after hearing some replies i think i found a decent spot. my stand is located at the end of a narrow strip of pines with some trails coming out of them. in front of me there is a small opening with some high grassand a tiny creek going through. behind this is a STEEP incline with pines.behind me is a bigger cold water creek that i usually do some fly fishing.

i was in there this afternoon to set my climber in a tree, and i noticed a fresh rub that wasnt there saturday, and a bunch of tracks in the mud in the opening. on the first day of the season (sat.) i saw a doe and two lil ones around 9 in the morning, and about 15 turkeys flew down in front of me at daybreak,but nothin else all day.

the problems with this area are a major road about a hundred yards to my right, and a dirt road behind me about 60 yards across the bigger creek. the only benifit that i found is nobody ever hunts this little area. is this too close to a major road to kill a buck, or does this not matter....

i havent got a chance to really hike it back into the woods yet, and if i do that, then im afraid someone will steal my climber.... i had two stolen from me last year!!!! its probly an hour or so towalk to where i would like to hunt and its a bigger b!tch to take my stand back that far. isitreally worth it toget away like that??any suggestions on a treestand lock, or a possible area to look for when i do make my venture will be greatly appreciated.

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odizz,

I shot a buck last year when my stand was about 100 yards from the road that all the other hunters were driving up and down to get to their spots. You have seen both buck sign and deer so obviously they aren't too worried about the road. The deer are going to be were the hunters aren't so if nobody hunts your area, it might just bethe place you are looking for.

Stickler