My first time tree stand hunting... Help?

powder burner

powder burner

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Alberta, Canada
I have a tree stand set up along some spruce trees. It overlooks a field and small meadow below. (meadow is about 80 yds x 40 yds)


There is a creek running parallel to it. I have found rubs along a deer trail that are on the far side of the meadow. I have sprayed some big buck scent along this trail. ( how often should I be doing this before the season opens... one week left to go!)

I have a primos doe in heat can, primos rattle bag, liquid big buck scent, cover scent, and deer grunt tube.

If I am not seeing any action from the stand, what sequence should I use with the things I listed? What would you do?

I have never hunted from a tree stand before. The stand is about 15 feet up a spruce tree. I have made a ladder out of 1x4's to get up to the stand. I have already made some shooting lanes by cutting down small willows and such.

Also, I found a decent sized shed from last year about 40yds from my stand. Hopefully its owner will walk by when I am up there!

I will be using a BLR 7mm08 with a 1.5-6X scope.
 
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Not to be critical of your setup....but if your ladder is built of 1x4's, the only help you will need is an ambulance. :eek:

And I would use: 1. doe-in-heat can 2. grunt tube 3. rattling bag, in that order.

Try different combo's 1&2, 2&3...space each sequence out 20-30 minutes apart. They will try to wind you...so look around.

Don't overdo it. ;)
 
Are these deer resident in this area, or are they moving through? If they are resident there year/round, when did you cut your shooting lanes, etc.?

As for scents, I would use them to try and stop or attract the attention of a moving buck, maybe along one of your shooting lanes. While sitting on your stand, let out a series of grunts every 1/2 hour or so. And as Casterpollox said, if you want to shoot a deer from your stand, you have to be in your stand.
 
Pudelpointer said:
Are these deer resident in this area, or are they moving through? If they are resident there year/round, when did you cut your shooting lanes, etc.?

As for scents, I would use them to try and stop or attract the attention of a moving buck, maybe along one of your shooting lanes. While sitting on your stand, let out a series of grunts every 1/2 hour or so. And as Casterpollox said, if you want to shoot a deer from your stand, you have to be in your stand.
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The deer are resident to the area. I cut the willows in my shooting lanes this past weekend. the season opens nov 1.

Should I spray the rub line/deer trail every time I am out?
 
beefman said:
Not to be critical of your setup....but if your ladder is built of 1x4's, the only help you will need is an ambulance. :eek:
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casterpollox said:
and when you get frustrated and then get that urge to move to another spot... glue your arse to the seat for another half hour...
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:agree: I fell while climbing a friends treestand, with 1 year old 2x4's. Never again I said, so I bought him some screw in steps, Paitience is key when hunting from a stand so stay put, I would use the scents and sounds after a couple of days if you AREN'T seeing deer. Wait and see what see what the deer are doing. A hot doe is better at bringing in bucks than any bottle of pee. GOOD LUCK!:)
 
powder burner said:
The deer are resident to the area. I cut the willows in my shooting lanes this past weekend. the season opens nov 1.

Should I spray the rub line/deer trail every time I am out?
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That is what I was afraid of. If there are (were) any smart old bucks in the area, they most likely have already reacted to your intrusion, but it depends on where your activity was in relation to their activity.

Ideally, you would have placed your stand and cut your trails back in August or Sept., then stayed away until season opened. If the deer in the area are used to people walking through the bush, it may not be a big deal. But, if they rarely see a human outside of hunting season, they will take your scent as sign that season is open.

Try and approach your stand from the opposite side of where you know the deer travel, and leave from the same side. Good scent control on your clothes and boots can help to reduce your 'disturbance' in the area.

If you get a deer early on, go back at the end of November and search the area thoroughly for scrapes, rubs (rutting, not early season), and trails - specifically less used ones through thick areas, and bedding areas. Using this knowledge, the prevailing wind directions, and the topography / landscape features of the area will help you to decide where to place your stand next year (ideally in August) so that you do not disturb the deer you are trying to hunt just before season opens.

BTW, you probably want to have at least a couple of stands so that you can change positions if the wind is not in your favour that day.
 
We go on quads through this particular bush every once in awhile. The field has been cut already and everything is off.

There have been a few goose hunters in the field this fall.

When we went to set up the stand, a few does did bolt from the meadow. Now im beginning to wonder If I am going to see anything.
 
powder burner said:
We go on quads through this particular bush every once in awhile. The field has been cut already and everything is off.

There have been a few goose hunters in the field this fall.

When we went to set up the stand, a few does did bolt from the meadow. Now im beginning to wonder If I am going to see anything.
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Sorry, I did not mean to dissuade you from sitting in your stand. Having some activity around, and the deer still showing up is a good sign.

Let me say this, your chances of connecting on a deer (WT) are likely exponentially higher from your stand (even if you take a big crap under it every time you arrive) then by wandering around the woods, or even sitting on the ground.

Tree stands and WT deer are made for each other.

I just wanted to suggest that next year you may want to be a bit more stealthy getting ready for hunting season, especially if you know there is a big buck around. This year, make sure you spend all day in your stand during the rut. It is easy to get disheartened when you have not seen hide nor hair of a deer for 4 hours, but they can appear out of nowhere, and if you are sitting in your truck or surfing your couch it is really hard to make that shot!

If you can get into your stand in the dark without every deer in the area smelling you, then do that. Do not worry so much about sound. I have had quite a few deer come right to my stand once it gets light because they could hear me clunking around with my climbing stand in the dark. Once it gets light and it has been quiet for a while, they seem to get curious, or just forget what they heard.

Go for it!

Good luck, I am sure you will see something.
 
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