Boredom----How to make low cost tree stands for MLer hunting, gotta have Y-Tree

[gleason.chapman]

I see many of us are bored out of our mind. This is the perfect time of the year to put up tree stands for next year. I use to make my own. The complete instructions are here:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/low_cost_tree_stands_for_hunting.htm

Cost is a huge issue and they are about $13/stand for everything. 1 sheet of 3/4" plywood makes 5 stands.

Here is a picture:


Chap

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: gleason.chapman

I see many of us are bored out of our mind. This is the perfect time of the year to put up tree stands for next year. I use to make my own. The complete instructions are here:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/low_cost_tree_stands_for_hunting.htm

Cost is a huge issue and they are about $13/stand for everything. 1 sheet of 3/4" plywood makes 5 stands.

Here is a picture:


Chap

You take 1 sheet of plywood and cut it into 10 pieces like this:

Chap

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: gleason.chapman

You take 1 sheet of plywood and cut it into 10 pieces like this:

Chap

You then take two of the pieces and screw them together with drywall screws and cut V's in it:

Chap

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: gleason.chapman

You then take two of the pieces and screw them together with drywall screws and cut V's in it:

Chap

When your finished you have a y-board that looks like this. One sheet of 3/4" pressure treated plywood makes 5 Y-boards.


Chap

[gleason.chapman]

To make the steps into the Y-board, the instructions are here:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/How%20to%20make%20steps%20into%20a%20Y-board.pdf

A single step (you need 8 of them spaced about 18" apart to get in a tree), looks like this when you have it made. It is simple, 10' of 3/8" rope with a loop on one end and a 4x4 block, pressure treated.
Chap

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: gleason.chapman

To make the steps into the Y-board, the instructions are here:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/How%20to%20make%20steps%20into%20a%20Y-board.pdf

A single step (you need 8 of them spaced about 18" apart to get in a tree), looks like this when you have it made. It is simple, 10' of 3/8" rope with a loop on one end and a 4x4 block, pressure treated.
Chap

You make about 8 of these per tree, and space them about 18" apart, like this.




Instructions on how to tie the steps securely to the tree are here:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/How%20to%20make%20steps%20into%20a%20Y-board.pdf

You only need a circular saw and a drill to make these Y-board tree stands.

Chap

[gleason.chapman]

You also need a good "line-man" style safety belt to put them up and safely hunt from the tree stands, here is one from Cabelas:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0032881416955a&type=product&cm Cat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=tree+stand+safety+belt& amp;N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall& amp;Nty=1&Ntt=tree+stand+safety+belt&noIma ge=0

It is on sale at Cabelas. Here is a picture. Chap

[gleason.chapman]

You also need one good Tree seat, here is one at Cabelas this is very good:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0021239416017a&type=product&cm Cat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=tree+seat&N=4887&am p;Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&amp ;Ntt=tree+seat&noImage=0

You can get a cheaper one here:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0004819415043a&type=product&cm Cat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=tree+seat&N=4887&am p;Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&amp ;Ntt=tree+seat&noImage=0

But the one above is only a two hour seat, the Gorolla is an all day comfortable seat.

So there you have it. My "system"/strategy for low cost tree stands for hunting. They are safe, easy to construct, and are strong and quiet for bow hunting. Hope this helps some of you bored people out there.


Chap

[cayugad]

Have you ever looked into the hanging safety vest? Put the vest on, and tighten the straps, and you're all done. Other then hooking it to the tree of course.

As for your stand, that looks just like the one Ifell out of when I was a young man. I was on it and stepped too close to the edge and it tipped. Back then of course we never wore those safety straps. I've never went back onto on of them since. I'd rather hunt out of the tree itself. Perhaps your design is better as I have no idea who made that thing I took a dive out of... Lucky for me the snow was deep and it was not too high up that year. All I hurt was my pride. I dug a hole in the snow and hunted in that hole, sitting on a stump that day. I did manage to shoot a real nice doe that afternoon.

I gather lumber, especially treated lumber, and build platforms. My friend is a carpenter, and he brings me his deck projects scraps. It would shock you what some people will throw away, scrap lumber wise. I find them a lot safer. Of course they are a two man operation to put up (or a wheeler with a winch and block and tackle), so once they are up they are not coming down, or getting stolen too easy unless the thief is determined.

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: cayugad

Have you ever looked into the hanging safety vest? Put the vest on, and tighten the straps, and you're all done. Other then hooking it to the tree of course.

As for your stand, that looks just like the one Ifell out of when I was a young man. I was on it and stepped too close to the edge and it tipped. Back then of course we never wore those safety straps. I've never went back onto on of them since. I'd rather hunt out of the tree itself. Perhaps your design is better as I have no idea who made that thing I took a dive out of... Lucky for me the snow was deep and it was not too high up that year. All I hurt was my pride. I dug a hole in the snow and hunted in that hole, sitting on a stump that day. I did manage to shoot a real nice doe that afternoon.

I gather lumber, especially treated lumber, and build platforms. My friend is a carpenter, and he brings me his deck projects scraps. It would shock you what some people will throw away, scrap lumber wise. I find them a lot safer. Of course they are a two man operation to put up (or a wheeler with a winch and block and tackle), so once they are up they are not coming down, or getting stolen too easy unless the thief is determined.

Yes, Hunter Safety System, they are about $79 at Cabelas. I have several different types of safety harnesses. Yes, it is amazing what people throw away as scrap. Ladder stands are best in my opinion just cause we are old and the two feet on the same ladder rung makes for secure going up the tree.

The Y-boards are nailed or screwed into a tree like this (see picture below), NOT just wedged into the Y-tree. In the example below there are 7 four inch nails holding the Y-board into the tree. In situations where the landowner doesn't want you to use nails you can use 4" deck screws and use a cordless drill to put them in. In that way it is not a permanent stand, but is easily removed. After two years approximately, the tree starts to grow around the Y-board makeing it even stronger. I have Y-board tree stands that have been in 10 years and still work great.

Chap