Deer season is many months away, yet true deer hunters mentally hunt year-round. Josh Honeycutt, author of this YouTube video is quick to point out the logistical and tactical reasons why now is the time to work on your treestands for fall. Ironically, my hunting club has been a whirl-wind of stand preparation in recent weeks. While I was turkey hunting, my buddies were actively building and placing stands.
Why Now?
On a cool or frosty spring morning of turkey hunting, its easy to think of the fall season. However, remember how hot it will be in August when you may be panicking about putting up those last minute treestands or cutting shooting lanes. Think about poison ivy, snakes, ticks, spiders, and a host of other nasty things that make late August and early September stand maintenance a problem.
Scent Control
Most whitetail deer have a core area, especially in summer months when they focus on food sources. If trees, bushes, and other cover suddenly disappear, they will become alarmed and change their routine. Additionally, in the very hot, last days of summer, you can plan on plenty of sweat and human odor as you finalize your treestands. Additionally, any branches touched by your hands will leave ample human sign of your presence.
Beat the Growing Season
Safety is an issue as well. Any tree that you attach a stand to will expand over the summer. That natural growth expansion can spell big trouble for tree stands. For permanent stands, nail heads will be pulled through timbers, even treated lumber, which makes them less safe. Straps and buckles that are tight in spring may be stretched to the breaking point by this expansion. Use a new ratchet strap to hold your stand in place and relax the main straps to allow for this growth. This is a bit like sawing off the limb you are standing on, so be careful.
If I still haven motivated you to get out there and do your stand work now, Honeycutt’s 5 tips surely will: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8lwNJep88o&list=TLGG8T1hb7VK19gwOTA1MjAxNw
