Among Maine deer hunters, the use of treestands is on a par with artificial scents or antler rattling: some do, some don’t. My brother-in-law, who is an experienced and capable deer hunter, wouldn’t hunt from a treestand for love nor money. Others who I share the November woods with wouldn’t hunt any other way.

A Massachusetts game warden in our group swears by his stand. He spends ALL of his hunting hours up there suspended above the alders near a game trail. Neither wind, nor cold, nor driving rain will deter him from his vigil. A camo umbrella and a Magnum Thermos of hot soup helps fortify his spirits.

A restless hunter who likes to wander, I – having recognized the value of the treestand hunt – have disciplined myself to sit in a treestand no more than four hours in a hunting day: two hours in the morning and two hours in the late afternoon.

The advantages of a treestand are legion. Scent control and enhanced visibility are foremost. There is a downside, though. On cold days when there is a biting north wind, treestands are the coldest places on earth. And then there is the height-off-the ground factor. Each year, some hunters are killed or injured falling from treestands.

There is no arguing, though, that in most cases a hunter in a treestand is giving himself an edge in the pursuit of North America’s keenest and wariest big game animal. If you want that edge, are reasonably agile and not prone to deep sleep while in a hunting mode, you might want to try hunting with a view. Before you rush to the Cabela catalog and order up one of those factory-made hunting chairs for $300 or more, consider a home-built job in the $50 to $60 range. You may already have some of the materials on hand. I’ve built and used three of these with some success.

Materials:

Two 12′ 2x4s (Pressure treated)

One 6′ 2×4 (Pressure treated)

24 lineal feet 1x3s (Poplar works good)

One 24″x24″ piece exterior grade plywood (5/8″ or 3/4″)

Six ¼” stove bolts

Six washers and wing nuts

One pound of 3″ or 4″ dry wall screws

Two large eyebolts

Construction: Simply make a ladder using the two 12′ 2x4s. Use eight 1×3 rungs cut 24″ long. Space them 16″ on center, preferably “rabbiting” out a 1″x 3″ groove for the rungs. Drill holes for the dry wall screws in rungs only and attach to ladder. Cut the six foot 2×4 in half.(Platform supports) Drilling bolt holes in the ends of the now three foot 2x4s and the top of the ladder, bolt the platform supports on the inside of ladder top. Cut a shallow “V” in one end of the plywood platform and screw to top of platform supports. Install large eyebolts to the left and right of the plywood “V.”

Finally, cut two 1x3s that are 3 feet, 10 inches long. (Platform support braces). Drill bolt holes in each end of 1x3s and on outer end of platform supports. Before drilling the holes in the ladder for the 1×3 support braces, establish the desired angle between the platform and the ladder legs (somewhere between 10 and 20 degrees). This will insure that your treestand platform is level when your ladder is leaning against a tree. When transporting the ladder, the support braces are folded up inside the ladder legs. The stove bolts, washers and wing nuts are not installed in the lower support braces until the stand is ready to be put against the tree.

If desired, the stand can be camoed up with alternating splotches of green and brown spray paint. Oh, don’t forget to bring a good-quality rachet strap for securing (through the eyebolts) the stand to the tree.And if you’re not hunting in unorganized territory, the law requires that your name and phone number be visible on your stand. And don’t plan to carry your homebuilt stand long distances, unless your name is Grizz Adams.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WCME-FM 96.7) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected].