What do your deerstands look like?

[HBW1412]

Click the Picture for a larger view.

This is the deerstand that my Dad and I built several years ago. It's 8'x8' on the inside with a 2' walkway all around. It's 16' from the ground to the floor.

It sits at the edge of a spring fed creek that borders a 20 acre alfalfa field. We've seen some monster bucks over the years and one elk which are rare in my part of the woods. I hunt to maintain a healthy heard and to fill the freezer so I only take management bucks and does.

I'm really proud of this thing and really enjoy spending time in there.

During bear season in December 2010 I was taking all of the supplies into the stand for the weekend hunt when I saw a black bear about 400 yards away following the creek. I decided to go into the stand and just watch the bear to see what it was going to do. About 20 or 30 minutes later the bear had made its way to the deerstand and was climbing one of the poles. I didn't have a gun with me so I started making a lot of noise and the bear took off. I haven't seen any bear out of this stand since then.

Do any of you guys have a deerstand that you are particularly proud of?

 

[gjamison]

i have 15 ladder stands(nothing special)all 17 to 20 feet in the air. hunt deer and bear.

 

[s&wchad]

My deer blind wouldn't even make a suitable outhouse for yours. Wow is that nice!

 

[jlrhiner]

My deer stand is now a chair at the campfire. Oh sure, I keep a rifle around. Had a coyote wander through camp several years ago. If one of those dang deer come along and nudge me awake, hand me the rifle, and saunter off about 10 feet or so, I might shoot him. Chances are slim.

Now the kids mostly use tree stands, but we did build 3 permanent blinds a couple of years ago, though nothing as elaborate as yours.

(looks like you could do some great snoozing in that one)

 

[fat tom]

Our club has about 80 club stands,but nothing as fine as yours. Even with that many stands available,I usually opt for a portable stand,of which I have about a dozen. I wouldn't know how to act in something like you have. NICE!
f.t.

 

[Xfuzz]

Great Deer stand...
Mine hidden in the "hole in the wall"
View from mine.
Ya never know what slips across the old loggin trail.

 

[Rangerpat]

HBW, That is a excellent deer stand that I'm sure you really enjoy hunting out of in any kind of weather: rain, sleet , snow, etc.
I have been using Summit X-pod ladder treestands for years because most of my hunting is in planted pines on paper company land, the x-pods are easy to set up and move around by myself. When it rains I just throw a cammo poncho over myself and stay dry.
Have you ever spent a night out sleeping in your treestand? It would be interisting to do if you had some type of night vision goggles to see what walks by your stand at night.

 

[brucev]

My deer stand is...rudimentary. Before the season begins I look around to locate bedding spots, travel routes, etc. Then I pick a few places and set up for a potential ambush. I cut away whatever limbs, etc., might get in the way of potential shots. I almost always will locate near the base of a good tree. I set up on the ground. This is due to my not owning land, etc. I carry a light folding chair or else carry a waterproof pad and a couples of pieces of scrap rug. If the weather gets wet, a poncho keeps me dry. Such a set-up is comfortable, I can sit and read my Bible and get some studying done. I can have a nice lunch/supper. If necessary, I can easily move to a new site with minimum effort. When I kill a deer, I am not so overloaded with gear that I am hindered from pulling/carrying the deer. Given that I own only a small compact car, it is also a bonus that all my gear takes up very little space. That leaves plenty of room for a deer.

 

[HBW1412]

Have you ever spent a night out sleeping in your treestand? It would be interisting to do if you had some type of night vision goggles to see what walks by your stand at night.

Thanks for all the compliments everyone.

To answer your question, yes I have spent many nights there. It's very peaceful and allows me to get away from everything. There's no cell signal there and no electricity. I have a kerosene heater in the corner that vents outside and there are two twin size bunk beds that fold up agaist the wall like a tractor trailer setup. The window ledges are lined with padding and carpet so you don't make noise when using them as a rifle rest. The walls are well insulated and sheetrocked.

I have a small table in the corner where I keep my coffee percolator and soup that I heat up on the kerosene heater. At night I use oil lamps and usually look thru a Cabela's catalog and dream about all the stuff I'd like to have someday.

In the past I have taken a radio with me so I could listen to Coast to Coast during the night, but I ending up never turning it on. All the animal noises are entertainment enough.

I don't have any night vision equipment so I use one of those 15 million candlepower spot lights with a piece of red plastic film taped over the lense. This doesn't spook the animals at all, in fact that is how I coyote hunt now.

I do feel blessed to have such a nice place to hunt, but now that my nephews are older they are trying to take it over. I might have to build me a new one.

Xfuzz - That's a great spot right there. Did you ever get that big buck?

 

[Xfuzz]

The location shown is in the heart of 10 sections of land deep
in the piney woods of East Texas(6400 acres or so).
We have so good deer on the place.
I got his little brother..he is still on the hoof as far as anyone knows..

 

[A10]

This........

 

[old bear]

Thanks for all the compliments everyone.

To answer your question, yes I have spent many nights there. It's very peaceful and allows me to get away from everything. There's no cell signal there and no electricity. I have a kerosene heater in the corner that vents outside and there are two twin size bunk beds that fold up agaist the wall like a tractor trailer setup. The window ledges are lined with padding and carpet so you don't make noise when using them as a rifle rest. The walls are well insulated and sheetrocked.

I have a small table in the corner where I keep my coffee percolator and soup that I heat up on the kerosene heater. At night I use oil lamps and usually look thru a Cabela's catalog and dream about all the stuff I'd like to have someday.

In the past I have taken a radio with me so I could listen to Coast to Coast during the night, but I ending up never turning it on. All the animal noises are entertainment enough.

I don't have any night vision equipment so I use one of those 15 million candlepower spot lights with a piece of red plastic film taped over the lense. This doesn't spook the animals at all, in fact that is how I coyote hunt now.

I do feel blessed to have such a nice place to hunt, but now that my nephews are older they are trying to take it over. I might have to build me a new one.

Xfuzz - That's a great spot right there. Did you ever get that big buck?

Sounds like a wonderful was to spend a weekend, every now and then. Please keep enjoying you spot in the woods.

 

[Damn Yankee]

When I lived in upstate New York years ago my stand was a big tree you could set down and put your back against to keep out of the wind. That was after you walked a half or three quarter of a mile to it usually in snow up to your knees.

Have you ever been really cold?

 

[sipowicz]

My deerstand matches my nightstand.

 

[Iggy]

What's a deer stand?

 

[HBW1412]

What's a deer stand?

Looks like somebody might have 'em a secret bunker on the plains. If you look, you can see what appears to be a hatch toward the lower left of the picture.

That does look nice though. I can see myself riding out there like Gus did when he went after Lori in Lonesome Dove.

I've wanted to ride cross country on horseback for years, but I doubt I'll ever be able to do it.

 

[Frank237]

For this whitetail my "deerstand". was the round bale I hid behind for a full day. Probably not in the picture.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

For a couple of years this particular pop-up has been one of my favorites.