So, I was able to talk the wife into heading down to the property this weekend. That is, I wanted to go and she didn't want to be apart, so she and our 5 week old tinymite piled in the truck with boots and guns and baby gear and hauled it south.
I don't imagine I'll have a lot of actual treestand time before Christmas because I haven't put in any real work (turns out tending to a pregnant wife and new baby july-september does that..) to make my spot a nice little area to sit. Well, on opening day I did a lot of ranging and planning while I was sitting and I decided to move my stand when I could. Problem was, the grass stalks were literally taller than me and the tree I wanted to prop on had some branching issues. I figured, eh, whatever - I'll run down there, grab the Gator, pull my stand down, drive over the grass, throw it up and cut limbs after I get it put up.
Ha.
Well, the whole famn damily was down there this weekend, and as soon as I uttered my plans aloud, my always-well-intentioned FIL says, 'you need help.' (He turned out to be right). Now, I have to stop here and say that I was really concerned with not putting a bunch of heavy equipment down in 'my spot' and just wrecking the place. So, what happens? He loads up his tractor with golf-course-like cutting attachment and follows me down. Does he proceed to go bonkers? Nope. He pulls up behind me and says, 'ok, you're going to do this, I'm going to show you how.' It was kind of a really nice gesture, because I've never worked tractors before and I understand that on one hand it means I can give him some labor down at the land (fine with that) but it was also a very instructive moment for me, and oddly reminiscent of my dad. So, I got a crash course and off I went.
Fast forward a few hours of digging up saplings with the bucket, moving dead trees, cutting grass - RUINING tree stand ratchet straps, and trying not to laugh when the FIL's lady says, 'you can't kill any of the big deer.. (yeah right, it's not her land and I have the go-ahead from HIM)' and I have a treestand in a new location. It oh-so-slightly angled too much, but it's still safe to shoot from. I mean, if you were sitting and trying to shoot a rifle, you'd have to sit on your foot to get level. But if I stand and shoot with a bow, it'll be fine. And it is LOCKED in place. I tried to shake it loose of the tree and it didn't so much as move.
Next steps: Secure the ladder to keep people off of it (see my 'soft security' thread), figure out where to put a feeder, maybe plant the area a little bit, and then drag a bunch of big foliage and tree trunks in the way of the access so numbskulls don't come cutting through my area with atv's. Let me know what you think of the view.
This is looking back down the trail to get to the spot. It's too wide open back that way and that's where I want to 'close off.' The last 'bare' tree you can see toward the left of the picture, in the background, is where the treestand was.
Idea here is that the area isn't cut because of all the deadfall right here. Really, really hoping I can figure out a way to push that out and create a blockade. It'd be perfect and I'd have the whole place open.
This is slightly to the left when facing front.
Last shot, somewhat over the left shoulder leading back into the woods near the edge of the property.
Oh, the REASON I moved this stand is because it's great for mornings. The sun will be coming up right over my shoulder and should offer me good cover. Range to the little clearing where the standing trees are is about 28 yards.
-LaS.
I don't imagine I'll have a lot of actual treestand time before Christmas because I haven't put in any real work (turns out tending to a pregnant wife and new baby july-september does that..) to make my spot a nice little area to sit. Well, on opening day I did a lot of ranging and planning while I was sitting and I decided to move my stand when I could. Problem was, the grass stalks were literally taller than me and the tree I wanted to prop on had some branching issues. I figured, eh, whatever - I'll run down there, grab the Gator, pull my stand down, drive over the grass, throw it up and cut limbs after I get it put up.
Ha.
Well, the whole famn damily was down there this weekend, and as soon as I uttered my plans aloud, my always-well-intentioned FIL says, 'you need help.' (He turned out to be right). Now, I have to stop here and say that I was really concerned with not putting a bunch of heavy equipment down in 'my spot' and just wrecking the place. So, what happens? He loads up his tractor with golf-course-like cutting attachment and follows me down. Does he proceed to go bonkers? Nope. He pulls up behind me and says, 'ok, you're going to do this, I'm going to show you how.' It was kind of a really nice gesture, because I've never worked tractors before and I understand that on one hand it means I can give him some labor down at the land (fine with that) but it was also a very instructive moment for me, and oddly reminiscent of my dad. So, I got a crash course and off I went.
Fast forward a few hours of digging up saplings with the bucket, moving dead trees, cutting grass - RUINING tree stand ratchet straps, and trying not to laugh when the FIL's lady says, 'you can't kill any of the big deer.. (yeah right, it's not her land and I have the go-ahead from HIM)' and I have a treestand in a new location. It oh-so-slightly angled too much, but it's still safe to shoot from. I mean, if you were sitting and trying to shoot a rifle, you'd have to sit on your foot to get level. But if I stand and shoot with a bow, it'll be fine. And it is LOCKED in place. I tried to shake it loose of the tree and it didn't so much as move.
Next steps: Secure the ladder to keep people off of it (see my 'soft security' thread), figure out where to put a feeder, maybe plant the area a little bit, and then drag a bunch of big foliage and tree trunks in the way of the access so numbskulls don't come cutting through my area with atv's. Let me know what you think of the view.
This is looking back down the trail to get to the spot. It's too wide open back that way and that's where I want to 'close off.' The last 'bare' tree you can see toward the left of the picture, in the background, is where the treestand was.
Idea here is that the area isn't cut because of all the deadfall right here. Really, really hoping I can figure out a way to push that out and create a blockade. It'd be perfect and I'd have the whole place open.
This is slightly to the left when facing front.
Last shot, somewhat over the left shoulder leading back into the woods near the edge of the property.
Oh, the REASON I moved this stand is because it's great for mornings. The sun will be coming up right over my shoulder and should offer me good cover. Range to the little clearing where the standing trees are is about 28 yards.
-LaS.
Comment