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Jan 27, 2024

Taking a closer look at some of the most popular deer stands

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Permanent blinds like boxes or tower blinds are heavily favored by lots of deer hunters because of the comfort and protection from the

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Permanent blinds like boxes or tower blinds are heavily favored by lots of deer hunters because of the comfort and protection from the elements they provide. Permanent blinds should be erected and put in place well before the season gets underway to give animals ample time to get used to them. Deer stands in Texas are frequently placed within sight of a corn feeder. Permanent blinds and baiting of deer is prohibited on public hunting lands.

Pop-up blinds set up quickly and provide hunters with great mobility without ever leaving the ground. Blinds left naked will work, but they look much more natural when they are brushed in.

Pop-up blinds set up quickly and provide hunters with great mobility without ever leaving the ground. Blinds left naked will work, but they look much more natural when they are brushed in.

Us whitetail hunters rely on all sorts of tricks and strategies when chasing North America’s most popular big game animal. A key page in the play book centers on having a good stand location. If you aren’t hunting where the deer are, you probably won’t bring home very much venison.

Deer stands are sort of like fishing boats. You don’t need the best of either to have some success. It’s more about being in the right spot and having a little luck in your corner.

Tip 1: Be sure to select the proper tree before hanging a fixed-position stand or using a climbing stand. The tree should be alive and healthy without any noticeable rot or damage. Your tree should also meet the size specifications and restrictions set by the tree stand company.

Tip 2: Never hunt from a tree stand without a secure and high-quality safety harness.

Tip 3: A strong and sturdy safety rope (or strap) should be attached to both your harness and the tree to prevent you from falling more than 12 inches.

Tip 4: Continuously monitor and inspect your safety harness and tree stands before and during the season to check for wear and tear or possible damage.

Tip 5: When hunting from a fixed position or hang-on stand always inspect the ladder steps and tree stand attachments to make sure everything is tightly secured to the tree.

Tip 6: Always use a haul line to pull up your gear, bow or unloaded firearm. Never climb with anything in your hands or attached to your back. Utilize the haul line to lower all of your equipment on the opposite side of the tree before descending.

Tip 7: Be sure to let family and friends know the exact tree stand location that you’re currently hunting. When at all possible, hunt with a buddy and always carry a communication device like a cell-phone or walkie-talkie that can easily be reached on your body at anytime.

Tip 8: Follow the 3-Point rule, which says always have 3-points of contact to your steps or ladder when climbing or descending from your stand.

Tip 9: Be aware of slippery and hazardous climbing conditions that may result from rain, sleet, snow or ice and take the appropriate precautions.

Tip 10: When using a climbing stand, make slow, steady and even movements of no more than 12 inches at a time. You should also make sure the climbing section and platform of your stand are attached together by some type of safety cord or rope.

Source: Summit Tree Stands

A good stand can be as simple as an old office chair, or as plush as an enclosed tower or box blind.

Most hunters would probably take the tower blind over the office chair. It would surely be the more comfortable of the two.

The more comfortable you are in a deer stand, the longer you'll be able to stay in it. Comfort also promotes less moving around and less noise, which naturally increases the odds of seeing game without being detected.

Box blinds are is just one in an assortment of different stands deer hunters utilize. Hunters can be pretty creative when it comes to be pretty creative when it comes to building their hideouts. Check out the “Cool Deer Stands” on Facebook.

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I’ve interviewed a number of hunters with good stories of connecting with dandy bucks while hunting from junk cars, old barns and other structures the animals have grown accustomed to seeing over time.

The most memorable came courtesy of Virginia Luce of Kennard. In November 2020, Luce made a 175 shot on an outstanding 11 pointer out the kitchen window of her rural home his Houston County. Luce, 80 at the time, shot the deer as she made lunch for her 83-year old husband, Myrl.

I've even seen old feed silos converted into deer stands. The neatest one was fully-carpeted for noise reduction and custom painted camouflage to make it less noticeable. It was equipped with propane heat, television, a cozy recliner and even a small cook stove.

While those sorts of amenities don’t appeal to me much, one thing I really liked about it was the mobility. The roomy stand was permanently mounted on a bumper pull trailer with 15-inch wheels, allowing easy relocation.

Most deer hunters like to be mobile. Those fortunate enough to have access to large acreage like to skip around and hunt different areas.

Likewise, lightweight aluminum climbing stands or pop-up blinds that can be transported and set up in minutes are very popular. Portable stands allow for exploring new territory or moving with the deer from one day to the next. You can’t do that with a cumbersome box blind or tower.

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If you are planning to relocate a box or tower blind, it would be wise to do it well before hunting season gets underway. Deer are sure to notice any new piece of furniture that suddenly shows up in their living room. Relocating early gives the animals to become accustomed to it.

Here's a rundown of some of the more popular styles of deer stands you'll see in the woods today:

Leaning Ladder: Ideal for bow or rifle hunting, the ladder stand is made to lean against a tree and provide the hunter an elevated vantage point 12-20 feet above ground level.

There is a small platform at the top of the ladder with foot rest, seat and fold down rifle rest. Some are designed to accommodate two people.

Like other portable stands, the ladder should be tightly secured behind the seat to prevent it from from shifting.

Portable Climber: The one-man climber is just what the doctor ordered for the hunter who likes to get into the thick of things.

The climber comes in two pieces -- a seat that doubles as an arm climber and a foot rest/platform that doubles as a foot climber. With a little practice a hunter in good physical condition can shinny up straight tree and be ready to hunt in a matter of minutes.

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Similar styles of lock-on stands are available without the climber feature. The hunter uses screw-in foot pegs to access the stand.

Hunters should always wear a safety harness, safety strap and make use of a Hunter Safety System Lifeline at all times when hunting above ground. The HSS Lifeline (huntersafetysystem.com) will keep you connected to the tree at all times and prevent falling on the ascent or descent, just in case something on the stand breaks or you slip for some reason.

Box Blinds and Towers: Box blinds and towers are the least mobile of deer stands, but some hunters still swear by them. The stands are fully enclosed with shooting windows. They are ideal when hunting in cold weather or rainy conditions.

Box blinds can be constructed so they sit on the ground or elevated on stilts to get a bird’s eye view when hunting in scrub brush or along pipelines. The stands are frequently custom built from lumber, or you can buy one that is manufactured from metal. You cannot erect these types of permanent stands on public hunting lands.

Tripods: The tripod is just what the name describes. It has three legs that extend at outward angles to provide support for the elevated seat up top. One of the legs normally doubles as a ladder.

Most tripods don’t come with a roof, but some manufacturers offer kits to build one. Many hunters rely on camouflage netting to wrap the sides of the tripod to provide some concealment and to help block blustery winds.

Ground Blinds: There two types of ground blinds. Natural and manufactured.

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Natural blinds are the least expensive of all deer stands because they are made using natural materials such as small saplings, tree limbs or brush. Used in combination with camouflage clothing or netting, a natural ground blind will break up your pattern well enough that it will allow you to get amazingly close to deer, provided the wind is in your favor.

A manufactured or pop-up ground blind is fully enclosed and functions sort of like a tent. It is built around small frame and deploys and stows easily in a matter of minutes. Pop-up blinds are lightweight, so they are very easy to transport between hunting locations. The camouflage shell also provides a layer of protection from the elements.

Be sure to tie the blind to the ground using stakes. Otherwise, a big wind may send it elsewhere.

It’s also a good idea to surround the pop-up with brush. The idea is to make it look natural in the woods.

My good friend AJ Downs of Conroe likes to build an outer frame for his pop-up blinds using cattle panels. He shapes the panels in a circle, about two feet larger in diameter than his blind.

Be sure to cut the panel so the shooting windows align with those on the blind. Tie brush vertically to the ring as thick as possible to the outside as well as inside between the blind and ring. This helps create a 3D effect and adds some depth to the blind.

Downs says it is important to trim shooting holes to a minimum. “By doing this you will maintain a brush ring year round even after you remove your ground blind after the season,” he said. “The next season I just add additional brush inside and out."

It's never too early to start planning for deer season, but there is such a thing as planning too late. If you are planning to set a new stand before the season opens, now is a good time to scout for a spot and get the job done.