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Would you still bother to hand stands this late in the summer?

B

Benois

New Member
At what point in the summer/fall do you consider it too late to hang new stands?

I ask because my summer has been cram packed and I finally have time this week to hang 3 stands that I very badly want to put up. None of them is real close to a bedding area, but we are seeing some hard horn in my area.

Thanks for the opinions!
 
I'm not sure if I've ever quit hanging stands. I've hung them on October 1st. I've hung them at midnight right smack in the middle of november... it's a never ending game of cat and mouse
 
I brushed in a ground blind and trimmed lanes this past weekend, and have never had any issues doing so this time of year. Especially with the temps this week just go in the middle of the day when deer are in their beds and hang them quietly. Make sure you spray down just like you would if you were hunting, and spray down everything you touch on your stands. If you don't blow all the deer out they'll be back moving like normal in a day or two.
 
Never too late in my opinion. I leave many of mine out all year long (be sure to check them over REALLY good before climbing in if you ever do this) but the ones that I don't have hung yet will likely end up being hung and hunted out of the same day. Now with that being said, I wouldn't suggest going in a week before season and hanging a stand that requires intense lane clearing, that may disturb stuff a little more than what you would like.
 
Unless you plan to hang and hunt I would get them in as soon as possible in lieu of waiting for later.

I have been known to hang a stand in the middle of the night during a rain storm. I don't recommend that for obvious safety concerns, but if you locate a big deer I have found that is a foolproof way to get a stand in place without any issue of bumping them or leaving scent behind.
 
Rich said it right. You never stop hanging stands. In the middle of the rut I've tweaked stands based on movement. Don't give deer too much credit. Hang as soon as possible but the game never ends.
 
Sooner the better but like some have stated - you can hang and hunt all season long in the right conditions (rain, in the timber at night, windy conditions, etc). Does it increase odds of being detected - sure. But, aggressiveness kills a lot of bucks each and every fall.
 
I just finished hanging 8 stands on my new property. I promise you'll I'll end up moving half of those before the season is over or, do I dare say it, before I tag out
 
Depends on what hunt pressure is like where you are. In No=MI,,where I hunted you had to change the environment at least a month in advance,,if not longer. Deer were very wary of any changes to the topography and would take a long time to get used to cut branches, etc. Here in Iowa I have found they get used to changes much quicker. The ultimate carefree attitude to a change in environment, was what I experienced in SD-on a cattle ranch near the Blk Hills. The Ranchers took me out to put up a stand around noon. They about drove their truck up to the tree. They hopped out and put a stand up, while sweating, cut pine branches down and piled them nearby. They had me get up in the stand and took the aluminum ladder away,,and then laid it on the ground to the side. I said,,"I can't possibly sit here tonight,,with all the messing around we did.", They said, don't be silly the deer won't mind. The deer did not mind. Groups of deer walked by that evening,,bucks and even does with fawns. They paid little attention to the changes,,some even stepping over the ladder on the ground with little notice!!!!
 
If I'm hanging stands during season I try to make a disturbance using some sort of farm machinery. Weather it be sneaking into an inside corner when they are combining crops or drive a side by side/ 4 wheeler and drop a few future firewood trees. I don't try to sneak into the woods and hang a stand spraying down every 5 mins.
Deer are smart enough, they will smell you no matter what. I'd rather have them assume it's just someone cutting wood or driving a tractor into clear out a beaver dam.
If your hanging stands in August, you are going to stink and leave scent everywhere no matter how careful you are trying to be.
Deer are very used to farm related disturbances on most of the properties that I hunt so I try to use that as a cover as much as possible.
If I were in a different situation I would focus on hanging them mostly during shed season wich I do plenty of
 
In my part of SE Iowa,,I believe deer are used to smelling humans year round. I have neighbors that are out about on their poperty all the time. Human smell drifting around all the time. I used to worry about getting to my stands in round-about ways, as not to cross any areas deer might use,,but not so much anymore. Coarse I hunt primarily the Rut. I have had doe groups, and Mature bucks cross my path made only an hour ago and show little concern. Happened last Nov-15 with the 6 yr old buck I took. I walked straight to my stand along my mowed path and food plot. Buck showed up less than an hr later walking right along the path I'd taken. Just my experiences.
 
It all depends on what they are used too. One place I hunt the land owner is always driving his utv around. I just carry stands on utv, never had issues. No different than checking cameras. If rain coming and I have time I'll change cards ever two weeks or less. Never been issue. If I kick up a deer I just stop til it's gone
 
I will hang a set anytime throughout the season. But, if I have a choice I will do it right before or during a rain. Like said earlier, I also use my truck or wheeler when I can and I'm not quiet about driving in. And I make sure I am as scent free as possible. I use the rain for checking cams when possible too.
 
Just moved a couple Sunday. Have to do it when time allows, thats the name of the game. I dairy farm, have kids, own/ live in a house off the farm , not much spare time here. Windy days are the key I think, no shortage of those, and prior to rain if you can. Your going to sweat so spraying down won't hurt but won't make you invisible. Unless you hunt a sanctuary I don't feel activity would hurt. Someone is always doing something in and around most farms. Unless you are in tight bedding I wouldn't hesitate.
 
As busy as life is for me, I typically don't get done with everything till a couple days before Halloween. Always moving or putting up a couple new ones during the season.
 
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