close to these runways. Master trails are those easy to spot major trails, but these do not necessarily provide consistent action. Secondary trails tend to be more dependable, particularly for mature bucks who take the path less traveled. These trails come and go as deer are attracted to a seasonal food or bedding thicket. SecA poorly chosen stand makes hunting miserable. On the other hand, a good deer stand not only makes your time more enjoyable, it also makes you a more effective hunter. We face enough hunting challenges from the deer themselves so we don't need tree stands that make the hunt harder. Danger - Serious injuries and deaths from tree stand falls are increasingly common and an alarming number of hunters fall from tree stands each season. Always wear a safety belt or harness! Hunting from above gives us several advantages, such as remaining above a deer's normal field of view, raising our scent above our prey's nose, and increasing our range of vision. Unfortunately, as the use of tree stands increases, so does the frequency of hunters falling from their perches. Here are some tips to help get the most out of your peak hunting experience:

* Hunt deer, not trees. Find the deer first by looking for trails, droppings, buck rubs, feeding locations, bedding areas and other deer signs, then find a tree within easy shooting range that will put you in a good location relative to the wind. Fresh rubs and scrapes are expected indicators of consistent use, particularly with heavy surrounding cover. The more cover the better the trail.

* Hot deer trails. Scout trails ahead of time as most deer are harvested close to these runways. Master trails are those easy to spot major trails, but these do not necessarily provide consistent action. Secondary trails tend to be more dependable, particularly for mature bucks who take the path less traveled. These trails come and go as deer are attracted to a seasonal food or bedding thicket. Seco

stand falls are increasingly common and an alarming number of hunters fall from tree stands each season. Always wear a safety belt or harness! Hunting from above gives us several advantages, such as remaining above a deer's normal field of view, raising our scent above our prey's nose, and increasing our range of vision. Unfortunately, as the use of tree stands increases, so does the frequency of hunters falling from their perches. Here are some tips to help get the most out of your peak hunting experience:

* Hunt deer, not trees. Find the deer first by looking for trails, droppings, buck rubs, feeding locations, bedding areas and other deer signs, then find a tree within easy shooting range that will put you in a good location relative to the wind. Fresh rubs and scrapes are expected indicators of consistent use, particularly with heavy surrounding cover. The more cover the better the trail.

* Hot deer trails. Scout trails ahead of time as most deer are harvested close to these runways. Master trails are those easy to spot major trails, but these do not necessarily provide consistent action. Secondary trails tend to be more dependable, particularly for mature bucks who take the path less traveled. These trails come and go as deer are attracted to a seasonal food or bedding thicket. Sec

nately, as the use of tree stands increases, so does the frequency of hunters falling from their perches. Here are some tips to help get the most out of your peak hunting experience:

* Hunt deer, not trees. Find the deer first by looking for trails, droppings, buck rubs, feeding locations, bedding areas and other deer signs, then find a tree within easy shooting range that will put you in a good location relative to the wind. Fresh rubs and scrapes are expected indicators of consistent use, particularly with heavy surrounding cover. The more cover the better the trail.

* Hot deer trails. Scout trails ahead of time as most deer are harvested close to these runways. Master trails are those easy to spot major trails, but these do not necessarily provide consistent action. Secondary trails tend to be more dependable, particularly for mature bucks who take the path less traveled. These trails come and go as deer are attracted to a seasonal food or bedding thicket. Sec

s, then find a tree within easy shooting range that will put you in a good location relative to the wind. Fresh rubs and scrapes are expected indicators of consistent use, particularly with heavy surrounding cover. The more cover the better the trail.

* Hot deer trails. Scout trails ahead of time as most deer are harvested close to these runways. Master trails are those easy to spot major trails, but these do not necessarily provide consistent action. Secondary trails tend to be more dependable, particularly for mature bucks who take the path less traveled. These trails come and go as deer are attracted to a seasonal food or bedding thicket. Sec

close to these runways. Master trails are those easy to spot major trails, but these do not necessarily provide consistent action. Secondary trails tend to be more dependable, particularly for mature bucks who take the path less traveled. These trails come and go as deer are attracted to a seasonal food or bedding thicket. Secondary deer trails that serve a purpose close at hand are often a better choice for stand sites - hot sites are seasonal.

* Use a sturdy, portable stand. Permanent stands nailed into trees rot and become deadly. Weakened wooden steps and stands kill and cripple hunters. Even pressure treated wood gets a dangerous slippery growth. Ugly boards, spikes and nails ruin chain saws and anger landowners. They also give away your secret hunting spots to anybody who sees them, including the deer. They are difficult to move when deer change their trails just a few feet. Use a good portable stand like Deerhunter Stands.

* Inspect any stand before use. All stands need a good looking over before trusting your life to it. Metal fatigue, missing bolts or fasteners, rust, wood rot, improper storage, poor design and faulty construction can all cause a stand to fail resulting in injury or death. Risk is not a factor to be ignored - like it or not, every time a hunter climbs a stand, they are at risk. It only takes a short fall to break a neck. Never use a stand if you doubt its safety.

* Ambush locations. Look for natural travel corridors that pass through bottlenecks, funnels or along fence lines to hunt. Try not t