Bought a tree stand

PGJPJ · 01-23-2007, 05:53 PM

Just a cheep one. Fishermans Marine had a couple on sale for $55 bucks, so I picked one up. I know the more expensive ones would be much better, but I figure

a)Good chance some SOB will steal it if I leave it out there.
b)Might as well get a cheep one first and see what I hate about it. Then later buy a more expensive one.

I�m trying to follow the teachings of Boyd Iverson, so I think I�ll need at least one more stand, but I�m happy with the purchase for now.

What time of year do you guys usually hang your stands? I was thinking around August/September, but there is usually a bunch of closures due to fire danger at that time. I don�t want to hang it too close to Western OR deer rifle season, so I can let the area cool off after I do a little clearing.

gottafish · 01-23-2007, 06:01 PM

As long as you hang it before opening day of archery season the woods will be open. they wont close them down till archery season the Bastages

RAGHORN! · 01-23-2007, 10:15 PM

I have had a tree stand for years, but have never used it until last year, I scouted and found my spot, picked a day close to archery season opener, but not to close ( 2 weeks prior ), packed everything in to my spot, tree stand, ratchet straps, tree steps, saw, and trimmers. I really enjoyed my time spent in the stand, it really slows things down and gives you time to reflect on life, what's important and what's not? I liked being perched up high(15'-18'), undetected, except for that pesky chipmunk that came up the tree and sat on the limb next to my face chewing on a pine cone, Boy! when I blinked my eyes that chipmunk turned into a grizzly bear!

Mean little *******!:blush: anyway I liked it so much that I decided I would be buying another tree stand this off season, and it would be a two man so I could bring my girls hunting with me. Well the season ended and I had made plans several times to go get my stand before my trip to Montana, I never made it back up before we went, it was a couple of weeks after we got back that I decided to retrieve my stand

. Well to make this shorter, I will skip telling you how it feels to be ripped off! That's right, some JERK climbed the tree and took my stand

:shocked:

I was over it after a few hours, partially because I had already made the decission to get a new one, but I'am so thankful I didn't catch him in the act

! This is not to discourage you about tree stand hunting, but just letting you know that there are people out there that will take your stand, because of this I didn't buy that new double tree stand, instead I purchased this http://www.ameristep.com/blinds/dominator.html , this way I can bring all 3 of my girls hunting with me, and no JERK will be taking it because I wont leave it! Good luck!

gottafish · 01-23-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAGHORN!

Boy! when I blinked my eyes that chipmunk turned into a grizzly bear!

Mean little *******!:blush: !

I had a simmalr experiance with a muskrat once Them teeth were like a chain saw LOL

Hunt'nFish · 01-24-2007, 02:50 PM

Raghorn, That bites! Sorry to hear about it. That's why my semi-permanant stands are home build out of a small pallet....no big loss. So far no one has taken one yet. Guess they just aren't "nice" enough to steal.
But this is why my API climber is never left in the woods....it is nice enough to steal.
Hunt'nFish

BlacktailBowhunter · 01-24-2007, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAGHORN!

I have had a tree stand for years, but have never used it until last year, I scouted and found my spot, picked a day close to archery season opener, but not to close ( 2 weeks prior ), packed everything in to my spot, tree stand, ratchet straps, tree steps, saw, and trimmers. I really enjoyed my time spent in the stand, it really slows things down and gives you time to reflect on life, what's important and what's not? I liked being perched up high(15'-18'), undetected, except for that pesky chipmunk that came up the tree and sat on the limb next to my face chewing on a pine cone, Boy! when I blinked my eyes that chipmunk turned into a grizzly bear!

Mean little *******!:blush: anyway I liked it so much that I decided I would be buying another tree stand this off season, and it would be a two man so I could bring my girls hunting with me. Well the season ended and I had made plans several times to go get my stand before my trip to Montana, I never made it back up before we went, it was a couple of weeks after we got back that I decided to retrieve my stand

. Well to make this shorter, I will skip telling you how it feels to be ripped off! That's right, some JERK climbed the tree and took my stand

:shocked:

I was over it after a few hours, partially because I had already made the decission to get a new one, but I'am so thankful I didn't catch him in the act

! This is not to discourage you about tree stand hunting, but just letting you know that there are people out there that will take your stand, because of this I didn't buy that new double tree stand, instead I purchased this http://www.ameristep.com/blinds/dominator.html , this way I can bring all 3 of my girls hunting with me, and no JERK will be taking it because I wont leave it! Good luck!

One of my climbers was stolen off of some BLM last season. I think it was the same guys that drive on the property and aren't suppose too.

If your stand was on private timber, you might check with their local field office. I know when I called Port Blakely and discussed hanging stands, I was told that they had recovered a few left in trees, so I explained that I put mine up 2 weeks before and might not get out to retrieve them until two weeks after the season closes. I was assured they wouldn'tremove them that close to the season. They currently had two in their office that they had previously removed.

Yeah, the key is getting the stand into a remote area that is productive and then cross your fingers.

Good luck!

lor · 01-24-2007, 03:48 PM

Be sure to pick a good spot.
Placing a stand near a guzzler in Eastern Oregon or the edge of a clear cut which is just a few hundred yards off the road is only asking for it to be stolen. I know it shouldn't happen, but does and has occurred in my hunting party twice in two years.
We now place our stands randomly in the woods away from any fenceline, pullout, treeline, etc. We also go up before hunting season so we can find the stands prior to hunting season.

As far as placement, we try to hang them from May-July.
Although I prefer July, sometimes the standing snow melt in may and june brings alot of mosquitos which are gone by Archery opener.
Hanging a treestand while being eaten alive isn't cool.
I would also bring a chainsaw in case you need to cut fallen trees from the previous winter.

If you place your stand on National Forest land and it comes up missing.
Check with the local office before claiming it stolen.
We have gotten back a game camera this way, because some over anxious employee didn't know the law and thought they would perform a good deed.

bajadan2000 · 01-24-2007, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lor

As far as placement, we try to hang them from May-July.
Although I prefer July, .

Agree with LOR. Our hunting party spends the 4th of July holiday weekend clearing lanes, trails and hanging tree stands... been doing it for years, makes for a nice camping weekend and the dogs love being out of town with all of the firework noise...key is to pick a spot where no one will find your treestand, and you probably just found a good elk holding area as well...and that is not close to the road....I have never lost a stand and they are not the cheap models (tree lounge) ...enough said...

adobe wall · 01-24-2007, 05:41 PM

I always take my stand in and out with me unless I've hunted it one evening and will be back in it in the morning. No exceptions otherwise. No lane cutting, either. The lower priced folding fixed stands are the ones I like the best. I'd usually modify them with shoulder straps and add nylon washers at the pivot points. Grease has an odor and even in a fixed position, the joints on a stand will creak when you shift your weight. The shoulder straps allow the stand to double as a packboard.

Practice a lot during the off season learning how to put the stand up and down, practice doing it with your safety belt on, practice putting in the tree steps. Get your stand and gear set up so that you can use everything pretty effortlessly and don't have to fumble trying to find another step.

I usually would have a couple of surplus pouches on an ammo belt, one pouch over each hip with the steps divided. The tree stands were set up with speed hitch ropes. I'd select the tree, switch the tree stand from packboard mode to having it slung across my back via the speed rope. Tie a dropper rope to your weapon and have your safety belt on with the tree loop set up to easily be reached. Pick a tree about the size of a telephone pole or smaller so you can reach completely around it.

Put the steps the same distance as your elbow to fingertip- it seems close but if you are stretching from step to step you stand a much higher chance of slipping. Climb it, use the safety belt, hang the stand, get in the stand, and pull up your weapon via the dropper rope. Do it in one trip.

I try to hide my hunting spots from hunters and while I don't know diddly about elk, I can tell you that whitetails get very tree stand savvy. They absolutely do learn to scan the trees and will avoid stands whether you are in them or not. Leaving a stand in a tree is inviting problems from game or other hunters. Even if a passerby doesn't steal your stand or hunt out of it, the presence of a tree stand in the woods invites other hunters to try to figure out why you selected that spot. They'll traipse around, find the trails you are set up on, walk them out, and generally disrupt your selected position. Even if they don't hunt your stand, if your spot is "smoking" (and it should be if you're hanging on it) they will walk the trail and try to pick a spot that will cut you off.

hth, aw

bajadan2000 · 01-24-2007, 08:30 PM

Good post AW, agree with what you say, bet you learned tree stand hunting back east somewhere...Always pack the stand in and out there everyday...

I have been to a couple of areas where the blacktail deer picked me out of the tree everytime from a long ways off. I stopped hunting those areas.

For elk hunting, if you are 25-30' up, they will seldom see you unless you make noise or a lot of movement...and what you learned about tree stand hunting for whitetail will work on elk..an empty stand looks too much like broken off tree branches in the thickets I hunt, the elk will not notice an empty tree stand...

Not sure I could put up a tree stand with steps everyday...would need to use the climber if it was a daily it-out situation.

The theory for hanging the stand months ahead is to give the animals time to get used to the scent...the more you carry in everyday and hang, the more unnatural scent you are putting out.....I know whitetail have great noses and will adjust to a new trail. Elk adjust to the next county if spooked by scent...and may not come back for a long time..

The trails I am talking about are trails I use to walk into my stand in the dark. I want to make as little noise as possible..It is more clearing dead branches and cutting huckleberry sprouts from footing areas that might snap...

As far as inviting problems from other hunters. In the last 20 years, other than my hunting partners, I have only had 1 hunter come through my stand and he did not see me...It is amazing how few hunters hunt more than a mile or two from the roads...and most that do go in that far stay on the main trails, not into the thickets were I hunt and where the elk are during most of the day...

High Life · 01-25-2007, 01:35 PM

does noone else padlock thier stands? kinda hard to steal if you have a chain and padlock around it

RAGHORN! · 01-25-2007, 04:28 PM

Pad lock and chain only stops them from taking it when they first find it, if they want it bad enough they will come back with bolt cutters!!!!!!!!!

oregonoutdoors · 01-25-2007, 08:45 PM

I have one fixed stand and two climbers. The fixed stand stays up year round as I am too lazy to go move it until I find a better spot. It has been in the same spot since the 2005 late season. It is a good spot no sense in moving it.

PGJPJ · 01-29-2007, 06:51 PM

Well, I bought a second stand. It's the same as the first, a Grizzly something or another. It looked pretty durable, plus, on sale for $55 each I could afford to have one of them stolen.

My goal for having two is to have a morning stand, and an evening one. Then I'll still hunt during the day. Anyway, that's my strategy for blacktail. I know it's a little early to be thinking about this stuff, but I really want to have a solid game plan for this coming season. I'm tired of wandering around the woods hoping to get lucky, I really want to go after them this year.

Now for the scouting...

gottafish · 01-29-2007, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGJPJ

I really want to have a solid game plan for this coming season. I'm tired of wandering around the woods hoping to get lucky, I really want to go after them this year.

Now for the scouting...

There is a reason you never see then big time tv hunters chaseing blacktails. They can't friggin do it cause they don't know how to hunt. Anybody can kill a whitetail Blacktails are a different critter. One that still got me stumped.

sasquash · 01-29-2007, 09:39 PM

Yes I agree Blacktails are the hardest deer species to hunt hands down. This fact was awknowledged by Jim Zumbo himself. I have spent hundreds of hours sitting in tree stands of all shapes and sizes and I like the climber the best for to many reasons to list. I have had a tree stand stolen myself ,a friend made it for me out of alum and plywood cost a whole 50.00. I put it up 2 weeks prior to the season on Port Blakley land used it 2 times and never seen it again. Yes it had a chain and lock, all they left was a hack saw blade and my removable steps. Dam I hate THEIFS!!!!!!!

oregoncritters12 · 01-30-2007, 08:19 AM

I've purchased numerous tree stands over the years..I have a couple tree lounges and various other climbers.. Now days, i just buy the cheap, hang on stands. Far easier to pack into remote locations and it doesn't kill you to leave a couple out there. One of my buddies just packed out one of my stands in a knick of time...The cut line was only about 30 yds away....That was a tree lounge and would have stung.....The cheap ones are great...

BlacktailBowhunter · 01-30-2007, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGJPJ

Well, I bought a second stand. It's the same as the first, a Grizzly something or another. It looked pretty durable, plus, on sale for $55 each I could afford to have one of them stolen.

My goal for having two is to have a morning stand, and an evening one. Then I'll still hunt during the day. Anyway, that's my strategy for blacktail. I know it's a little early to be thinking about this stuff, but I really want to have a solid game plan for this coming season. I'm tired of wandering around the woods hoping to get lucky, I really want to go after them this year.

Now for the scouting...

Read Cameron Haines book "Bowhunting Trophy Blacktail" and you'll kill a nice blacktail buck. www.crhpublishing.com

I read it and I killed a nice Pope and Young Buck. You will not have a morning and evening stand though. You will have an all day stand. You will get in stand one hour before daylight and stay there until you have zero shooting light. It is tough to sit in stand, but Cameron details how to find locations that you will have confidence in and keep you in stand all day.