Hunting from a treestand

[Michael Peschek]

I just decided to purchase a treestand. I hunt public land and was hoping to try it out for a few times before the end of the year. I was wondering how you guys hang your stand. Do you go in the dark and hang it with the help of a headlight? Or the night before? If you have any other tips, please add them.

Thanks!

[Al Snow]

If you're new to treestands, even if you practice a few times in your yard before hunting, it can be very frustrating and noisy, as well as dangerous, to try to hang one in the dark.  I'd time it so that it's light when you get to your tree.  And ALWAYS use a safety harness, with constant attachment.

Leaving a stand hanging on public land for any length of time is risky.  I think there are some thieves who just cruise the woods looking for stands to steal.

[chesapeakeblend]

I am not sure about WA, but here in Maryland you cannot leave a stand on public land.  You must be physically using it and take it with you each way.

The best thing you can do is practice with it so you know how to set up and climb quietly.  

BTW, what stand did you decide on?

[ishiwannabe]

From the sounds of it, a climber would be what you are looking for. Or perhaps a stand that comes with the telescoping climbing sticks.
If you have never put a stand up, it can be difficult. Practicing will make a huge difference... As will enough light to see what you are doing.
Either way you go, make sure you use a safety rig at all times.
There are many options for stands out there. Look for something that will fit the way you hunt.

[Mint]

You might want to pick up a chippewa wedgelock stand. They hang up real easy.

[Stone Knife]

You might want to from the ground in the AM, then before lunch hang your stand, get some lunch then hunt it in the afternoon. Do this a few times to get use to setting it up and also you will have thing trimmed up. Then you can try to set up in the dark. The more you set up the easier it gets. You might want to think about a climber they work good for quick setups in the dark. Just be sure to wear a harness, there were a lot of calls this year that i heard on the scanner were people fell out of tree stands. Hunt safe  getting home is the best thing to get!

[fireman_3311]

Originally posted by Al Snow:
If you're new to treestands, even if you practice a few times in your yard before hunting, it can be very frustrating and noisy, as well as dangerous, to try to hang one in the dark.  I'd time it so that it's light when you get to your tree.  And ALWAYS use a safety harness, with constant attachment.

Leaving a stand hanging on public land for any length of time is risky.  I think there are some thieves who just cruise the woods looking for stands to steal.

Good advice....I would try an afternoon hunt, hang the stand, then hunt it again the next am...and pull it!!!!

[BFinegan]

darkthirty in the morning is not the time or place to get aquainted with a climbing or hang on stand. practice as much as you can in the day time and get damn good with it and never be in a rush when setting it up. wear a safety harness.

[greenie]

The best advise I can give you is to get yourself a climbing belt. Wheather you use climbing sticks or steps. Going in,in the dark and hanging a stand is a whole lot easier and safer with one. also a hat light is a must.

[redfish]

Don't buy the tree stand. Learn to hunt from the ground. My 2 cents.

[Michael Peschek]

Thanks for the advice. I am definitely going to get myself acquainted with the stand before using it in the field. The PM hunt sounds like a great idea!

I already have purchased it, the Gorilla Kong Treestand and Lone Wolf Climbing sticks.

redfish, I will still mostly be hunting from the ground, I mainly wanted the stand for bear season next year.

[dragonheart]

Buy a safety harness with a rope on it like a linemans rope so you can be secure to the tree while hanging the stand.  Go slow setting it up.  Practice alot at the house.  15 feet up is no place to be figuring things out!  Secure the stand with another ratchet strap other than the one provided, so you can really suck the stand into the tree.

Jeff

[rappstar]

Ditto on safety harness!  i hunt from a climber, almost exclusively.  throughout the course of a season, i probably climb a tree 60 - 80 times...different trees, different sizes and so forth.  i can setup my climber with my eyes closed.  but i still get into a situation now and then that isn't too comfortable...if you know what I mean!

[DeerSpotter]

That is particularly why I like my Lone Wolf, I have the Alpha hang on the stand, it has a hook with the strap just like that one.  You put it around the tree cinch it tight to the tree.  And hang the stand on the hook, your hands are free to put your other belts around the stand and you're done.  It's easy and light, my Alpha hang on stand weighs 12 1/2 pounds, the climbing sticks that attached to it are 7 1/2  pounds, 20 lbs. for the whole rig.

And I hunt public land also, it was public land only up until about a month ago for me, I have a friend that has allowed me to hunt his land.  I've been spoiled, on a 42 acres he has 17 prehung treestands with climbing sticks on all of them.  Talk about spoiled, but I'm going out this weekend on public land, I would not trust my stand to be out there overnight.  They will even steal the cheap stands.  Even with a lock on it, you can put a chain or cable lock, and they will find a way to steal it.  The Alpha set & climb Lone Wolf stand would be good for you, that one weighs 18 lbs., if you've got strong shoulders and arms, the Alpha hand climber, would be another good one, I like the Lone Wolf quality, and what's important to me is the bite on the tree, take a look at the teeth that are on a Lone Wolf, and then look at how the others attach, now it may be my attitude, but I like the way the teeth bite on mine.

The advice on the hunter safety system, is important, I recently purchased the linemen belt, best purchase I've made next to the Lone Wolf products.  It gives you a hands-free and a secure working condition.  Always, stay connected to the tree.  And don't take chances, you get many tries at many things, but not 15 ft. above the ground in a tree.

One other thing that I have that is helpful is a headlamp that has three different styles of lighting.  It has a focused beam, and a broad light beam that is white, and a third one that is a red light.  I use the red light when I'm climbing the tree.  I don't know if it makes a difference with deer, but it does to me.  It's called the Energizer, I think I got it at Sportsman's warehouse.  It was like $30, and the batteries last a long time, takes two AA's.

Good luck to you

Carl

[killinstuff]

Hang it in the late morning to early afternoon and be quiet about it. You don't have to hang it 30 feet in the air like you see on TV either,15 feet is fine in a tree with good limbs. You also want to position it so you are off center of the spot you think the shot will be and don't worry about covering 360 degrees around the tree. The last thing is to make it's tight to the tree so there are no sounds made as you adjust your body for a shot.

[Fletcher]

Good choices, Michael.  You'll love the sticks, and the Kong is a great stand.  I have and hunt from several.
#1 - read the hanging instructions and watch the video that came with the stand.  Tighten the strap with the platform up, push the stand down hard then lower the platform.  Make sure all four points are contacting evenly.  
#2 - Wear the harness.  Use the strap around the tree and attached to the waist rings when hanging the sticks and stand.
#3 - attach your pull up cord to the stand and use it to pull the stand up after you get to your height with the sticks.  Don't try to climb while carrying the stand.
#4 - Use a gear hook or screw in step or other hanger and hang the stand by the seat while you hook up the strap.  If your Kong has the removable strap, you can get the strap around the tree and secure it temp with a bungee.  Then haul up the stand and just hook the strap ends to it.  Easier than trying to toss the strap around the tree while holding on to the stand.
#5 - Enjoy the view!      

PM me if you need a copy of the video

[Michael Peschek]

Thanks for all of the advice!
I will let you guys know how it goes.

[Legolas]

Good advice as usual from the Gang.
 
 What you need to learn to do is to use the lineman safety rope and commit to it by leaning away from the tree and not try to hook the tree with one arm while you hold the tree stand in the other.
That is a rookie tendency. The rope lets your arms be free.

Paul