Hunting Spots/Tree Stands

After checking on my trail camera, I took a walk out into the woods on the east side of the cabin. I picked out some good hunting spots which I felt had good sight lines and shooting lanes.


Over to that side of the cabin there are a lot of great hunting spots. There is a trail that pretty much runs behind the cabins that sit along the south side of Jacks Mountain, which includes ours. You can see the trail leading eastward in the fourth photo. The trail actually turns southward about 30 yards to the east of our cabin and heads pretty much due south to eventually lead down to Upper Bald Eagle Lane. There are signs of deer and other animals all along the trail.





I followed the trail northeast, then east, then southeast until it led down to the cabin that neighbors ours. I then turned directly north and headed uphill through the woods. I found some really good hunting terrain as I walking including a cleared area that looks like it may have been timbered at some point in the not too distant past. You can see that area in the third picture. I walked mostly north until I came to the first area where the mountain flattened out, a bench as we call it. I then turned west and headed back toward the area behind our cabin. I wanted to see if there were good hunting spots on the first bench above our cabin. I also wanted to check out the two treestands that were left on our property.

As I moved west, I came across a lot of deer scat including some that looked fresh - maybe I had jumped that deer out just ahead of me? The terrain was rocky in some areas, but manageable for hunting. I stopped a few times and just stood for a few minutes to see if any deer or other animals would pass by. I didn't see any deer or other large animals, but as I stood at one spot near a clearing, a hawk swooped down toward a large rock and then took back off into the air. I couldn't tell if it had anything grasped in its talons as it flew away. Either way, it was neat to be so close when it happened.



Eventually, I made my way west to the first of two treestands that are on our property. The first one, which is the one farthest to the east is actually a wooden platform built up a tree. You climb up two wooden rungs nailed into the side of the tree and then pull yourself up onto the platform. Two wooden stools are nailed to the platform. I climbed up into the platform and sat down for a bit just watching the woods and enjoying the peace and serenity. Because the platform is in a tree right at the crest of the hill on the edge of the first bench, it has a commanding view of the terrain below. There are also good views to the east, west and directly behind (north). The wood on the platform has seen better days, but it still seemed sturdy enough. In another year or two though, I don't know that I would trust sitting up there. Maybe I'll replace the wood at some point or else put something more permanent up in that tree. It is definitely a great hunting spot.



After sitting for a time, I made my way down out of the platform and continued my journey west toward the second treestand. The second stand is actually a ladder that probably extends about 15 feet above the ground. Toward the top, the ladder curves forward and the top two steps have a metal mesh on them that would allow a person to sit up there. The ladder is attached to the tree by two ropes. One about mid-way up and a second one at the top of the ladder. I climbed up about five rungs and then turned around. I didn't want to go all the way to the top without some way to harness myself to the tree. The ladder is quite high and it rises straight up into the air. Falling backward off that ladder would not be pretty. After looking at the second treestand, I hiked back down over the hill toward the cabin. It felt good to spend some quality time out in the woods. The nicer part was that I had actually spent a nice chunk of that time on my own land.