SO, here in eastern Colorado, trees are kinda scarce. Trees suitable to a ladder stand or tree stand are even more rare. So, on my property I have a great trail leading from the river bottom to a 1 mile by 1/2 mile orchard on the neighbors property that the deer love but is not open to hunting. To get to his orchard they must cross my property and they always use this little irragation ditch along a pond as a trail and for cover. There is an old abandoned power pole right along the ditch and i'm thinking about putting a ladder or tree stand and hunting out of it. There aren't any leaves for cover and i'm scared i'll stick out like a sore thumb against the blue sky. So what to I do? how can I dress this power pole up to maybe look like tree and add cover? has anyone tried anything like this?
-Sorry, i'm completely new to hunting from stands and am unsure how much deer look up and how much i'd stick out against a little power pole with no leaves or branches to blend into
I have never tried using a telephone pole for a stand before, but I have used branches from artificial Christmas trees to provide back cover in trees before???
I think you might stick out like a sore thumb. You could give it a shot though. Sounds like a ground blind or maybe a pit blind may be worth a try.
Try it. Set up the stand facing away from the trail so the pole gives you some cover. That's my best guess. Other, probably better, long term option is to dig a pit blind and brush it real well so you are really low to the ground. This would probably not be seen as a threat to the deer once they got used to it. You would probably be best off building such a thing in the off season though.
Heck ya I would use the power pole...I bet some of those flag mounting brackets that people use to hang flags on their house would work and you could stick branches in them.
Over and under, that's brilliant. That's the advice I was looking for. And if put that up in the off season I bet they'd get alot more used to it alot easier than a ground blind. Plus a ground blind would be hard in this specific area with the terrain and all
Climbing a power pole may be illegal and can really be dangerous if there are live wires. Even if not, they have no roots and can fall with you in it.
Use a Rancho Safari Ghillie suit, hunt the ground, then post the pix of your deer for us.
ChuckC
No wires it was never used for wires like a normal pole some farmer out it in for idk why but its cemented in around the base and very sturdy
pit blind would work just fine. i would give that a go fer sure from what you have said. good luck
I just wouldn't trust a pole like that, just seems sketchy. Any number of things can go wrong and it doesn't seem worth it because of the risk of serious injury. Dig a pit or set up a semi permanent ground blind.
If you are familiar to the Lon Hagler archery range you have seen that they made some really good landscaping on a bare flat land,adding limbs and branches on the ground so they look like real tree. On the off season you can build something like that to place your blind or find a good position for a gillie set up.
I tested out a climber once on a similar pole. It appeared to be very sturdy, until I got about 8' off the ground. Then I could feel it shaking! I went about another 3', and got very uncomfortable. I quickly reversed directions and thought "better not try that again". A latter stand might be alright, but I'd be very cautious with a hang on. Ground blinds can be very effective if they are built in the off season, and would likely be a safer option.
I don't think being elevated would be an advantage in that situation.
I believe the hang-ons and climbers say NOT to use them on poles like that or on slick barked trees. The rough bark of a tree is important to make them more safe.
Why not use a ladder stand on the pole with artificial branches AND make a pit blind.
Bona
During the off season; Put up a tripod stand in the area with the best cover(maybe a couple of little scrub trees near the ditch?) and add some camo netting around it. It should work.
I'd go for a pit blind or some other kind of ground blind. The power pole idea it clever, but I don't think I'd do it. Hunting from the ground is so much more exciting anyway...
My first choice would be a little 3 sided ground blind. I've used them in open golden rod fields by grassing in the outside of the blind. Get the wind right! I've never used a double bull type blind but they set those in the open?! That's an option too... if you wanna try the pole go for it and if it fails make your 2nd attempt in another location on that trail. I like to set a spot up for more than one wind direction too, something to consider.Good luck and have fun!
Deer are SO tuned in to their surroundings. I'd think they would pick you off pretty quick out in the open like that.
But who knows, might be worth a try.
I'd probably set up a blind of some kind like the others are saying.
Can't wait to hear how you make out!
Why not get use the pole to make a "teepee" type of ground blind? Then it would appear to be just a brush pile growing around a pole.
I would think that if you put it up early in the year by the time hunting season rolled around they would be used to it. I'd give it a try. If it doesn't work go to play B.
Or you could put in three more poles and make one heck of a tree house!!!
:archer2:
I use and old artificial christmas tree. Drill holes and place branches in for needed cover.
A few years ago I came across a Ladder stand on a power pole. It was on neighboring property to where I was hunting. Somehow, the hunter had built a frame and had camo burlap hanging down to cover the whole seating area. It looked good and was in a good spot. I'd say put up your ladder stand and attempt to create some kind of burlap blind and leave it up all year long.
Isn't it something to see how far we think we have to go in order to match wits with a deer? :biglaugh:
Tent blind setup several weeks before you're going to hunt. You're going to get away with alot more movement in a blind than if you're sitting on the pole.
Hell try it.
No one knows the area better than you. I would suggest you use a ladder stand only. All the other types of stands rely on the bark of the tree as something for the stand to bite into to keep the stand from slipping / falling to the ground. If you have to use a hang on stand, bolt that bad boy to the pole! I would also add some guy wires to the pole to keep the pole steady. I have a few empty utility poles on our property (I don't use them for hunting) and I put a ladder stand against one and when I got into the stand it was a very wobbly ride. It definitely needed some guy wires to stabilize the pole.
I like Over&Under's suggestion.
I'd be concerned about serious splinters, especially if using a climber. (But I've sworn off climbers anyway, so what do I know?)
I have tried using flag pole holders. It seems like a brilliant idea, but does not work very well. I used the best screws I could find and they did not hold up to high winds. Also, those holders are pretty expensive, and you will need quite a few to brush the stand.
I wrap a chain around the tree and zip tie 4" pieces of pvc to the chain, then stick the branches in the pvc. The pvc needs to be against the tree, with the chain on the outside. One chain above the stand, and one below, with 5 pieces o pvc gives you a lot of cover.
QuoteOriginally posted by Over&Under:
Heck ya I would use the power pole...I bet some of those flag mounting brackets that people use to hang flags on their house would work and you could stick branches in them.
Good idea
Your land so Pit blind. Make a nice one , keeps you out of all the weather can throw at you, plus you can move....ALOT :thumbsup:
The real key in all of the suggestions are to do your setup during the off-season so that the deer are not timid to it come hunting season. It can take weeks even months for deer to get comfortable to a change in the surrounding area. Personally I think a ghillie suit and/or some strategically placed well camoflaged ground blinds are a safer bet than any tree stand setup.
For background cover you can create your own cover holder out of PVC pipe. I'll try to explain how to do it through print and include a few pictures of one in use. Unfortunately I don't have one that I can take pictures of that is not in use.
You can make this holder as long as you need it and place it anywhere on the tree, or in your case pole, to give you the most cover. The background cover you use can be any type of vegetation.
The one that I will show is 1.5' or 2' long and is made out of 2" electrical conduit. Any type of plastic pipe will work, you don't have to use electrical conduit and you can use a larger diameter pipe if you want.
1.) Cut the pipe to the length you want. 2', 4', 6' whatever length works for you.
2.) Drill two or three holes in a line down the pipe on one side (if there is such a thing as a side on a round object). These holes need to be big enough for a 5/16" or 3/8" lag bolt to pass through. I would put one hole 2" down from the top and one 2" up from the bottom and one in the middle for a longer section of pipe. A 2' or 3' piece would only need two of these holes, while a 4' and larger piece may need three of these holes.
3.) 180 degrees from the holes drilled in step 2 drill a 1.375" hole that will be in line with each of the holes drilled in step 2. The objective is to make these holes big enough to get a socket head through so check the diameter of the socket that you are using before drilling these holes.
4.) Drill several through holes down the length of the pipe. I used a 1.375" diameter hole saw for these holes and I spaced them approximately 1.75" apart from each other. The objective is to have as many of these holes going down both "sides" of the pipe as possible. These holes need to be at lease 1.375" in diameter, because these are the holes you will use to stuff your background cover into.
5.) Once all the holes are drilled mount the pipe to the tree you intend to hunt from using lag bolts.
6.) Stuff you background cover (cedar boughs, pine boughs, branches with dried leaves, grass, weeds, etc... Anything that will fit in the holes in the pipe and breakup your form will work.
That's it. Here are some pictures of one in use.
Also, one of these cut to 1.5' or 2' long can also be used on the ground to create an instant bush while ground hunting. Just push a stake (stick) in the ground, drop the conduit piece onto the stick (so the pipe stands vertically), stuff the 1.375" holes with cover material and get into your hide.
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Also use white snow camo it helps you become invisable with the sky background.
hang the stand so the pole is between you and where you expect the deer to come from and see what happens.. good luck.
Ole Ben Lee did it. Saw it on an old VHS video and yes he got the deer he was after!
I know someone posted how they used a step ladder and a 2x4 to kill an antelope this year in the wide open. they had mule deer in close too. seems like its worth a shot if the pole is safe.
I think it was Doug Campbell that used that method.
Old poles can be dangerous drive a long nail in the base of the pole to check its integrity . Ladder stand with a dummy all summer when hunting season comes around change places with the dummy deer can't tell the difference .
Whenever my tree stands are occupied, there is a "dummy" in it---ME
That whole thing w ith ole T-poles swaying really got my attention...you'd not think it, but with all the wire weight normally on the top part of a T-pole, you come to realize, they've have to flex some, but the tension of the wire linked one to another likely help stabilize too....
Interesting thread... lots to think about and try!