Trees grow up and out every year. After deer season is over, visit every stand and loosen the straps so the tree doesn't embed metal. I will be carrying a ladder around my woods for a few days because tree stands are wrecking some of our sawlogs. I will have to do surgery to separate them, and I think these trees are ruined. Be a thoughtful guest when you hunt on the property of others. Don't use nails, spikes, or screws, and after you are done hunting, give the tree some breathing room. You can strap them in snug again next Fall.
Click the photos for a closer look.
5 comments:
Straps only
The top strap shown in the 2nd pic looks to be constricting the tree over several years. Do the other straps in either pic look to be causing damage?
As far as damage goes, is it really damaging to the tree as long as the cambium remains intact?
I suspect the most damage would be to the straps left in the elements season after season. I think I'd not trust weathered straps.
I've never stood in a tree stand and likely will not. My hunting has all been by tracking in the Western states.
The pressure is greater as the tree is growing, restricting the inner bark, cambium and sapwood. The tree will grow around the obstruction, requiring surgery to get the metal separated from the tree. The tree's quality will be severely compromised, and may be worthless due to the obvious damage and possibly rot introduced into the stem. I enjoy hunting from the ground. No need for tempting gravity to do me in!
David, thank you.
When you say the tree would be worthless, in what respect?
With that knowledge, the good steward would not allow to happen to, say a white oak. But there are species not known for quality wood.
Or, the tree soon becomes worthless to support a tree stand.
Worthless as a tree to sell for lumber. It could still be a firewood tree. When you are tallying timber you make deductions for defect from the gross scale. When you hit 50% you mark it as a cull and hope the logger cuts it so you don't have to. Hunters like to pick high quality trees to place their stands, which is totally unnecessary. A crooked, limby hickory will hold up a ladder stand just great, and if it hurts the tree, no problem. Instead they will choose a nice red oak or white oak. The top one in this post is a red maple, and it is a grade log. The second is a cherrybark oak, and the first log is grade. Anyhow, I will be doing the surgery and hope they heal over without rot.
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