Preparing for Deer Season

GREY OWL · Post by **GREY OWL** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:33 pm

Left Saturday afternoon for our properrty to set up some treestands. Wow its sure a lot of work, only got two set up on Sunday. I'm very excited, as this is the first time in my life hunting out of treestands. One I set 18 feet, the other 21 feet up. That's a long way up, had a little chat with the good Lord while up there.

Saturday evening I saw 12 deer on the north quarter, half were does with calfs, with 3 nice bucks running together, but no big ones. My friend the black bear left his marking all over my trails, seems to be gorging on chokecherries. I may just turn one of my treestands into a bear stand, get me another bear rug. A good friend wants the meat for a church function late this fall. I've still got 3 more treestands and 1 ladder stand to erect next weekend.

Question to you forum members who hunt from treestands. How high do you guys go up? If it is high, other than a body harness with landyard, do you guys use any other safety precautions? Since I hunt alone most of the time, I'm thinking of setting up a rope full length of the height of treestand and using a prussic knot while going up the tree in case I should fall going up or into the seat. Do any of you guys use this system?

My brother is on his way over here to my place, to show this dummy how to post pictures. Once I get on to it, you guys will be sorry!! I'll bombard this site with pictures. I'm a fan of them.

Grey Owl

RichardS · Post by **RichardS** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:51 pm

The safety precaution I find most valuable is leaving a detailed map at home to the location or locations you will be hunting.

This is also my first season hunting out of a tree. I cant wait!

I went out yesterday and spent the better part of the day cutting shooting lanes.

I CANT WAIT FOR THE PICS

terry-1 · Post by **terry-1** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:55 pm

Well I hunted from the ground for years after my father fall from a tree stand and had to have back surgey which he is fine from now.He would not let me or any friends climb up into a tree on his land thats just the it was going to be he stated.He also knew a guy who fell and died from a tree stand which I was young but still rember it happening. I learned alot of tricks and took a few dozen deer of the ground with my bow. After getting my own place and starting to plant food plots I had to get off the ground in those spots as when there is 20 deer all around you eatting it is hard not to get busted drawing the bow,being seen or smelled. With the oak trees here I use ladder stands about 12-15ft tall and I always attach some cover branches with leaves around my tree stand. I use a safey belt at all times you never know when you may fall.I know alot of people you get as high as 20+ft. I have had no problems at 12-15 so I stay there most all the time. I can't wait for season to open here Oct 1. I already have everything planted,tree stands up and Exocet sighted in ready to roll.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 2:11 pm

20 feet seems quite high to me

. I've hunted from trees and placed my stand any where between 8 to 15 feet. I took a big 10 pointer out of my 8 foot stand. he only winded me once he was at 12 yards and directly in front of me. By then it was too late

.

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 2:14 pm

Grey Owl,

Are you just using rope as your safety harness? I might suggest harness with wide straps, ie. one that is designed specifically for this purpose. The rope will most likely support you if you fall but the narrowness of the rope may cause some real painful bruises/cuts/other injuries. Think of a seatbelt. If you were to fall all your weight would be stopped by a small diameter rope. You also don't want much length, regardless which one you decide to use. The further you fall before your harness stops you the worse it will be.

GREY OWL · Post by **GREY OWL** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 5:47 pm

What I plan on doing Chris, is wearing a full body harness. I'm on a confined space rescue team where I work. So when I get up in the treestand, I'll have a landyard tied to one of my D-rings, secured to the tree. But its when I'm going up and down the tree, is where a guy can run into problems, whether its slipping on the foot hold, or slipping when getting on to the seat. So what I have planned is having a rope secured to the top of the tree,(where the treestand is) all the way down to the base of the tree. When I'm ready to climb up, I'll make a prussic knot pushing it along up the tree with myself. This kind of knot is nice, because if you should fall, the minute you put pressure on the knot it automatically tightens, locking you in place, preventing you from falling down to the ground. Its very simple to make, a good idea when hunting alone.

I hope I explained it clear.

Grey Owl

Red Label · Post by **Red Label** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:06 pm

Grey Owl,

When using hang on stands I am very uncomfortable over 15 feet.

With my climber, I usually hunt about 20 feet minimum. The bar rail of the climber makes me feel much more secure. I wear a body harness and clip onto the tree when I get to 10 feet or so. Then I keep loosening the tree strap as I move it up to climb higher, alternately loosening it and tightening it until I reach my desired height.

To this day I am very uncomfortable in any stand that has no rail.

Mike

RichardS · Post by **RichardS** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:09 pm

Red,
I feel the same way as you. I tried a friends hang on at around 18 ft and didnt feel comfortable at all. I climb trees the same way as you do and have a climber with a shooting bar. I have no problem going 25 ft in the climber what so ever.

Quickshot · Post by **Quickshot** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:22 pm

Grey Owl
Good idea using a rope and prussic knot. As most tree stand falls occur while getting in and out of the stand, it can't hurt. As far as hight, go as high as you feel comfortable. There is no value in a 15 foot or higher stand if you are not comfortable in it. That is when you will get hurt. I myself go between 12 and 15 feet and all of my stands including the home made ones have a rail on the front which as Red said makes me feel alot safer.

Look forward to seeing your pics.

Good luck

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:19 pm

my advise would be to get a proper fall arrestor its a harness strap thats
bound together so it absorbs some of the shock if you fall. this fits with
a harness

Doug the Slug · Post by **Doug the Slug** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:47 pm

The stands I feel most comfortable in are permanent tree stands using lumber. I also have a hang-on tree stand and I find 15 feet is plenty high enough and here I use my safety harness, just in case!

P.S. I shot 4 deer last year from permanent tree stands but my first Excalibur(Exocette) deer was taken from a ground blind last year.
Regards,
Doug

Rickster · Post by **Rickster** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 12:07 pm

Hey Grey Owl, sounds like I'm in the same boat as you- first time in a tree stand (15ft made with lumber) and I get a rush just thinking about the upcoming season. It's also my first time hunting with a x-bow.
It sounds like you have a great chunk of land out there in Sask., and I would love to see your pics too..When I have something( hopefully a deer) to show, I will figure how to set it up on the web site as well. Nice as usual to hear from you,
Rickster

Basel · Post by **Basel** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 12:17 pm

I will hunt with my Summit climber from 15 - 25 feet depending on the circumstances. If I am in a poplar grove, I will usually hunt high because of the lack of cover at the lower levels. I keep my full body harness on at all times. When I reach hunting height, I set my anchor point so that I can just sit down in my stand. This keeps the distance I can fall to a minimum. I have also considered the possibility of self rescue. The two most probable situations would be if base of the stand fails or I don't adequately tie off to the base when starting to climb. I got a sample from Miller Fall Protection of thier new Relief Step at a safety show. It contains two foot loops that are deployed from the harness and will minimize the potential for suspension trauma (blood pooling in the veins of the legs). I have been thinking about getting a decender or some of the Suretyman rescue devices that Mine Safety Appliance sells. In some of the places that I hunt, I could be stuck in tree for a long period of time.
Phil

RichardS · Post by **RichardS** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:54 pm

My climber has a string that you tie to your preferred length to connect the top and the bottom half together. When I first got my stand I did something stupid at 15 ft and the bottom part fell amout two feet and all I had to do was pull it up by the string and I was good to go.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:13 pm

Any of you guys hunt the big 'moss' bucks?
The ones that inhabit the thickest, wettest and dirtiest cedar swamps.
You know, the kind of terrain you can't glass, is void of corn, alfalfa, apples etc.
How high do you place your stands or do you?

Moss Boss