Product Reviews

Slip System Product Review

Lou "Jaquomo" Phillippe

June 7, 2010

Let me first admit that I am a decoy and ground blind guy. I love to experiment, to figure out new ways to use them as tools, and enjoy finding creative ways to put them to the test. I have all manner of them, from homemade decoys, to foldable commercial portable decoys, to full body models of different species. I even sometimes turn myself into a "live" decoy with deer and elk shaded clothes, and deer and elk hats my wife has constructed. I own pop-up blinds, hut from natural ground blinds, and have made several portable blinds. I bowhunt big game in Colorado 40-50 days a year, and nearly every day involves some sort of decoying experience. So, when I first saw the Slip System from Elk Mountain Inc, I was more than intrigued; I was excited- and I don't get excited by much in the decoy and blind world anymore these days.

What these guys have created (and I'm bummed I didn't think of it first!) is something like a walking stick-monopod that instantly pops-out into a full sized decoy you can move behind, shoot from behind, flash and move, and instantly fold back up to be mobile. If you don't need a decoy for an ambush situation, it also comes with camouflage patterns to fit various terrain elements. It can be planted as a free-standing blind or decoy, or moved around by hand, simulating animal movement.

Now for the best part: The "System" has many different options, any of which can be changed on the fly literally within seconds. You simply attach a "Slip" of whatever decoy or blind you want onto the outside of the "umbrella" by inserting the umbrella prongs through the grommets in the polyester fabric "slip" cover, and presto- a blind becomes a pronghorn in less than a minute. Each slip weighs only a couple of ounces, and can carried in your jacket pocket, or the side pocket of a day pack.

Besides the excellent realistic animal and camouflage images on the covers, and the quick setup-fold-down capabilities, the system is a light, functional walking staff with a V shooting stick attachment, and also has a sturdy threaded attachment for a camera, binocs, or spotting scope. And, it can be used as an umbrella in a downpour, or a sunshade while glassing. It is very lightweight, and if not used as a walking stick, it is easily attached to most daypacks in a variety of ways. It is really well-made too. Nothing cheesy about it. The entire system is solid, and constructed of high-quality materials all around. You could even use it for a quick tarp shelter pole if one of those unexpected fall storms hits while out in the open, or for a bivy-tent pole if needed.

I am really looking forward to putting the Slip System to the test for pronghorns, elk, and deer this Fall. I have a feeling it is going to become my go-to product for all different situations, and I'll likely have a bunch of other types of decoys for sale, cheap, after this season is over.

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From an e-mail on 11/17/2011:

Jeff,

So I thought that I would write a product review for the slip system that I got this year. I had an amazing encounter with a massive bull while bow hunting here in Montana. I was hunting with a friend of mine, when we spotted 3 bulls bedded down on the edge of a timber patch that was surrounded by open sage brush country. We quickly closed the distance, and we able to get inside 100 yards of these bulls, and I set up with the slip system while my partner moved ahead of me. I began to call, and a bull immediately started to bugle.

After sitting there for about 20 minutes my partner came back to me and said that he thought the elk had moved through the timber, so he decided that he would follow the elk while I hiked about 1/2 a mile to the top of the timber patch to see if the elk came out at a different place. Once I got to the top of the hill I could hear a bull bugleing just down in the timber, so I once again set up my slip system and began to cow call. We played cat and mouse for a little bit, and I finally found myself on a little ridge with a small ravine in between the bull and myself. The bull had moved out into the open sage brush, and I was set up on the edge of the timber.

Finally the bull came to his side of the coulee, and I ranged him at 80 yards. When the bull disapeered over the edge of the hill I moved the slip system out into the wide open and staked it in the ground, and I then ran down the coullee and made it half way up the other side when the bull came back to the ridge. The bull immediately locked onto the decoy, and was staring right over the top of me.

Now here comes the best part, and the worst part. I ranged the bull and he was 42 yards on the dot, and uphill from me. I drew my bow back, got a solid rest and let the arrow fly. To my disbelief the arrow sailed right over the top of the bulls back, he jumped a little bit and spun 180 degrees, never taking his eyes off the decoy. I once again ranged the bull and he was now 40 yards. I put my 40 yard pin dead center on his chest and let another arrow fly. Unbelievablely the arrow once again sailed right over the bulls back. I could not believe what was happening, and you might think I am lying but the bull just stood there and kept looking at the decoy. I again ranged the bull and he had not moved and was 40 yards on the money. This time I put my 40 yard pin on the bottom of his chest, got a solid rest and squeezed my release. The arrow flew true, and you would never believe it but I hit him right in the brisket. It was just before dark so my partner and I backed out and decided to come back in the morning.

After a sleepless night we went back and found some blood about 400 yards from where I shot the bull, and he bled only a little bit for about another 400 yards, and then the bleeding stopped. To my dismay we never found the bull, and I am sure that he is still alive and well. My partner guessed the bull at 350+ and I only knew that he was big. I shot my bow the next morning, and I hit the target dead on at 40 yards, so I am still trying to figure out where I went wrong.

The point of this story is that without the Elk Mountain Slip system, there is no chance in hell that I would have ever been able to sling 3 arrows at a herd bull. This system without a doubt works, and will keep bulls interested even if a hunter makes a mistake. Even though I don't have the massive bull on the ground, I still can not thank Elk Mountain Inc. enough for producing such a great product. Thanks.

Justin Jenness