Kids’ Outdoor Outpost – August 2016

Checking Tree Stands

As I wrote last month, my thoughts shift to deer once the Fourth of July hits. Mid-summer is a good time to get in and inspect your stands or maybe even move some of them. Grab a veteran hunter and start checking those stands.

A tree stand will typically fall into one of three categories: climber, lock-on and ladder. No matter which stand you choose, bolts, nuts and anything that is used to connect parts should be checked for tightness and rusting before you use them. 

My son, Jared, was home on leave from the U.S. Army in July. I took him to check out our stands. The first stand we checked was one that had been in place for several years. The straps holding the tree sticks to climb the tree had rotted. The lock-on’s stand straps had grown into the tree, and the bow hanger was so grown over that it snapped when he tried to un-screw it. 

A long time ago, I took Jared to check out a wooden, permanent-style stand that we had permission to use. It had 2×4 boards nailed to a tree. The first three boards were rotten and pulled away from the tree when I tried them. I replaced them all. The floor was in decent shape, but it had no hand rails. I nailed boards to work as the rails and hung camo netting around it. We were not very high off the ground, but safety is always a must. Jared shot a doe out of that stand that year.

Some of these safety issues can be avoided. At the end of the season, I usually go up and loosen the ratchet straps that hold the stand to the tree. This allows the tree to grow without binding the straps. However, the elements (wind, sun, rain, etc.) can lay a heavy toll on these straps and cause them to dry-rot over time. So when Jared was home and helping me check stands, the climbing sections each got a new replacement strap, and the lock-on stand got two new, heavy-duty ratchet straps. In fact, one of the welded-on steps snapped off when we tried climbing it. It sure was better to find that out on a July afternoon rather than in the dark on opening morning. 

So after you have checked your stand for safety, what is the next most important safety task? Never, ever use your tree stand without a safety harness. It’s a piece of equipment that is an investment. How much is your life worth? Surely a lot more than the cost of a safety harness.

On opening day last year, I left home and got a couple miles away and remembered that I had not grabbed my harness. Knowing that I would now be late, I still turned around to get it. 

Once I got to the woods, I grabbed my climbing stand, bow and pack and headed to the area I was going to hunt. When I got to the tree, I saw that once again, I didn’t bring the harness. I trudged through the woods, back to my vehicle and got it. Now in full sweat, I turned around and headed back again to the tree. I realized that with all the commotion and my scent all over the place that I probably was not going to see any deer. However, I was safe, strapped to the tree in my harness. 

One more item: Sometimes stands are built but have to be recalled because of a flaw in manufacturing. Visit the Treestand Manufacturer Association website at www.tmastands.com for updates that may include a stand that you recently purchased.