The "Killing Tree"

[DuckHunt]

The trip to put out a 2nd trail camera and clear trails proved to be worth it if only for the intel gathered. The "Killing Tree" has seen better days. In 2011 I put a stand in what turned out to be a perfect spot. The oak has a fork at about 23 feet, and a third branch that comes out and turns up at about 15 feet. The end result is a stand placement that has two split trunks behind it and a third out front to use for cover and hanging implements.

This is what it looked like last season.


Since 2011, there have been two different stands hung right near the top forks with climbing sticks to reach them. Four hunters have harvested a combined 45 deer, a turkey and a bear from this one tree. Everyone harvested an antlered buck. A dozen deer harvests from the tree were with a muzzleloader. Fifteen deer and the bear were taken with archery gear. The bucks harvested from the tree include three 10-points and seven 8-points.

Last season was my son's first year following military service and he laid claim to the tree because he had some catching up to do. He spent more time in the woods than anyone last year perched in this tree. He learned a lot and managed to harvest two doe and a buck with archery gear. The buck was a target buck he was so set to harvest with his bow that he went out on opening day during the rains of Hurricane Ian to seal the deal. He then followed the archery kills with a doe and two more buck with his rifle. Needless to say, he found a new home in that tree.

I did manage a few evening hunts from the tree last season and with the exception of getting busted by real big buck at last light, I only had a single doe harvest to show for my efforts.

When I ascended the mountain to clear some trails out beyond the "Killing Tree", my heart sank at what I found.


Mother nature decided to topple the big oak about 30 yards to the back left of the "Killing Tree" and decided to drop it right on it. The top took out the third limb that provided good cover along with most of the limbs down that side of the tree. It has created quite the opening in the canopy in that direction.


The assassin...


Fortunately I remove my stand yearly, but I leave the climbing stick out with the straps loosened to allow for growth. It looks like a new set of sticks will be needed.



From the opposite side, it doesn't look quite as bad as it could be.


This just proves that the only thing constant is change. The jury is still out whether the "Killing Tree" can hold a stand in it this coming season or not. I will lug a chainsaw up the mountain and do some clearing of the tree top. With a little effort, I can turn these lemons into lemonade and turn this fallen tree into a funnel.

It's never too early to check your hunting spots.

[AJ01]

Just be Thankful ya wasn't in the stand when that happened!! My Lord!!

[Normous]

Just be Thankful ya wasn't in the stand when that happened!! My Lord!!

X2, yikes!
Years back, I used a very health thick maple every fall for 3 years using my Summit climber and found mother nature snapped it 10 feet up a couple years back. It gives me chills every time I walk past it.

[artifact]

Similar thing happened to my gun stand, a big heavy branch came straight out from a huge pine near the base of a ridge that had what looked like another pine growing straight up at the end of it, there was another big old branch that broke off and formed like a saddle to sit on and then rest my feet on the big long branch, on my right was a small branch that I could use like an armrest, gun rest, or to grab onto when I stood up. Went to check on it one year and the big heavy branch that I would stand on was laying on the ground, it had sheared off flush with the tree and the stand that I used for years was no longer usable, almost cried when I saw it laying there. Like others, glad I wasn't using it when it happened.

[DuckHunt]

Just be Thankful ya wasn't in the stand when that happened!! My Lord!!

Absolutely! Considering the time spent in this tree, I'm glad it occurred when no one was in it.

I believe from the angle of the fall, if my stand was there it might have survived the strike considering it would have been largely on the back side of the tree and is secured with a chain. But even then I'm sure trying to climb down that mangled stick afterwards with soiled underwear would have been quite unpleasant. Not to mention that my weapon would likely already be on the ground because there would be a good chance it was hanging from the third trunk or knocked off of my shooting rail by the falling branches. Sounds like an episode of the Destruction Challenge.

[AJ01]

I know I've told this story somewhere before, but back several years ago now, I was walking out to where I park my truck. I have a place that is covered that gets trailers, zero-turns and my truck. It's about 30 yards from the house.

Anyway, I was about 2/3rds of the way to my truck when all of a sudden, I get hit in the head. The blow almost knocked me off my feet. Seems a large section of a big limb on a Pine tree decided to break off as I was passing underneath.
Son-of-a-gun had me seeing stars. I thought I had been attacked by aliens!!
The kind with flying saucers, not the ones that swim!!

Anyways...told "The Boss" about my "attack", with the limb hitting me in the head. . She laughed and said something to the effect that it was "what she had wanted to do for many years"!!
Go Figure!!

[JUSTANUFF]

I can relate to a degree,,my "killing tree" that I killed my avatar buck out of is split and hollowed out with other trees that are newly fallen. Might be time to move to the ground,,not to many candidate trees that are adequate close to where I want to be,still evaluating the situation. It may be all for "naught" anyway since ANOTHER subdivision is going in. I am holding on to hope that I can get one more season out of this spot,but right now I am in a "deerpression" .
Good luck on keepin your killing tree spot alive!

[DuckHunt]

During our first of three trips up the mountain to pick wild raspberries, I decided to take the time to remove the climbing stick and replace it with a new one. Man, mother nature sure did a number on this stick. There are snapped, bent, flattened and twists all over the place.



But we've reloaded and are ready for more. The regulations for the upcoming season came out yesterday. It'll be here before you know it.