Best Tree stand trick
 

Ok lets hear how you make your stands more stealthy.

Here is one of mine:

I love felt:D I put piece of felt where the two pieces of metal touch when loweing the seat. I do this because like a knuckle head I slammed it down once and of course a nice buck was right behind me[:@].



Also this is one of my favorite stands I own. They lock in a tree like no other stand I have.

Here is my favorite part of the stand. A 1500 lb test ratchet Yes over kill, but I really can ratchet this stand in. It does not make a sound from the 1st day to the last. If the tree is little bent I can adjust the platform.




Justin

Hillary loved the hat

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

Hey Germ,

Nice tip. My loud noises are usually from my gear hitting some metal on the stand. [&:]

I guess this goes with stealthy, we added these Cabela's shooting rail skirts to our lock-ons.
They are about $30, easy to put up, and they definitely seem to help not getting busted.




Btw, that is a cool hat and a cute kid.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

My favorite "stealth trick" is to fall asleep....Those stands just don't make much noise if you're motionless.......Well.....except for the occasional buck grunt.....:eek:[&:]:D

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I tie camo burlap on the bottom of my stands and around the straps. Not sure if it helps but it's cheap and really hides the stand.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

good tips Germ.

this year i did some treestand work. last year i only used my summit climber. took me a long while but i got most of the old summit skin off. then it was on to paint. i went with a heavy/double flat brown base coat and broke it up with green and kackie. the kackie really helped but i kept it kinda sparse...just enough to throw things out of the "blob" look. then i applied the new summit skin. after that i applied the sandpaper tape to the platform. last year it was raining and i about lost it...im just hoping the sandpaper dont make noise..we will see...

did the painting to the 2 lockons i have. ive never used them...but figured i should this season. they were the reason for paint..the summit is a year old..didnt need painted....but it looks better...that nasty green seems to stand out to me..

i will try to get some pics on here of the paint job..i like it. i was mainly trying to keep the lockons from rusting and also camoflauge them from people in the woods...thats the biggesst problem here is theft. going to take atleast my bottom 4 steps out AND master lock the chains....if someone wants it they will still get it..the chains arent super high quality...but hopefully i always have my stands...they are going to be hard to spot thats for sure...

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I did the same thing but I went to our local discount hunting store and picked up a huge sheet (don't remember the size) for about $20 (I think). I measured the stand, cut the length and doubled the material to make it thicker. I like the fact that it has holes cut in it to give it a leafy appearance and let the air blow through. Also my camo suit is leafy cut so I blend it perfectly with the stand cover. Someday I will get a picture of me in the stand...not that you will be able to see either one. :D



I also added arachet tie down strap to secure the top portion of my climber to the tree. I'm not taking any chances ofus sliding down the tree.
SAFETY NOTE: always make sure that you have straps tieing the top andbottom portions of your stand together. The last thing you want is to be 15-20 feet off the ground and have your bottom slide to the ground.

Back to stealth...I also bought a side pack to mount on the side rail of the stand. That way I don't have to stand up to get water or snacks out of my backpack hanging on the tree. This means less movement and sound.

Happy and Quiet Hunting
Reid

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

My trick is go high usually doa minimum of 20 feet but at the same time dont get skylined and have a good backdrop if not your tree others behind it and move really slow. and I also agree with naps helping you stay motionless thats happens more often then not it seems

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I have the platforms of my summits treated with that spray on liner stuff they put in truck beds. It helps with the grip (my boots)....and it dampens sound.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

That's a good idea Jeff. I simply put hocky tape on the metal parts except on the platform, put a piece of hose where both halfs contact while carrying and painted the edge red for safety. I also filed a sharper edge on the grippers to hold the tree better, really helps.;)

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

Good idea on bedliner GMMAT. I've had problems with climber platform getting slick in rain, especially
when jacked up high, the tree gets thin, making the bottom go below level. I thought you had to get
that done at a shop. Can you just buy it and do it yourself?

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I guess you can buy the kits and do it yourself......but I have a company that sprays all of our fleet vehicles that sprayed my 2 climbers. I might try the self-applicator stuff on my lock ons.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I always carry a rope with a double hook on it in a little sack attached to my climber. If I can't find the right cover I can often find a treetop or limb to lasso and pull in to give me cover. I tie it off to my tree. I love a tree with a couple bushy trees or small pines close at hand. Hook 'em and become invisible.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I cover every inch of the top of my platforms with safety tape (the technically correct name for "sandpaper tape" ;)).

I was an account manager for WW Grainger for five years up until this last year, and bought several rolls of it while there. Anyone can buy it though using their company's account number (you don't have to know it; just give them your company name). You can find it at www.grainger.com, and probably a myriad of other places as well.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

In our Florida swamps, many of our trees are cypress trees. They start about 2 foot across and then after about6 feet you get a normal tree, Well how does a heavy man deal with that? I simply screw in aound 2 or 3 screw type steps into the lower part of the tree ..then hang my stand. Therefore my Summit starts out at the 6 foot level. I alway stry to find an oak or long leaf pine but sometimes ..a cypress is all that is available...like last week's scouting.:(I found a good place but only cypress trees. The oaks were too big.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

Greg:

I use Grainger all the time. Good outfit. Our company buys a ton of goods from them.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

You can get that tape at the paint dept of Home Depot.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I only use a chain-on...it's all I got.... but I use a small heavy duty bungee strap at the bottom,wrapped around the tree for more stability...really tighens up the rig. ;)

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I do the same thing, but I dip mine in that rubber stuff. You know the stuff you dip pliers handles in. Or just paint it on.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

My favorite trick is to stay in the stand an hour later than originally planned.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

Gary, first of all Your Daughter HAS to take after your wife :Dcute kid.
The felt is an excellent idea for noise reduction and as for the strap, well you cant never be to safe when you got a family to come home to. good ideas everyone, great thread.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

I like that. How many times has it worked out for ya?

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

My API climber came with the friction tape on the platform and works great! But the only thing i do is cover the whole treestand with camoflauge duct tape!! You can fix anything with duct tape RIGHT???;)

oHhh... and my cousin duct taped a small camo blanket folded up on the front of summit climber so he could set his bow down on it and not worry about it hitting any metal and i think its more comfortable carrying in and out of woods!!

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

Really not so much tricks, but I love to accessorise my stands. I use the nylon/polycarbonate boat cleats to keep my haul line on the stand. The small cleats easily hold 25' of cord. It's low profile and out of the way by attaching it to the upper frame. You can fold the stand and it's out of the way.

I bought several of the older Loggy Bayou waterproof seat covers. I keep them tucked away next to the bar on the canvas type seats and put a clip on the bottom other foam seats to hold it in place when not being used. So when it rains before I get on stand, I pull out the cover, place it over the seat and presto...no wet arse!

My stands that aren't LW are camo'dusing gray primer with black primer to break up the outline of the platform. I dust the gray with black from a distance to reduce the brightness of the gray. My stands simply vanish from sight with that combo.

I love the foot rests for a long time on stand. Just getting your feet and legs in a different position really helps to keep from getting squirmy on stand.

I paint the tops of the steps on my sticks white so when decending I don't miss a step by accident.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

They look like twins:D

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

At Gander mountain, they have universal camo insulating tape. It is a camo patter applied to a neoprene waterproof tape. I put on places where my Summit climber makes noise when touching ea other. I also sanded the finish on the tape, to soften the tape & eliminate any chance of sound coming off it when rain, or my shoes move across it.

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

QFT

I laughed. I try to keep the 'grunts' to a minimum.

I always wake up cuz i think i here a deer just to realize it was me snoring[8D]

RE: Best Tree stand trick
 

It works really good on full moon nights! [:-]( J/K)

It has worked for me twice, but it was worth it. Even if I don't kill a buck, I sometimes see late morning movement and know when a big one has moved into the area.