Best tree stand setup for a property

[BSK]

I think it all depends on the area. When I hunted military installations, I would often see deer, yes even mature ones, in areas that had just had a field exercise in it. Many of the areas you could actually drink your coffee, smoke, chew etc, while on your stand because deer were used to those scents, and while they associated it with humans, they didn't associate it with danger. Many times, ranges have to be stopped because deer are in the target area, knowing shots are been fired but knowing they themselves are not the target.

I completely agree with this Omega. It's all about what is normal and what isn't. Deer will ignore all things human where people are present on a daily basis and that human activity causes them no harm. I don't know if it is just "trial and error," but deer have an amazing ability to differentiate between "dangerous" human behavior and "non-dangerous." And part of that is just spatial awareness. People around a barn or in an agricultural field are not a threat. They encounter people in those locations all the time, and the vast majority of these encounters are non-threatening, hence the deer ignore them. People suddenly "back in the woods where people normally don't go" are dangerous and deer will react negatively to even traces of their presence.

 

[DMD]

Just secured a lease, and I'll need to start acquiring stands to set up. I can't decide which route to go:
2 or 3 ladder stands for ~$200/ea
4 or 5 hang ons for ~$75/ea with one set of sticks I move between
1 climber and maybe a ladder stand

I have VERY little tree stand experience, so don't really know which direction to head. I've only ever been in a ladder stand, and I liked how secure and comfortable it was, but they're expensive and annoying to move. Climbers kind of scare me as they seem pretty unstable.

The lease is about 2,900 acres, so plenty of room to spread out. Just don't know what the best bang for my buck will be.

Thanks!

There are a lot of factors to consider - such as the terrain features, the timber, is there agriculture on the property, etc. BUT, f it were me, I might buy a ladder stand or two, but I'd definitely go with a climber. I don't like to set up a ladder stand, until I am confident that the spot is one that is going to be "productive" year after year. I don't relish going in and moving ladder stands every year. I would hunt with a climber until I had confidence a spot is going to be productive regularly, then I might set up a ladder stand. I'm not a "hang on" stand hunter, personally.

 

[themanpcl]

Just secured a lease, and I'll need to start acquiring stands to set up. I can't decide which route to go:
2 or 3 ladder stands for ~$200/ea
4 or 5 hang ons for ~$75/ea with one set of sticks I move between
1 climber and maybe a ladder stand

I have VERY little tree stand experience, so don't really know which direction to head. I've only ever been in a ladder stand, and I liked how secure and comfortable it was, but they're expensive and annoying to move. Climbers kind of scare me as they seem pretty unstable.

The lease is about 2,900 acres, so plenty of room to spread out. Just don't know what the best bang for my buck will be.

Thanks!

WOW! That's a lot of land. Just my opinion, whether you choose ladders, lock on's, climber's you leave in the woods or any combination, location by season is key. Where you place a ladder or lock on for early fall season will probably not be the same spot as a stand for later in the season when leaves fall. Typically you would want to have those in place by July in order to give time for the area to get back to "normal" prior to opening of season. Relocating ladder or lock on is more difficult than moving a climber so if you plan to move them in season, that may be tricky. Using a rainy/windy day helps. With the lock on approach, using mobile sticks and old school lock on's, that makes sense for $ but the same problem when moving them (time, noise, disturbing area etc). With that amount of acreage, if you aren't going to run n gun based on weather and need to put in ladders and lock on's, you may want to look at more than what you suggest above. I have just under 100 acres and use 6 ladders (2 that were on the property are embedded in the tree so cannot move..lol) as well as 2 lock on's, a few climbers I leave in the woods and I run n gun w/ saddle. Good luck with the new property!

 

[rifle02]

There are a lot of factors to consider - such as the terrain features, the timber, is there agriculture on the property, etc. BUT, f it were me, I might buy a ladder stand or two, but I'd definitely go with a climber. I don't like to set up a ladder stand, until I am confident that the spot is one that is going to be "productive" year after year. I don't relish going in and moving ladder stands every year. I would hunt with a climber until I had confidence a spot is going to be productive regularly, then I might set up a ladder stand. I'm not a "hang on" stand hunter, personally.

This exactly. I have one ladder stand that I set up on a property that was new this past year thought it might be a good spot but wasn't sure. It's not. I really am not looking forward to moving it but I'm going to have to. Saw only one dear there and it came from a way that left me Skylined. Has to be moved.

 

[Ski]

I have one ladder stand that I set up on a property that was new this past year thought it might be a good spot but wasn't sure. It's not. I really am not looking forward to moving it but I'm going to have to. Saw only one dear there and it came from a way that left me Skylined. Has to be moved.

Of all the "permanent" stands I have, the longest one has stayed in the same spot is about 4yrs and it's on the slate to be moved this year. Of course I'm only going to move it about 30yds but it still has to move because vegetation has changed enough that deer movement has shifted just out of bow range. Every year they got pushed a few feet and now they're just barely out of range and it cost me a shot on a great buck this season. The deer woods are always in flux. Something is always changing. Trees fall. Brier thickets expand or get choked down. Storms & flash floods cause new ditches/drainages, or change existing ones. As the layout slightly changes, so does deer movement. And stands have to move too if you want to have a shot. It's all part of it.

 

[BSK]

This exactly. I have one ladder stand that I set up on a property that was new this past year thought it might be a good spot but wasn't sure. It's not. I really am not looking forward to moving it but I'm going to have to. Saw only one dear there and it came from a way that left me Skylined. Has to be moved.

I feel your pain. We will move up to 20 ladder stands each year, many being the big 2-person "buddy" ladder stands, and we will do that in one 3-day weekend. And we usually pick the hottest weekend of the summer! Not fun...

 

[DeerMan66]

I feel your pain. We will move up to 20 ladder stands each year, many being the big 2-person "buddy" ladder stands, and we will do that in one 3-day weekend. And we usually pick the hottest weekend of the summer! Not fun...

I like to move ladder stands in Feb and March. The weather is nice and there are no leaves. That way I can see the same thing I will see in November.

 

[rifle02]

I like to move ladder stands in Feb and March. The weather is nice and there are no leaves. That way I can see the same thing I will see in November.

Wow, great suggestion.

 

[BSK]

I like to move ladder stands in Feb and March. The weather is nice and there are no leaves. That way I can see the same thing I will see in November.

I mark all the trees I want to move stand to in February and March. In fact, I just finished that operation. However, I don't want to actually move the stands until I know what the acorn crop is going to look like. On my place, we see two very different movement patterns depending on whether it is a good acorn crop or not. So I want to be able to look in the trees and assess the crop in July and early August before we make our actual stand moves.