Stand Hangin' in the South

Dad and I spent a little time hanging stands and filling feeders on the family farm in Kentucky last weekend. I always forget how much fun these chores are in sweltering summer heat. Wasps, which love to make nests under the seats of old stands that need to be moved and on the undersides of feeder lids, add to the appeal. Such is the life of a bowhunter in the Southeast.

While I use climbing stands for most of my hunting, a few permanent, portable stands are nice to have in proven areas on the farm. One such spot is pictured above. It's on the side of a white oak ridge overlooking a natural mineral spring. These springs, common in the area, were believed to have health benefits years ago, and Dawson Springs, where I'm originally from, had a thriving tourism industry built around them years ago. That's beside the point now. Deer use the fire out of them, particularly in the early season.

Hanging that stand while Dad was on the ground giving proper instruction reminded me of several tricks we've picked up over the years for hanging stands. This task will put a man in an array of uncomfortable contortions, especially when trying to balance on a screw-in step. So we throw a climbing stand into the mix, which gives us a nice working platform. We then pull the portable stand up with a rope, and secure it to the trunk of the tree with a slip knot. This gives us a chance to have both arms free for fastening the chain, or v-bar, or whatever is in place for that particular stand. Finally, we add the steps as we're descending the tree.

I've put up a lot of stands without a climbing stand, and while it is extra weight to pack in, it certainly makes the chore much more comfortable and safe.

One last thing, guys, before my wife interrupts me to finish watching Sweet Home Alabama with her yet again (I have to admit; it's a chick flick I can tolerate): Wear those safety belts, especially when climbing up, down, and doing work like hanging stands. Falls happen fast, and they can happen to anyone. A good buddy of mine found that out the hard way while sitting in a stand last winter. He broke a few vertebrae, but fortunately, he'll be able to hunt again this fall.

Will Brantley