Guest Mark_85 Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 How high do you set your treestands to bow hunt ? I have a 16 foot ladderstand set up and I have had 1 deer bust me. Over the three years i've hunted the spot. I wanted to know how high you guys set your stand to bow hunt ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 I hunt anywhere from on the ground(in a ground blind) to 15 feet. I rarely hunt over 15 feet off the ground to bowhunt. We have a stand 10 feet high that is extremely well hidden in an oak tree and we routinely shoot deer at 5-7 steps out of it and rarely get busted. I also have a stand over an alfalfa field that is 15 feet high and I was consistently getting busted because there was very little foreground cover. I moved the stand 30 yards south on the edge of the field to a tree with a lot of cover this year, and while it's early, I had a deer come out at 30 yards, fed around, and bedded down in the alfalfa at 45 yards and never knew I was there. I would suggest maybe moving your stand to a different tree with more cover that is in the same area. Also, did the deer smell you and bust and see you or bust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyperflow Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 im a strong believer on get as high as u feel safe. The higher the better if you ask me. At 10-15 feet your still very close to the ground and your sent blows down very close to you. If you get higher well it blows your scent a lil farther so puting another advantege for you. If i can get 30 feet i will hunt 30 feet. My 10 cents on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 We try not to go below 13ft. The higher up you are, the less chance you have of deer busting your movement out of their periphery. We have a 22ft ladder stand that four of us have NEVER been pegged by a deer. Most of our stands are 16 footers, but we range from 13 ft to about 24 ft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 The Max I will go during Bow Season is about 23-24ft high. I gauge that height, even in the dark, by the bow pull rope beginning to lift the bow off the ground. For me it all is dictated by 2 things: 1. The amount of backcover I can conceal myself in. 2. Can I achieve a double lung hit at this height and within my effective shooting range. It's "How low to climb and still stay hidden" for me...better shot angle;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I'm usually around 15 ft, but I think cover behind you, to break-up your outline and hide movement, is more important. - Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tmrltree Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I think cover behind you, to break-up your outline and hide movement, is more important. Very well said. I myself average 10-15ft. I see no reason to go any higher. I concentrate on a tree that provides a great backdrop for myself in this height range, as Dan said, breaking up the outline is important. Just my opinon. -Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 LOL...tmrltree...LOVE that avatar:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY_Bowhunter14 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 between 15-20' is where i like to keep my stand height... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 LOL...tmrltree...LOVE that avatar:D haha, I got a little chuckle out of that too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I think cover behind you, to break-up your outline and hide movement, is more important. - Dan Have to agree with that! I have stands from 15 ft to 25ft. The lower I am the more cover I want around me..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 im a strong believer on get as high as u feel safe. The higher the better if you ask me. At 10-15 feet your still very close to the ground and your sent blows down very close to you. If you get higher well it blows your scent a lil farther so puting another advantege for you. If i can get 30 feet i will hunt 30 feet. My 10 cents on that Just a question, if your scent is going to blow down further away, won't deer then have a chance on smelling you further away too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Height doesn't matter IMO. People were hunting successfully long before treestands were thought of. The key is proper scent control, playing the wind, concealment, minimal movement, and a good backdrop. All of these need to be done from the ground, or from 30 feet in the air. yes, the higher you are, the less you need to be concerned with a few of these, but being 30 feet in the air is not necessary IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shockwave Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Whatever you are comfortable with... If you can handle a nose bleed go as high as you want, if not stick to 12 to 15 feet..Just keep plenty of cover to your back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Just a question, if your scent is going to blow down further away, won't deer then have a chance on smelling you further away too?Thermals fall in the evening and rise in the morning. Which means, If you are hunting the mornings and you are 20 feet up with little or no wind, the deer are less likely to smell you as your scent is going up. On the other hand, in the evening if you have little or no wind try to imagine this 50 yard invisible cloud of scent in a circle around the base of your stand. It's kind of like sitting in lowland and you know how the light fog sets in around you? Kind of the same thing. Hope this helps. That said, I hunt a minimum of 18' and the majority of my stands are 20-22'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 You are about as high as you want to go at 16 feet high. It's easier to kill a deer at a low shot angle. Less bone to get through and you're more likely to acheive a double lung hit. Remember the wind, you can't beat it especially with mature deer (mature does or bucks), they have noses like bloodhounds! Hiding and keeping your movement to a minimum is important. If you do move at all do it in slow motion even if you don't think you are being watched. The only reason I get up in trees is to shoot down into brushy spots that I can't get an arrow through easily or see into from the ground. I usually hunt on the ground. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyperflow Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Just a question, if your scent is going to blow down further away, won't deer then have a chance on smelling you further away too? No because you scent just keeps going down wind, If your high or low your scent keeps blowing down wind regarless Just the higher you are the farther away from you your scent hits the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyperflow Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 You are about as high as you want to go at 16 feet high. It's easier to kill a deer at a low shot angle. Less bone to get through and you're more likely to acheive a double lung hit. Remember the wind, you can't beat it especially with mature deer (mature does or bucks), they have noses like bloodhounds! Hiding and keeping your movement to a minimum is important. If you do move at all do it in slow motion even if you don't think you are being watched. The only reason I get up in trees is to shoot down into brushy spots that I can't get an arrow through easily or see into from the ground. I usually hunt on the ground. Mark See i dont get that, when you get that buck of a life time bust you cuz your 2 low. Because more times then none he will come out where u didn;t expect "down wind". Anything you can put in your favor why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mark_85 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 okay thanks all. This is why im asking I had an old mature buck bust me. he caught me reaching for my bow. I've had many deer go right in front of me and maybe glance then keep walking. I've also had them right under the stand. But this fella didn't miss a beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 This year the stands I have set are anywhere from ground level to 27' up to the platform. It all depends on available cover. With that said though if you move to get your bow at the wrong time a deer can bust you no matter how high you are in my neck of the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mule659 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I have a 16 or 17 foot ladder that I use a lot of the time. Most of my hunting is in lock on stands around the 18-20 foot area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 20 FT. for me. Why? I don't know, just like being at that height. Will agree with some of the others, 1. Be sure you are comfortable with whatever height you are at. 2. Get plenty of backdrop behind you. I drew on a buck twice last year (after I stood up), I had to let down and wait for him to clear one little ole tree to my left and then drew again and he was only 16 steps from the tree I was in. He never knew I was there until I let the arrow fly........which went straight over his back. So to me, go with what you feel comfortable with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kid Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 20 to 25 ft in the air,, this gives me a better range of view,, allowing me to see the deer way off before they get to me,, but i hunt fields mostly,, hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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