Our Outdoors: Standard Procedure

"Now, you get to do the strap up on top of it," I said with a laugh, as on my tip toes I cranked hard on the ratchet which secured the stabilizing pole of my buddy's new deer stand to his chosen tree, putting a pair of red lines into my palm, which suggested the brace was secure.

It was his first experience with the process of dragging the awkward combination of seat and ladder in the brushy b...