We were talking about this a little in another thread. Ryan Rothhaar has some great ideas on this but here is one I've been doing.
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/1E09E1AD-6954-425B-B2B2-C912B980D5A5_zpsyjg5tapx.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/1E09E1AD-6954-425B-B2B2-C912B980D5A5_zpsyjg5tapx.jpg.html)
Just cut some 2 inch PVC at a 45 degree angle. Then down at the bottom where the angle is drill all the way through (2 holes) to where you can run some tie wire through it. I normally put 3 pieces on each piece of wire like is shown above but you can have more or less. Tie the wire around the tree and you can easily slide the PVC pieces wherever you want them. Then just stick some pine tree boughs in the open ends. In this picture I put this one on the back of the tree behind my stand. I just need to fill it with pine tree branches. I also put one below my stand on the same side of the tree. This way I can have pine tree branches angling up past my platform from below. Here is where you drill the holes. Fill them with branches and the deer won't have a clue!
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/DED5F5CD-425D-444B-B7DD-561444B4089B_zpsbpxqvggn.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/DED5F5CD-425D-444B-B7DD-561444B4089B_zpsbpxqvggn.jpg.html)
Great tip, thanks !
ChuckC
Great idea.. I will be cutting pvc tomorrow. I have a setup that is in desperate need of just this !!
Great idea Jon! Thanks!...I just love this site!
Kenny
Good idea! For a more permanent application, I bet artificial Christmas tree branches would work great!
Bisch
I saw that in the other thread Jon and I like it!
When you cut point branches how long will they hold their needles? Are some species better than others? I have a lot of Norway spruce - wonder how long they would hold?
Cool Jon, Thanks Brother. Off to the garage.
that is a good idea! I have another trick we use here. If there is a fallen tree(can't cut fresh stuff on public land), throw a rope over a limb and hang it on the back side of the tree from you. It isn't much, but it is legal and it does break up your silhouette a little.
I use the artificial Christmas trees but I'm going to incorporate the pvc now with the fake tree
I use the artificial Christmas trees but I'm going to incorporate the pvc now with the fake tree
Thanks guys. Joe, pretty much any species of pine or cedar will hold the needles for a very long time. The needles will eventually turn brown but they will remain. As an example, 2 years ago I hung a stand and did this trick. I have not yet hunted it due to the situation not being right. I went to the stand last week to check on it and those pine boughs are STILL holding the needles. Oak branches also work well, but pine species are best. The Norway spruce will be just perfect for this. Thanks guys and good luck out there!
Ryan Rothhaar also has some great ideas on this subject and nobody can argue with his success. Check out our thread called "Scouting a header and dreaming of November" to see how he does it. At the end of the thread he completely transforms a naked tree to a "birds nest" using similar methods as this. I love this stuff!
Oh yea. Obviously, ya gotta paint the stuff. I just use rattle can primer paint. Black and grey both together matches the November Midwestern deer woods.
Bisch good call artificial limbs would work great and be very permanent. I've got a couple really good stands where that would be a good idea.
Good idea! Caan you show us a pic with it in use?
DanielB89, perfect solution on public ground.i use this setup on public too. I just bring in the pine tree boughs from another location (private ground with permission). They are easy to setup and easy to remove if ya picked the wrong tree. (I hate that....hurts my feelings). Good luck guys!
She'd hunter, I can do that. I'll be hanging a stand soon and using this. I'll do a step by step thing and report back. It really does help. I like it best when the deer don't know the boogy man is right there. That's the kinda stuff that makes me happy. 99 percent of the time I'm not shooting. Looking for the right one. But that only adds to the satisfaction of picking the right tree and getting the deer in "wolf range". I'll never get tired of it.
That's a great idea, Jon - thanks for posting!
Roughly how long does each section of PVC have to be to hold the branches... ~12"?
Nittanyrider 7 to 8 inches has been working fine for me.
:thumbsup:
To help everyone out here is the link to the other post.
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=143833#000000
I posted this on the other thread...... John, I'm looking at your idea and think it's great. I'm gonna do it but with a slight change. What do you think about cutting slots where you have the holes and then sliding a "ratchet type strap through them to connect them to the tree? It seems this would allow loosening for tree growth and hold more weight than tie wire. You could also slide more brush behind the strap as needed for additional cover. What do you think?
Jon thanks for the idea, I am going to give it a try. Best of luck to you this fall.
Great idea... I've always just tied them to the bottom of my stand.
Good thinking. :thumbsup:
I have a friend that came up with something similar that bolted directly to tree stands. He applied for a patent, and had it presented to a few companies, but they shot it down. The next year "The world's foremost Outfitter" had almost the exact same thing in their catalog. :dunno:
I think yours is a more versatile idea.
Bob
I am definatly doing this...great idea!!
Never thought of the artificial Xmas tree limbs.
Great idea and I just happen to have one that hasn't seen the light of day for years. Time to put it up. Thanks guys.
This weekend I cut some PVC sections, wired them to a tree and began inserting pine branches. After a little experimentation, I found that if I broke the pine cuttings near the base, I could stick them into the PVC so that they hang downwards, instead of up and outwards (this keeps the needles/cover close to the tree where you want it). My only concern is that the stem could break when it dries out... to fix, you could wrap the broken portion with some craft wire or twine.
(http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s522/NittanyRider/Misc/70EF5C3E-93A8-45C5-B228-937E66761DB7_zps8nj4azc9.jpg)
That is just flat awsome
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/9C72B533-A54D-4FA4-9CC4-867E9F8AD599_zpsdyk6qqky.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/9C72B533-A54D-4FA4-9CC4-867E9F8AD599_zpsdyk6qqky.jpg.html)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/299DE053-96A5-4B15-80F7-A49517BE4E85_zpshzglrtzw.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/299DE053-96A5-4B15-80F7-A49517BE4E85_zpshzglrtzw.jpg.html)
Good stuff guys. Here is a low ladder stand where I used the PVC trick. It had to be this tree based on observations in past seasons. I was able to keep it low and hide it well.
Groundhawg I think the strap idea is even better. I almost went that route as well but I setup so many trees this way that the straps would be a little more expensive. Not a big deal though. If you guys decide to do this make sure ya drill the hole in the right spot and get the tie wire really tight (use pliers) so that they don't want to droop down on you if you are using heavy pine bought.
Nittanyrider looks like ya got it down. Good deal!
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/81E6C929-FE9B-4773-A435-9B779C05C111_zpsp4qmvno0.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/81E6C929-FE9B-4773-A435-9B779C05C111_zpsp4qmvno0.jpg.html)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/B1F455C3-A2BD-4292-98E5-D1CDF4FF46F2_zpsjndezco3.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/B1F455C3-A2BD-4292-98E5-D1CDF4FF46F2_zpsjndezco3.jpg.html)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n132/jonsimoneau/04CE93DB-1DBC-412D-961C-6AA554C6B053_zpsgibk0elk.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/jonsimoneau/media/04CE93DB-1DBC-412D-961C-6AA554C6B053_zpsgibk0elk.jpg.html)
Pine tree boughs work good to brush in commercial ground blinds.
groundhawg, Got any pics of the pvc with slits cut in it for ratchet straps? Thanks.
1/4 away, I have some time off this week so will be making up a few. My idea is to make the slits so they will pretty much be parallel to the tree trunk so you would cut it 90 degrees from the angle/cut end that would touch the tree. Just thinking about what to use to make the slit, I think I'm going to use a right angle grinder. You could use a dremel,sawzall or hacksaw but it would take a couple cuts to get the slit wide enough to accept the strap. I know Harbor Freight has camo straps for pretty cheap and they should last for a few years if left up. One problem I'm having is coming up with "cover" material. You think a deer would reason that cattails shouldn't be in a tree? :)
If your ratchet strap slot proves to be difficult to cut, you could also drill a slightly larger hole than Jon did and use a "rope ratchet." (If you type those and add .com, you can see what they look like.) You can buy them at most big box building supply stores.
I use them all the time for securing things in my truck or to a trailer. They are not as cheap as Harbor Freight ratchet straps, but last a LONG time and are very convenient.
Just thought this was a possibility worth mentioning...