05 May The LOUNGE STAND!!!
The “Lounge Stand” held many special memories! It had that name because of the 2 long parallel arm rails that kept the hunter from falling out. You could sit back, and swing your legs over the rails. It was so comfortable.
All hunters name their special hunting stands or spots. Maybe it is called the “Big Buck stand” or the “Lucky stand”. Whatever the name of these stands, they all leave precious memories in our minds. Only the hunters that spent time in those stands would even know that they were there. After a season of sitting in those spots, there would not be a rock, stump, or tree that wasn’t familiar.
I spent many evenings “lounging” in the Lounge Stand after a long, hard, day at school. The stand, located in the middle of a valley, channeled rutting bucks. It was old school. I had used seasoned lumber, local branches, screw in steps, and nails, to construct this sturdy stand. Today’s more modern, and portable stands, are way safer, better, and less obvious. Back in the day, we rarely used safety straps, and tended to build these stands 20 feet or so high. The deer I saw from this stand were always HUGE!
I walked by the old Lounge Stand site, the other day, during a shed hunt. You would never know that a hunting stand had ever been there. No boards, nails, or step holes were visible. The forked tree was healthy, and much bigger.
Of all the hunting stories that came from the Lounge Stand, one stands out. The day my Daughter was born was during prime deer hunting. After a long wait at the hospital, she arrived healthy, and happy into our lives. I was exhausted, worn out, and spent. My wife told me to go home, and rest. As I went home, I noticed that it was prime time to get an evening hunt in. Off to the forest I went, where I climbed into the Lounge Stand. My bow lay across the rails, and I lay back with my legs over the rails. Fresh deer sign was everywhere. This could be the day when I celebrate my wonderful new Daughter and a great buck!
Suddenly I felt something on my face. It was cold, wet, and it was raining! Everything was dark and I found that I had went asleep 20 feet up in a wooden tree stand, with no safety strap, flashlight, and it was almost Midnight!
A T-Rex could have come by the Lounge Stand, along with a herd of massive Bucks, and I would never have known. They would have heard a happy hunter peacefully snoring in his Lounge Stand! Oh well, that’s why they call it “hunting”.
Tree stands and hunting spots bring back many special memories. These stories keep the hunts alive and are in part why we hunt. I sat for a moment by this old tree, where I spent so much time in the past. There, on the ground next to me, was a fresh shed!
The Old Lounge Stand is still lucky!
Montana Grant
For more Montana Grant, visit his website at www.montanagrantfishing.com