Just curious as to how many sets do you have set for the season. I am talking treestands and pop-up blinds and ground blinds? I have just started doing stands this year due to the humidity it is rough going. My bud(Meat)and I have 63 stand sites we maintain. We are adding at least 3 more this year so we will have 66 stand locations. Most now have treestands that we have purchased over the years but we now have several ladders and two pop-up blinds thrown in to the mix. So I ask, How many stands do you folks maintain each year?? Thanks! Shawn
Only tree stands for whitetails for me. I maintain far fewer than I used too. The number for me this year will be 3-4 on my 120 acre hunting area.
I have 32 on one 137 acre piece. I can hunt most areas on the property in any wind. Shawn
My buddies and I run about 30 on 700 or so acres on our part of the lease. Sometimes we never hunt a stand all year.
We also have 8 climbers/ mobile loc-ons.
If it was up to me, we would go down to about 10 and 10
Usually 5 good tree stand locations on my 75 acres and that includes 500 acres of state. 2 ground blinds right now. I usually move stands through out the season as warranted.However, Iv' killed the last two bucks from the ground while still hunting.It's looking like 5 on the state land this year and two on my land as far as tree stands go.Early season will find me scouting and hunting from the ground. Shawn, i would think 60 some stands would cover it.! :saywhat:
I must be in the minority as I have one climber that I use on four different spots. I have been thinking about a ladder stand as well, but that would be the end of it.
I have 4 stands setup on 120 acres, however I will move these sometimes to a couple of different spots based on the time of the season.
I own 80 and have permission on about 120. I have 8 ladders and 12 hangons spread out. I mainly set things for any north wind. I then use my 2 Lone Wolfs with sticks as my roamers for when our predominant wind direction changes. I found that 20 sets was all I could maintain.
by maintain do you mean a stand is in that tree? or lanes cut out for a stand or ground blinds etc ? ... stands in a tree I have 5-7 on a normal year...places picked out without a preset stand I normally have 10-15 more that I have scouted and made notes of...
I have mine marked on a map by google earth, it is the only way I can remember the hundreds of stand sites, I have a bad memory.
Have 13 hang on's up and 5 more to go, will move some of these throughout the season and also use my climber.
3 between my father-in-law and me. They are all placed in really high traffic areas. These are the meat getting places when you don't care what you get but want to shoot something. Your just about guaranteed to see 3-8 deer each morning and afternoon from these stands and would get a deer within range about every 2-3 days. The rest of the time is hunting from the ground. I'm thinking of buying 3 more so we can have a total of 6 after this season when they go on sell again.
7+ a climber on the 40 acres that I hunt most. Other than that I use my climber or throw together a quick ground blind when I hunt other areas.
I hunt a bunch of farms in one area mostly. I have nine treestands and I usually have them all up by the end of the season. :archer2:
Haven't been off the ground since about '73. However this past off season I bought 2 ladder stands and a pop-up, have the ladders up and ready to go. Not sure if I'll use the pop-up.
Hap
My son and I have two climbers and two ladders, one pop up blind. We're going to make some natural blinds this year. When Big Jim was at the TBOF we purchased two of his ground hunter seats. :archer:
I've been all over the place on this. Ive hunted entire seasons taking a climber in and out and Ive hunted places where I maintained 20 or more stand set ups. I will tell you this, though. I'm a better hunter when I use fewer stands and am more mobile. When there are a lot of stands to choose from I tend to rely on them rather than scout for active and current sign.
17 all told. That includes my 4 Double Bull blinds.
Zero. I really wish I would have started ground hunting years ago and could have all the money back I spent on stands.
Rob
I mean stands that are in the tree or on the ground. We actually have 47 stands in tress and than another 10-12 brackets that I used to use exclusively, some ladders and a couple pop-up blinds. I also have a few wooded permenent stands as well. I invite guys to hunt sometimes and I try to have them sit a fresh stand, we definitely have some stand that may not get sat for a year or two but we keep them cut out and ready. We once figured we had over 500 treesteps out there. I have lost a bit of property and now have about 7-800 acres in several different spots. At one time I was up to 102 maintained stand sites. I am getting old!! :bigsmyl: Shawn
Gregg, I also keep 3 Chippewa wedge-loc stands handy and a set of LW climbing sticks for any in season moves but I have most of the ground covered so rarely does sign appear where there is not a huntable stand. I have some stands that are in funnels where there are 3-4 stand within 80 yards of each other so I can hunt that spot in any wind. We have a set-up called the golden triangle in my bow only area that all 3 stands can be seen from the other and are no more than 70 yards apart. I myself have killed over 35 deer from these 3 stands in the last 10 years or so. Shawn
Right now I have 5 climbers and 4 hang ons. I don't maintain any of them, they are all back behind my house in the National Forest on the ground locked to tree trunks.
I hunt about 1000 sq acre section (that's about as far as I can walk and hunt) and spread the stands out so I can go by an pick one up to hunt a certain area. That way I don't have to carry stands a long ways.
I have one really light hang on (Loc On Limit) that is on the main route I take so I can pick it up to hunt any place out of the way.
I don't hunt the same spot twice very often..move around a lot.
I have some ground blinds but my stand is on my back in and out everyday. I hunt public land so it is what it is.....
5
And a ground blind that might make it out
two o three out at this time, will have about 15 - 20 up at any one time, move them around, probably 50 - 100 locations throughout the season for my wife and I and a few guests and clients. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I think we have about 20 Lonewolfs, six double bulls, and eight ladder stands,and a few old odds and ends for hang ons if all the lone wolfs are out.
Right now between myself and the old man we have 8.I am always scouting in the off season and looking for new sites.I have one ladder stand and 3 trees rigged for my treesaddle.I wish I would have started with a tree saddle a long time ago.Treesteps are cheaper than stands and move easier.Even better when. You get them at Walmart on clearance for a buck a piece.I'also have cheap climbing sticks from Dick's as well that I use.Also have a strap on stand that I use sometimes.
6 stands and 3 blinds.
5 stands on 37 acres and lone wolf climber to be mobile.
My father has about 15 set up scattered around... I just have one up that I seen some deer at last year but no shots. Of course he shares some stands with me and I moved my 1 to try for a better chance but more is always better.
I have about 9 hang on stands, 10-12 stick ladders, four ladder stands, pop up blind and hand climber. I was hunting 3 properties with about 30 identified and prepared trees for hang ons. 80, 40, and 10 acres. I use only 16 or 20'sick ladders for my hang ons and in trees that don't work with a climber. I have started to only put up the sticks in a lot of spots now. I now hang about 5 stands in spots I know I will hunt a good amount because they can be good all season or if the tree is hard to set a carry in stand in the dark. I then set another 6-8 sticks that I will hunt with my lone Wolf assault. That is so easy to pack in and set that I use it more and more. It is easier to do a quick location change when I don't have to pull a stand to move the stick. Each hang on spot ideally has at least 3 other close spots 50-75 yd away,reasonably ready to go. I rotate these spots to keep the survivors guessing year to year. If I am off the mark a little I can quickly move a stick ladder. I some times set additional stands on stick ladders if the spot heats up and I want to work it more. Ladders go where I hunt all day hunts and want extra comfort, where even a sick ladder doesn't work and now where the kids could hunt or go along on a hang on off the side of the ladder. Pop up and climber go where I need to be as things change. I try to trim areas around good climber spots. I only hang a stand in a good climber spot of it is a spot that can't take the noise of climbing due to how close the deer are likely to be.
I don't have any. I use to but always found myself on th ground so I gave them away one by one.
My dad showed me ground hunting using nautral blinds and to be honest just never got into tree stands. I bought two when I started finding my own places to hunt, and did harvest a few deer from them, but I hunted public land alot and it was just a pain.
I maintain about 20 on a 700 acre lease and 4 that are in various tracts of public land.
Two. I tried a hang-on back in 2006 after I had knee surgery and it worked so well I added a second one (a ladder this time) for this year. ;-)
Spend much more time in a stand than on foot lately.
One, I hunt out of a climber.
I use a climber. But hunt 100% public land and have about 400 stand sites stored in my gps from all the different tract of land I hunt.
None...seems the less stands I 'maintain'....the more deer I kill. Just like when I use to fish the bass tourny trails...the less tackle in my boat, the more money I won. :campfire:
anywhere between 5-10 depending on where i am hunting that year, at this moment only have 5 up but plan to ground hunt more then stand this year.
I use a climber and have gotten pretty creative with it. I do not like leaving stands up for fear that someone will steal them. However I do keep two hang on stands up year round along a field edge. The wind is pretty constant here in our part of the world. Any deviation from the normal is not a problem and I have trees that I use when the wind changes.
2 hang on stands and a climber for back up. The climber is a little tricky with long bows.
I just got in from cutting out stands and preparing another site. We did 16 this morning and found another spot to place one more. I used to worry about stands being stolen but now because we know all the hunters on surrounding property and try to work with them keeping people out we lose very few. One stolen in the last 5 years. I wish stuff was not so expensive as I have a lot more areas that could use stands.Just makes life easier than having to set-up during the season. Putting together a few more ladder stands right now, my wife is just laying out all the pieces and labeling so we can get them together real quick. Shawn
4 ground blinds and one hang on. Thinking of adding another hang on or two. But I really like hunting from the ground best. I get so darned bored in a tree.
I only have a 65 acre tract. I maintain 3 ladder stands, 2 natural ground blinds, and 1 lock on stand. I have a couple more natural ambush spots that are not maintained.
The piece we did this morning is only 42 acres and we have 16 stands on it and we are putting up two more. I started this to see if guys take advantage of having enough stands to hunt all the winds and any spot on their property at anytime. I believe most could have more and take advantage of being able to hunt the same spot but with a different wind, if that makes sense. Shawn
I totally understand you guys having all the spots for winds and all. But it really boils down to us that dont have the private owned or leased lands and having money to buy all those stands to put up in the first place. To each his own. I have no way to justify or afford it. My hats off to ya. Better off than me financially . I wish I was in a situation like that. Enjoy it.. :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by RedShaft:
I have some ground blinds but my stand is on my back in and out everyday. I hunt public land so it is what it is.....
Same here, I carry a Lone Wolf stand with climbing sticks in and out whenever I go hunting on public hunting grounds. Not easy but helps to keep me in shape.
I buy stands at the end of the season. I get 2 for $40 and use my Dicks bucks and my 10 off of $50 or more and a lot of times I can get 4 stands for a total of about $60 out of pocket. I have accumalated these over the last 15 years or so and many are still in excellent shape, just replace the rachet straps every few years. I also buy screw in steps for a buck at end of season at Wally world and the like. Do not have a ton of money invested. I do have lots of private land to hunt and I get it by just asking and asking and asking. I do not lease any property, I have but not anymore. Shawn
Thanks I will keep my eye open end of season. One thing I would stress to you to look into. Those cables. After a year or two take them off and replace with chain. Those cables are not the best on them stands. That is for anyone who reads this. Good advice I got years ago.
I have several but I don't like to hunt the same spots often outside the rut. Most of my hunting is definitely moving towards more ground hunting.
I will be strictly on the ground this year. In the future I see my stand hunting being a specialized type of set where it is the only option.
I am much more likely to use a stand with a canoe.
Well this may be a bit of topic and long but I think it applies some to this thread and hunting in general.
I hunt regularly as i please on four private properties, but only set stands on 3. Only one I own and it is the smallest and just some low land hunting ground I got with a friend real cheap years ago. I wish i didn't have that sometimes. I hunt as a guest on some others as well. You don't have to own private land or lease it to hunt it, but it does take some effort to find.
Often a large public tract is better than a small private one. Hunting pressure in my area is just as high on private as public.
Most times buying enough land to have quality hunting is not practical. You can buy a lot of gas and travel hunt DIY in some great places for the cost of just taxes on a decent size property.
Unfortunately in my area land sizes are not so big and cover types such that you can do much stalking without running everything off or messing up others hunting the same area.
A back injury and several surgeries keeps me from setting still long so for me being able to move a bit more and stand leaning back on a tree tucked in good cover in a tree is almost a necessity if I am going to hunt longer hours. I used to hunt as much or more from the ground as a stand back 15 years ago.
So there are a lot of factors that dictate how and where I hunt. So how to do it with limited budget? Well life is about choices and balancing needs and wants. There are a whole lot of people who make as much or more than I do and only have more bills than I do to show for it. That is because we define need a lot different and go about getting our wants a lot different
I have been accumulating hunting equipment over 38 years. I sell stand stuff i don't like and scrap stuff when not safe. I buy all my new stuff after season at deep discount. I get a stick ladder or two a year at the local Meijer's stores when they are on clearance and then have a 15% of general merchandise day when you use you store credit card. For hard to find items I go new and use cabela points I save from putting everything I can on the card and paying it off every month. I get stands of Craigs list and other places if they are the kind I like. One of my lone Wolf stand came from the auction site in the box used once 1/3 retail. The lone Wolf climber over half off from this site.
My waterfowl stuff takes up more space than my bow hunting stuff. I got all that mostly used from internet.
Times are tough and the bills add up, but you can do a lot on a budget if you do a little at a time, take care of your stuff, get good deals, have a great budget minded wife, and make sacrifices in spending areas. We don't go to bars, don't eat out much, gave up smoking years ago, no cable tv, used cars,smaller paid for house that is not as large or fancy a many people in and below my income have. The kids are trained to have some garage sale stuff like things they grow out of fast and not to expect every new thing the other kids all have like cell phones and so on. We don't know what is currently in fashion
I put my disposable time, effort, and limited finance to work hunting local, but others do the same kinds of stuff to travel hunt.
If you want to do a lot of hunting and still cover the family needs and plan for the future, you have to make some choices and do some work.
Took a long time to write this on the smart phone my employer provides me. You know how many stands and other stuff you can get for the cost of one of those and a year of a data plan?
Well said Todd, I am very budget minded and as you said if you shop smart and give up a few things, you can put more towards your hunting. I always try and save a buck so I amy use it towards my hunting stuff! Shawn
My family owns and I hunt 160 acres. I have 2 climbers and 8 hang ons. I very seldom use the climbers. The hang ons will all be in the woods at some point. Many times I will have 3 stands within 100 yds of each other to take advantage of the widn and terrain. I pick up additional stands and sticks when they are on sale and reduced shipping. I end up with stands that have climbing sticks and stands for under $50 each.
I was surprised by the stands some folks have and that would be nice to have. I hunt private and some public land. When I'm not on the ground I have one stand a hang on that I always carry in and usually carry out. I may leave it in a tree for a morning/evening hunt from the day before. So use to it and really easy to hang up. I don't hunt the same areas but a time or two.
4
3 on 12 acres and 1 on 21 acres. I use the climber moreso on the 21 acres, but there aren't many trees there after the clearcut roughy 10 years ago. The 3 are on my father's 12 acre plot where he lives. They are positioned to take advantage of varying winds. Two are metal and one of treated wood. The loner on the 21 acres is wood.
I hunt on about 120+/- acres or so that's mostly fields with a creek and a couple of small(3 acre?) woodlots and a cedar thicket. I hunt out of three ladder stands and a lock-on stand with climbing sticks. So that's 4 tree stands plus I have a pop-up blind which I use as a mobile and I sometimes hunt from a makeshift ground blind whenever the opportunity presents itself or I'm short on time. Finally, I have an old steel Summit Climber that I use on other farms whenever I'm invited to hunt somewhere else.
Keep it coming folks. I like to see how others utilize their property. I put up another ladder today. It is on a field edge. I never really cared for ladder stands but I can get them for $40 and they go up to 15ft. Pretty nice stands too. I only used the top section and one piece of ladder cause the amount of cover. I am about 10 ft. up but am concealed very well, I cut a bunch of pine boughs and tied them a few ft. out n front of the stand in a v shape and i will definitely not get picked from this spot. It over looks alfalfa and clover. I asked the owner and he will not do another cutting this year so it should be awesome early season!! Shawn
No one else?? I put up another today. It was a freebie, a bud gave it to me and 5 screw in steps! He has been lurking on here and saw this post!! :bigsmyl: Good Guy!! Shawn
I have 4 loc ons I set in funnels for the rut. Two ground blinds on oak ridges and I use my Summit bushmaster hunting around public land on feed trees.
Like Shawn I picked up all my loc ons at a late season discount. I have about 100 bucks in all four together.RC
I've got 3 hang-ons,and have had as many stolen,that I leave out pretty much in the same trees every year and use a LW climber for getting up all the others.End up finding new climber trees every year,can't seem to have too many.Have some blow downs I'll sit in now and then,especially if it's windy.
I have one ladder stand that I put up so no one else will crowd me out of my natural blind where I sit in my Huntmore.
I maintain 3 to 5 treestands and one pop-up. That's for 35 acres. And, I use a climber from time to time if needed.