I'm not alone........
 

Hey Y'all;

The thread about how high we hunt enlightened me to the fact that I'm not totally alone. There are others here, who hunt from treestands, that are not totally all fired up and crazy about heights.

It's almost embarassing. If I get a few feet off the ground I get shakey. Even in a ladder stand, and you can't get too much more stable than a ladderstand. Now....don't misunderstand....I'm not phobic....When I'm sitting down in my treestand I'm OK. I can look around, look down, no problem. Shoot sitting down...also no problem. When I have my issue is when I have to stand up. I feel like I have to be hanging on. Not comfortable if I'm not.

Picture yourself trying to shoot your bow with one hand latched onto the bar of your treestand. Doesn't work does it?

My question is how do you deal? How do you hunt from a tree stand when you are shaking?

Some things I have done.....may sound stupid.....My front porch has two outcroppings on it, about a foot wide and 2 feet long, about 1 1/2 feet off the ground. This "platform" is smaller than my treestand. I've started standing on it. To prove to myself that I can stand on that small a space, without hanging on to anything, and not fall off. I stand on one foot, I jump back and forth from one to the other and have never fallen off. Standing on them I'm not the least bit nervous. I guess it's because I know I'm only 18" off the ground, and not 18'.

Don't bother suggesting a safety strap. I never leave the ground without one. I don't even sit in my ladderstand without it. Takes me forever to get my climbing stand up a tree. Slide up the belt, slide up the upper portion of the stand, slide up the lower, slide up the belt, etc, etc, etc.......


Suggestions??? Just don't laugh at me.

Thanks;

RE: I'm not alone........
 

I use to have a fear of hights. So I started out about 10-12 feet off the ground and then worked my way up to 25 and some times 30 feet. Just get a big platform stand:D

RE: I'm not alone........
 

Just keep practicing and practicing, that is what i do.

if you have a tree in your yard just keep going up and down. If you cant shoot in your backyard maybe play catch with someone with a tennis ball, or just stand and look around


the more time you spend in the stand the more confortable you will get.

start low if you have to then keep working your way up
the sooner you start the more prepared you will be when the season opens.

RE: I'm not alone........
 

I'm terrified of hieghts too, just for an example I was in the Sears Tower in Chicago, once and my body wouldn't let me walk within 15ft. of the glass.

The first couple of years I hunted; I had an old API hang-on stand that was less than stable. I could barely force myself on to it and forget standing on it. The tree stand wasn't the problem, its was only part of the problem. I eventually got a nice stable API Bowhunter and that up'd my confidence a lot. Then (I know you said not to mention it) I got a real nice harness that is integrated into a vest; that was a big help. I am still extremly scared of heights, but it seems that the more time I spend in my stand the better I can tolerate it. When I first started hunting I couldn't set my own stand because I couldn't let go of the tree long enough to hang it, but keep taking little steps and eventually you'll get somewhat used to it.

The other thing that helped, and I know this sounds stupid but... We have a guy in our group that is even a bigger pansie about heights that I am. He can't even get half way up the ladder on his ladder stand on a good day. I just told myself "you don't want to end up like that guy," and forced myself to less scared of heights than he was.

RE: I'm not alone........
 

Well, the quickest way to overcome your fear of heights is to start low to the ground first. Set up your stand ( prefferable a stand with a bar around it) and just sit in it so you can get comfortable with it. Know where you can stand on it and feel safe and secure. Then slowly move up in height at your pace. Another way would be to put a folded up towel on the platform of the stand, so if you look down you won't get nervous,because your looking at the towel not at the ground thru the bottom of the stand. Just make sure you are very careful. Plus if you hunt in a cold weather climate your feet won't get cold as quick because their not directlly on the metal platform. Wish you luck.

RE: I'm not alone........
 

I am not too big on heights, but I usually get up between 16-22 feet. I sit down, and after an hour or so, I am all calm and cool. When a deer comes in, I decide wether or not to shoot. If and only if I plan on shooting, I stand up, and from then on, my adrenaline is pumping so I don't even think about the height. All I think about is the shot. As soon as I shoot, I sit down and wait to get down!

It works for me.

RE: I'm not alone........
 

Have you tried testing your harness to prove to yourself that it will hold you? I saw this on a tree stand safety video,have a friend help you with this test. hook yourself to a tree just high enough so you can stand on the ground, Then lift your feet off the ground and all your weight is on the harness, this will give you the opportunity to see how you should react if something were to happen.
Heights don't really bother me but this sounded like a good idea. Good luck!

RE: I'm not alone........
 

Just spend time standing in your stand, you'll get over it.

RE: I'm not alone........
 

Im not afraid of heights but I HATE to fall. That feeling of your stomache in your chest. YYYuuuuccccckkkkk. Anyway, my hunting buddy is not good with heights. Can not climb trees without steps ..... We modified a ladder stand for him. We made the seat part a 3 foot X 3 foot platform, and use a seat that you lag to a tree. Its a bit heavy but he loves it because he can move some and the edge is not at his toes.

RE: I'm not alone........
 

i agree with buckfevr. just bump up a tree everyday or every other day and just stand in it. i would think you would eventually get accustomed to it. i used to have a fear of crashing my mtb when i would reach a rocky technical section. i used to portage those areas alot. after i got tired of all of the portaging, i started making myself ride hard through them. although, as i was doing it, i was scared as he||! but after a while, i actually looked forward to the rocky technical sections. now they are my favorite!! :)