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Trying branch holders on stands....got bored today

skyleralan

skyleralan

PMA Member
So, I saw this awhile back I think on AT. I have stand locations where good trees are hard to come by, and there just isn't much for cover. So, I went to the local hardware store and bought some PVC elbows and T joints at 3/4''. I then proceeded to zip tie and wrap with electric tape. I figure once season starts I will either add some oak branches or some cedar branches. Not sure how well it will work, but worth a try. Here are some photos. For those that have any of the Millennium M100's I would also highly recommend the versa button mod, really makes it rock solid and no worry of the bottom kicking out.

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Versa buttons I added
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Very nice. Hope it holds up. If it doesn't, I should add photos but I'm lazy :)
I just stuff branches in end of platform & angle way out. Solid as heck. For mounting around, I use like 8-10" long PVC, maybe 2" diameter? I just screw it to the tree at angles (in summer time I paint them with non-glossy primer) with 2 deck screws and stuff cedar branches in them that fit. Cedars hold foliage for a season or 2 and then I just pull em out and swap em later.
Nice thinking though, I like it.
 
Nice.....good idea.

Just another idea..... I collect old artificial Christmas trees. The "branches" usually pull out from the "trunk" and you can hammer the metal into trees at the base of the stand, above your head, wherever you want..... and then you can bend them wherever you want and they are stiff enough to stay-put. Works pretty slick.

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bradley said:
Artificial is ok early on but the dead natural look blends in better for late season.LOL
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I just like that once its in, it's done. I think 10% (guessing?) of stands I use it. Once installed its there year round so like anything else deer get use to it. Just an option to have in the bag of tricks.
 
I think ANYTHING you do to add cover like that is great! I hang em 5' above my stand and make a mess all over the canopy if I need back cover. I see so many stands over the years that look like they are sticking out like a sore thumb and I'm like "how can someone draw a bow on a mature buck on that set up?!!?". So ya, if I feel naked at all up there, anything mentioned above is a go for me. I'd try the Christmas trees cause that is nice to not have to re-do them. Cedars sometimes make it a couple seasons but have been the best I've found so far but ain't gonna last like the fake trees. I like it. Thankfully, I only need about 3-4 stands to have more cover. The rest, I ain't getting spotted :)
 
I use pcv pipe, but then I ziptie them on instead of tape. Then i also have spares hanging stands that i can nail into trees. I just got a nice dewalt 20v drill so will be switching to screws instead of nails.
 
I always thought bolting on flag pole holders would work well for this.

I know a guy who uses flag pole holders to make scrape lines in front of his stand as well as trail cams.
 
skyleralan said:
So, I saw this awhile back I think on AT. I have stand locations where good trees are hard to come by, and there just isn't much for cover. So, I went to the local hardware store and bought some PVC elbows and T joints at 3/4''. I then proceeded to zip tie and wrap with electric tape. I figure once season starts I will either add some oak branches or some cedar branches. Not sure how well it will work, but worth a try. Here are some photos. For those that have any of the Millennium M100's I would also highly recommend the versa button mod, really makes it rock solid and no worry of the bottom kicking out.

Versa buttons I added
Click to expand...

I was actually just thinking about this the other day and was going to ask what the best way to attach cover to the stand was. Will these pvc connectors hold enough of the end of the branch to keep them in?

Last year I did a couple stands with cedar branches. One I just zip tied the branches to the edge of the platform and stood them up and zip tied adjacent branches together. Think I may have zip tied to surrounding branches too to hold some of them up. When hunting in it, I wished I had a little more room inside since a lot of them were pretty much straight up, so now thinking of ways to set the branches out from the stand more.

On another stand, there are a couple branches on each side of the platform, so I just laid some branches that I cut for shooting lanes across them and stuck cedar branches in them to block the view from below my stand. That tree had decent cover above those branches.

I've also seen round pipe welded to an angle and the angle attached to the edge of the platform.

Regarding cedar branches for cover, I would say 2 years is about all you will get, and the 2nd year I add more new branches in. For brush blinds, I just keep adding and don't usually take the old branches/trees out as they give you a lot of support for the new stuff. For a stand tho, I would replace the old ones if they are attached to the stand. I cut all the branches on the above setups off after season so they wouldn't be rubbing or holding moisture on my stands. Wouldn't need to I guess if they were in a holder.
 
Did this last year. Used some left over conduit pipe and some U-bolts. Great idea at the time, but hung stands early on and leaves were dead and gone from the small trees I cut off to stuff in there :mad:. Is that electrical tape holding that on? Branches are heavier than u think when they are 3 feet out FYI. Something to watch out for. Hope it works for you, good luck.
 
tagged out said:
Did this last year. Used some left over conduit pipe and some U-bolts. Great idea at the time, but hung stands early on and leaves were dead and gone from the small trees I cut off to stuff in there :mad:. Is that electrical tape holding that on? Branches are heavier than u think when they are 3 feet out FYI. Something to watch out for. Hope it works for you, good luck.
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3 zipties on each then just taped to cover up.
 
I have no permanent stands so how does the brush work on mobile hunts where the deer aren't accustomed to it? I have thought about doing it but never actually tried it. I figured the added brush might stand out too much.
 
meyeri said:
I have no permanent stands so how does the brush work on mobile hunts where the deer aren't accustomed to it? I have thought about doing it but never actually tried it. I figured the added brush might stand out too much.
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I have used some of the fake branches with wire in them on mobile stands. The deer that picked it out as not being there before just stared at me for a while and then went back to their business. Most of mine I had arranged for back cover, so I think it gave the perception that the leaves where in the distance. You can also attach the limbs from the back of the tree using a strap to hold them tight, then bend out. I used spray paint to match the color of leaves throughout the season.
 
meyeri said:
I have no permanent stands so how does the brush work on mobile hunts where the deer aren't accustomed to it? I have thought about doing it but never actually tried it. I figured the added brush might stand out too much.
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I suppose the added brush may make a bigger "new blob" in the tree, but hopefully it would be a more natural looking "new blob" than just a human-shaped "new blob", especially a human-shaped "new blob" drawing a bow/gun up for a shot. I'd stick to something that simulates other natural vegetation that is already in the area if possible and lightweight if you are packing it in for each hunt. I'm not sure that cedar branches "growing" on an oak or walnut tree look natural, but I'm also not sure that deer know they don't grown on them.

Just be at full draw before they get close enough to see the "new blob"!
 
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