Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Every good spot I find has crappy roughted, leaning, fat, skinny, etc. trees. Am I being too picky in finding the right tree. Finding the deer has been easy, finding the tree has been a pain inMY ARSS![:@]

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

What kind of stand are you taling about? Hang on, ladder, climber? I've always been picky about what I pick for use with my climber until I hunted with some friends a few times. They would pick the best tree in the right spot....optimal diameter or a really thin dia. I used to find a good spot, look for a tree with the right bark and dia. and if it wasn't there I'd move to where I could find one. Not anymore.....I've quit being as picky with tree dia.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Well you cant be too picky when it comes to treestand safety and I believe you are trying to find a strong heatly big tree. I myself was having issues finding suitable trees for some of my stands. My main stand is my Rivers EdgeStealthLadder stand. The only problem I have had over the past few years of owning this stand was theoverly long support brace that straps to the tree. When setting up the stand I have had to have about 5 inches of the brace sicking out past theladder, this caused meto catch myselfand clothingwhen climbing in and out of the stand. So I did some planning and decided it was time for a quick modification. I cut the length of the bar that was sticking out say 5 inches or so. I cut a piece of 1 inch square tubbing to just about the same legnth of the original brace, slid the original brace inside the new tubing and drilled some holes about 2 inches apart matching the pre-existing holes in the original brace. Thus making the support brace adjustable to any length, so now no matter what tree I find, its suitable for the ladderstand and the stand will always be square. Sometimes modifications are needed to hunt certain areas, please do this carefully and if needed, ask someone who has modified factory built stands for assistance. Always use extreme caution when using any home made or modified stand and always use your safety harness or HSS (Hunters Safety System).

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

I'm using a Gorilla hang on stand with climbing sticks.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Overall, most chain on stands are not altogether fickle about the trees they go on. So you shouldnt be quite so picky.

Stand type and choice should be contingent on the spot to hunt. A sweet ambush site is alot harder to find than the stand to put there. Find your honey-hole, then make your plans according to the circumstances at hand. Make do with what you have, but make what you have do what's best for the circumstances. Am I making any sense?

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Not all trees are created equal same rule applys to stands.
If you have a climber or a ladder type then you have problem.
Lone Wolf has a hang on called the alpha, hang on this stand has a leveling divice that allows to adjust to the angle of the tree, you might want to check it out on their web site.
If you don't have that option there is always a good ground blind like a Double Bull.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Yep, what he said ;) I use Lone Wolf and climbing sticks. I hunt deer, not trees.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Get yourself a Tree Saddle and the shape of the tree just don't matter much. ;) Of course, I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those things, but hey, the must work, right?

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Your using a Gorilla w/sticks. A tree to put it in shouldn't be too much of a problem. It doesn't necessarilly have to be a perfectly straight tree, it just needs to be straight on the area, at the height, and in the dirrectionyou want to put your stand. Your stand can lean back ever so slightly, but you do not want it to lean to either side or forward. That not only would be dangerous, but makes for a very uncomfortable hunt. Finding a straight tree is the safest, but I have had to put sticksin trees where you had to climb at an angle to get to the stand, which would then be straight. I have hung or helped hang over 800 stands in 5 states and have seenor hung stands in most every kind of tree possible. Also not too small a tree or the wind will whip you all over ..LOL

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Gorrilla: Made over seas
Lone Wolf: Made in Wisconsin

Gorilla: Makes noise
Lone Wolf: Cast platform has no material stress, solid and light. SILENT.

Gorrilla: somewhat straight tree.
Lone Wolf: Can be put on angles to straighten stand on side to side crooked trees or leaning forward or back.

Lone Wolf sticks attach directly to back of stand, slip up ANY Tree quietly and quickly. No welds... Be safe!

Alright, let me say it in a way you can understand it...

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Holly Mary Mother Of GOD!!! If that picture is all due to a Lone Wolf tree stand...i'll take 500 please.

I ended up with a Gorilla stand based solely on $. I figured it wassmarter to go with a cheaper stand for a couple years than my wife wanting a divorce. I have spent some serious $$$on my first year bowhunting but at least I bought a BowTech!:)

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Bloodbro
Your such a show off I'm just GREEN with envey but your right, you ca explane it in so many ways.
But a picture can sat a thouusand words.
Nice collection of mounts CONGRATS.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

I agree with Deerdust. I use an Ameristep hang on and their rapid rails. I have gotten into some weirdly contorted trees and setup. The rails allow you to manuever around branches and bends to get to a good part of the tree. Try to set your hang on on a fairly straight part of the tree.
Since you are using sticks and a hang on, you shouldn't have any problems finding a tree. If you were using a climber, it would be more difficult.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

I just look for somthing that is reasonably straight and healthy and let my self adjusting gorilla climber do the rest.

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Bloodbro, that is an impressive aray of mounts. The info I was giving him was based on the type of stand and sticks he said he had to use. Which would also apply to most hang-on stands and sticks on the market. Except maybe Lone Wolf..lol

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

Deerdust,
No offense was taken. Just trying to get my point across. Seems like Guys will pay anything for a bow, or a scent free outfit, but really skimp on quality on treestands. In my opinion, if you aint in the right tree, a billion doller bow ain't going to do you any good. I use that stand and stick combo to slip into staging areas very close to the bucks bed, 1/2 the deer I shoot get up within view and some get out of there beds within bow range. If I made one metalic noise, or creak, it would be over. I give that stand, way more credit than my bow. ;)

RE: Finding the right tree for my tree stand...
 

well i tell ya what i have the same problem the perfect spot is usually very uncomfortable but if i have to freeze my butt off and sit uncomfortably for hours on end then i will do that.