neck4752

I leave my treestands out year round. I was looking at one the other day and noticed the bolts are getting rusty, and so are the bolts on the climbing sticks.
Is this bad?
Also I need to tighten the bolts a little as they have losened.

Thanks
jim

jmbuckhunter

I leave a few out all year. Mostly to RESERVE my area from the other guys that hunt the farm. I now mostly use a climber. But do use them once in a while. Yes you do need to do some maintanance once in a while. Also check on the trees growth. It can crack stands or straps. Always wear you harness!!!

RDHunter

Hi Neck
You must have these stands on your own property, I don't think anybody would leave their stand on public land.
If they are rusted and loose I would fix those right away, use some W-D 40 on that rust then tighten those bolts down good and tight.
Get in your stand and check it out real good if it feels shakey and wobbling, take it down or don't use it.
Back in my young days on the farm we coverd our tools like plows and discs with grease so they wouldn't rust over the winter.
If your gonna leave your stands out all year long, then cover the moving parts with some type of grease or oil..
I hope this information helps you andI hope you have a safe hunting season

livbucks

I put a stand up one September and took it down 16 months later. I hunted out of it for two seasons. The thing really took a beating and shows it. I spray the inside of all tubing with wd-40 as well as the outside when I put them away after seasons end. Like another said, the tree's will grow and expand and crack your stand or split the strap. The tree actually grew around the chain on mine. I don't really recommend doing it if you ask me. If you want to reserve your spot, hang an old junk stand there when you take yours down after season.

timbercruiser

We probably have 45 ladder stands in the woods right now, some of them have been in the same tree over 10 years.

xlilcntrygrlx

We have several ladder stands and a homemade on that we live up all the time. Hubby just got a climber this year and I hope to next year or the year after! We just check the stands and do any maintence to them early on.

Scott/IL

I left 2 of mine out this year. The only reason I did though, was like what jmbuckhunter said, I had to reserve my spots on our farm from the other guys that go out there. There are a few that don't care how long you have been in that spot they will still setup there.

hardcorehunter

I leave ladder stands out only. HCH

Might Mite

When I buy a stand and put it up...it's up for good.

uncle matt

We have bunches of ladder stands left all over the farm. They are all basically the exact same design, with 3/4" plywood platforms secured with stainless steel 5/16" bolts. We cut a boat load of spare platforms and put them in the barn and replace as necessary. One-man replacement is a snap. Pull a ATV up to the ladder. Ratchet strap the ladder to the bumper/rack. Climb up on the rack and up the ladder and remove the ratchet straps holding the stand. Release the ratchet straps to the ATV and pull the stand down and replace.