Proper way to approach a tree stand.?

Question

I have a stand set up over a great deer trail but there is no quiet way to it without walking on the trail. Its all extremely thick woods where I'm guaranteed to make a raucous. Whats more important, staying off the trail, or being quiet.

Answer 1

  Glacierwolf has the right answer-If you walk down the trail each time you go to the stand, the deer will abandon the trail and move on. ( I know, there are exceptions to every rule) If you walk through the thickets, making noise and spreading scent, the same results will occur also. The best bet is to make the trail now ,and make it where you will not be brushing up against the brush, spreading your scent all the way to your stand. Make certain your stand will be downwind of the deer trail,  Use the prevailing winds in your area at that time of year for your guideline- Good luck!

Answer 2

I tend to agree with falphil.  Look, deer are not stupid and will and are going to notice anything out of the ordinary using primarily smell, and hearing.  You are in their environment, in their house, you're not going to get anything past them.  Best thing is just to try to minimize things, but don't over do it.  For example..when walking to your stand you should try to be relatively quiet, but don't over do it (they are going to hear you anyway).  If you try to be sneaky,  they will be able to tell that you are trying to be sneaky, and this will spook them even more than just hearing you walk in with a normal noise factor.  It's like on the Discovery Channel when you see gazelles grazing and a lion walks by (just in passing), they will watch him, but that's about all.  But you let the lion start acting all sneaky and the gazelles run like the wind, as fast as the wind.  Sounds like in the area your hunting your going to be heard and smelled.  Better to minimize the damage by getting them used to hearing and smelling you.  Take a pair of jeans you've worn for a couple of days and put them neer your stand.  The deer may be scared at first but then they will get use to smelling your smell.  Do this about every week until season begins.  Then when the hunting season gets here your smell will not be associated with anything bad and they will still smell you, but will not care.  

Answer 3

These are two things that are very important, you dont want to be extremly loud and take the chance of spooking deer that may be beded near your stand and you dont want to use the trail because the deer will sence your presence. You are probaly going to have to clear yourself a new path and like the others have said if the new path is easy for the deer to travel than the one they already have then it will most certianly be taken over by the deer. If its at all possible try to keep track of the wind and make your path down wind of the area you believe the deer to be bedding, if you intend on taking a mature buck then you best get that path cut as soon as possible so there will be plenty of time for the area to calm back down. well good luck to ya and leave a few in the woods for me  

Answer 4

Just put some Deer scent on you shoes or boots, and forget about worrying about making noise.* If you do spook them, they still will return.*

Answer 5

Smell is more important than sound.  I have walked upwind not expecting to see any deer at all, and have had them jump up within 15 feet of me.  On the other hand, I have been walking downwind, and had deer jump up a couple of hundred yards away and run .

Unless the hunting pressure is severe, I wouldn't worry about it.  Just practice good scent control, get in your stand early, and be quiet.

Answer 6

Long before the season starts you should clear out a secondary path to your tree stand.  Mind you - this could also become the new primary path for the deer too.  

You should 'bite the bullet' and clear your path now - then give it a few days for the area to go back to normal activity.  My opinion.

Hope this helps.