How Crooked is Your Tree?

[JUSTINL]

And I don't mean family...

Spent the better part of an afternoon putting steps up a HUGE pin-oak Sunday. The tree is in a deep gully. I've got to go up about 35' to 40' just to get 20' to 25' above the parcel that I want to hunt. 'Bout the time I get to where I thought I'd put the stand (as spotted from the ground), the darn oak tree is crooked.

It looked straight from the ground, but the site that I wanted to put the stand is tilted forward a good bit. Put the stand there and suffer the tilt, put the stand on the opposite side, enjoy comfort but not the shooting opportunities.... What about splitting the difference & have some "Side-ways" tilt?

Well - any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

&quot;It's not the kill, it's the adventure and challenge! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>&quot;

[lzalbany]

I'd find another tree, it's better to be safe and have a good view of your shooting area. Surely theres other trees that you can hunt from without having to be so high up. I hunt anywhere from 10' to 15' and i've harvested 2 deer so far this season. Both deer were within 20 yds, one was less than five when I shot.

[bfisherman11]

I have a problem with crooked trees too. My answer has been ladder stands. I bought a cheap one that has a small platform/seat 15' tall and you can only sit. The problem with that is I cannot shoot to my left (RH shooter). I like to stand so my next ladder stand will be a bigger ladder stand, one I can stand up on. Put it up early enough in the season and it never affects the deer at all. Of course this is usually only practical if you own the land, these are not portable stands.
Good luck=======&gt;
Bill

[Antler Eater]

Sounds like a place for a Buckfinder Treestand.
www.buckfinder.com

[JUSTINL]

Thanks Antler.

Wow - cool stand - but EXPENSIVE!

I ended up mounting the stand about 5' lower than I wanted on the opposite side of the tree. I'll have to cut more shooting lanes now that I'm below the top of the windbreak/hedge.

The stand that I put up though I'll never buy again. It's a &quot;Hoot Owl&quot;. I don't remember the manufacturer, but it really seems &quot;flimsy&quot; as compared to some of my Baby Gorilla stands. It feels like it flexes a bit and does not seem to want to &quot;Lock&quot; into the tree as well as other stands that I've put up.

Safety wise i used 2 ratchet straps & even use some climbing gear to make the whole up & down journey safe. I'm locked in even if the stand goes.

Anyway, I'll let you all know how it goes this weekend. I'm going to finish cutting the lanes this evening and wait to hunt it 'till the weekend. Let the deer &quot;feel&quot; safe again. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>



&quot;It's not the kill, it's the adventure and challenge! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>&quot;

[trmichels]

I'm with antlereater. Its sounds like just the place for a buckfinder. www.buckfinder.com

trmichels@yahoo.com

T.R. Michels