[jd09dj]

I am curious how high I should go in a tree stand. I go about 10 to 15 feet up is this too high...or too low? I recently got a tree saddle and I love the way i can move around in it and how i can change trees whenever i want.

 

[zwalls]

well depending on the time of yr here in LA.,I'll climb anywhere from minimum 16ft to 28' if the canopy allows me to.once all the leaves are gone and I can find me a big tall white oak I'm going as high as I can!!
we got some pretty tall trees down here:d

 

[jtascone]

It really depends on the area you are hunting. If it is really thick with a lot of ground cover or small saplings you will have to stay a little lower to still have shooting opportunities. If you hunt the open hardwoods or field edges, I would go as high as the tree you hunt in allows. Treestands allow you 3 main advantages. They get you out of a deers line of sight, they keep your scent well above the deer, and they give you a vantage point to see the deer before the deer sees you and allow you to prepare for the shot. In my opinion, the higher the better (within reason). I routinely hunt between 25 and 30ft. Keep in mind that shot angles are a lot more difficult at those heights. If you can not get more than 15ft. off the ground, I would just as soon hunt on the ground where I can blend in a little better. This low of a stand height will only work to expose you to their keen eyes and nose. Good luck!

 

[grandpawrichard]

If you run out of tree you have gone too high! :mg::mg::wink:

Dick

 

[IL Bowhunter 82]

If you run out of tree you have gone too high! :mg::mg::wink:

Dick

Pretty good way of putting it.........lol

I go 20-25, no more no less

 

[edthearcher]

how high

I like your idea 10 to 15 feet right inbetween is perfect, thats my 2 cents

 

[BucksnBass525]

I personally don't go much over 26' because of shot angle, any higher and the shot angle on a deer say at 12 yards gets touchy and I think you are asking for a single lung shot. Also, no lower than 20' for me because lower than that doesn't seem to carry my scent away from the deer, also you probably will get busted more often. Oh and like said above the terrain and your background can also dictate stand height, especially on ridges where you are silhouetted.

 

[RugerRedhawk]

Deer never seem to look at me when I'm 15 feet up, especially in a nice pine.

 

[bfwhite]

I have never hunted more than 15 feet off the ground. Killed dozens of deer that way.

 

[Outdoor Sooner]

Are you talking about a good hunting height or staying alive height. As I've gotten older I use a climber and yes it does have a rail around it making it not so ideal for bow hunting but I feel much safer. When I was younger I would just use a hang on without a harness and luckily never fell out and even then I never ventured up more than 10 or 12 feet. Going up 20 to 25 and falling is going to do a lot more damage to your body than the 10 or 12ft height. Personally I can't see much need to get your feet any higher than 15 especially with a bow. Shot angle becomes too great. When you look at the facts about deer hunting accidents they're almost always tied to tree stands.

 

[squish2519]

Pretty good way of putting it.........lol

I go 20-25, no more no less

I agree, this is good advantage point height.

 

[wild thang]

I stay in the 20-25 ft range. Less chance of the deer smelling you or seeing movement.

 

[deputy83]

I am 16-20ft up everywhere I hunt. I don't use scent blocker clothes either. I do spray cover scent on my boots for the walk in and hang some doe pee or estrus to help cover me. I (know on wood) have never been busted and killed many deer at this height. I try to find a big tree to lock on or one that has a lot of branches vines or leaves.

 

[va limbhanger]

I probably average about 25'. My bow rope is 30', but there's been a couple of times I've been higher. Like hunting right off a ridge top on a steep slope. I think it's all relative. JMO

 

[edthearcher]

height

I would like to throw this in as food for thought. take a cardboard deer silhouette about the size of an average white tail deer. place it upright 20 feet from your tree stand. take your climber go up 12 feet. draw back your bow and place your pin on the lung area. you should be able to take out both lungs at that height. now go up another 5 feet the angle gets steeper, doubtfull you will hit both lungs at height, now go to 20 feet and tell me how you will get both lungs at 20 feet, than tell me what you see when you draw back your bow at 25 feet, unless your shooting a deer out at 35 or 40 yards. I have been hunting for over 60 years now and have taken close to 100 white tail deer with gun and bow, with a bow I wont shoot at a deer over 15 feet, with a gun thats a diffrent story. just my 2 cents ED

 

[T-Town_Hunter]

21' 7" - 28' 9" anywhwere between there is perfect depending on the tree........:darkbeer:

 

[IL Bowhunter 82]

I would like to throw this in as food for thought. take a cardboard deer silhouette about the size of an average white tail deer. place it upright 20 feet from your tree stand. take your climber go up 12 feet. draw back your bow and place your pin on the lung area. you should be able to take out both lungs at that height. now go up another 5 feet the angle gets steeper, doubtfull you will hit both lungs at height, now go to 20 feet and tell me how you will get both lungs at 20 feet, than tell me what you see when you draw back your bow at 25 feet, unless your shooting a deer out at 35 or 40 yards. I have been hunting for over 60 years now and have taken close to 100 white tail deer with gun and bow, with a bow I wont shoot at a deer over 15 feet, with a gun thats a diffrent story. just my 2 cents ED

Again it comes to knowing when and when not to take a shot. I hunt no lower than 20' high. I have made four double lung shots from 20yds and under this year. Yes, if I am 20' up and the deer is 6 yds(20') from the base of the tree it is a severe shot angle, one that I won't take. saying that you can only double lung a deer at 35-40 yds from this height is false.

 

[erictski]

i hunt no lower than 20 usually more around 26 to 30...depends on the tree...i try to hunt ever greens so wherever is the best place in the tree is where i sit

 

[slowjoe]

20-25 is the lostes i go, i have been 30-35 before. i have a buddy that gos atleat 40 during rifle season

 

[TailChaser]

Well, I'd love to get high and always did when it was possible. Now in OK 15' is is dream tree. Sometimes I can find one I can get up 12' somewhere, but very often I'm under 10'.

I have yet to have one spot me in 2 years. If you know how to move, put some leaf's, just a little twig or two, on your stand helps, and spot the deer first but I've had some sneak up on me and they didn't see me either. I am NOT anywhere near the canopy, but the canopy is lower than regular big-woods forests, and there are more lower branches. There are just so many branchy limbs you can never get up there, and trees fork about 15-20' high, and most get too small to be safe any higher up.

Killed one off the ground too at 20 yards this year, 140" 10 point. I wear a 3-d leafy top only with the hat when on the ground and haven't been spotted from the ground yet either, with a doe and 3 little ones within 10 yards one time. Another deer I got this year I was about 6' up to my platform, 140" 8 pt. I've seen lots of deer from that tree this year within 20 yards and none spotted me, even if they smelled me and were looking for me. One time I dropped my rattle bag and a smaller 8 pointer got kinda spooky but never saw me still at 20 yards, and bedded down about 60 yards out. Come to think of it, I can't ever remember being spotted in 2 years here. I do wear a 3-d leafy hat, and try to always have a few leaves hanging off the stand, and that's about it. Seems like I can move around a lot, they won't run off till I actually start climbing down. When I go back to hunt MO, I get at least 15' high, rarely over 20'.