burlyman

i know its early, but like many of you, i have gotten the itch and i cant wait till ocotber. im hunting a new property where the spot im looking at setting up is a significant slope. ive noticed from scouting last year and trail cam pics that the deer mover from bedding area/thick cover from the top of the hill to the bottom in the evening. i want to set my stand up and the bottom of the hill.

should i face my stand uphill and take them head on or should i face down hill and wait for them to pass me and then shoot. if i face up i risk them spotting me but if i face down i wont see them approaching. i obviously thought about facing sideways but with my luck thy would walk directly behind me.

i know its long time off but any ideas on placement? thanks!!!

sconnyhunter

If your like me, you wont see any at all, and the stand placement wont matter anymore. Place it facing down hill, let them come at you from behind.

Goose 11

Downhill, good plan

obsessed bowhunter

Face down hill and get in a big enough tree to block you from being seen by deer coming down the hill and make sure you have plenty of cover.

DeerandbearhoG

Agreed, face it downhill, deer will be at eye level w/ you at 30yds up the hill, and IME will spot you if the stand is facing them, especially later in the season when leave cover is sparse.

Bob H in NH

Either downhill or move off to the side and face across. If you face uphill they are at eye level or above you and you are in trouble. From the side you may be very visible depending on surrounding cover. Facing up hill you can't shoot em anyway since they are head on with teh front of the chest hidden anyway.

4evrhtn

If they are coming downhill towards you, will you be at eye level with the deer? Depending on how close and how much of an incline the hill is would determine where I would set up. I usually set up where I can see the deer coming in advance rather than sitting facing the opposite way and having them sneak in behind me.

DeerandbearhoG

Yes, the deer will absolutely be at eye level w/ your treestand if they are uphill from the tree youre sitting in, and yes, the distance they will be at eye level, will be determined by how steep the hill is. The deer coming downhill towards you, is just one scenario to prepare for, they could be traveling downhill, uphill, or along the side, at any given time. To me, setting up w/ the stand facing down hill, covers all the base's since if theyre coming from down hill, the tree will hide your silhouette, if they are traveling uphill, you will be well above their normal line of sight. As far a seeing the deer coming in advance, the only way to do that, is to constantly rotate your neck around like an owl to scan the woods in every direction.

hunting-addict

downhill would be the way to go

4evrhtn

I agree if only two options are considered I would choose downhill. A third option I would prefer is finding the path that numerous runs lead into and set up further down where I could find a hemlock or other tree to give me cover and with cameras you can get a good idea of what direction the deer are travelling and at what times? Then I would set up facing the direction most deer or the shooter buck I am after is usually coming from. My personal preference is setting up with a vantage point- meaning setting up on high ground looking down. you will get winded much faster being at the bottom of the hill whether your scent is travelling up or down with thermals or wind. The scenario in my opinion (with where they bed to where they travel is probably not what i am picturing in my head) seems to be one in which the odds of getting busted are more likely than not unless hunting with a gun.