I found that bow hunting requires me to be higher in the tree than gun hunting. 15 -20 ft up in a tree is ok for a 50+ yd shot with a gun. And yes, I've had them come in closer, but when you have to raise and draw a bow, you are much more likely to get busted at that height. I find that 30-35 ft up in a tree is much better when bow hunting. Be sure to wear a safety harness.
30’-35’ feet is the ideal tree stand height for bow hunting!?!?!?
Thirty to thirty-five feet... ???
Not me! Not only does the thought of that scare the living crap out of me, it complicates things because it narrows the target area, even with a gun. I only go high enough to see well and get clear shooting lanes. Never believed in getting so high they can't smell me; wind and air currents are too fickle.
I found that bow hunting requires me to be higher in the tree than gun hunting. 15 -20 ft up in a tree is ok for a 50+ yd shot with a gun. And yes, I've had them come in closer, but when you have to raise and draw a bow, you are much more likely to get busted at that height. I find that 30-35 ft up in a tree is much better when bow hunting. Be sure to wear a safety harness.
30’-35’ feet is the ideal tree stand height for bow hunting!?!?!?
Thirty to thirty-five feet... ???
Not me! Not only does the thought of that scare the living crap out of me, it complicates things because it narrows the target area, even with a gun. I only go high enough to see well and get clear shooting lanes. Never believed in getting so high they can't smell me; wind and air currents are too fickle.
It isn't about them smelling you. Its about them catching your movement. It does not narrow the target area. Stand placement!!!!!!
We go 15' with hangers and 20' with ladder stands. Hang stand on the back or side away from trail if we are worried about concealment. Be safe and wear your harness.
I was a geometry dropout, but I'm pretty sure a deer in close to a 30' high stand is going to present a narrower target than from a 15' one unless their body is perfectly round At any rate, moving slowly and while a deer is looking elsewhere works well, unless you need a running start to draw a heavy bow.
Here, especially early in the season in heavy cover, 20 yards is a longish typical range. Killed some closer from low stands and on the ground.
At any rate, you're welcome to all those 30+ feet stands. I can't concentrate simultaneously on hunting and fervent prayer.
I was a geometry dropout, but I'm pretty sure a deer in close to a 30' high stand is going to present a narrower target than from a 15' one unless their body is perfectly round At any rate, moving slowly and while a deer is looking elsewhere works well, unless you need a running start to draw a heavy bow.
Here, especially early in the season in heavy cover, 20 yards is a longish typical range. Killed some closer from low stands and on the ground.
At any rate, you're welcome to all those 30+ feet stands. I can't concentrate simultaneously on hunting and fervent prayer.
A 6" circle, is still 6" at twenty or thirty yards from 20 feet to 30 feet! you are just aiming for a different angle through the animal. Knowing the kill zone from all angles is the key!
Clearly the stand position eclipsed you!!!!! Why would you put a stand that close to a trail?
I have no problems drawing any of my bows. Nor do I have a problem cancelling my position. But the fact of the matter still remains that animals see movement very very well! Taking away any advantage of that is never a bad thing. Using every trick in the books will help anyone kill more game.
Some locations won't allow for a high stand and that is fine. But if I can hunt it on the high side I am going to every time. For guys that are afraid of heights I get it, keep it in your comfort zone.
Sorry, I don't understand what "eclipsed" means with regard to deer stands. But again, here the cover where deer hang out is heavy, and close is the name of the game. Even if you can see them at a distance, the overhead foliage makes long shots tough because of the high trajectory. I expect that before long I'll be giving up treestands for good and hunt from the ground due to age. Pretty sure I'll continue to kill deer, as I've still-hunted up on my share over the years, as well as killed a good number from slightly elevated ground seats (not blinds) in hilly areas and the sides of ravines.
If high stands give you an advantage, real or perceived, have at it.
I was a geometry dropout, but I'm pretty sure a deer in close to a 30' high stand is going to present a narrower target than from a 15' one unless their body is perfectly round At any rate, moving slowly and while a deer is looking elsewhere works well, unless you need a running start to draw a heavy bow.
Here, especially early in the season in heavy cover, 20 yards is a longish typical range. Killed some closer from low stands and on the ground.
At any rate, you're welcome to all those 30+ feet stands. I can't concentrate simultaneously on hunting and fervent prayer.
A 6" circle, is still 6" at twenty or thirty yards from 20 feet to 30 feet! you are just aiming for a different angle through the animal. Knowing the kill zone from all angles is the key!
Clearly the stand position eclipsed you!!!!! Why would you put a stand that close to a trail?
I have no problems drawing any of my bows. Nor do I have a problem cancelling my position. But the fact of the matter still remains that animals see movement very very well! Taking away any advantage of that is never a bad thing. Using every trick in the books will help anyone kill more game.
Some locations won't allow for a high stand and that is fine. But if I can hunt it on the high side I am going to every time. For guys that are afraid of heights I get it, keep it in your comfort zone.
Not any circle in deer I shoot. Targets are oblong for vitals, not round. Unfortunately. And going up narrows the target to a degree no matter, since its not round, of course if your vitals are the heart only, yep fairly round. I get the idea, like shooting the brain shot, same target mostly, just center the sphere from whatever angle.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
As far as budget goes there are many bows used and new under $400 set up to get you started. Work to be proficient at 40 yards. I would recommend a 50-60 pound bow, especially if you have not shot bows alot as it will make practice easier and build confidence faster. If you already hunt you probably have most of the other equipment you need. Only difference is early season is warmer and drier than rifle usually. Land closures can be a problem. As far as drawbacks, other than range, I can't think of any.
I was a geometry dropout, but I'm pretty sure a deer in close to a 30' high stand is going to present a narrower target than from a 15' one unless their body is perfectly round At any rate, moving slowly and while a deer is looking elsewhere works well, unless you need a running start to draw a heavy bow.
Here, especially early in the season in heavy cover, 20 yards is a longish typical range. Killed some closer from low stands and on the ground.
At any rate, you're welcome to all those 30+ feet stands. I can't concentrate simultaneously on hunting and fervent prayer.
A 6" circle, is still 6" at twenty or thirty yards from 20 feet to 30 feet! you are just aiming for a different angle through the animal. Knowing the kill zone from all angles is the key!
Clearly the stand position eclipsed you!!!!! Why would you put a stand that close to a trail?
I have no problems drawing any of my bows. Nor do I have a problem cancelling my position. But the fact of the matter still remains that animals see movement very very well! Taking away any advantage of that is never a bad thing. Using every trick in the books will help anyone kill more game.
Some locations won't allow for a high stand and that is fine. But if I can hunt it on the high side I am going to every time. For guys that are afraid of heights I get it, keep it in your comfort zone.
Not any circle in deer I shoot. Targets are oblong for vitals, not round. Unfortunately. And going up narrows the target to a degree no matter, since its not round, of course if your vitals are the heart only, yep fairly round. I get the idea, like shooting the brain shot, same target mostly, just center the sphere from whatever angle.
I used a 6" circle because if the arrow is placed in that 6" circle its a dead deer. I never said the vitals were a circle. That circle that I speak of is actually more like a sphere and it is 6" weather at 20 or 30 feet high. Your arrow placement angle of attack will just be in a slightly different spot on that sphere. Animals are not flat paper targets, but even if it was a flat paper target that 6" circle is still 6" and again the difference being the angle of attack.
Getting seen or heard was the toughest thing for me to overcome with deer close enough for a compound bow. Not being able to find two of them was what made me quit bow hunting until I could use a crossbow. That transition seemed very much more like shorter range rifle hunting. Less movement and better sighting equipment for a better outcome in my case.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
1) Stand placement - Stay “close” to the bedding area so you catch them in the sunlight just as the come back from food... too close to the food and it will still be dark, BUT don’t setup in the bedding area or you will blow it.
A) If the sun or sky is behind you from where the deer is you just screwed yourself, any move you make is extremely noticeable. The best way to fix this is to walk the deer trails and see what tree you cant see until you take a turn (tree behind trees as you approach)... those are the best ambush trees. I.e. walk you deer trails and look for your stand, if you can see it before you are in bow range it’s wrong. If you can make sure there are limbs directly behind you so you can blend in. BTW - 30 feet up is stupid... 12-14 feet on up is plenty unless you are in a bottom.
B) Buck trails are not deer runs... meaning Does take Deer runs... Buck trails are not normally apparent, but typically 20–50 feet Parrellel to the doe trail, typically in the transition boundary between whatever the does are eating, and the other woods / field..
C) How you get into your stand is EXTREMELY important... Cut across the least number of runs as possible Take a machete and cut anything that can touch you on the way in ...(brush/ limbs/ ....) NEVER EVER EVER EVER SPIT ... you can pee on a deers head in the stand, spit and you are DONE.
D) Hangers - put hangers on your tree for things you don’t want to fall off when you move / stand up. E). Harness - Climbing safety harness with leg loops, and have a descender rope along side yourself that you can also up to haul up your bow & bag. F). Stand scouting - Often you only get a shot at the big dog... so I will put a stand 40+ yards out where i can watch the main runs and them move my stand to where I want to kill stuff. G). Putting up / taking down your stand... throw a rope over a limb and use it to pull while you push it up in place, also use it to hold the stand up while you secure the stand. H). Trail tacks - to get in your stand at dark... make sure spray them with sent away
2). Equipment -
A) Start out with a spitfire or other expandable broadhead, they shoot like field points and it will lower the chances of a miss until you are really good at shooting the bow B). Grunt call - Get a good rubberized one, and where it on your neck... once you release an arrow hit the grunt... a deer with think they got poked by a buck and stop to see where he is. I have seen many a deer stop when I grunt them 2-3 times and they stop again, then lay down and pass out... that is a really good thing. C). Small binoc’s - You need to be able to see between trees to watch a deer you just put a stick through, better yet you need to know if there is a buck trailing that doe. D) Thumb behind your ear —. When you draw your bow with a release your hand is just behind you ear, take your thumb and put it behind your neck and use that to hold the bow back instead of your arm which will get tired. When the shot comes just pull back a bit with your arm and shoot - you can keep your bow drawn for a couple of minutes in this fashion so you get to draw as soon as you see the deer instead of waiting and getting busted.
E). Leafy camo is your friend, at least on your jacket...
3). Behavior (yours) when you get busted.. and you will.
Eat stuff if you get busted... If you are walking a lane and a deer comes out and stares at you, bend down and walk to a tree limb, grab it with your hand and visibility wiggle it like you are chewing the branch with you mouth so the deer can see it. In general deer thing... well he’s eating that, so apparently he doesn’t want to eat me... also Deer do this when they socialize .... if you do it with Grass, or a Tree and watch the deer, their tail will go down, and thier ears drop... often they will start walking directly to you so you have to be careful.
4). Weather
A) Cold cloud covered nights make the deer stay out longer, in fact they have to eat to stay warm so they move again after thier morning nap.=. Make sure you can stay out coat wise. B). Snow = finding buck trails... that aren’t apparent, so make sure you walk the place
I could go on for hours... I did the same thing but didn’t have anyone to teach me so these are hard learned...
Thanks for all the hints and advice. I ended up getting a buck last weekend. He came walking through about 35-40 yards out about 30 minutes before sunset. One shot, maybe looks a little low, but he was uphill of me so I think the shot was about perfect considering he dropped within 50 yards. I'm super excited to have him in the freezer and see the methods I used this year as highly repeatable to get another buck next year. Thanks again for all the help!
