permanent deer stands

[chucker34]

I've been seeing some enclosed stands with little porches for shooting your bow off of. Anyone done that?

I've accumulated the hardware to make a tower stand but haven't got the motivation - or wood to do so yet.

I too will have a child ready to go with me in a few years so I'm planning to build one and one that has a small deck. I think it would be great to add some hooks or something to attach a safety harness to (the stand) it as you wouldn't want much of a railing for bowhunting off it.

I'm thinking of something like this, except with different windows around the top that offer more of a 360 degree view.

[NELS-BELLS]

Wow, thats a nice stand!

My windows are each two 18 X 24" sheets of plexi glass overlaped which makes each window about 16" X 44" so I'm hoping that will be enough room to shoot a bow through. Although I don't plan on bow hunting out of it much.

Nels

[chucker34]

It is indeed the Mac Daddy of deer stands. I'm way too cheap to build something like that at this point. But I did buy the brackets for the posts and floor you see in the picture. I'd like the more open feel with the box stand and then a canopy or roof overhead so you kind of have an almost 360 degree window.

[GotOne]

Chucker,

Where did you get the brackets and how much? Thx.

[Gordie]

if you wuold like to build a permenant stand dont go with wood as your base I have built three or four out of steel.

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[jbdragon17]

State Forests:

"Elevated Scaffolds

The use of portable tree stands is recommended, especially those

which can be secured without driving nails into trees. Nails are a

safety hazard for woodcutters and harm the forest. Personal property

must be removed from State Forest lands. It is illegal to destroy state

property, including the cutting of trees of four inches or more in

diameter at four and one-half feet above the ground for shooting

lanes. Littering and erecting permanent buildings are prohibited."

No where in this entry does it state that it is illegal to use or erect permanent stands in a state forest. It does not say the use of nails is illegal either.

Federal Lands:

"The use of nails, wire, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree, or

hunting from a tree, into which a metal object has been driven or

screwed to support a hunter, is prohibited. Portable or temporary

hunting blinds or stands can only be set up the day of the hunt,

and must be removed at the end of each day."

Here is what most of you are probably thinking of. It is "prohibited" to use permanent stands.

SNA's (State Scientific and Natural Areas):

"DNR expects to adopt rules allowing the use of portable stands in

SNAs open to deer hunting, but the rules were not in effect at the time

this regulation handbook was published. When the new rules are adopted,

DNR will notify hunters by news releases and on our HSOforum."

I read this that permanent stands are still legal to use.

National Forests:

"The only tree stands or blinds allowed are those that are portable,

do not damage trees and are removed at the end of the

hunt.

• Permanent stands located on National Forest system lands will

be removed as they are located, and resources are available to

perform the work."

Pretty cut and dry for national forests. Portable only.

So.. The question of legality of permanent stands will depend on where you hunt. I hunt in state forests and private land. For now, it is legal to use permanent stands in both places.

[Code-Man]

So how do you know if it is state or federal? I hunt some public land and don't want to buy a portable and have it taken away from me. I was hunting out of a perminant stand that I found last year and noticed this year that it was not there.

[jbdragon17]

I know you can get an atlas that shows the different public lands. I have one. You might also find something on the interenet.

[bela0023]

If you hunt county managed lands you need to check with each county's land department, I know that on Cass County lands permanent stands are illegal. Below is a quote from Cass County Land Department's web page.

"Tree stands that damage trees are not allowed; no nails, bolts, or screws. All new tree stands that damage trees will be removed; old tree stands will be removed as timber sales take place in an area.

The county encourages portable tree stands, freestanding stands, and any tree stands that do not damage trees."

Here's their web page

http://www.co.cass.mn.us/land/tree_stands.html

If you're unsure of who owns/manages the land you hunt on, a county plat book is the best piece of information you can use to figure this out!

[chucker34]

Wallabee, I got them from sportsmansguide but Cabelas and the other big sporting outfits carry them. They're called Elevators. Do a search on the internet and type in the company name Shadow Hunter LLC and then Elevators and it should pull up the company site and more places to buy them. I think they ran be about $50 for 4 brackets on sale. Comes with a DVD of ideas for platform and ladder stands.

Nels-Bells, post a pic of your new stand when you can. Sounds pretty nice!

[GotOne]

Thanks Chucker, I have been wondering if you were going to see my post.