Tree Stand Bow Hunting – Tips, Equipment, and Safety Guide
Are you having difficulty deciding where to hang your tree stand for bow hunting? Learn how to tree stand bow hunt and be successful in your next hunt!
Bowhunters often ask about the correct height to hang a tree stand. Every hunter has their own thoughts and choices when it comes to the size of the tree stand for bow hunting. A tree stand can be extremely high or an intimate approach to bow hunting.
Now, you may be wondering how high your tree stand should be?
Choosing the best place and height for a tree stand during bow hunting can bring bowhunters consistent success. How do you choose the best place and height for a tree stand?
Let me simplify this process, you just need to remember a few easy tips, and then you’re close to hunting success. The technique of hanging a tree stand depends on the height and types of trees found in the area you are hunting.
Tree Stand Bow Hunting
A bowhunter should have a complete hunting kit and some knowledge about the trees in the area for a successful hunt. You should select an ideal tree for hanging your tree stand and the best hunting binoculars to track your target from the tree.
How do you choose the perfect tree to hang your tree stand?
To set up your tree stand, look for a tree with a diameter of approximately 8 to 9 inches or nearby. Notice if the tree you’ve selected has any branches, boughs, or limbs up to your chosen height or a maximum of 20 feet that would interfere with your climbing.
If the tree has them, that’s not what you need. Move on and look for another limb-free tree. Select a sturdy tree that can support your weight. A wide tree will help cover your shoulder width and be the best choice.
While selecting a tree to hang your tree stand, choose one with thick, coarse, and gnarly bark instead of a smooth bark tree. Coarse bark will help keep your tree stand in place and keep you safe. If you place your tree stand on a smooth bark tree, you may experience shifting, which can be dangerous.
In short, select a tree with the following features:
Bow Hunting Season – Tree Stand Bow Hunting
Bowhunting season typically starts in the autumn. During this season, trees are shedding their leaves, making it challenging to select a tree with enough leaves for cover.
Different tree species shed their leaves at different times during the autumn season, so the timing of your hunt will determine which trees have the most cover. In such situations, choosing tree species that don’t shed their leaves completely can be a wise decision. Trees such as pine, spruce, fir, cedar, and others fall into this category.
Height of Tree Stand for Bow Hunting
Before selecting the height for your tree stand, you should know that the height you choose should prevent you from being seen by deer. The higher your tree stand, the more hidden you will be from deer.
Expert bowhunters often place their tree stands between limbs covered with leaves to ensure coverage from the front and back. Some bowhunters hang their tree stands as high as 15 to 20 feet, while others have their own height preferences.
The ideal height range is between 17 to 20 feet, as the tree stand should not be too low or too high. The minimum height for a tree stand should be 12 feet off the ground, and the maximum height should be at least 25 feet.
If you choose to set up your tree stand at the maximum height, you’ll need the best bowhunting binoculars to track your target. At this height, deer are less likely to detect you. Keep in mind that deer have excellent vision and may detect you if you’re below 20 feet. Additionally, they may not always see you, but they can smell you.
Suggested Height of Tree Stand for Bow Hunting
Most of the hunters place their tree stand according to their desires. I mostly hang my tree stand about 20 feet high. I’ll suggest you hang your tree stand from 18 to 20 feet high. But it’s not the best height for all of the bowhunters. The easiest way to decide the measurement for a tree stand is to look at your surroundings and environment and choose accordingly. However, you can also go high to hang your tree stand, say; 35 to 40 feet.
Going this high can be insane, but this can sometimes bring you success according to what place you are hunting. If you have a climbing tree stand, you can quickly go as high as you want and select your desired position.
Some of the Best Climbing Tree stands
However, the summit 180 max SD is the most comfortable climbing tree stand.
Setting Tree Stand at Normal Height
The average height for setting a tree stand is 18 to 25 feet. At this height, you are not in any trouble at all. You are safe, away from the sight of a deer, and can spot your prey easily.
If you are at the height of 20 feet and you happen to fall, it might feel painful and hurt you, but survival is assured. You will only need a few gears to reach this height, and your budget won’t be disturbed.
You can target your prey easily from a height of 20 to 25 feet. The higher you hang your tree stand, the higher you will go. Thus, a height of 20 feet is suitable for almost all bowhunters, especially those having a height phobia. 20 feet height is nearly equal to the second story or floor of any building and thus can easily be approached.
As you are familiar with the sharp sight of the deer, you should know that the height of 18 to 20 feet is not enough not to get caught by a deer’s sight. It doesn’t matter how silent you are; your slightest move can make a deer point you out.
Thus, at the height of 25 feet, a deer is likely to see or smell you. To avoid getting caught by a deer, you would have to hang your tree stand higher than 25 feet.
Setting Tree Stand at Maximum Height
The higher your tree stand is, the far you can see and catch more prey. You can hit targets far away from you at a great height and quickly get the field view. Also, the deer can smell your scent easily, but if you have your tree stand at more than 25 feet or from 30 feet or above, the deer cannot smell you.
In this case, 35 feet + height is the best. Because the higher you are, the less they can smell your scent and point you. Mostly the thick leaves are at the top of a tree, and the higher you are, the easier it will be for you to hide in the leaves, and the deer won’t see you while you are in the thick leaves cover, wearing your camouflage.
However, shooting from high tree stands can be advantageous, reducing the killing zone. As high as you go, your kill zone shrinks. You can often miss your target while shooting from a great height. It is harder to shoot precisely at the vital part of the deer from a great height, and your target may get missed.
It doesn’t matter how safe you are or how strong your tree stand is; accidents can happen anytime. If you happen to fall from such a great height, you may get serious injuries. A height of 35 feet is enough to break a person’s bones or injure his organs.
Only if you have the best and strong tree stands can you dare with such great heights to place your tree stands. At the top, it is windier and foggier sometimes, so you may face difficulty holding still and focusing on your target. To set high tree stand goals, you will need to get more gear that may be over your budget.
Concluding Tree Stand Bow Hunting
There are two essential things you have to keep in view during your hunting game. First, you should have all the necessary hunting gear like a backpack, bows, hunting binoculars, tree stands, maps, etc.
Second essential thing while bow hunting is safety. You should always use a lifeline check and check your tree stands. Try using quality tree stands as they are quiet and helpful in your hunting skills. Above your skills, you should rightly and safely hang your tree stand. And this is one of the most problematic things.
Use every precaution while putting up your tree stand. By practicing these techniques and wisely selecting the height for your tree stand, you can keep hunting for years safe and secure. Use the best height appropriate for that area and shoot as many targets as you can this fall.
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