Whether you’ll be hunting from a climbing tree stand, a hang-on tree stand, or a tripod ladder, safety and technique will help you get the shot you want and stay safe doing it.
Here are my top tips for hunting with a stand.
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Have the right stand
There are lots of products on the market, and many are very well made. When it comes to making sure you have the right stand for you, consider the following aspects:
- Your weight
- The weather conditions
- The height you like to shoot at
- Whether or not you’ll be hunting alone or with another person
Have the right Equipment
Believe me, I can hunt during the day, night, summer, winter, rain, shine, sleet and snow. When I’m hunting, life is right. And if you’re like me, we just need to make sure you’re prepared for whatever weather conditions you’re going into.
In order to make sure your trip doesn’t land in the emergency room, always make sure to have the following safety equipment with you when hunting from a tree stand:
- Safety rope
- Harness tether
- Ladder or climbing sticks
- Safety radio or cell phone
- Hunting gear
Prep-check your stand
It’s easy for me to grab my equipment, toss it in my truck and off I go.
Prep-checking your equipment is a good way to remember all the things you need, while making sure that all the things are set and ready to go.
A simple check of the bow, examining the string, trigger, and body will allow you to make sure your bow is in the right condition before heading out.
Pick the right height
The deer are less likely to see you the further up on the tree you go; however, that strategy allows for an easier injury if things go wrong.
The main thing to keep in mind is that you should go as high as you feel comfortable going. I know guys who don’t break the 15 foot mark, and I know guys who go beyond 25 feet.
Personally, I like to keep it around 20 feet.
Pick the right Tree
The more covered up you are, the better.
Pick trees that still have leaves on, if that’s possible.
For another hunting hack, latch on to a tree with foliage next to it from other trees and brush.
All of these concepts allow you to stay covered better so the deer won’t see you.
Consider the sun and time of day
Hunting in the morning is a different hunt than hunting in the evening, and definitely different than hunting at night- although I’ve never hunted from a tree stand at night.
When choosing your tree to climb, remember the sun and the time of day you’ll be hunting. Will the sun be in your eyes? Will you get sunburned? Likewise, if the sun is going down, you may want to be in the sun to grab that last hour of warmth.
Make sure to keep the sun and time of day in mind when selecting your climbing tree.
final Hunting Hacks
Along side getting set up in the brush and leaves, consider wearing a full-body leaf suit. This works best in cold weather, because they get warm. Yet, if you’re hunting when it’s hot out, wear camo gear.
Products mentioned in this article
Be prepared and get the best hunt in that you can. Here are the products mentioned in this article that will help you find success the next time you use a tree stand for bow hunting.
