When to Hang Stands?
Connecticut
Contributors to this thread:
When do you all set up ladder or hang on stands on private property? My concern over hanging too early is excess weather/wear to equipment while setting up too late can spook deer prior to the opener. This year I plan to set up mid-August. I figure that's early enough to avoid alarming mature animals and late enough where tree growth won't stress my straps/cables. Any constructive thoughts or advice is appreciated!
I guess it depends on when you are planning on doing the most hunting from your stands. If I know I'm only going to hunt a certain stand during the rut, I can hang it in October.
If it's an early season stand, I would stick to August. If you pick a good spot and it's concealed, the deer won't care much. If you put somewhere where it sticks out and is right in their line of sight, the earlier you place it the better.
I wouldn't be too concerned about excess wear from weather over the course of a few months....its when you leave your stands out all year, year after year that you should be worried.
I planned on hanging/moving stands today, but at 92*, I thought...naaahh. I have three to move, and one or two to hang.
I leave mine in tree and move or maintain them every two years. Any longer and pegs or straps will grow into tree.
Last time I took them all down, I replaced cables and hardware, to chain and hardware.
But, to answer your question, do it know if you have the time.
I'm kind of on the same page as Bloodtrail; I've got early season stands that I hang between mid-June and mid-July and stands for the rut and late season I try to hang on days when I'm pulling my early season stands (usually by mid-Oct at the latest.
One tip, I try to hang stands the day before we're supposed to get an all day rain; seems to help minimizing scent dispersal plus it gives the area a day to calm down after I've been making changes (any necessary pruning, etc).
I pull all my stands down at the end of the season and inspect straps, cables, etc. Regardless of how they look every 3rd season I replace the straps and cables. It might be overkill but it's my butt hanging way off the ground and gravity can be a bitch.
Stay safe and best of luck!
We hang, trim, chaisaw,cut and clear lanes now. We are on private land in western NY and so far no trouble with theft (knock on wood). We have hunted this property many yrs. The travel rts. change a little but for the most part we've got enough stands to have a few productive ones. Plus we have climbers if we see a new pattern develop.
Another plus this yr. is the neighboring farm planted soy beans and the only soy bean field for a couple miles. The soy beans attract deer like magnets. Might be a good year.
From someone who hunts state land only and therefore can't hang a permanent stand ahead of time, let me say that a well placed stand location will not alarm most deer.
It's the stand that's hanging in the open hardwoods 10 feet off the ground that's a problem. It's like finding a car parked in your living room to a deer.
I try to find stand locations where I have a big hemlock or pine at my back (hardwoods lose their leaves, so I avoid them if I can), to hide my location and avoid being sky-lined.
And don't hunt the same stand every day. Leave the prime locations for the rut so you're not leaving scent to alarm the deer and have them move out of the area. And some stands can only be hunted when the wind is coming from one direction, and one direction only, so know this in advance and plan your hunt accordingly.
Depends on food source. Can't hang Em until I know what's producing acorns
I am constantly scouting during the seasons due to the food source's changing. I hunt Apples in September to Acorns in October so finding the "right" spot changes every season.
I find the hot spot and hang and hunt that same night.
nehunter
sounds like you use the state land process:) Public land requires that you stay flexible because of changes in food source as you stated, as well as hunter pressure, cover, hikers, dogs, etc.
There are spots I've hunted for years that always seem to produce for me, but I only use these during the rut and only during prime wind direction, so I am much more careful in these areas. The worse spot is when you're still in that warm bed on those cold fall mornings,....never got anything from there.
we have 50 or 60 stands out we check them about now and repair if we have to or move if we have to adjust some .STILL HOT OUT THERE
I seem to follow a similar pattern to NEHunter and BBB. Line up a bunch of areas I like, and then scout constantly and jump into the areas which look hottest based on food/sign etc. Right with you Bob - LOVE hemlocks or oak's nestled in hemlocks :)
I dont leave stands up after the season. Mostly I hunt via climber which comes in and out with every hunt. When I use a fixed position stand, I pull it after archery season - ideally, the Sunday before gun season starts up here (MA) at the latest.
bbb I don't hunt State Land. The large private properties I hunt are so different every Year for food sources. I put out 10 cameras a few weeks ago and went to my #1 apple tree, It had zero apples. Two hundred Yards away a tree that never produces has hundreds. I have a Verizon wireless at one apple tree and a sun spot at 1:00 pm activates the camera every 30 seconds till about 4:00. My plan will be used up when I pull it out next week.
Looks like a lot of tiny acorns were dropping too, gonna have to wait till late September to see how many trees have them.
I keep mine up all year, unless I see a pattern change and th3n I'll move one or two.
I have 56 stands that stay up all year. I start cutting them out and raking entrance trails and such about mid-august. Shawn
I leave my stands in travel corridors up all year and trim them at the beginning of I stay away till I hunt from them.I want my stands to be quiet for a month or more before hunting season.