Home on the Range #043 – When Should You Hang your Treestand?…
Adam Scepaniak 06.23.23
The dog days of summer when its suppressively hot out can be brutal if you are not a fisherman. It simply means you are waiting for the temps to drop as fall approaches and innumerable hunting seasons begin to open up. So, what is a hunter supposed to do if he/she isn’t a fisherman or is done with their ranching chores?… Well, there is always prep for future hunts that can be accomplished. One of those things might be setting up treestands in lieu of future hunts. Some people are of the train of thought that is a task meant for autumn, but that is not true. We will outline for you why right now is the best time to get out and hang treestands for prospective hunting locations. Let’s dive in!
“Home on the Range” Series Coverage on AllOutdoor
- Home on the Range #042 – Pros and Cons of Free-Range Chickens
- Home on the Range #041 – Cooking Pheasant Back Mushrooms
- Home on the Range #040 – Pheasant Back Mushrooms (Dryad’s Saddle)
- Home on the Range #039 – Turkey Slate Call Competition with a Neighbor
- Home on the Range #038 – Turkey Hunting to Supplement your Freezer
When Should You Hang your Treestand?…
A lot of us like to do tasks in-season; meaning, when it is duck hunting season, we dust off our duck hunting equipment. When it is grouse hunting season, we go through our grouse hunting gear. You get the picture. It can be a lot more valuable to you though if you do some things during those off times of the year. When it comes to whitetail deer hunting hanging treestands is one of those tasks where it pays off to have yours ready months ahead of time.
Why is that though?… The sneaky secret to having your treestand ready months in advance is because the wildlife – including whitetail deer and other game you might be hunting – become used to seeing it. If you happen to throw up a new box stand, ladder stand, or hang-on treestand 1 week before the season opens, it is going to stick out like a sore thumb and most game animals are going to avoid it. Why? Because it is foreign, strange, and new. This isn’t the only reason that you should get on top of having your stands ready.
- Allows It to Blend In – A treestand that has been in the woods for 3 – 4 months is part of the neighborhood. Wild game walk by and it is no big deal. A stand that appears days before the season starts look suspect and wild game will avoid it.
- Allows Time for Adjustments – If you have your treestands setup early in the year, you can adjust. Maybe you put out a trail camera as well and realize your “golden spot” ain’t so golden. Then, you can move it 50 yards or tweak it as needed.
- You’re Claiming your Spot – It would be bad advice to setup treestands months in advance on public property because that could be illegal or they might get stolen, but it is valuable on private property. If you have a treestand setup on a hot location near a property line by May or June, that is a deterrent to your neighbor “laying claim” to that spot, but on their property. Some bad neighbors might put a stand right beside yours anyways, but respectful neighbors will see you claimed a location and leave you alone.
- It Frees Up Future Time – Maybe you need to have your bow re-worked at the archery shop, your firearm fixed, or you are remodeling your basement. Whatever it may be, accomplishing tasks ahead of time will always pay dividends in the future.
All of the thoughts that we mentioned would be applicable to any type of treestands that you are looking to deploy for hunting. Albeit, box stand, ladder stands, hang-on treestands, or even long-term ground blinds. All of these methods of hunting and effectively hiding can benefit from you getting an early start. Wild game animals will get more used to seeing them and be relaxed, it saves time in the long run, you will have claimed your spot, and you can always refine your location as the year goes on. Finally, if you are a procrastinator on most things, this could get the ball rolling for your hunting season so you are not late for once (on multiple things that you need to get done). In closing, best of luck in all of your hunting exploits and hopefully this can serve you well for future hunting seasons. As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
Photography
All of the quality photography for this article was completed by Savannah Pierson of Savvy Photage. She is an expert in her field and her assistance in creating engaging photography and content is greatly appreciated.
