Putting up a stand.

[Shwangman]

I have stands up already but I would like to put one more up in another part of the woods or would this be not advise? Thanks.

[Stratosman]

Holy hard question....

How big is the woods? 10 acres or a 100 acres.

How many stands do you have currently?

Too tough a question to give a real simple respose to. If you have the area and can get in and out without spooking deer off the beds or feeding areas, then of course set additional stands.

Additional stands have lots of benifits. You don't burn out an area from sitting on it day after day, typically 3 consecutive days in the same stand is the most I will sit. Also stands set up for different wind directions will help you get more time in the woods. Having multiple stands can help you stay on top of deer activity throughout the property however I like to stay out of certian areas all together, like bedding areas, but a stand set up between bedding areas can be dynamite when bucks start searching for does.

Again, too hard to give a simple yes or no answer to.

[FarByondDrivn]

I am one of those guys who believes you can never have too many stands (ha ha!). I agree that size of woods matters but also time of year. If you're doing it now its a little late. Don't feel bad I just did two in the past week! You can still do it but you need to be ultra conscious of scent control. I have found from personal experience though, that the later in the year you do it, the more sensitive deer are to its presence. If you have a good spot, I would say go for it. Let the stand sit for a while so the deer get used to it and then hunt away! Good luck!

[shae1986]

Let me put this out there, if you find a spot where you think the bucks are now put it up in the afternoon and hunt it, bring all your gear and stay there, now this should only be done if you have a quiet entry and exit, but it does work, proven fact. Its not for every instance, but it is a method i do like. Just a thought.

A Shae

[Flatlander]

Let me start out by describing where I hunt. My buddy has 55 acres west of Webster. Most of the land around his is private as well. And yes, the other lands see a fair amount of bowhunting. Well, last year I found what looked to be a really good funnel coming out of a big swamp in a corner of his land. Long story short. Nov. 5th at 11 AM, we pulled a ladder stand back there, and I was sitting on it by 1 PM. I had a spike and a couple does walk by, heading into the swamp about 2. By 4:30, I was tagging a 125", 9 pointer that didn't make it 35 yards after I stuck him. So....yes you can put a stand up right now, but I hung all of mine over a month ago. Including my new favorite little corner spot.

[BLACKJACK]

Its only September, prime bowhunting is late Oct/early Nov, the deer have plenty of time to get used to it, go for it. As other have said, its nice to have multiple stands for different wind directions, and so you don't burn out one stand.

[David Frank]

My advise would be to go ahead and hang your stand. I just finished hanging my last stand yesterday. I have 3 others that have been hung for about a month now that I will be hunting for a while. This will give the other area a chance to settle down a bit before I hunt it. I generally like to hang stands a little earlier than this, but in this case I just got permission on a great tree belt from a landowner yesterday morning.

Your stand will definately do you more good in the woods than sitting in the attic. Even if you only get to hunt it once or twice this year (due to wind, etc.) It could be the stand you get mister big from. As mentioned above, be extra cautious about being quiet and leaving as little scent as possible.

Dave

[chucker34]

It's never too late. I've read many articles where guys have had success hanging stands an even putting up ladder stands and tagging nice deer the next morning or that day yet even. I put up a big daddy ladder stand a several weeks ago and there were deer tracks all around it the next morning. And last year, my neighbor put up an enormous tripod stand at 10 pm the night before gun opener working by light of the brights from his pick-up. He's a busy farmer and that's the first time he could get out. He tagged two deer the next morning. Sure, by firearm, but not more than 30 yards from his tripod stand.

[CC Hurl]

I would like to add to the good advise here. I have four stands up in two parts of the state and one in the garage.

The one in the garage is my floater. The floater is going up tonight as the weather sucks. This is the only time i will hang a stand once the season has started. Or move stands for that matter. This kind of weather is great for hanging stands. Noisy wind to cover your sound and lots of water to wash away your scent. Combine your stealth and the Bad weather hang your stand and hunt it.

Good luck

[bigbucks]

I move stands all the time & have success. Last year one night we moved a ladder stand & a climber into a woods we hadn't hunted. A cow pasture, with cattle in it at the time. We got my brother-in-law setup about 4:30 & me at 4:45. It was two nights before gun season, I had about a half an hour to hunt. I drilled a due & had a shot go bad on the buck that was a 100 yards behind her about 5:00. What a rush!

About 10 years ago we were hunting an area hard & kept seeing a small buck in the oaks, but never close enough. At that time I'd never killed a buck with my bow. I moved a portable stand closer, still not close enough. The Sunday afternoon before gun season I built a permanent in the oak they were always coming to. I hunted it Thursday morning & shot the 10th deer I saw that morning about 8am, which was a nice 6 pointer. He was the only one in range.

You can move stands during season, especially during the rut. I always save a few portables for in season adjustments. I don't know how many times I've sat a spot & figured out where I should be sitting & hung a portable to get in position. Flexibility's a big part of hunting.

[Shwangman]

Wow, great feed back, I want to thank all and I plan on printing this copy out because one ladder stand is going in a patch of woods about 30 acres, west of the Twin Cities and the other one is going up, next Thursday in Rochester with a woods totaling over 150 acres. Once again thanks guys, this is my first year at bow hunting and I pretty much don't know what I'm doing but, I have been reading all the articles and tips that the guys on this site have provided and made a book so I can go back and review all the information during the season and in the off-season!!

Thanks.

[Stratosman]

Lots of good advice here.....Big bucks is excactly right, mobility and versatilty are they keys to sucess. I hang numerous stands throuought the season, many times in places that I don't wan't to even hunt until the timing is right, or when I see a huge rub line or scrape line that I want to set up on during pre-rut. If you hang your stand right and get it high enough and keep trimming under control, the deer will have no idea it's there. As long as scent control is taken under consideration like others have stated. I believe the best time to hunt a new set up is the very first time after it's hung.

Deer patterns change during the season, no need to set all your stands right away. Be ready to adapt and up your chances.

Good luck this season and ask questions. Alot of good bowhunters here willing to give practical advice.

[Shwangman]

Thanks Stratosman: I already have one!! Got a late start and got to the woods tonight about 6:00 got out of my truck walking in and notice three deer within about 20 yards of my stand then of coarse the neighbor dog started barking and that was, they turned into the woods. I walked to my stand and sat in till close 8:00 and my question is, was this just a wasted two hours?? And good luck to also!!

[Stratosman]

No time is wasted time...

Did you spook the deer or did the dog? Sometimes spooking deer is inevitable, like instances like you mentioned above. Those deer will be back, spook them again and you never know, they could be gone. You had no control over that. I have found that early season deer tend to move from beds to feeding areas well before dusk, what happened to you has happened to me as well. I absolutely hate bumping deer but it happens, if they don't scent you they might not associate what scared them with a human and they will be back. The barking dog they should be used to, so I wouldn't worry about that.

[Shwangman]

The dog was about 500 yards from me and when he barked, they turn in that direction and was zoned in on me, even thou I was not moving so I was much busted after that. Do guys really care jugs in the field if they have take go?? I have always used th outdoors as a bathroom and maybe that is a huge mistake? One thing is for sure bow hunting, scent & sound play a huge part of what one does from his stand. I have had a fawn & Yearling about 10 yards from me so I would think I'm ok but, maybe because they are young, I'm getting by vs a doe or buck. These young ones have set a 5:45 - 6:30 walk out to feed every night and I keep hoping they will bring some larger friends along but so far the three I have seen have been small. Thanks