervous. We also just meander part of the time, without any real plan. We just follow the dog. (Pointer) I don’t know if any of it helps because we know we can’t fool em’, but it’s fun to try different tactics. The neatest thing I’ve seen in the field is when the rooster jumps straight up 10 feet and settles right back down in the same spot. They got the upper hand and we are in their house. The later in the season, the harder it is to get that reasonable shot, that’s for sure.
That's right, it's impossible to sneak them, late season.There is one coolee, on a public section, that always holds a half dozen highly educated birds.Ive never gotten one in there, they flush at 250 yards, no matter how I approach it.I know where they live, and it's thick, and knarley. A skunk couldn't get in there. It's down in a hole, I can't figure out how they know , but they do.However, I have gotten a lot of sharptails at this place, at certain times.
 
That's right, it's impossible to sneak them, late season.There is one coolee, on a public section, that always holds a half dozen highly educated birds.Ive never gotten one in there, they flush at 250 yards, no matter how I approach it.I know where they live, and it's thick, and knarley. A skunk couldn't get in there. It's down in a hole, I can't figure out how they know , but they do.However, I have gotten a lot of sharptails at this place, at certain times.

I know the public spot you are talking about, one of my late season favorites.
It doesn't always hold half a dozen highly educated birds - One time I shot 3 uneducated ones in it that flushed at 9, 12, and 15 yards, respectively. And we encountered a skunk in it, but luckily I got my dog called off before he got sprayed.
 
That's right, it's impossible to sneak them, late season.There is one coolee, on a public section, that always holds a half dozen highly educated birds.Ive never gotten one in there, they flush at 250 yards, no matter how I approach it.I know where they live, and it's thick, and knarley. A skunk couldn't get in there. It's down in a hole, I can't figure out how they know , but they do.However, I have gotten a lot of sharptails at this place, at certain times.

I feel like most of the birds I shoot are because I have sneaked right in on them. And I shoot more than most everyone. My favorite time to hunt is late season, especially in January. They are bunched up in heavy cover and that is when I do the best.
 
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I feel like most of the birds I shoot are because I have sneaked right in on them. And I shoot more than most everyone. My favorite time to hunt is late season, especially in January. They are bunched up in heavy cover and that is when I do the best.
I like the late season snow, but not too deep.It really is hard on my lab. These public birds are very educated by December.
 
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