Treestands - Homemade vs. Pre-fab'd or Why I don't like to hunt with my uncle

[Wedge]

I know everyone has one - that uncle that is a major PITA and can't give ya something for nothing. He once gave me a POS shotgun (Savage Model 720 or so it is claimed) and the bead fell off and a piece of the stock fell off and he was all miffed. He paid $100 for the gun (no blueing left, has a remington barrel, stock is scratched, forearm is scracthed) and was yelling and hollering about how this gun was worth $800 and I let the piece fall off. I went out and bought my own shotgun like a week later. Now he is moaning and complaining that I haven't gotten my treestand repaired (because I don't know where it is, because I have never used it and he didn't tell me about it until I was REALLY busy) and then he was complaining about how expensive each stand is to build, and he quoted a number around $40.

Now I have only been hunting a couple of years, and I find it to be very relaxing to escape from work and just sit in the woods and enjoy nature. My uncle likes to treat it as a second job and that isn't the way that I like to hunt. I have been slowly but surely acquiring all the requisite items necessary for hunting over the last couple of years (this is the onset of year three) so I don't have to borrow any of his stuff. The only thing I haven't done yet is build my own treestand.

The stand I am to repair is actually scafolding sitting in the woods. I just need to cut some shooting lanes and replace the ladder and boards. No big deal. However, I began to think about it and the cost of a new ladder stand is not that much and I could change the location every season. I hunt on private property.

Has anyone gone from homemade stands to a pre-fabricated one or from pre-fab back to homemade? I have only hunted in homemade stands, some scarier than others. I plan on repairing the mystery stand this weekend to get my uncle off my back but then I have some choices to decide what I want to do about this season and next season. My personal vote is to buy a ladder stand or two, put those up next fall and take 'em down at the end of the season. Or I can just hunt on the ground, which I enjoy as well.

Sorry to vent, any advice will be happily accepted.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Get another hunting buddy.

 

[Joe Demko]

Repare your Uncle's stand to get him off your back. Hunt out of it this year and then spend the ensuing year researching purchasing your own pre-fab for next year.

 

[Newt]

I've hunted out of a homemade stand and out of a pre-fab stand. I really liked my homemade stand (stolen year before last ) and still miss it. I bought a pre-fab stand at Bass Pro and got it at a really good price. I do like my new one as well. A ladder stand could be built very similar to a pre-fab ladder stand. Just my two cents, but I don't have a whole lot of experience with with ladder stands either. Every stand I've ever owned was a 2-piece climber. Bass Pro could probably hook you up with one at a good price. Keep a check on the website for upcoming sales.

P.S. - Good luck with the uncle. I know the feeling.

Newt

 

[Atticus]

You say it's private land. Does the land belong to your uncle and/or is he the one with permission to hunt it? Hunting on other people's land is never really "free". I would fix his stand and then do what you feel comfortable with. As a rule, I don't trust other people's stands, regardless of how long the have been up. I nearly fell head first out of a friend's new stand when I leaned against a railing that wasn't properly secured. And wooden steps are another matter altogethor....never trust them completely.

 

[Wedge]

The land is actually my grandparents, but they give my uncle free reign. There are a ton of deer there, and since my uncle is so good at being a jerk we don't have any tresspassers. I am going to fix up the "assigned" stand and then buy my own stands either pre-fab for next year. I'll probably use the stand I fix up (if I repair it I will use it) and hunt on the ground as well.

As far as ladder stands go, how do you secure them to keep them from getting stolen? Chain and padlock to the tree? How do they hold up rust wise? How many years have you gotten out of them?

Atticus, you are absolutely right that hunting on private land is never free. I may look into hunting in the Adirondaks next season. No time now

 

[gun-fucious]

My brother has offered me permission to hunt his lot in PA for whitetailed deer

Does sitting in my nieces cedar swingset elevated play fort, qualify as tree stand hunting?

 

[Joe Demko]

Yes, it does. Depending how far you are from the house, though, you may be violating safety zone regulations.

 

[gun-fucious]

c) Definition.-- As used in this section the term "safety zone" means:

(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), the area within 150 yards around and that area which is below the highest point of any occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building or camp occupied by human beings, or any barn, stable, or other building used in connection therewith or any attached or detached playground of any school, nursery school or day-care center.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/huntrap/title34/Chapter25a.asp#2505

maybe if i drag the swing set back 150 yards...

he's got 5 acres that backs onto state game lands
If i do hunt his property, i think i will leave the 30-06 at home

maybe i "need" a 30-30 Marlin


My Dad hunts out of a homemade stand
but he picks an appropriate tree to start with
and really only puts in climbing jacks and a couple of 2x4s to stand on

at my camp, the owner built an elevated shooting house thats 8x8 with a staircase

We call it the Taj Mahal



this is also interesting:

Sec. 2511. Damage to trees.

(a) General rule.--It is unlawful while hunting or while preparing to hunt for any game or wildlife:


(1) To cause damage to any tree or trees located upon any public or privately owned lands as a result of constructing any tree stand, platform or any other manmade support of any description or as a result of using any portable tree stand or any other implement or device of any description to climb any tree.

(2) To use or occupy any tree stand, platform or any other manmade support of any description which, when constructed, damaged any tree or trees. This section shall not apply to a private landowner upon land which he owns or to any person to whom he has given written permission in advance.

 

[Atticus]

Lightweight climbers can be a pain to pack in and set up in the dark and cold- but they do offer some advantages. If you don't have mutiple stationary stands, the wind and other unforseen circumstances can really work against you.

 

[sm]

I have only hunted out of two stands in my life. This was in later years. The first was a "plush" jobbie with a charcoal heater and astroturf...I figured the next year it would have a elevator. One of those high dollar camps. The second was , well, "homemade" is a bit fancy of a term. I stayed in that rickety thing about 5 min. I went back to what my uncle had me do...I found a nice fallen tree with a stump, used burlap to shield the wind and camo. I think later that stand was relegated as firewood. Something about fallen trees and such I like, same with stumps.

I did lazy that year because of bad knees and putter out on a old Honda trail bike...bunch easier to navigate than a 3 wheeler.

My uncle kept things simple, we used the fallen trees, stumps and didn't have to tote and pay atten to regs that way.

 

[DadOfThree]

1) To cause damage to any tree or trees located upon any public or privately owned lands

On privately owned land??? If it's my land, I can cut the tree down and burn it for firewood but I can't damage a limb installing a deer stand??? Never heard of that before.

 

[gun-fucious]

the PA law is only in effect on non land owners

i gather that way if someone damages your trees
while putting up a stand without permission
the DNR has some teeth

 

[Joe Demko]

The elevated shooting houses have become more and more popular here in PA. I've visisted several that were really comfortable, even luxurious. Never hunted out of one, though, because it didn't seem like "real" hunting. After last year's hypothermia and frostbite episode, I may have to re-think my policy on them.

 

[gun-fucious]

one of the nicest bucks shot out of my PA camp was taken from the outhouse

(what the deer was doing in the outhouse, i will never know)