From: dixon@spot.Colorado.EDU (Life is real?)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Tree Stands
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:26:07 GMT
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu

In article <1992Aug26.092535.25546@doug.cae.wisc.edu> keith@clodII.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Keith Boyd) writes:
>
> [lots of good info about tree stands removed for space]
>
>You use tree steps that screw into the tree. Once you get to the desired
                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>height, you pull up the lock on stand and secure it to the tree.
>

Oooooo!  You DOITY WAT!  Don't DO THAT!  Screw-in tree steps work
great for the hunter, but are quite often a death-blow to the
tree...unless you leave your screw-in steps in place forever!
Tree-eating insects and diseases just LOVE those holes you leave to
attack the tree.  And in many types of trees, the root network below
the ground becomes one large network from pressing and growing
together, thereby allowing the diseases/bugs to spread to a whole
colony of trees!  Fir species, especially Douglas Fir, are especially
prone to this problem.

Responsible hunters (no flames intended) look for steps that don't
require damaging the tree.  Personally, I just use some homemade steps
(along with my homemade tree stand).  The way you make them is go
spend about $2 for a 6' length of 2"x4" stud, then cut the stud into
blocks about 4" to 5" long.  Drill a hole through the block from left
to right across the grain and pass a 3' to 4' long piece of 1/4" to
3/8" nylon rope through it.  Then tie and flame-harden large knots in
the end of the rope.  To use the blocks, just hold the block against
the tree, pass the rope around the tree, then wrap the remaining rope
a few times around/behind the block.  Easier to show than to explain.
Putting weight, i.e. push down, on the block causes it to snug against
the tree and voila!  You have a step!  I use 6 to 8 blocks depending
on the tree.  You carry all of them by the ropes and just wrap one at
a time on opposite sides of the tree (left, right) as you climb.  Once
the steps are in place, then I climb down and haul the tree stand
up...don't forget the safety belt!  This method does not damage the
tree in the least and something similar should be used at all times
unless you are building a permanent tree stand and you will be leaving
all screw/nails/hardware permanently attached to the tree even if you
quit using the stand.

Here's my 2-bit ASCII-art picture of a drilled block step:



         ______________________________
         |\  .     .   .  .    .   .    \
         |  \ . .   ..   .  .  . .    .   \   <-- Grain of wood on end
         |    ------------------------------
         | O  |                            | <-- "O" marks the spot to drill
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
         |    |                            |
          \   |                            |
            \ |____________________________|


Brian D.
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca