well after alot of door knocking without success i have had to resort to hunting a property that i have rifle hunted for many years. there are fallow deer there but they are very skittish and nocturnal. there are clearings and there is bush, very thick bush. even with a rifle you work hard for a deer there as they don't enter the clearings until about 30 seconds before it's too dark to shoot. this means it's virtually impossible to stalk them with a bow.
so, now that i'm a trad bowhunter that needs to be close to things i'm going to try ambushing them on a trail back in the bush. so i thought i'd make a climbing tree stand.....just because i can and because i need one to get close to a deer on this place!
being a boilermaker by trade i had no trouble knocking up the frame, and being handy on a sewing machine it wasn't hard to make all the cushions.
the frame is aluminium, i used motorbike chain for the 'wrap around the tree part', and after a trip to the rubber shop for some foam i made up some cushions with some green canvas i had. then i canabalised my old backpack for it's harness. now i have a very portable stand.
i must say it works great, is comfy and it feels as safe as a house
so far it has cost me about $AU85. that's for the paint and foam from clark rubber. i haven't got the bill from work for the aluminium yet but i get it at cost price, overall i think it will be a worthy project. i figure i'll be ahead when i shoot the first load of venison out of it.
only problem is i've got to stay awake.......man it's comfy!
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_2294.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_2322.jpg)
Nice looking seat. Hope you make some meat soon.
Good on ya, Clint!
Way to be creative. Please make certain to always wear a safety harness!
Very nice work...always a good feeling when you make it yourself. Thanks for sharing the pics.
Very Nice Clint...very nice! :thumbsup:
I see you put some heavy teeth on the grippers but take it from a guy who's used climbers for 30+ years, don't go up those leaning trees. The stand will want to swing around to the low side and... well, it can get ugly fast. Use a safety harness and keep us posted. Thanks,
Ron
You might just have a "baby" there. You might want to get a patent on it - before it's too late - just in case.
Good job! Looks like an API Grand Slam copy. I love mine. Wish I had the backrest. Awesome!!
PS:1: Tie a rope between the two pieces so when you drop the bottom part by mistake you're not left stranded up the tree with only the upper half (Experience talking here.)
2: I see you put rubber straps on the bottom half to put your toes under when climbing. My experience: take 'em off and just turn your toes out and hook them under the side braces.
Like PowDuck said, tie them together. Don't want to be stuck up a tree!
Like PowDuck said, tie them together. Don't want to be stuck up a tree!
Good luck with it!
Nice job on that stand, wait till you get older if you think you'll have trouble staying awake now. :bigsmyl:
sharpster- you may notice the holes in the tree grippers. they are there so i can use a ratchet strap around the tree when i'm setup. they get used for strapping the 2 platforms together when it's on my back. that yellow strap is one of them.
powduck- i have already done point 1 and point 2 i have figured out already.
i went for a hunt on sunday arvo. i found a scrape so that made my decision on where to hunt very easy. i caught a fleeting glimpse of a buck at about 40m. i heard him thrashing somes trees for a while then that was it. next time maybe....
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/DSCF3195.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/DSCF3197.jpg)
That's very clever Clint, impressive work! Hope you get onto those deer.
Nice build on the climber!
I love to see pics of hunting ground in places different from what I'm used too. Always makes me wish I could afford to go on a few hunts in different parts of the world. Good luck with that setup over the scrape, hope that it produces for ya!
Good job!!!
God bless,Mudd
QuoteOriginally posted by ozy clint:
powduck- i have already done point 1 and point 2 i have figured out already.
i caught a fleeting glimpse of a buck at about 40m.
Nothing like experience.
So if I come hunt where you are do I have to compensate my range estimation for the metric system? :saywhat:
Clint,you are a well of ideas!
That is a great looking stand! Way to be creative. Good luck on getting some meat out of it.
That is sweet Clint. Good-on-ya!!!
Good luck with the wary deer.
Thats awesome work Clint
will be on the fallow in a couple weeks myself
good luck
GOOD LUCK,,,GOOD WORK ALSO,,,,NICE CLIMBER I LIKE IT
awesome mate !
it looks good