Who's getting a jump on deer season already?

Been here since ‘09 and this is my first double post. Sorry.

Adding a new stand for next fall. With kids and grand kids hunting more, been increasing the platform size (4' X 5') to accommodate two people safely. Hang-on and ladder stands just too flimsy for my tastes. Permanently lagged into the trees on our farm with supports and metal ladders. Trees have no commercial value and provide a safe spot for the kids to hunt out of. Some of the metal stands we've built are still in use after 30+ years.

Platforms are roughly 20' high with ladders extending a few feet beyond that, easy to get in and out of. Ladder rungs are rebar for added traction and grip should get snow covered. Expanded metal will turn a rust color that blends in with the bark, natures way to camouflage, snow and moisture pass right through.

Seats get installed next week along with attachments for safety harnesses to hook into. Added some stake pockets in case we want to add some vertical supports & netting to conceal the occupants.

So thankful to share the installation process and hunting experience with wonderful sons and grand kids who constantly talk deer hunting.....all year long. Comforting to know as we do these things together, the interest to carry it forward is in good hands.

That makes me really wish I’d have learned to weld

A follow up to previous posts on the newest stand install. As I mentioned before, we prefer plenty of room so two people can hunt in comfort. An additional section was added plus two seats. Both Grandson's are becoming avid deer hunters and between the three of us we finished up installing the add-ons. Youngsters exhibit no patience at this age and weren't about to wait till fall to try it out....out came the bows and a .22 rifle, targets set out and the fun began. Guess you might call this "getting a jump-on-deer-season".

We feed year round up at our place. Bout time to go refill. I did just get a new 700 mountain stainless so I am working up loads. First trip to the range with the same loads I use for my other rifle and she was shooting 1" groups. Can it get better, time will tell.

courtgreene said:

That makes me really wish I’d have learned to weld

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Welding is a double edged sword. It plays hell on your eyesight. As a hobby it's a must.
A lot can be done with good bolts and quality lock nuts if you can't weld.

Last weekend we planted 100 lbs of seed across ~3 acres spread out in 8 small food plots.

At our place we don’t really start, we just never stop. It’s a year round thing.

OH, you must mean like keeping bees, year round, for pollination, so the deer will be attracted to areas with better graze...

Bfh_auto said:

Welding is a double edged sword. It plays hell on your eyesight. As a hobby it's a must.
A lot can be done with good bolts and quality lock nuts if you can't weld.

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good point. I’m right happy with being able to see, and think I’ll keep that going as long as possible.

Plans were to put up two "double occupant" stands before fall, got the second one up and a couple new cameras installed. Built security boxes, should have most of the pre-
season work about done.

Mrs F and I took our still zipped up grandkids on a "deer hunting drive". We drove approximately 8 miles around a little circle back to my son's house (only 1.5 miles from my house) and we counted 32 head. Two nice bucks that were good enough to glass with my binos.
It looks like our prospects are good for filling our tags this fall.
......maybe something for the wall too!
Ps. The kids were yawning when we got them home. Mission accomplished!

Havent been on for a while but have been doing some stuff to get ready. As previously posted, it's pretty much a year round thing for me.

This year though, instead of only hunting 75 feet from my toilet, I have a cow elk tag for Wyoming.
This has my 70 YO bone on bone knees nervous.
I've been walking up to 6 miles with my hunting boots on and over 25 lbs in a pack so that's different.

I've settled on a load for my Savage .300 WM and am waiting for my custom dial from Leupold. That's different too. Now, some practice with the 25" bipod I got for the Savage. That's different too.
2020-07-30_09-58-33 by poofy27, on Flickr

Now, closer to home ( residential back yard), I only have 3 trail cams out now and only have a few young buck visiting. That's about the same.
I worked up a load for my 30-30 using 170gr Speer Deep Curls and IMR4350 ( not ideal but effective).
Speer told me I should be using a faster burning powder but shooting into some water jugs, this load expanded to over twice the diameter of the bullet so I'm thinking the deer won't mind.
2020-07-30_09-59-09 by poofy27, on Flickr

Moving on to my pump 30.06. I've been loading 150 gr bullets for 30 years and never got better than a 1 1/2" group. Since I was told that rifles with a 1:10 twist like heavier bullets, I loaded 4 different 180 gr bullets and shot this group with Barnes 180s. Hope it's not a fluke but should know tomorrow.
2020-07-30_09-57-36 by poofy27, on Flickr

Since the past few years, I've gotten back yard bucks in early archery (an 8, a 9 and a nontypical 14 pt), I have been the shanty bitch. I cook, I clean, I send the boys out into all kinds of weather, I believe I have perfected my first attempt at baking an apple pie.
Those lucky friends.
2020-07-30_09-59-43 by poofy27, on Flickr

That's different too.

Rembrandt said:

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Plans were to put up two "double occupant" stands before fall, got the second one up and a couple new cameras installed. Built security boxes, should have most of the pre-
season work about done.






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Rembrandt Cool beans on the security boxes.
I had 3 cameras stolen a few years ago. They were attached to trees with cable locks and chains which were cut off with a bolt cutter.

I found out from the local authorities that it is NOT legal to shoot someone for simply stealing your property.
damn. Oh well.

I have a couple pieces of schedule 40 galvanized pipe about a foot long and am going to fab security boxes as well. I'll cut a quarter or a little less and weld it back in reversed to somewhat contour the curve of the tree.
A plate welded to the top will cover the cams and an insert made of 5" pipe will slide up into the bottom of the 6".
I got some 1/2" square chain to lock it with a good hardened flush conex trailer lock.

I haven't made these yet and am thinking the design through so it might bee a while before I complete these.

You do nice work.

After posting last night and loading the car fior a range day today, I had a visitor stop by this morning.
I hope to invite him to a party in my back yard on Sept 19th

https://flic.kr/p/2jrMsKH

Luckily I live in the great southwest where hunting is just that. And such things as feeders, mineral blocks, and stands don't exist. It is truly man against nature without all the nonsense. If you are adept, you might come home with your quarry. If not, there is another day...

Rubone said:

Luckily I live in the great southwest where hunting is just that. And such things as feeders, mineral blocks, and stands don't exist. It is truly man against nature without all the nonsense. If you are adept, you might come home with your quarry. If not, there is another day...

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Yes, if you have that, you are indeed lucky and many of us would like to have that.
I know in my area, wide open areas are difficult to find and I have had first light come with 4 other hunters within eyeshot.
Other people I know, drive hunt posting a few guys a half mile away and beating the brush in hopes of driving a deer past the posters.

Guys I worked with have feeders in a few different locations.
Another guy I spoke with leased land in eastern Ohio and won't shoot anything but the biggest buck he's seen on his 20 cameras and 10 treestands.

I think I read that others use dogs to chase deer.

Last year in my residential neighborhood, I had 10 different buck on my cameras ( six were legal with 3 points on one side disregarding the brow tine).
At 70 years old with 2 bone on bone knees ready for replacement, a 150 yard drag of a 125 to 150 pound deer is somewhat more difficult than it was even 10 years ago.

I did put a zipline up to my treestand a few years ago so taking a few steps and jumping into darkness was cool. (wife made me take it down).

Do I feel like how I hunt now is "real" hunting? Probably not to many. One thing though. I like venison and I like it even more close to home.

The affluent community next to my property hire people to cull the deer after the normal shotgun and archery seasons.

The buck behind my house are not large bodied deer but here are the last 3 years worth.

2019-11-05_05-16-25 by poofy27, on Flickr

2019-11-05_05-09-08 by poofy27, on Flickr

IMG_1127 8 point by poofy27, on Flickr

Rembrandt said:

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Where are their fall safety harnesses? Hunt safe, or don't hunt!
With all of the thought going into this project I would think a safety harness attach point would have been a large part of it.

AK Hunter said:

Where are their fall safety harnesses? Hunt safe, or don't hunt!
With all of the thought going into this project I would think a safety harness attach point would have been a large part of it.

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Stands all have multiple harness attachment points. Eyebolts lagged into trunks, or as shown on the seat back pictured below.

From what I've seen the most dangerous tree stands are the climbers with small platforms where shifting weight tips the occupant off balance.

Yesterday i limed and tilled the game plots. Will plant the plots when the weather cools down.

Sight-in day for one of the kids single shot 44 mag rifle, 50 yd target group. Hand loads shooting off a rest.....now to start working on our off hand skills.

Got two last night with my sling shot while they were chewing on my plants. Those two won't come back but the rest of the local herd will.

Bob

I took my 20 foot ladder over the hill to check the treestand lag bolts.

I decided it is time to retire it.
It was used when my grandfather got it long before my 42 year old son was born.

It's been out in the weather from Sept thru Dec for quite a dew years.
I extended it to the 17 feet limit and went up about halfway and decided it didnt look safe enough for me to continue.
I'll cut it up and burn it.

So, I was looking on different websites for a used but usable 24 footer.

As it turns out, a friend who's Remington 760 I'm trying to sell had a 24 footer left by his neighbor who moved to Fla.
Hes gifting it to me.
Bonus.
I disassembled his rifle, cleaned it and sighted it in. It's a decent shooter for a pumpgun.

Anyway, I've taken him shooting a few times, cleaned up and function tested his rifle, shotgun and a .32 special.

I saved a few bucks and will feel better about climbing into my stand on Sept 19 ( our special regulations early archery season).

Rembrandt said:

Sight-in day for one of the kids single shot 44 mag rifle, 50 yd target group. Hand loads shooting off a rest.....now to start working on our off hand skills.

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Is that an H&R Handi rifle?