More of a temporary one.

I see Mason is way up north, I think a climber would be a good choice, you certainly have plenty of pines and public land to hunt around near you. Also wolves, bear, and who knows what else you may come across. I gun hunt near Mercer, and its a whole different ball game than hunting SW wisconsin where I live. Find a well used deer trail and you will have deer walking by up there especially during rut. Good luck and be safe.

Well there are alot of great climbing stands. You want to look for something lightweight and easy to pack up to carry in and out. I bought the API Bowhunter from bass pro about three years ago and have had no complaints. Its not the lightest nor the heaviest its more right up the middle and I only paid like $180 on sale. A more upscale would be something by Summit, they make really nice climbers very comfortable from what I understand, but with that the price goes up into the 2 and 300 range. Then you have the lonewolf which claims to be the lightest on the market and most durable and dependable.... but again your gonna fork out some big duckies for them!! Few different choices for ya.... hope this helps

Any chance i'd be able to just climb a tree and do it the old fashioned way?

Yes it is good hunting up here. There are a lot of pines. i guess you did your homework. I'm hunting in a place next to a soybean feild. (eh eh?)

LOL Hey man if you feel like being spiderman with a bow I won't stop you just use a safety vest or harness lol they do make this saddle that you can use instead of being in a climber your just hanging on the side of the tree looks cool, but honestly don't think it would be that comfortable for long hunts. I like to stay out for 4 to 5 hours at a time sometimes all day during the rut so I like a comfortable stand

Best tip I can give to all beginners; Patience. Along that line, do not get discouraged. Discouragement is not quite as bad as it use to be. With most of today’s compounds, it is pretty easy to become proficient in a short amount of time. Your shot will be good, so go through your form in your head while drawing on the animal. Watch the animals eyes and don’t move when you see his eyes. And most important, pick a spot on the animal and aim at it. Tuft of hair, crease in a muscle, ect.. Most first timers will shot at an area and miss, or worse off, gut shoot the animal. Patience is the key to all those aspects.