Old stands- probably some great memories

WBrim

WKR
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
In an area I have been chasing elk, I have come across a few old stands. I have no idea how old, but they have definitely been there a long time. It makes me wonder what sort of great hunts happened from these, if they were successful spots, when were they used?

Anyone finding similar stuff?
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Frequently, I think its neat running into old ones as they can have some unique features (found one in eastern Oregon that had a couch in it).
 
I killed my first buck from an old stand like that first one. Two rotted out and mossed over 2x6's across some pines that divided two ag fields. It was only about 12 feet off the ground and I had to crawl up between the two boards to get into it. Grunted a nice 4x4 whitetail in while he was chasing does and I ended up shooting him directly below me while he was raking his antlers in the low hanging pine boughs. Simpler times with an old chunky PSE slinging aluminum arrows.
 
Yep have a couple by where I hunt, one is a metal ladder stand where the tree is growing around part of it, maybe 10-20 years old, another is a homemade hanger that I would guess is from the 70-80’s both are in decent spots over wallows/ water
 
We write in marker harvest info and dates on the inside of our blinds. Makes for great memories later on, especially when it’s the kids harvest


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I built this stand a long, long time ago. (Before I had a gps) Hunted out of it one year.

As time went on, I kinda forgot where it was, then in 2017 my son and I were in the area and we happened to stumble across it again.

The stand isn’t safe anymore but It’s still a good spot (and it’s marked on my gps now) 👍


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Found this old one after killing an elk. Shot it from about 75 yds. Elk fell about 50 yds from this spot. It's a good one!
 

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We used to find quite a few on NFS lands; usually in various states of disrepair. I think we used to find more back before draw tags and point allocations because folks could reliably return to the same spot year in and year out. Now, we find more trailcams...

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How far back in the sticks are those stands. It would appear that it took a ton of effort to get the material to the sites.
 
Getting it rebuilt… 3 sides go up tomorrow… burlap for the ladder entrance.
whether or not i’ll see deer is always a crap shoot. Woods are so thick they can go around a stand with ease.
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I have a few stands by some old 2x4 and 2x6 stands. I’ve found those old guys had a few things figured out. Deer haven’t change their patterns to much. There are stand in spots for when the is hiking from the north. Or the west. I’ve stumbled on them on about every piece of property I’ve ever been.
 
I always wonder on this one. It had to have materials flown in with a helicopter since it has some pretty long studs and the closest road is not an option 20210910_164011.jpg
 
I find a ton. Some are in spots that are probably still good and others would be crummy due to land changes like logging or road building. I’ve found a couple in a city park near me that I’m sure were built when it was a private piece. I bet they would be awesome if a person could hunt the area.

I do always wonder when I find old ones what level of success the builders had
 
I pulled into a spot I’ve been a few times as a couple were leaving a few years ago, they told me they had just put a stand up and I thought they meant one of the pop up ones. I never saw it until I went back a couple months later and realized they’d built one out of plywood. No wonder I didn’t find any deer the trip before. All the noise must have scared them off.

Two years later I went back and found it had been moved about 75-100 yards away and there was a memorial picture on a tree nearby with a picture of the guy. I ended up sitting in it one day and got kicked out by the guide company who had put it there when they showed up in the afternoon with a hunter.

It turns out the guy had been the owner of the guiding company and had a massive heart attack and died while they were moving it the previous year.
 

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My salvaged lumber stand is finished. Pull the double layered burlap down when inside.
grouse in the ironwood trees again when I drove the atv in.
after deer season I might just come out before dawn and sit for birdies…
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