Don't rat me out to the Safety Police but this tree was a Doozie to climb!
I've looked up this tree a couple times and knew it'd be tough to climb but it's in a great location in a really thick woods with a pile of deer in it...
Tonight I figured I'd give it a shot.
I made it up three moves with the stick (one too many). Everything kept getting tangled up in all the branches and my limb saw was still in my pack even though I told myself to put it in my pocket before I started the climb. (I forgot)
So 18 or so feet wasn't nearly high enough to give me the view I wanted so I just left the stick and kept climbing. (the old fashioned way)
Well, I would'a went a little higher but my pack pull-up rope (32') was tugging pretty hard on my saddle so I just tethered in there where I had a branch for each foot.
Shortly after I left the stick behind I caught movement about 65 yards to my right. All I could see was legs at first and another set following. Both turned out to be doe and they hung around at 80 to 90 yards away for quite a while. Too thick where they were to even think about a shot with my .44.
I wasn't worried about bringing my pack up other than my dang saw! I wanted to cut a path on my way back down in case I climb this tree again. (pretty sure I will)
So after ripping the pack up through the jungle below me I figured that'd I'd put my coat on since I went through all the trouble to hoist it up. I didn't really have a spot to hang the pack because I planned on cutting off this one stinking brach that was keeping me from being able to spin 180° so I could face behind me... Well, I got my coat on and cut the branch. So, I have the pack jammed between my right shin and the tree and here comes a third deer. At my 6 o-clock! Just great!
I knew it wasn't gonna work but I tried it anyways. I reached down and jerked the pack loose and passed it around my back and hung it on a branch out to my left. Once I was sure it wasn't gonna fall I looked behind me and sure enough, she was watching me! (I knew I'd be skylined)
I watched her watch me for a minute or so and figured 'what the heck' I might as well spin my tether around the other side of the tree and gently wrap myself around to face her... It worked! I can't believe it!
So now she's at my 11 o'clock and I draw my revolver. Sure as $h!t as soon as I get my croshairs settling down she turns and snorts and wanders off a little bit were I can't get a clear enough shot... Can you believe the nerve of that Deer! I've passed up soo many deer this year and I was actually gonna shoot this one and SHE TAUNTED ME!
*edit* I'm trying to load a few pictures but my phone isn't cooperating...
If you zoom in on the one picture you can see my one-stick about 15’ below me... lol
You gotta do what you gotta do!
I've looked up this tree a couple times and knew it'd be tough to climb but it's in a great location in a really thick woods with a pile of deer in it...
Tonight I figured I'd give it a shot.
I made it up three moves with the stick (one too many). Everything kept getting tangled up in all the branches and my limb saw was still in my pack even though I told myself to put it in my pocket before I started the climb. (I forgot)
So 18 or so feet wasn't nearly high enough to give me the view I wanted so I just left the stick and kept climbing. (the old fashioned way)
Well, I would'a went a little higher but my pack pull-up rope (32') was tugging pretty hard on my saddle so I just tethered in there where I had a branch for each foot.
Shortly after I left the stick behind I caught movement about 65 yards to my right. All I could see was legs at first and another set following. Both turned out to be doe and they hung around at 80 to 90 yards away for quite a while. Too thick where they were to even think about a shot with my .44.
I wasn't worried about bringing my pack up other than my dang saw! I wanted to cut a path on my way back down in case I climb this tree again. (pretty sure I will)
So after ripping the pack up through the jungle below me I figured that'd I'd put my coat on since I went through all the trouble to hoist it up. I didn't really have a spot to hang the pack because I planned on cutting off this one stinking brach that was keeping me from being able to spin 180° so I could face behind me... Well, I got my coat on and cut the branch. So, I have the pack jammed between my right shin and the tree and here comes a third deer. At my 6 o-clock! Just great!
I knew it wasn't gonna work but I tried it anyways. I reached down and jerked the pack loose and passed it around my back and hung it on a branch out to my left. Once I was sure it wasn't gonna fall I looked behind me and sure enough, she was watching me! (I knew I'd be skylined)
I watched her watch me for a minute or so and figured 'what the heck' I might as well spin my tether around the other side of the tree and gently wrap myself around to face her... It worked! I can't believe it!
So now she's at my 11 o'clock and I draw my revolver. Sure as $h!t as soon as I get my croshairs settling down she turns and snorts and wanders off a little bit were I can't get a clear enough shot... Can you believe the nerve of that Deer! I've passed up soo many deer this year and I was actually gonna shoot this one and SHE TAUNTED ME!
*edit* I'm trying to load a few pictures but my phone isn't cooperating...
If you zoom in on the one picture you can see my one-stick about 15’ below me... lol
You gotta do what you gotta do!
Last edited:
I should put a camera on it.
