Scouting Public land

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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wappkid
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Scouting Public land

Unread postby wappkid » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:19 am

On public land"While early season scouting". When you find the tree you want to put a stand.Do you guys hang a stand that early before season or do you just prep the tree for a stand?I have several hang ons but I don't normally put them on public property. I have a LW climber stand I use a lot. The only drawback is having to cut so many branches and limbs to get up 25-30 ft.If I prep the tree early in the year. Will that affect deer movement in that area?I am pretty stealthy with the LW climber."Accept for when I have to trim a lot of branches before a hunt.Do you guys use climbers or hang ons?I have tried to use hang ons in the past but it always seem like I am making more noise than when I use my climber.Do you set up and take down your hang on every time if you only have one set of sticks and stand?
Last edited by wappkid on Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:36 am, edited 2 times in total.


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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Bucky » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:33 am

I try and prep things as early as possible in thicker areas. The key is not to make it obvious to deer or other hunters. March/April is a great time to clear things out some if needed seeing the woods looks similar to what it will once the leaves are off. Hunting the thick drainages down in MO you have no choice but to clear things out some to be able to shoot :)
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby wappkid » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:39 am

I am hunting some serious hill country down here in the Ozarks.It's really thick in areas.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby dan » Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:04 am

L/W hang-on and sticks...
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby wappkid » Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:16 am

dan wrote:L/W hang-on and sticks...
How long does it take you to set up? And how quiet can you do it?
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:26 am

I use a tree saddle with sticks. I like to get the tree preped in spring, although here in WI, we can't cut living vegetation. But I at least get up the tree to see how it will work, and mark a trail on my gps. We also can't leave stands on public land here in WI
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby dan » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:17 am

wappkid wrote:
dan wrote:L/W hang-on and sticks...
How long does it take you to set up? And how quiet can you do it?

10 or 15 minutes, I can be quieter than a climber and often set up within 100 yards of bedded bucks. I have had bucks rise as close as 40 yards from me the same evening after setting the stand.
The best part is I can get the hang-on and sticks in any tree.
I am hunting deer, not straight limbless trees.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby wappkid » Mon Jan 17, 2011 3:48 pm

dan wrote:
wappkid wrote:
dan wrote:L/W hang-on and sticks...
How long does it take you to set up? And how quiet can you do it?

10 or 15 minutes, I can be quieter than a climber and often set up within 100 yards of bedded bucks. I have had bucks rise as close as 40 yards from me the same evening after setting the stand.
The best part is I can get the hang-on and sticks in any tree.
I am hunting deer, not straight limbless trees.
I am going to have to switch to a hang on. Looking for a tree that I can put a climber is sometimes a nightmare.And then by the time I have found that tree and cut half of the limbs. I have significantly reduced my chances on seeing mature bucks.I am just going to practice setting up and taking down a hang on.Thanks Dan
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby PASwamper » Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:04 pm

I agree the hang-on is almost essential in some scenarious, but for trees you're going up 25 - 30 feet I'd prep them now or spring if you could and use your climber. I don't think if you trim a little now or spring it will affect deer anymore than you already have by being there. I think the climber has the advantage for height, speed, hassle, safety, and weight so I would keep it as an option. If sound is an issue with your climber try using some hockey tape on it, its cheap and works great. I have a clanky loggy that I made pretty much as quiet as can be with that stuff. I'm not saying don't use the hang on, but I am saying trim early and get high with your climber if the situation allows because 25 - 30 feet is a long ways to go with a hang on both for safety and time reasons.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Ack » Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:26 pm

I really prefer the hang on and sticks also, but sometimes I do not have enough time to set up for every hunt. I like to have a few stands in place in my "good" spots just to save time and use my mobile setup when I want to hunt a new area during the season.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Autumn Ninja » Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:18 am

I've always used a climber. From start to finish, it takes me about two min. from stand on my back...to 20 ft. high.

I love the challenge that the climber offers and its made me a better hunter. I have to study and plan each hunt with much more detail...The added challenge of being limited to a certain type of tree, yet...still getting on a mature buck in day light equals big fun to me. Every now and then a buck seems impossible to set up on but theres always a way, I just have to up my game.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Buckfever » Wed Jan 26, 2011 5:10 pm

I prep the trees and lanes now and in September, either during or right before a rain is forecast I set the sticks and hook only. On public land you don't want to leave your stand up and reveal your set. That's the beauty of the Lone Wolf system, you just need one stand. It's nothing to climb up and set the stand on the hook.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby DEERSLAYER » Wed Jan 26, 2011 5:57 pm

One problem I have had with my lone wolf sticks is the deer spotting them low and following them up to me. Anybody else had this problem? I love them otherwise.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Buckfever » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:04 am

DEERSLAYER wrote:One problem I have had with my lone wolf sticks is the deer spotting them low and following them up to me. Anybody else had this problem? I love them otherwise.


I've had a decent buck do that, but then he followed the scent line to the mock scrape and gave me a shot. It's part of why I think if you know it's the set you're going to get a few hunts out of, to set the sticks in September and let them become part of the accustomed landscape. That and if you're setting up close to the bedding it's nice to be able to quietly just go straight up and hunt. I'm working 24 sticks and mostly just get 4 sets with that.
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Re: Scouting Public land

Unread postby Brandon » Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:22 am

I rarely hunt the same tree... so no preping.

LW sticks and Assualt for me for life.
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