KENTUCKY (1/26/12) - Hello again folks! I hope you are having a blessed week.
We are having some unpredictable weather these days so everyone stay safe. We are well into the New Year and deer season has come and gone once again, but there is still work to be done to prepare for the next season.
What I would like to share with you this week is very important for your safety and for the well-being of nature. I am going to share with you some helpful tips about tree stand maintenance. Year after year we hang stands and move stands, but we are never completely satisfied with our hunting locations. The fact is, if you find an excellent spot to take big deer, you can take a good deer there year after year if you follow an excellent management program. I am the same way though, as I move my stands all over the woods every year.
I do have three stands that stay in the same place and we take a good deer out of them at least every other year. The one reason the buddy stand stays is because it is tough to move. That stand never fails me when I want to take a kid hunting. Since the ice storm, it is very thick in that area and the deer are on top of you before you know it. Also, your shot is limited so you have to stay on your toes.
In order to leave these stands locked onto the same trees year after year you must perform maintenance every year. If you are a fisherman, you have to perform some work on your boat before you store it, and hunting is no different. One of the things that you need to look at as you are performing a safety check is the wear and tear of the bolts, particularly the ones on your seats and the ones on the platform attachment. If you notice any change in the bolts change them out.
Also check your straps. These straps go through a lot during a season. If the straps appear worn, then you need to replace them as well.
One of the main things to replace every year is your hoist rope. I recommend changing these out at the first part of the next season. I am talking about the rope used to hoist your bow and supplies up the tree. We have discussed the safety aspect of tree stand maintenance now for the aspect of nature.
Every year after season you should loosen the chains and straps on each stand being left out all year. This allows the tree room to grow. You will be surprised how much a tree will grow in diameter over a years’ time. Our duty as a hunter is to protect the land so that our children and grandchildren and so on down the line will have a place to hunt. There is no need to drive nails into our beautiful trees. That is why the Good Lord gave someone the knowledge to build portable tree stands with straps. Even a chain will damage a tree if it has not been maintained year after year.
Well folks, until next week, join us again. We will probably talk about shed hunting. It is almost that time of year again and I would like to give you some helpful tips. We are gearing up for the 2012 NWTF Convention down in Nashville. If you see me down there give me a shout. I will be there all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Until next week keep it safe and God Bless.
If you would like to donate to help out our Ministry and all of our events planned for the 2012 year make checks payable to Sportsmen for Christ. You can also stop by the First United bank in Earlington and tell them you would like to make a donation into our account. Thanks and God Bless.
Sportsmen for Christ
Bro Loman Scarbrough
680 Red Hill Rd
Nortonville, KY 42442
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