where to start

[powderhogg01]

hey all. I am looking to pick up my first tree stand this winter. I will likely not be able to use it until next elk season where I will likely be hunting in utah for elk and muledeer. Where does a fella begin? I have seen a few stands in the woods, I have even sat in a few and always felt slightly uncomfortable in those things. I figured the small foot print and weak trees were the cause of that. I am looking for some input on a good first stand, does not need to be a self climbing stand, just needs to be good enough for a guy who is not afraid of height, but afraid of falling. I know the basics, where a safety harness, get the stand up about 20' or so.. anything I should be looking out for when it comes to buying the stand itself?

[Swede]

There are two main ingredients to successful tree stand hunting. Sure there are a lot of different points, but two are foremost. #1 is location. #2 is time in the stand. It is the second point I want to address now.
You will not last long in an uncomfortable stand. Those light weight, smaller stands may be ok for a couple hours here and there, but I want to be able to spend hours and days in mine. My stands must be comfortable, stable and quiet. For that reason I have preferred the Millennium M100. I guess it is being replaced with the newer and better model, but for my money I would prefer the M100. It is all of the above, plus it is easy and safer to hang in the tree. All you need to carry up the tree with you is a light weight hanger, and a drop line attached to the stand. When the hanger is in place, just pull up your stand and place the stand in the holder. I do not think you will feel uncomfortable in a M100. You may feel too comfortable and start to doze off. Even though I feel perfectly safe in mine, I don't want to snooze. That is the time the elk will come around. I think that is one of Murphy's laws.

[powderhogg01]

I have spots.. areas I often saw elk or at least their sign. Some over water, others at movement corridors. I checked out a stand I found over a wallow this past season, it was barely wide enough for me to stand on, the seat was 8" which fit my a$$ but barely, the tree moved several feet either way in the wind.. it simply was not worth me spending any real time in. Is there a place like cabelas or bass pro that one can stand on and "test" a stand out.. I do not think I have ever seen any set up for people to stand on before.
Thanks for the advice about the m100, I will take a peek at that.
I have a question in regards to winds, as I understand it, I would want to be in my stand the entire time the thermals are rising. This will help my scent get carried up and away from me and the area I am hunting. But if I am hunting a steep area, will that not send my scent right to any deer or elk that are above me on the hillside. I ask because I found an area where the elk bedded, they would move down and across the slope slightly and approach the water from above the downwind side. It was often very difficult to hunt these elk, as a ground hunter the swirling winds made it very difficult to make a move. The only elk I saw taken out of that spot came from that sketchy stand, which tells me that got past the swirling ground winds and the elk were not able to wind the hunters.

[Swede]

I can't remember ever getting winded by elk that were uphill from me. They can sure see a hunter if we are not careful. Rising thermals seem to stay high above the ground even uphill, so your scent rises faster than the terrain. I relax wen the thermals are rising. The problem with swirling winds is the occasional down draft. Descending thermals, down drafts, can and do come to the ground. That is the main reason I like to get fairly high (20 feet - 30 feet) up in the tree. It just places your scent farther out (often hundreds of feet away) from your stand when it arrives on the ground.

[powderhogg01]

thanks for clarifying that for me swede! this makes perfect sense to me.. and in my opinion, if what you say is truth, it opens up a whole new area to hunt. I have always hunted the edges, but the wind in this one draw is just so swirly, making any sort of move is impossible without the benefit of a storm, which usually forces the wind to the east. Now I can sneak in, set the stand, and return during the hunt.
my only other real question is in the set up. Not the placement, but actually installing the thing to the tree. the few stands I have looked at were installed by removing a section of bark, then strapping the stand to the tree. I am no tree hugger, but is this method the best way, seems like it could really do some trees a bit of damage

[Swede]

I have Never had to kill a tree, or damage one to hang a stand in it. I try to avoid trees like true firs where rot and decay can enter through screw in step holes. Permanent, nail or bolt on stands, are ones that can cause significant damage. If the stands are wood, they become a hazard after a few short years. I like to find a couple of dry tall skinny poles to make a ladder out of. I got about 20 years out of one ladder I made, before it started to show significant deterioration. Ladders left leaning against a tree, tell people you are using it for your stand. That can be good or bad.

[powderhogg01]

personal;y I think they had done that in order to make the stand more secure on the tree, as I do not feel it was big enough around to fit the stand. especiially since there was a brute of a blue spruce next to it with the ideal cover. thanks for the clarification

[rowdycwby1]

You might want to also look at the millinium m25 it's really comfortable. When I'm hunting a stand I like to use nose jammer to help cover my sent I've been down wind of several elk ,mule deer and whitetails and not been winded. On learning to set it up practice from the ground then depending on what sticks you're using set them a little of the ground and set your stand up until you feel comfortable setting it in the air; that's how I learned to set mine hopefully this helps and good luck!

[CiK]

Millennium M100 if you are going to hang it and leave it. Millennium M7 Microlite if you plan on being mobile. I have both, and I love both.