Making the Perfect Stand
I've came across the situation when out scouting for new spots where I've found a perfect spot for a treestand but there's not tree suitable for a stand. Or a situation similar to this. Today I'll give you a couple of tips to make that "could be a perfect stand" into a perfect stand. One situation I've ran into is I found a perfect tree for a stand near the edge of a field with a fenceline. But the deer are crossing the fence out of shooting range. This is an easy fix and could possibly make a great stand setup. What I will normally do (as long as there's no cattle on the property you are hunting) is go about 20 yards from your stand and cut the top of the fence to make it easier for the deer to jump. Deer are lazy when they an be and will take the easiest path possible. So if that means jumping a little less to get to the same destination, they will take it. This may require you to trim a new shooting lane and possibly clear some brush away from the fence, but it will deffinitely be worth it come fall. A similar problem I've encountered is finding a perfect tree just out of shooting range of a perfect spot. Now I would normally recommend hunting the perfect spot with some other tactic, ground blind or finding a suitable tree, but in some situations you can possibly relocate that "perfect spot." This can usually be done by clearing brush. I will cut brush out of near my treestand and put it on the trail the deer were using. Almost making the deer go right past your stand, which they will. If you clear enough brush from your area and put it where the deer were going, they'll relocate and take the easiest path once again. Keep in mind these situations are dependant on the certain situation you are in. The point to be taken away from this is that to make yourself a better hunter, keep your mind open to new possiblities and put in some hard labor. It may not sound appealing in the 90 degree heat of late summer, but when a booner walks under your tree come late October, you'll be thanking yourself.
