portable tree stands

[Chub]

how soon before the season do u put your stands in?

[bawana bowman]

On private land I have stands up year round and only move them if conditions dictate.

Public land...... quietly put it up same morning or evening I'm hunting. I don't enjoy losing stands to folks that are to ignorant to buy their own!

[Ray Lyon]

April/May for my more "permanent" locations. These are the funnel areas that the deer move through year after year.

[NoCams]

If you leave them out all year or hang them early just remember to check them for wasps and hornets. Had a friend that fell one year when he climbed up opening morning and got stung by the wasps that had built nests under the seat and in the tubing. He had a harness on but did not get hooked up before the wasps got him.

[Don Stokes]

I have several 12' treated wood ladder stands on my property, and this time of year I make the rounds with a can of wasp & hornet spray in my pocket. Some years they are worse than others. I want to spray them at least a month before the season opens so the smell is long gone.

I also move some of them to new locations, to keep the deer guessing. If I'm spotted in my stand, I move it.

[lpcjon2]

Public land- I get them out at least 1 month prior(and use a cable lock to act as an anti theft device),and remove the last 4-5 pegs as to help keep the tree stand thief thinking.Private land- year round with a cable lock also.

Oh and dont clear a lot of branches or brush!,if you have to clear the tree your in do it last, only enough to shoot.And clear any ground stuff(if you have to for quite entry)at least 1-month prior.I'd rather not clear any ground area it gives your stand away to the TST.

[Shawn Leonard]

I have 52 portable stand locations plus another 20 or so permanent, meaning stands that stay up all year. At my portable locations I have a Chippewa Wedge Loc bracket that I make myself. I use sky hook steps for the first 6 steps and than screw ins. I leave these out year round and I will start cutting out shooting lanes and checking that everything is safe in the middle of august. I do not hunt public land but all advice above sounds good!! Clearing shooting lanes can be done during season but ya have to be very careful about your scent and not cutting much, I only clear in season if I see activity where I do not have a stand and need to make a move, than I usually do it around midnight or so! Shawn

[VTer]

Anywhere from late August to the weekend before our season opens, usually first saturday in October. I will hang more or move hung set-ups to match deer activity or at any lame idea or whim I come up with.  

[Craig]

Putting my stands up this wed. in Pa on private land. Our season starts the 2nd week in sept.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Pretty much year round when I know that they are where thay will be safe, take it in and out with me otherwise or mostly just hunt off the ground.  The places where you can leave a stand are becoming more and more scarce.

[KSdan]

One stand on my back.  Put it up and take down every time I hunt. 7-8 minutes set-up. Rarely hunt the same spot twice.  Learned mature deer- doe or buck - get educated pretty quick.

Good hunting
Dan in KS

[Arwin]

Sept 1st for public land here. I usually have my spots ready by spring and just have to hang the stand.  

[wapitimike1]

Getem up now at least I do.

[Johnny UMAA]

Leave mine out all year...I hunt private lands though.