Deer stand damage help

[Joanne Vaughn]

My son left his deer stands up for 3 years and the screw in metal foot pegs have been partially encased in the bark. Has anyone advice about how to extricate them with minimal injury to the trees?

[Joanne Vaughn]

Forgotten foot holds left by hunter 2 or 3 years. Plan is to cut out the bark around the foot holds, Knock out the pegs with a maul and then coat area with Tree Kote and then to not allow hunters to leave their gear for the season. Any suggestions?

[Steve Johnstonbaugh]

Get yourself a 3'-4' pipe that will fit over the peg.  Slip the pipe onto the peg and lift up.  Once it's moving upward you can continue to bend it up by striking it with a hammer.  It may bend far enough that you can twist it out. If it doesn't get that far, cut off what you can with a hacksaw and leave the rest.

Removing that much bark and opening up the vascular system will open a huge wound with huge risk.  So don't start cutting on the tree.  The tree will grow over whatever remains and heal itself.

That is inexcusable.  I wouldn't let those hunters back on my land.  No respect for you or your trees.