Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I attempted my first morning deer hunt of the year today. It would also have been my first morning hunt in this particular stand. I say "attempted" and "would have been" because I never got to the stupid thing. I didn't create a path of reflective tabs or orange tape to guide me and I couldn't find it for anything.

I stomped all over an approximately 40 acre area got all turned around and finally gave up as shooting light dawned. I was tired, discouraged, certain (rightly or wrongly) that I had alerted every deer in the region to my presence, and I was soaked in sweat.

Am I the only idiot to have done this?

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Yep...How can you not find your spot?? Yikes!

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Been there and done that. Many have but few will admit it!

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

LOL....no, I've been there.....but not quite that badly. If it's a spot I've only hunted once or twice, I can get close to the tree, but sometimes I can't find the EXACT tree. This just happened the other day. I do one of 2 things......Instead of doing like you did and tramp around, I sit my butt down because I know I'm close.....When it gets just light enough to see, there it is, usually w/in 20 feet....

I found a nifty gadget to stop that nonsense though. The Knight and Hale Beacon. It's a remote operated, red flashing light. Hang it on the stand and turn it on. When you come in in the morning, push the remote. Red light starts blinking, there's the stand.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

no i have done that b4 my cuson and my dad went to our land to move some stands and i went up there with my buddy and i could not find it so i just sat on the ground against thee tree and when i was gunna head back i got up looked be hind me and it was 20 yards away..

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Exactly!

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I've done that once. It does suck!

Now I put in reflective thumb tacks along my route to the stand. The only bad part is that anybody with a flashlight can find your treestand and steal it.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Mobow

How far is the range on the beacon? I have been looking into getting one for my "tougher to find stands" that are in thick cover.


And to answer the question, no. I haven't ever gotten that lost. Know people who have. I have just always put up tape or reflectors to help guide me.

When is the last time you got in that stand? A week age? Month ago? Last season? Are you sure it is still there?

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

So I usually get lost one time a year while hunting in Iowa (we have numerous stands up) and anyways, I was lost for several hours. During that time, I ended up in a wooded cow pasture, and saw some brown movement.....I'm like no way, it's a huge buck! So I carefully put a mean stalk on this giant whitetail, get withing twenty yards and ready to draw, comes out from behind the brush, and it's a.......................bull!

I got out of there, and found my stand about an hour after first light, lol.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I've done it. But have also found it. When I get a little mixed up in the dark, I wait. It's better just to stay still until it gets a little light and then find it then to trompt around.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

never been there.... GPS.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Theres the Stand..... and there goes the deer.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

To be honest, I don't know. I've never tried to find out.....I would guess 100 feet or so though.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

If he's close enough that the light scares him, you are gonna spook him getting there anyway.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

x2

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

There are several things a full grown man will not
admit to.

This happens to be one of them

LIARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

the words Global Positioning System and WayPoint come to mind... :P

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

It's in an 80 acre patch of woods. There are no trails, roads, or other paths to guide me to the stand. And you can't take anything resembling a straight line due to down trees, brush, etc. I also had a mini-mag that I was trying to be subtle with (not so much by the end) and hadn't marked a path with reflectors or orange flag tape. You can be sure I'll do that the next time I visit the stand during daylight!

Boy did I come home in a grouchy mood!

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Yup, do what mobow said and you should be good. Cant hunt in the dark anyway so you arent wasting much hunting time.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

wow better not be hunting anywhere near me :D

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Plus, deer have a hard time seeing the red end of the light spectrum, thats why they made the light red. Therefore, only you can see the light, not the deer.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Never have a problem finding my stand.....I carry it on my back.:D

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Yep, since I got mine, no problems whatsoever.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Ironically, I'm not too far away from you. I hunt in zones 27 and 58. I'll be hunting in a stand southwest of Greenwood regularly throughout bow season.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

When I use to hunta public farm I use to travel in a ways and got off my trail and by thetime I found my way I was a sweaty mess.[:@]

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Got lost trailing a shot deer once but never getting to my stand

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I've do it. Got lost on public land looking for it one time. One time i just sat down thinking I had walked 400 yds in the dark and when I leave I find myself 200 yds. from the truck and that my hunting buddy watched me from 75 yds away all morning.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

i have done that but i sat there till light then i was able to find it . now i mark it with gps and it has helped me locate it quickly

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

My buddies dad got lost trying to find his stand couple of years ago, sat downwaiting for sun to come up,he'swithin 150 yardsof my stand (so he said) and didn't know it and shot a nice buck before he could get to me! Bad luck for sure!

Witha gps, don't even need a flashlight to get to my stands. Great gadget.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Flash back to 13-14 years old…. 2nd morning hunt of my archery hunting career. We get to the “trail” that leads into my stand approximately 80 yds deep into the woods. My Dad’s stand is on down a ways so he says,”last week I walked you in, this week you are on your own. You can stand here till it gets light, or go in there now and get ready.” Well I slowly ventured in, doing my best to find my way. Oh did I mention WE DIDN’T USE LIGHTS BACK THEN! Dad knew the woods well enough, and didn’t want to spook the deer. So there I am, in the dark, no light, maybe the 5th time to the tree total, 2nd time in the dark with no real trail at all to follow. I think I did pretty well, I knew I was close, but couldn’t find my tree, so I just stopped, and waited for light. After about a minute to calm down, and noticing the unique trees that I was stopped at, I got my bearing and found my tree, 10 yds in front of me. Was up and ready to shoot with a few minutes to spare.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

No, you are not the only one. When it happened to me it occurred because my flashlight gave out on the way to the stand. I was not that familiar with the area so it was a big crap shoot in terms of which direction to go in. After wondering for about 10-15 minutes I remembered my little keychain light and eventually found the spot.

It was not a fun experience though.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I'll admit to it.

My sense of direction is not all that great. One morning I got off the trail and all turned around and spooked
about 5 deer tromping around until I found a ditch that I knew led close to the stand. By the time I got
there I was drenched in sweat b/c I was bundled up and it was daybreak and of course I didn't see a thing.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

GEEZ maybe I should make a post..am I the only one who can find my stand.

I'm generally not one to toot my own horn...but I can find any certaintree, in any woods, having only ever been there once. Didn't know it was a skill..I thought we all kinda had it! Maybe not?

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Bingo! Bought a couple and handed some out to others. Everyone thought it was the ticket.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

GPS.. slicker than snot on glassand walks me right in like a dog on a leash.
The best part is it allows me to approach my stands from any direction which sure helps when you want the wind in your face..
Used to use bright eyes but on the public land I usually hunt the woods are lit up like a XMass tree so many people have them out there.
If you do use bright eys get yourself some commercialgrade marine buoy marker tape and a box of cheap tacks. I have more green and red bright eyes than I will ever use.
And NO... I have never been unable to find a stand. I just had to return in daylight after a trashed AM hunt. Geez.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Until they fail. Mine has. the reason I bought the "beacon". It will also take you right to it in the dark without having to keep checking the gps. As soon as you get close enough, the gps has done it's job. There only good for getting you within so many yards anyways. When it's dark, foggy and unfamilar, "The Beacon Shines":D

The only thing i don't like about them is there run time. Ya can't just leave them on for weeks. By on I mean ready to flash. Haven't pushed it but the directions give you 4 days on a set of batteries.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I didn't read the other post... but as far as I'm concerned you're the only fool. LOL I'm with Gr8r. When I hang a stand or pick a tree I take into consideration all the stuff like wind etc, but I also plan my entrance and exit. As I leave I make mental notes and look back where I just was. I note openings in the canopy, ditches, stumps, crooked trees that would be skylines etc. At each check point I talk myself through what the others were back to the tree. If it's a long walk I find and edge or creek, ditch or something to get me most of the way there. I rarely use a light or tacs or anything to mark my trail for others to follow. If there is a turn I need to make an nothing is there I'llplace a log or large limb or something to point me the way. I really usually just stroll to the tree and climb up.

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

you sure someone didnt steal it??

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

Reflective tape, thats all I'm gonna say because in 97' I walked around behind my mumma's for a good 1.5 hours looking for my stand and she only owns 3 acres. I felt like a dumb@$$.lol[&:]

RE: Am I the Only Fool to Wander Around Looking for His Stand?
 

I can't be sure until I go back with daylight but I highly doubt it. It's private land that has had no problems in the past. Finding the stand in the daylight took a little getting used to because there really are no good landmarks--all the trees are the same age (must have been clear cut at some point in the past) and the land is totally flat and non-descript.

And for the record, I normally have a very good sense of direction. Driving, wandering around during the day, etc. Very good sense of direction. Except this morning. Ugh.