Home Range Change For Hunting Prep - pics/vids hvy - added more pics 10/06

[Don Batten]

put your climber on the back side and go up in it to do the straps. DB

[ber643]

I had considered that, Don, but the brace and criss-cross straps would have to be left dis-connected until that was done, and I wanted to see if they'd work well. Might use the climber on the back in the future sometime though, it's a valid idea, for sure. As it was, I went up slick as a spider monkey, after supper and cool down. The top rachet straps went on easy as pie, so I went back down and took a "finished" pic - (the second tree, that looks to the right, is actually behind and left, as seen in next pics - LOL):

   


Then I went back in to get my pruning saw to take out the two limbs above me that would be in the way when standing. Rose took a couple pics when I went back up:

   

   

Now it's in place and ready to go, so pictures now will be of shooting lanes (views) and actual shooting practice.

[ber643]

I love my Full Body Harness Vest but while it is so hot (for home practice) I think I will break out the new Full Body Harness (w/o vest) that came with the stand -    :D  Don't want to sweat the vest all up before Deer season - sure is "wet" out there these days    :p

[Bud B.]

I just caught this thread Bernie. Sorry about the tower.

You are an inspirtion with your tireless energy and the example you set for all other archers.

Looking forward to next spring's Dogwood stump shoot.

My wife left New Bern/Pollocksville yesterday. She was visiting family. I retire in less than three years. I think she's leaning towards an eastern relocation.

[ber643]

If that occurs you will certainly be a welcome addition in our local area, Bud, and thank you for the kind words.

[ber643]

Here is a quick pic from this slightly foggy AM, showing the placement of the new stand/tower, in relation to the old one - before that one comes down. To the right of the old tower in the pic but actually beyond it, and on the edge of the shooting lane, so I will be able to shoot both ways and to the front (in the grassy area).

   

[bawana bowman]

Bernie, if your planning to leave the stand up as a permanent shooting tower, do me a favor. Add some galvanized chain to the seat and platform tie downs as a safety measure.
A friend used a ladder stand as a permanent tower and he ended up with a broken arm due to an untimely demise of the ratchet straps. As I'm sure you know our coastal salt weather can play havoc on practically any material.
Be Safe! And Enjoy.

[hvyhitter]

Bernie- you seem to have gotten the imediate problem fixed so now you have a whole year to collect the materials for a tower rebuild. Draw up your plan, make your material list and start looking in the classifieds and craigslist and buy up what you need a little at a time and it shouldnt be to hard to get everything collected by next summer to rebuild the tower.......Much more fun and productive to be able to practice from a tower than treestand/harness.(easier on your buddys when they come over to shoot too!!!!)

[ber643]

I understand what you are saying, guys. I don't intend to leave it up permanent (I use the tower more during late summer and fall than any other time anyway). I will keep a close check on straps/rachets, etc., bb. I also agree about the ease, safety, and pleasent feeling of a wood tower over a stand and harness. I hadn't really thought about buying salt treated lumber along and along but it does make sense. That's how I "round up" the Dinosaurs for the young archers, and how we do our Christmas shopping, and collecting for St. Jude auction also so we are always at flea markets, yard sales, etc. I'll keep lumber in mind too, hh.

Thanks also to all for adding more good sense and advice to this thread. We all can use all of that we can get -    

[ber643]

Yesterday I tried to get some pics of the views from the ladder stand. However, the heat 'n humidity was so bad that it fogged up my camera lens, and the pics weren't good. I still had a couple trees to get out of the way, and wanted to move a couple targets, so I decided to do those chores this AM

This afternoon I got on the stand, after allowing the camera to "warm up" and de-fog, and took pictures of the shooting lanes and new target placements.


To the left of the stand. You can see the backdrop made of rugs at the far end of the lane, & it also has a deer form drawn on it that can be used when shooting from the ground. The Groundhog (to the left) is now about 12 yds:

 

To the front of the stand, just one target for now but an important one - LOL - also about 12 yds:

 

And to the right of the stand. There is a Fox at about 11 or 12 yds - if you don't hit the tree first - LOL you also can see the old tower (for further location of things):

 

I hope to get some shooting in this evening, after it cools down a little.

[Bud B.]

Looking good Bernie!

[ber643]

Thanks, Bud, gonna post some shooting pics from tonight ("maiden voyage", ya might say) as soon as I get them uploaded.

[ber643]

So - "Blackie", my Anneewakee Addiction Recurve, and I climbed up in the stand and prepared to take it (the stand and range) on it's "Maiden Voyage".

For the first shots from that stand, and at those target positions/distances, I was quite pleased, over all. I climbed down and took pics of the first five shots.

First shot - 12 yds Woodchuck - sore throat:

 

Second shot - bag Deer at about 15 yds:

 

Third Shot - round foam block w/deer sillouete about 19 - 21 yds:

 

Fourth Shot - 3D Deer 12 yds, front:

 

Fifth shot, Fox 12yds, right. This one the stand tree cramped my style a little (until I worked it out later) and I hit that durned tree I mentioned earlier. The poor arrow bounced back - and there it lay, flat on the ground, in abject shame - LOL:

 

(One More set to come)

[ber643]

Rose came out to take some pics of me shooting out of the stand - so I could see how uncomfortable I was under the new set-up - LOL. It wasn't really too bad but still have some bugs to work out (and I don't think it'll ever be as comfortable as the wood tower for practice). However, I think it would/will work well for a hunting stand. As you can see I only did standing shots tonight. It was getting on towards dark (had to enhance the photos) and will try some sitting shots also next time.

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks for looking.

[ber643]

BTW - shown in use is the new full body safety harness that came with the stand. It has an intergrated (sewn in) SRS (Safety Recovery System). Which provides, right at your waist, a strap and buckle that you can use both for a climber's (lineman) strap when climbing/descending, and/or as a strap to get under your feet in case of a fall. That allows you to stand in the strap to keep blood from pooling during suspension, after a fall, and perhaps even an aid to step back up onto your stand from. A lot of strapping but kind of neat.

[ber643]

I don't want to bore anyone to distraction with pics of "hits" but do want to show that I made a few changes on the range yesterday, and that the second day of shooting, that same evening, I was more comfortable on the new stand.

In the morning I pulled a few targets and rebars and moved them around a little, as the first three pics will show. I moved the Full Strut Turkey to about 14-15 yds and turned him sideways, on the Left Side Range. Moved the Goose from the Right Side Range to the Front Range, and moved the Fox over (away from that dratted tree), on the Right Side Range.

That evening I climbed up and shot eleven arrows. Then I got down & took pics of each range, with the arrows still in the targets, then took close-ups of the individual targets that I had shot at. Not all shots/hits were exactly where I would prefer them to be but mostly the results were better than the night before.

Left Side Range:

   
Front Range:

   
Right Side Range:  

 

Shot 1:

 

Shot 2:

   

Shot 3:

   

(One more set of pics/shots to come)

[ber643]

Shot 4:

 

Shot 5 was in, Shot 11 was high but I might have spined him):

   

Shot 6:

 

Shot 7 (a sore throat for the Fox):

 

Shot 8 (a little low for the target shot but might nick the heart on a critter):

 

Shot 9 & 10 - getting a little tired now and while these shots aren't tight in the armpit, like we would want on a real pig, they aren't too bad for 3D tgt hits:

 

Again, thanks for looking.

[awbowman]

You can't beat practice from a real treestand.  Great job.

[wtpops]

Love this thread Bernie. You have givin me some ideas when i retire and relocate to Arkansas next year. The wife and i picked up 15 acres with 4 of it pasture, a year around spring fed creek and 11 of it wooded hill side with 2 "hollers" (California boy trying to learn the lingo) on it.

All i can think about is what my range is going to look like and all the wife thinks about is what the house will look like and what shes going to grow in her garden. She says that she does not want to hunt the deer on it and i just smile and think wait untill they eat your gardens up then we will talk  

[ber643]

Thank you awbowman, and wtpops - also       (wtpops, I'm sure everything will fall in place when things are all in proper perspective -    

Oh, and "hollers" is real gud places -    :D