I want to see if anyone has any tips for bow hunting from a tree stand? Any tips? Specificaly (other than any other tip you have) what is the best way to sit/stand? Personaly I' ve noticed that I have trouble drawing the way i' d like if I' m sitting and I find that my stand get' s in the way. Is this normal? Also what' s your favorite way to hang or place your bow while your in your stand?

any help would be appreciated!!

I try to place my stand on the opposite side of the tree from where I think the deer will come in from. I also stand as much as possible and always during the 1-2 hours I expect the most deer movement.

The first and most important tip would be to have a safety belt attatched to the tree before you leave the ground. Get a good full body harness and use it. I alternate sitting and standing. I try to remain standing during the peak movement hours and sit the rest of the time. If the stand is in a fairly open area you can get away with sitting a lot more as deer are not as likely to sneak up on you. I can shoot sitting but I don' t like to. If you plan to do this you need to practice this way at home, out of your stand. I hang my bow on the left side of the tree at hand level with an arrow nocked. It is hung so my hand will easily slip into the sling with a minimum of movement. I find the accessories that bolt on the stand get in my way, I have a size 13 shoe and put a pair of packs on and it leaves little room for anything but my feet. I think the stand bow holders would be nice though. I would reccommend you only shoot standing but that is my preference. You have to figure out what is comfortable for you.

bscofield
I practice from my stand a lot before and during the season. I use a homemade lock-on stand with a swivel seat and a tree lounge. I have to stand up when I use my lounge but can shoot sitting from the other. You need to shoot from all angles before the season because the big one never comes from where you have it planed.

Good luck and " hit ' em like a ten pound hammer with a five foot swing"

1) Practice as much as you can sitting and standing - I am comfortable with both.

2) I set up so the area I think the deer is coming from is to my left, whem facing away from tree (right handed). Which means I shoot most of my deer from the right side

3) Clear shooting lanes long before the season and make them as big as possible without strip minning the place.

4) I have two bow stands - the realtree screw in up high over me when I stand, and one on the base of the stand for when I sit. I aslo use the screw in hooks to hand all my crap.

5) You do not need to get nose bleed high but get up into the canopy so your ouline is broken up.

6) If you hunt on public land bring it all home with you when you are done, or someone else will[:' (]

7) Safety first!!!!!!!

I would say get up 5 feet higher then you think you should. Make sure you are comfortable at the height or don' t go up there..........but I encourage higher rather then lower.

I was up at 25 feet when I got my buck this year and I never saw him coming. I was half asleep and just glanced over my right shoulder to see him 15-20 yards away and walking right by me. I stumbled......and I do mean stumbled to my feet and pushed my seat out of the way, picked up my bow from lying across my stand rail, drew back.......made a bleeeeeeeeeeet sound with my mouth to stop him and let it fly. He never saw any of it. If I had been lower I would have been screwed. I also like to see as far as I can for entertainment and patterning movement for future reference.

Almost forgot..........Don' t even think of going up 2 feet unless you have your harnass on. Buy a nice full body one. Don' t cheap out on equipment that can save or cost you your life. That goes for the stand too.


Be safe

I like my bottom platform at about 16 to 17 feet.....Any higher and I can' t see very far out under the canopy. I' m using a Summit Viper and lay my bow across the front rail.....I use an arrow holder though so the arrow doesn' t fall off of the rest....I missed a chance to release on a 8 point buck early season last year at 25 yards because I didn' t realize the arrow was not on the rest (My broad head caugt on the riser shelf and became unknocked at full draw. The buck walked off).....

I think I would really enjoy a good bow holder. With only the front rail holding my
bow, it is hard to keep holding onto it while putting on a coat, taking a coat off or getting a sandwich from my fanny pack etc.....I wonder if the bow holder that Summit sells is user friendly?....I also use my safety harness 100% of the time...

I shoot standing.........The Summit is so quiet, I can stand most of the time undetected

When you set your deck you need to find the perfect compramise between ease of standing from a sitting position and stand clearance while standing. I' ve found a slight angle in my knees while sitting provides this. I can stand with only one arms help, and it provides some bow clearance. I' m taking 3-4" off my bow this year (new bow) to provide for more clearance.
I also would like the deer to show up on my left, but that doesn' t always happen. 23' has been my mainstay height for some time now.
Good luck.

You asked for tips for hunting from a tree stand, from your address-St Louis, Mo. I can' t tell if you are living in the city or country. Either way, take the stand that you will be using in deer season and set it up in your back yard or a friends back yard or at a club, etc., etc. Start at 4-5 feet off the ground wearing the harness that you will be wearing during the season. Set a target or better a 3-D deer in different positions at different distances. Shoot from standing position and from sitting position, move higher in the tree and continue. Get familiar and comfortable with the stand you will be using. You should be doing this all summer long before the season starts. Before the season scout the area you will be hunting and know where and how your stand will be hung. I agree - Don' t let price be a factor in safety equipment. I would much rather hunt from the ground than from a marginal tree stand.

Wdale get a couple of strap on tree steps from these you can hang your pack and bow when getting something from your pack.