I finished my last stand in NY, double ladder on north edge of a power line… pain in the ass to get set up. But once I built a stabilizer bar and anchored it to the tree with big structure screws I was good to go. Three ratchet straps later and I am… off to take my daughter to soccer for her game this afternoon. Next week I am going to be MIA fora while flying out west to look a ranch I am thinking of hunting and working out a deal for LO tags, going to be a long term thing if we like the ranch. Then I have to come back for a wedding this weekend … after that it’s bowhunting whitetails till Christmas.
I glad you came up with a good solution. I had a similar issue once. Ladder was too far away from the tree and too much of an angle. My solution included two hedge limbs with a V cut on one end. I wedged the V in the run of the ladder about 6ft off the ground and another at 12ft or so. I cut them long and wedged them between the ladder and the tree. Used a couple of wood screws on each end of the hedge so I would have something to warp/tie off too. Secured them with several raps of 550 cord on the ladder and tree side. It was rock solid, but I would never make a recommendation like that for anyone other than myself. lol!
The ladder has a truss that runs parallel to the stands it supposed to keep it from flexing, but it’s 18 feet and asking a lot of it. In the middle is an one inch eye hook that was to be used for an a stabilizer strap. I bolted the angle into the eye hook, then the used the holes in the angle iron to put the long screws into the tree. It’s not going anywhere now. And if I decide to move it all I have to do it back the long screws out. Honestly it’s a good stand, I think for what I paid for it.
So there is a major north south trail 15 yards to my west . And then an east west trail that runs parallel to the powerline, 22 yards to my north. And then secondly trails that’s go north south to my east and also east west in the powerline.
That's a fine setup for youth or anyone to hunt. Nice work hiding it and making it supper secure! I'll go back to lurking!
No temps breaking 80 in the extended forecast. I'll probably knock the dust-off last week in Sept. or first week in Oct.
2 weeks from today I should have at least 50 points on the board for us fellas…. I cannot wait! Been cutting down trees and grinding stumps like a madman… I am a new man now that the back pain is gone Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Finished putting table together this morning and decided to pull cards one more time. It was raining so it was the perfect time yo sneak in and back out. Glad I did!! Still getting pics of the 4 that I would all shooters. Not near as regularly and at the opposite end of the farm but they are still there. There was one of the big 8 pointers in front of my one set at 6:30ish this morning. Had another big 8 at different set just before daylight this week also. Super excited now. The one buck has a jacked up front leg. Not sure what happened there but it looks awful!!! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Looks like fluid built up around the knee… seen that in Texas a lot; they puncture it with long thorns and it get infected and inflamed.
I think he needs to be taken out of the herd!!he’s weak !! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Called that. I embraced the suck a d it went about how I expected. Still early though. I'll get it figured out.
Well had a pretty good opener overall. Saturday night we had a storm system come through in the afternoon which got deer up early on their feet. Ended up seeing 4 bucks and 5 doe. Unfortunately I was in a bedding area so didn't opt to smack one of the does (this time), but did pass on a good mid 120's 8 point. Meanwhile down the ridge my nephew out on his very first bow hunt seen three good bucks with two of them being the bucks I am after so he was pretty pumped. Unfortunately he tried to shoot a doe, but clipped her back only. Told him that we've all been there and to just keep at it.
Even though I haven't been running cameras I was sure it would be easy to put up a doe the first day or two, but nothing has been moving across my property. I can't believe I haven't seen a doe from my stand in four days of hunting. Like I said in the LFTS thread, I could drive 20 -30 minutes and hunt the National Forest, but since I'm going Arkansas Friday to hunt the opener on Saturday I'm going to stick to my home place this first week. I'm not worried. It's just a matter of time. I didn't kill my first deer last season until the 20th and I still did okay. It's still disappointing. I know the little buggers are here.
Best of luck! It’s the wife’s birthday this weekend so I will not be in a tree. Going to get back out next Friday the 28th if the weather cooperates, hopefully Saturday as well for the Pa opener
I pulled my stands out this morning and started packing. I’m going to head to Arkansas tomorrow morning, a day earlier than I planned. The season opens there Saturday but a buddy of mine and I are going to use tomorrow and Friday to so some scouting. I’m sure there will be some time for a few beers and a few games of horseshoes.