How early will you place a stand?

[Junebug]

I try scout all summer long; to the point of watching crop fields and pastures in the evening w/'noculars from a distance. Question: How long before the season will you set a stand? Long enough for him to get used to it or wait till the last minute (just before the season starts) so you don't tip him off?

Some would wait till you actually hunt; say an old smart buck never "gets used to a stand" or you might risk bumping him. Others feel you should scout early, set it, get out, and stay out till the time is right.

What's your take?

 

[carabrook]

Our stands stay up all year but the latest I would do one is mid august. JMO

 

[Mac]

Some are still up from last year. All will be in place before 1 Aug. The only thing if put up at the last minute is a climber.

 

[Huntervationist]

already placed 2..and about to place a 3rd!!!

 

[Clark_Kent]

Well I usually only hang 1 or 2 climbers and they will be moved as soon as a deer has been harvested from them or the deer have noticed them, but for the most part I hunt from the ground using blow downs, boulders, and ditches to break up my outline. It's a little harder way to hunt because your basicly at eye level with the deer and you have to keep your movments to a bare minimum.
I also have some stands that stay in the woods.


clark

 

[Junebug]

My biggest problem w/placing stands early is the deer's pattern often seems to change by the time the season rolls around. (Except in places that produce year after year).

My biggest problem w/placing them at the last minute is I feel like I lose the element of stealth (especially bowhunting), and I'm so concerned about scent so close to hunting time.

 

[Arrow3]

I pretty much hunt out of a climber 95 % of the time...I wait till the last minute to put mine up...A lot of times I pack it in and out...

 

[short stop]

i move a few around during sept right after I see some fresh buck sign --SS

 

[duckbill]

I'm heading up this weekend to hang a couple in the bottoms for bowseason. The bottoms are natural travel lanes and are much cooler, so they should be a good bet. I've got a couple of climbers for those spots I find in August.

 

[Craig Knight]

99% of the time I just carry my portable in when I go in to hunt it is usually in the same tree as the year before or one very close to it.

 

[HT2]

June.........

We have some we leave up all year long and we have some we put up whenever.........

IMO.......

I don't think it really matters..........

 

[Jim Thompson]

Some are there all year and others will get in mid summer, while others will get put up the day before I hunt and then the climbers may get carried in.

Jim

 

[WOODIE13]

Hunt public (semi public) land and do it the evening or morning before.

 

[coon dawg]

my permanent stands are checked,

and my loc-ons and climbers in place by August 15th.......for the whole season...........sometimes will move one for the last week of gun season.......

 

[Randy]

Going down this weekend to the new lease to place one. The ones on the old lease are already in place.

 

[gadeerwoman]

If I find a hot looking buck spot while post season scouting I've been known to get a stand up and then not go near the spot again until hunting season opens. One thing I dislike is folks who do all their scouting between 9/1 and the end of season. I want my stands up and no human disturbance whatsoever in the area for at least a month before season opens if possible. If it is near a food plot, I'll work on the food plot but walking around constantly in the area close to season opening or during the season is a big no-no as far as I am concerned.

 

[Branchminnow]

I always hunt mobile especially if I dont want to spook the deer. If I am hunting near a beddeing area I will hang my stand the night before in the dark with no light so as not to spook up my game. I always know what tree I will hunt out of through my preseason scouting.

 

[davidhelmly]

I have 3 up already and will have 3 or 4 more up this weekend.

 

[Thunder]

Have the permanent ones in place, but I like to scout right after the season end and put up a stand in an area that is heavily used at the end or after the season. When they shift patterns after the rut, I want to be there!!

 

[Harvester]

Have six up all year in the more productive areas. One climber ready to enter if I'm in the mood to sneak up and try a newer area or if the wind is not right for the area that I want to hunt.70% of my deer come from the ground anyway. I cant vote either way