I would recommend that you take the stands down after hunting season but if you don't, then I would do this. If I leave a stand up, I loosen the straps and take out any way for someone to get up to the stand. Safety reasons. You need to loosen the straps because when the tree starts to grow in the spring, the straps become extra tight and could break. Or you may have to cut them to get them off. Just my experience.