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How Far?

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How Far?

Postby Swede » 04 26, 2017 •  [Post 1]

How far do you walk and/or drive from your camp to your tree stand? If you go from home daily, how far is the commute to the stand?

My closest is a 5 minute drive plus about a 10-15 Minute hike. I can leave my camp and be in the stand within 20 minutes fairly easy. The longest drive is about 45 minutes plus a 15 minute walk in. Some hikes are longer than others up to about 45 minutes. In addition to the 45 minute walk in, there is a 30 minute drive.

What are others experiencing?
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Re: How Far?

Postby RAMMONT » 04 26, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I don't have a tree stand but I do use ground stands, the closest being a short 10 minute walk from the house and the farthest being a 20 minute, 30mph drive away from the house with and additional 20 minute hike to a point above a creek.
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Re: How Far?

Postby lamrith » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Hrmmm memory is a bit fuzzy as it was my 1st year in that area, but I want to say from camp it was a 15min ATV drive then 30min down to the one spot I am thinking a TS would work well. Walking back out more like a 45min walk.

That is with RJ driving, normal person that be a 10min or less run from camp to parking spot... :twisted:
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Re: How Far?

Postby Swede » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Is that the easy or hard place to get to Larry? We need more than one T.S. location. A 45 minute walk is more like a two hour plus pack.
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Re: How Far?

Postby lamrith » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Swede wrote:Is that the easy or hard place to get to Larry? We need more than one T.S. location. A 45 minute walk is more like a two hour plus pack.

I would not consider that spot hard to get to at all, just a winding trail down. I was not actually watching the clock, just sort of estimating on what I remember, we were not pushing to make time, just hunting our way down. We will have a few spots, that is just the 1st one that comes to mind and an area I spent much time in last year, there is another good area a few hundred yards farther and about a 15min longer walk that should have a few good TS spots as well. I saw elk in both locations last year, and we had singers all around during the week we were there.
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Re: How Far?

Postby Wahpeton » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 6]

From camp. 10 minutes downhill on a bicycle. Park the bike. Walk in about 600 yards from where I park the bike, maybe 15 minutes?

Going back is quite a bit longer. Bike ride is 25 minutes back uphill.

We camp at a trailhead where there's a gated no vehicle road that it's OK for horses or bikes, nice and quiet to get in on the bike.
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Re: How Far?

Postby Swede » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 7]

Wahpeton, I have been considering taking my bicycle hunting, but just have not felt comfortable taking a perfectly good bow, five arrows and a pack in while riding on the mountain bike. What is your comfort level on a bike, while carrying your gear over a rough road?
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Re: How Far?

Postby lamrith » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 8]

Swede wrote:Wahpeton, I have been considering taking my bicycle hunting, but just have not felt comfortable taking a perfectly good bow, five arrows and a pack in while riding on the mountain bike. What is your comfort level on a bike, while carrying your gear over a rough road?


The on the bike part would not phase me with a good pack and the bow secure on the pack. The physical side of climbing up a hill is what concerns me the most :lol:
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Re: How Far?

Postby ishy » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 9]

It stinks, but everything is long for me to my stand. 1.5 hour drive from home, and 2 hour hike. I like not having anyone around!
I am too comfortable on a bike especially on a good trail.
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Re: How Far?

Postby Wahpeton » 04 27, 2017 •  [Post 10]

My main exercise during the year is on my mountain bike. I'm pretty comfortable on it. Going in, I strap my bow to my daypack and ensure things are cinched down pretty good. Going down hill, you can go way too fast. Important to take it easy, especially in the pre-dawn time when you are riding in your headlamp beam.

As far as going back up hill on the bike versus climbing, I think it's a push until it gets too steep, then I just walk along the bike and use it as a support until I get to a more ride able area.

I use my bike here in ND and MN as well when going to/from stands when there are decent trails that I can use.
I think, but can't prove it, but you don't leave much of a scent trail. In MN where I archery hunt whitetail, I will ride right to my stand and lay it down right there. I've ridden right up to deer when going in (15 yards or so) and they don't seem to correlate a person with the motion of a bike coming their way.
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Re: How Far?

Postby ishy » 04 28, 2017 •  [Post 11]

That's funny, I came up on a big bear in an opening last spring and he knew he was in trouble the second he saw me. I think he was doing mach 9 before I could get off the bike.
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Re: How Far?

Postby OregonTK » 04 29, 2017 •  [Post 12]

My favorite stand location is only about a 10 minute hike from the truck ... slightly uphill.
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Re: How Far?

Postby Swede » 04 29, 2017 •  [Post 13]

OregonTK wrote:My favorite stand location is only about a 10 minute hike from the truck ... slightly uphill.


TK, I met one of your friends about a week ago. I need to find out from him where you live, so I can hide a GPS tracker on your hunting vehicle. Every time I see a picture of your wallow, or read something about it, I like it better. :lol:
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Re: How Far?

Postby OregonTK » 05 02, 2017 •  [Post 14]

Swede wrote:
OregonTK wrote:My favorite stand location is only about a 10 minute hike from the truck ... slightly uphill.


TK, I met one of your friends about a week ago. I need to find out from him where you live, so I can hide a GPS tracker on your hunting vehicle. Every time I see a picture of your wallow, or read something about it, I like it better. :lol:


Swede...Kevin said he went over to your homestead a couple weeks ago. He just got his new recurve and I made him two dozen new arrows for it.

I'm kind of secluded up here in the Cascades, but it's getting more crowded all the time. I'll send up smoke signals so you can find my place. ;)
If you rattle, they will come!
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