Tree stands and the wind

[nyslowhand]

When have you had enough and get (down) out of the tree stand during windy days? I'm not a big fan of being up there hanging onto the stands while the tree is "rockin 'n' rollin". NO, I wasn't in this stand when it went down, but just the thought of what might have happened... Crappy cell phone photo, but you get the idea!

 

[the blur]

_{I'll stay on the ground.  Sit on a log,  rock, whatever.}

[Dan92]

looks like that tree will make a nice man made ground blind now

[ncountry]

I have sat in trees a few times, when I kept on telling myself that the tree has stood for 100 years. What are the odds of today being the last?

[wooly]

Looks like that one needs to drop another 3 or 4ft before I'd pull the chord on my chute!

My wind tolerance is increasing the more time I spend in treetops. I'm not sure if I'm getting braver or dumber.., or a little of both.

Usually about the time I start to question myself about what the hell I'm still doing up there is when I make a quick decision to come back to earth.

I built an old permanent stand years ago in one of the biggest trees on the property. One day I showed up after not being there for a while, and my castle had crumbled at some point.

That was an eye opener for sure, but I think those massive suckers topple before a nice flexible tree with a fraction of the surface area to be caught by the wind.

 

[DirtTime]

Holy $hit dude! Glad you weren't in it.

I have a 20 MPH rule, and that's for big based no dead branches at all trees. Now, I think I might change to 10 MPH.

[nyslowhand]

Maybe my OP point should have been, choose your tree wisely for semi or permanent stands before the wind even becomes an issue. Some varieties of trees have shallower root systems (ie; poplar). Some soil conditions (ie; clay) don't allow the roots of tress to go very deep. Some terrains (ie; wetlands or elevations) are more susceptible to wind damage or downing of live trees. And finally & most obvious is the size (diameter) of the tree.

 

You already know this, have chosen the perfect tree and are sitting in it on a windy day. What are the chances the deer will be moving? In my experience where I hunt, they don't like to move around too much on windy days anyways. IMHO, you're more likely to jump a bedded deer on a windy day than have one leisurely walk by your stand. More power to those of you that enjoy the "white-knuckle" experience!

[fisher2]

i choose my trees based on root styles and erosional patterns

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Am I the only one who loves when the trees a rockin lol.

[Doc]

I'm not real big on moving shots, and that is regardless of whether the deer is moving, or I am moving.

 

It's not really a concern for me anymore. I've evolved into a ground dweller and came out of the trees a few decades ago.....lol.

[sweet old bill]

I now only a ground blind hunter at 73 years young. But prior in my 50's would love to just sit in the tree stand and when it rocked it was just about make m fall asleep.   

[Red]

I was in my stand last year during one of the days when the wind was in the mid 20s but gusts were hitting close to 40 an hr before dark a huge gust came threw and toss my bow off the bow hang and down 23feet.  Luckily the only thing to break  was the atm to my sight and I keep an extra sight and rest in my hunting bin and I had the sight naked so it was a quick easy fix

[Vince1]

Last year windy days freaked me out. A little swaying every now and again is fine. Lots a wind and im settin up on the ground

[philoshop]

I'm always a lot more concerned with the widow-makers overhead being dislodged and taking me out. I don't cut firewood in heavy winds for this reason. Riding that tree in your photo to the ground probably wouldn't kill you, but I'm not going to put the experience on my bucket list.

[WNYBuckHunter]

If the wind gets to the point where I cant hold a steady aim at a target, theres no point in being up there anyway, so I get down on the ground. I dont really mind the motion of the swaying, but what am I really gonna do if a deer comes by?

[growalot]

Now that may have been a slow ride down and the stand is ...thankfull.....y on the up side...imagine if it had been on the down side and tree made it all the way  to the ground.....As far as sitting or stalking at ground level...I have pulled too many branches several inches out of hard ground to want to think about what if that had been the top of my head...

[Waldershrek]

I'm always a lot more concerned with the widow-makers overhead being dislodged and taking me out.

 

That's always my bigger fear is limbs coming down from over head than the actual tree falling down

[landtracdeerhunter]

When the trees start to talk, telling me to remove my being,  I listen.

[turkeyfeathers]

When the trees start to talk, telling me to remove my being,  I listen.

I've heard trees talk  in HS after hitting some really kind bud while camping in ASP

[Two Track]

Being not really keen on heights/falling, if it is windy, I am on the ground. Maybe even leave the bow home and hunt for other game - turkey, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel if it is archery season.

 

If it is extremely windy, I am indoors.  One I area hunted last year has few dozen trees and tree-tops down. The severe winds took a toll and blocked off some of the game trails and hiking paths.  One trail head was blocked for over a year.  A few nice-sized branches dropped 20 yards from me in Sept. while scouting.

 

If I go out in potentially dangerous winds, my wife will be very unhappy to say the least.