Throwback treestand

jbogg · Apr 29, 2018

I went turkey hunting this morning on some Chattahoochee NF that I had been meaning to explore and found this old treestand at around 3600’. This is the second time I have found one of these 55 gallon drum stands in the woods, and I thought it was an interesting reminder of a time before portable climbing stands. The wind was blowing pretty good up high, and I could just imagine a Hunter shivering in that barrel on a frigid November morning trying not to freeze to death as he waited for that old ridge runner to appear in the gap.

deermaster13 · Apr 29, 2018

Neat find. Been awhile since I seen one in the woods.

oops1 · Apr 29, 2018

That's pretty cool

frankwright · Apr 30, 2018

I hunt on a friends land in Lamar county and I bet there are 12 of those on his 100+ acres left over from a long past time.. They actually cut two barrels and welded them together at an angle and had a grate in the bottom.
I haven't seen one close up but they don't look like they were ever warm or comfortable.

jbogg · Apr 30, 2018

frankwright said:
I hunt on a friends land in Lamar county and I bet there are 12 of those on his 100+ acres left over from a long past time.. They actually cut two barrels and welded them together at an angle and had a grate in the bottom.
I haven't seen one close up but they don't look like they were ever warm or comfortable.

Yep. The first one I saw a few years ago was essentially 1 1/2 barrels welded together so that the 1/2 barrel formed a seat. The one I found yesterday was on top of a ridge about 1.5 miles from the nearest parking, but near the end of a blocked off, old abandoned logging road so I’m guessing the original owner was able to drive it up there way back when. As old as the stand looked I was surprised the oak tree was no bigger than it was, but I bet the poor rocky soil up on that mountain probably causes the trees to grow very slowly.

whitetailfreak · Apr 30, 2018

I know of a good many old permanent stands in the mountains, but never one out of a drum (usually a crude platform in the fork of a tree). I've killed several bucks around these old timers, as usually they're in pretty good spots.

Ranch Hand · Apr 30, 2018

Doesn’t look too comfy, looks more like a feeder that grew taller with the tree

meatseeker · Apr 30, 2018

Ranch Hand said:
Doesn’t look too comfy, looks more like a feeder that grew taller with the tree

It wouldn’t grow up with the tree. Anything in a tree will stay at the same height it was originally at. A tree grows from the top.
Never seen one, but heard of them. I’d never be able to sit in one myself.

Longhorn 16 · Apr 30, 2018

meatseeker said:
It wouldn’t grow up with the tree. Anything in a tree will stay at the same height it was originally at. A tree grows from the top.
Never seen one, but heard of them. I’d never be able to sit in one myself.

I have good friend and an outstanding hunter but I can not get him to understand how trees grow. He insists the tree is lifting his stand.

Silver Britches · Apr 30, 2018

I've also seen a few of those here in southeastern Georgia. Ones I've seen in the past were nearly rusted away. Bet they were warm and comfy during the winter.

ryanh487 · May 1, 2018

Saw one in meriwether once that was turned on its side with a hole cut in it and an old recliner wedged in. Looked like it would have been pretty comfortable back in the day.

Longhorn 16 · May 1, 2018

What gives the right to post a photo of my honey hole. I can’t believe you found it. Just to think that all those comfy days napping in the stand may be coming to an end! What’s a guy have to do to keep his personal loungers safe.

jbogg · May 1, 2018

whitetailfreak said:
I know of a good many old permanent stands in the mountains, but never one out of a drum (usually a crude platform in the fork of a tree). I've killed several bucks around these old timers, as usually they're in pretty good spots.

A lot of the old permanent stands are in a nice gap or saddle for a reason, and I definitely make a mental note of the ones I find. I have thought about how difficult it would have been to tote the lumber required up to some of these spots, until I realized that many of the current permanently closed logging roads were likely open for vehicles Forty plus years ago so access might have been a little easier in some spots.

one hogman · May 5, 2018

jbogg said:
I went turkey hunting this morning on some Chattahoochee NF that I had been meaning to explore and found this old treestand at around 3600’. This is the second time I have found one of these 55 gallon drum stands in the woods, and I thought it was an interesting reminder of a time before portable climbing stands. The wind was blowing pretty good up high, and I could just imagine a Hunter shivering in that barrel on a frigid November morning trying not to freeze to death as he waited for that old ridge runner to appear in the gap.

I expected to see a Pic of Throwback wid his badge on Hunting.. :biggrin2:

tree cutter 08 · May 5, 2018

whitetailfreak said:
I know of a good many old permanent stands in the mountains, but never one out of a drum (usually a crude platform in the fork of a tree). I've killed several bucks around these old timers, as usually they're in pretty good spots.

I always give a spot a good look over when I find a good stand like that! Nice find jbogg! Always like finding stuff like that in the woods.

Mr Bya Lungshot · May 5, 2018

Who hung a metal drum and hunted it more than once?

porter62 · May 5, 2018

Jbogg was this by chance in Union county I have seen a couple of those stands of of Hwy 180.

bluemarlin · May 5, 2018

I've found a couple just like that at Sheffield WMA

Devildawg17 · May 21, 2018

I found one on my In-Laws new property yesterday, never seen one before either. They had landscape spikes going up the tree to climb up.

frankwright · May 22, 2018

I found the picture I mentioned earlier. Two barrels welded together I guess for more foot room.
Barrel would have been straight up and down at one time but tree growth is changing it's position.

All of the barrels are in good locations, I don't even want to think how they got them in the tree!

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