Deer hunting is a hobby and sport that help you cultivate awareness of nature, patience and marksmanship. It can provide you with an excellent trophy and plenty to eat, as well. If you are going to hunt deer without scaring the animal off, then you need a place to hide out in the woods that is out of the animal's line of sight and smell. This is where deer stands come in. These structures are placed in a sturdy tree and allow the hunter to see and aim better from an elevated perspective. Commercial tree stands are available, but they can be costly.
Instructions
Scouting
1. Check the local regulations on when and where you can hunt. Make sure you have a permit before hunting.
2. Get into the woods and locate an area where deer seem to be plentiful. You will have little success with your stand, no matter how you make it, if deer aren't in the area.
3. Scout for a tree or trees that are sturdy enough to hold the weight of both you and the tree stand within the area where you see evidence of deer. Once you've found a tree, approximate the distance between the ground and the place where the stand could go, as well as the distance between the limbs that will support the foundation of the stand.
Construction
4. Build a basic frame for your deer stand by nailing four 2 by 4s into a square. The size of the square can be adjusted based on your size--a 3 by 3-foot should be large enough, but you can adjust based on your comfort and what space you will need for other gear in the stand.
5. Nail additional 2 by 4s across the frame about every 8 inches. These are the support beams for the stand floor.
6. Nail 2 by 4s across the frame perpendicular to the support beams. Leave slight cracks in between the 2 by 4s that form the stand floor so that moisture won't collect on the wood and cause it to rot.
7. Take your frame and base with a friend to the tree you selected, along with your tools and more 2 by 4s.
8. Saw a few 2 by 4s into sections and nail the sections together to make L braces. Nail these to the tree up to the location for the stand, using the ladder as you need to ascend. These will be your steps.
9. Nail as many 2 by 4s as you need across sturdy supporting limbs to support the frame and base of your stand. Have your friend help you get the base and frame up to the support beams and nail the stand in place.
Tips Warnings
You can make your stand more portable by dividing the base and frame into sections with hinge joints so that it can fold. Drill two holes into the ends, cut a length of rope with a knife and thread the rope through the holes to create a quick handle. Instead of nailing the stand in place, you can bring along a small cordless drill and screws.
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