Few activities are as satisfying to me, a deer hunter, as to have driven the last nail and sawed the last plank on a deer stand I built myself. I honestly think I get as much satisfaction and enjoyment out of practicing my crude brand of carpentry on a deer stand I built myself as the hunting experience itself.
Over the years, I have come up with some doozies. The first box stand I ever constructed by myself had to have help to keep from toppling over. I nailed a two-by-four from one shaky leg of the stand to a nearby sturdy tree to give support. It lasted a couple of years before giving up the ghost.
My favorite homemade stand was built on the ground. Perhaps the elevated stand that toppled over taught me a lesson. Using a post hole digger, I placed four corner posts in the ground and built the stand from plywood around it, complete with floor and roof. If this stand were to fall over, I wouldn’t be hurt because I’d only have about six inches to fall.
One of the things that I dread is heading out to my deer stands during the off season to prepare them for fall and winter hunting. One thing I have learned is that during the off season, my stands enter the time-share program as other creatures take over in my absence.
On one occasion, I cautiously eased up to peer into my stand and found a hawk nest. Another time, I climbed into the stand and was preparing to take a seat on the cushion I’d left there at the end of last season. As I adjusted the cushion before sitting down, something moved inside the cushion. Puzzled, I poked a stick in a small hole in the material and jumped back astonished as eight flying squirrels vacated the warm and cozy cushion that had been their home for months.
On another occasion, I checked my stand to find that a family of buzzards had taken the window I’d left open as an invitation to come on in and make themselves at home. Have you ever had to clean up behind a family of buzzards? Believe me, it’s not for the person with a weak stomach. I debated about possibly dowsing on some gasoline, lighting a match and burning the stinking stand to the ground. Starting over may have been a better option.
A friend of mine made a pre-season check of his box stand to find that bats had worked their way beneath the camouflage material covering his stand, causing him to swat at fleeing bats for a few moments.
I eventually got to the point of making my stands critter-proof to keep flying squirrels, bats and buzzards away.
However, there is one pest I can count on, in fact almost guarantee that will be there once I make my first inspection of my stand before hunting season kicks off.
Wasps.
No matter how tightly you think you have your stand closed, they’ll find a way to get in and frankly, wasps do not take kindly to being disturbed. Thus, before climbing the first rung of the ladder to my stand, I’ll have one hand on the rung and the other wrapped around a can of wasp spray.
There is a measure of satisfaction in sitting back with an air of smugness in admiring the deer stand that you have constructed by your own hands. However, time-share critters like flying squirrels, bats, buzzards and wasps apparently pay little attention to the contract that says they have to share.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass fishing has been best at night with Carolina rigs and deep diving crank baits along with soft plastics picking up some fish with an occasional double digit fish reported. Crappie are fair around the deep brush on shiners or jigs. The bream bite is slowing as the spawn is about over and they’ve moving from the shallow spawning areas. No report on catfish. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BLACK BAYOU – Fishing in general has been good for bream, crappie and bass especially fishing around the trees and brush. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE –Big bass up to 10 pounds and better are being caught flipping the brush with creature baits, fishing spinners and crank baits. The crappie are scattered around the brush. Bream have slowed. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Bass are best fishing shad imitations in the cuts while crappie are best fishing shiners or jigs in the river lakes. Bream are fair to good. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie are on the edges of the flats and channel edges with some nice fish caught on shiners or jigs. Bass fishing has been good early mornings fishing topwater lures around the grass. Later in the day, look for them in deeper water where Carolina-rigs, crank baits and spinners are working best. Bream are on starting to slow down off the beds on hitting worms and crickets. Catfish continue to be caught fishing cold worms and night crawlers off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Night fishing has been best for crappie fishing shiners under the lights around the piers and boat houses. Bass fishing has been fair to good fishing soft plastics or spinners around the piers. Some stripers are beginning to show up in the coves and hitting shad imitation lures. Bream are fair to good around spawning areas. Some nice catfish have been caught on noodles baited with live bream. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish and bream are biting. Bass are slow but a 9 ½ pounder was caught. Crappie are best on the south end on shiners or jigs. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is at pool stage and fishing is good for barfish, bass, catfish and crappie. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.