Hunting from Tree Stands

[ihuntsnook]

Just curious. How many of you hunt from tree stands? The kills I remember best are those where I had both feet on the ground and the deer were close -- bowhunting range close. Every deer I ever shot from a tree I felt like it was cheating.

 

[ihuntsnook]

And by the way, I never "harvested" a deer in my life. I shot a few, and killed a few, but the only thing I harvest is plantlife. As an outdoor writer I always considered harvesting as something apumpkin farmer did in September.

 

[phoenix511]

Here in the upper midwest, much of the hunting is done from stands. The area is heavily wooded, and "stalking" is very hard work. Stands allow the hunter to get in place before dawn and allow things to quiet down. Never thought of this as cheating.

I think the scent of the stand hunter is carried aloft and far enough downwind/diluted to allow deer to get close to the stand without being spooked.

Nearly every year around here someone shoots themselves while climbing up or down to a stand and drops a loaded firearm ... which discharges!

Percussion shooters: remove the cap from the nipple before climbing up, pull the firearm up on a rope after you are in place. Flinters, remove the prime from the pan, open the frizzen, lower the hammer, pull it up. Or if you have a sling, decap-deprime, climb to stand. Same thing coming down: decap-deprime.

(FWIW, I've seen flinters with well-tuned locks fire with no prime in the pan! Don't rely on a half-cock notch on an empty pan for safety.)

 

[silly goose]

After a slow start, I've harvested quite a few deer now, numbers don't matter. All but a few from tree stands. Its so thick around here that if you are on the ground, you can't see 25 yards, and way too noisy to still hunt unless its raining or snowing. Once I get up in a tree I can see a bit more, and my farthest harvest has been appx 60 yards, most 30 or less. I'll be hunting on the ground more due to age and injury, but I will miss my climber for sure. Its comfortable, safe, and it works. Sometimes I go several days without seeing a deer, it would be many more days if I hunted the ground. I think too many folks think their way is the only way without realizing that the terrain is different where everyone hunts.

 

[trent/OH]

My "tree stand" is just a 6 foot step ladder. I tie between 2 trees. It is painted somewhat subdued so it doesn't show too badly in the woods. I just attach a bigger platform to the top, and put a cushion on it for comfort. While it serves to get my eyeballs several feet higher, and above much of the brush, the real benefit is that by sitting on it, I'm not moving around. The hard part is lugging it around before and after the season.

 

[vern faulkner]

When I was bout 17 years old I found an old tree stand in an apple tree on a piece of private land that I had permission to hunt on. Climbed up and promptly fell asleep (it was a warm day). Then I promptly fell out of it. I now let the birds sit on the branches. The Old Woman however does say that incident does explain a lot.

Vern

 

[sidelock]

Ain't never hunted (some say it's huntin) from a tree. I have taken about 200 deer, a few elk,bear, and about everythin else you can name. None from a tree. Dont think L&C did nether.

 

[dbutch]

Gun hunting public land.... will only hunt off the ground.(Safety)
Prefer the ground when bow hunting due to shot angle.
The deer here look up so don't feel like I have that much more edge elevated.YMMV

 

[Bill Hall]

Tree stands aren't very effective out west, although lately I have seen a few makeshift boards tacked up in trees here and there. So apparently some people are trying them out. I've yet to see anyone up in those trees though.

From time to time I will wait in ambush by a trail to water, or a well used game trail, but I can't see any reason to wait up in a tree. But hey, if it works for your terrain, do it. :wink: Bill

 

I gave up on them. Not that I think they are cheating, I just don't like the experience or being stuck in one place. So the past several years I've hunted on the ground, using natural elevations and a turkey hunting ground seat to keep my rear end dry. I'd much rather have the freedom to get up and move if I want. Life is much better and I doubt I'll ever do much hunting from a tree stand ever again.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I do both I have a spot you literally cannot see 10 yards from the ground, from the ladder stand 80 yards. I got other spots i perfer X-sticks and a soft cushy camo boat cushion as a seat leaned against a nice solid tree works the best. Other times I am stalkin standing corn fields, or still hunting the draws. My best method is I left the other hunters be my dogs and know the escape routes for the deer and once the shooting starts first light I sit it a fall down along the fence row and wait and every year opening morning I get an opportunity at a nice shooter buck if I am patient and can sit all day. Same thing for Thanksgiving morning all the neighbor people to gigantic deer drives with the families. I sit and wait along the ridge on my property and when the deer get bumped they are making a b-line outta there woods following the fence line, then go under the expressway overpass right along the river bed on my property and guess who it waiting "This Guy". Doesn't matter how you hunt ya need to do ya homework and know how the deer move where they bed, where they feed and stage, and mostly what happens when they feel the hunting pressure where do they go and how do they get there. Once thats done figure out what set up is best and safest for you. Happy Hunting Everyone

 

[Sperit de bois]

To answer your question,I hunt from both ground blinds and tree stands,they both have there place...and if you fall/fell out of one or slipped getting up/down you did not follow your safety procedures!!!!!!!!!!If your feet leave the ground your safety harness SHALL be connected to the tree...and you................

 

[roundball]

I stopped using Loc-On tree stands when I switched from bow-hunting to Flintlocks, and have used natural blinds 99% of the time since then...set up on the edge of a oak ridge overlooking trails in & out of a large bedding thicket...safer, warmer, more comfortable, and I’ve taken more and better bucks off the ground during the rut than I ever did from Loc-Ons.

I do have one spot I occasionally hunt where the wind is so fickle, flipping around hour by hour, that I had to get my scent up higher so I have a sturdy, roomy 16’ ladder stand at that place.

NATURAL GROUND BLIND

LADDER STAND

 

[VEARL]

I have hunted both ways in the past. While you do gain sight distance from a tree stand, one at my age must stay on the ground for safety reasons.
If your ground blind hunting it requires more concealment. You might be surprised at how good you can get at hiding yourself while hunting.
As for scents...don't put to much confidence in them Staying down wind is my objective while hunting.
Either way, there are pros and cons to each and each must study his hunting grounds to determine which would be best for that day's hunt.

 

[VTdeerhunter]

Depending on the terrain, weather and the day I will use; tree stand, ground blind, natural blind, or still hunt....my dad has gotten to the point where he does not feel safe in a tree anymore, so he uses a ground blind and a small chair. I started my son with still hunting and ground blinds, then moved to a 2-person tree stand when he got a little older. They all work and have their place.

 

[Sperit de bois]

For the most part,got older,smarter and taking longer to recover,I now use Natural blinds,,no foot print to cover,game don't have to adjust to it and it's safer to fall asleep (hunting stealth) when you are on the ground. :rotf:

 

[roundball]

Natural ground blinds are my favorites...down out of the wind, legs stretched out comfortably, a thermos of hot coffee and soup...and if I doze off I really don't care...LOL.
I use this both for turkey and deer hunting...lightweight, strong, down low to the ground, pick it up with the shoulder strap and it folds right up...makes for a comfortable sit as long as you want.

 

[rabjr]

I'm dead set against tree stands!! Never find me in one!

 

[RC]

I'm dead set against tree stands!! Never find me in one!

:yakyak: that is,until you teach the rat to climb!
:wink:

 

[Richard J.]

In Pa. I use natural blinds or slip thru the woods. In Va. and Fl. swamps you have to use stands to even see the deer where I hunt. For example last year in Va. swamp, hunting from tree stand had a buck and two does right under stand and couldnt see enough of them for a shot. That thick. They have to move thru small openings to get a shot. Crazy hunting but fun. Of course at my age I do a lot more watching deer than shooting. It is a long drag for this old man, and I have to cross a double cable that stretches 80 feet across a river. After getting a deer out of there you want to just watch the next ones.

RJ