Pre Season 2014

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Who's out there getting ready for the upcoming deer season whether it's new stands hung/moved, mineral, food plots, cameras, etc.,?

[maplelakeduckslayer]

Probably going to be a bit now...3" of rain so far. Would like to get out and rip up part of my clover for turnips/radishes/etc. As well as set out some mineral and a camera I bought last year. Need to move probably two of my stands, one is very uncomfortable and one the tree died off last year with all the bark coming off. Going to be a chore as there are not a ton of stand worthy trees on my property. Need to pound in a few fence posts in the corner as well to keep the snowmobiles from cruising through.

Going to take a bit to dry out...plus I have turkey hunting in there...and taking the GF turkey hunting...then Memorial at the cabin. Probably be June before I get out.

[dwendt]

Just been getting ready for turkey so far, I don't do much to prepare for deer season, plenty of food with the field around and I prefer to sit on the ground. And the cameras are busy in turkey area.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

I've got three cameras running so far. Mineral sites are all started or refreshed. One clover plot has had additional clover frost seeded and fertilized with plans to do the same to another one or two within the next two weeks. Stands I will take care of after everything else is done.

Don't know why, but pretty exciting for bow hunting this year.

[h2ofwlr]

Going to be a chore as there are not a ton of stand worthy trees on my property.

Have you ever considered using 20' 4x4s stuck in the ground 4' and building a deck 12' up with a railing? Maybe using Tr plwywood as a railing and to stop some of the wind for the colder day hunts? Maybe place in amongst some smaller trees to break up it outline and yet have good shooting lanes?

Or considered buying some old beat up rusty steel scaffolding and using it as a tower blind? (A saw an ad on CL adv scaffolding as a deer blind last fall). And if it needs to be moved, you can disasemble it pretty easily. Just use some Tr 1' long 2x10 under the legs for support so it does not push into the ground. if you can, find the "ladder" types of scaffolding, as there are wide wrungs on the ends for easy climbing up and down. These are using 5' high VS the "walk thru" type of scaffolding. I'd use treated 2x12 or 2x14 for planks and lip them at least 6" over the edges and place a steel angle or a 2x3 cleat under the ends so that they don't slip off the wrung. Check CL, auction places like K-bid, local paper, etc for old cheaper scaffolding if this is something someone may want to pursue.

Anyway, maybe this will give a few readers and idea or 2 for permanent or semi permanent blinds without breaking the bank account on those fancy store bought tower blinds..

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Going to be a chore as there are not a ton of stand worthy trees on my property.

Have you ever considered using 20' 4x4s stuck in the ground 4' and building a deck 12' up with a railing? Maybe using Tr plwywood as a railing and to stop some of the wind for the colder day hunts? Maybe place in amongst some smaller trees to break up it outline and yet have good shooting lanes?

I built one two summers ago using 35' telephone poles cut in half. Ironically just erased a picture I had of it on my phone here at noon or would have posted it.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

I've been tossing around some different ideas. Telephone pole would be awesome as my Dad has a bobcat and a hole auger...but the spot I really need a pole to put a stand on is at the bottom of a pretty steep hill...not sure I could get the bobcat down there and back up. The other spot I need to cross a swamp...I've buried my four wheeler in there so it would need to be pretty dry for a bob cat. Still thinking about what to do. I may just use a ground blind in the one spot...but in the other I really need to be up in a tree to be able to see anything. I've seen a lot of big bucks from the tree I'm in so I really want to stay right in that area. Got a few months to try and figure something out.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Blind from natural vegetation/trees may be your best bet?

[emptymag]

I've been tossing around some different ideas. Telephone pole would be awesome as my Dad has a bobcat and a hole auger...but the spot I really need a pole to put a stand on is at the bottom of a pretty steep hill...not sure I could get the bobcat down there and back up. The other spot I need to cross a swamp...I've buried my four wheeler in there so it would need to be pretty dry for a bob cat. Still thinking about what to do. I may just use a ground blind in the one spot...but in the other I really need to be up in a tree to be able to see anything. I've seen a lot of big bucks from the tree I'm in so I really want to stay right in that area. Got a few months to try and figure something out.

Steel tripod or quadpod stand.

http://www.cabelas.com/category/Tripod- ... 272380.uts

[emptymag]

We are redoing all of our food plots this year.
I also need to move 1 stand and cut some brush around 2 others.