7 deer moving
Connecticut
This is my second year bow hunting and i am close to harvesting one but I have a few questions. How high do you climb when using a climbing tree stand. I saw seven deer today, mostly does and a few busted me. I was about 12-13 feet high in the tree. I stayed still so they did not get alarmed and did not run when they saw me, they kept eating and would look at me once in awhile but never came in front of my stand so I could get a shot, I was also using code blue standing doe estrus. My question is was I too low, do I need to climb higher so i don't get busted? If deer see you and you stay still can you still get a shot? Maybe the Doe estrus kept them away? Sorry, I have a lot of questions, I am just trying to get my first deer.
It depends how high you feel comfortable? Me for instance I hate heights so I like a hang-on stand in a hemlock to give me cover at say 13-15 feet. In a climber your in a bare tree so its tougher.
I like to be at least 20ft up helps with sent to just my thought good luck and shoot straight
I like to be at least 20ft up helps with sent to just my thought good luck and shoot straight
All my stands are 20-24 feet high . Anything lower than 17 feet unless you have a lot of cover around you , you increase your odds of getting busted particularly mature deer . I started off using 18 foot ladder stands but now luckly they have 22 foot and I also use lock ons which I usually put 24 feet high I rarely get picked off now.
I average the bottom platform at 15ft to 18ft, depending on the leaf cover and trees/background around me. The idea is, to not be in the "line of sight". If you are hunting near/on a slope, the uphill side tends to leave you vulnerable.
What are you using to determine how high you are?
"If deer see you and you stay still can you still get a shot?"
Sometimes, yes. Just don't let them catch you moving and be absolutely silent. I've shot a couple of deer that saw me.
IMHO, doe estrus tends to spook doe.
I use a climber and I set my hoist rope to 20 feet so when my gear is about to tighten the line I know I am about 20 feet up. I rarely get busted but they do look up and I stay still as they keep walking around. STM.
All my hang ons r a min of 20 ft just like rob as for the climbers I don't really use them anymore because this time of yr background cover is hard to come by I almost always hang my stands in pine trees hemlocks spruce etc... Because they give u great cover and if ur afraid of heights u can stay around 15 ft or less I've shot deer only being up 10 ft out of a pine before in a climber I try to get up high 20 to 25 ft. As for doe estrous urine in my yrs of experience it spooks does almost all the time. Good luck bud shoot straight and if ur seeing them ur on the right track
I ALWAYS look for a tree that provides cover. Find a tree with a pine tree in back of it, or a hemlock, or a triple trunk tree.
If you look like a huge blob hanging off the side of a telephone pole tree, the deer will naturally be curious, so you need to place your stand in the right spot, not just the right height.
I had 5 deer all around my tree the last time out, and one fork horn went directly below my stand and and a 6 point buck and doe bedded down right in front of me at 40 yards, none of them saw me,......I was only 15 ft up to the base of my stand, but well hidden.
I don't want a tree that offers me a long shot, because that means I'm out in the open, so the deer can see me from a long ways away. Hide in the trees, not hang onto the side!
thanks for the advice, yesterday was another learning experience, i use my pull rope to gauge how high i am, it is 15ft and it has slack in it when i pull my bow up so i know i am below 15ft, i probably do look like a bog blob hanging off the side of the tree, lol, i need to find better trees that provide cover and get up higher, i am so close! hopefully i will have some venison steaks before the season is over.
all i have are hang ons and this time of year it sucks moving them around...when i cant find a tree with enough cover ill brush in behind me with a couple of branches and a bungee cord..i also look for triple trunks..or i build ground blinds
My stands now are at 20 ft but when I started hunting and shot a lot of deer at 10 ft if the wind is right you get set to shoot when you see them coming 10 to 20 is fine to high at close range your angle is to steep .good luck
Just starting out in my late teens, I was told that if you were below 30 feet you would NEVER get a deer. Then I shot a deer from the ground (with a bow), and then I was using a climber and started climbing, got to about 10' when I saw deer coming, so I froze and shot from that height! I think the bottom line is to be inconspicuous with sight, smell and I ALWAYS use double,triple trunk trees to break up my outline.
Good luck, its a great sport/hobby.
Depends on the spot for me, sometimes the higher you go the less shots you have. Or on a hill i usually don't go as high.
I like the ground blind idea from notme if all you have are telephone poll trees. Set up a simple, natural blind made from branches and stuff in that area, now you have another option to get one!!
i like the ground blind idea also, but i was told they will pick up your scent alot easier, i always spray down with scent eliminator before going into the woods but if you are using a natural ground blind (branches, bushes, etc) what would you suggest for scent elimination?
That scent eliminator stuff can easily be replaced by half water / half vinegar (when vinegar dries out the smell is gone) or a solution with water and baking soda --> http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2012/08/get-rid-any-odor-baking-soda
Use pine tree branches - swat them against your clothing and rub your hands in, face mask, boots. Breath thru nose rather than mouth.
Other option is to smoke your clothes before hunt. They pay less attention to smoke scent than human scent.
Stay absolutely still until their eyes are directed somewhere else. Plan your movements in steps as they pass behind some obstacles.
I found another recipe by another Bowsite member.
Recipe to make your own Scent-Elimination Spray
1 Gal of Distilled Water 8oz Bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide 1 Small Box of Baking Soda 1 Tablespoon of Green Scent-Free Body-Wash
Boil ¾ gal of Distilled water with baking soda. When the mixture is cool add the 8oz bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide. After a day or so when all of the bubbles go down add the TBL of Green Scent-Free Body Soap—then fill the jug up the rest of the way with the remaining Distilled Water. Make sure you keep it out of direct sunlight and in a dark colored bottle (or one that doesn’t allow light in—if you don’t, it will make the hydrogen peroxide ineffective). You will need to put it in a smaller spray bottle that blocks out sunlight—shake it before each use.
I hunt over 20 ft, every time, mostly 25 ft or higher. Haven't been busted in many years.
I've seen deer hit my downwind and cut the trail I used on the way to my stand and turn and run. But I've also seen deer walk right past me like I wasn't there, and they were also downwind. Doesn't make much sense to me at times.
The Saturday after I got my buck I had a fork horn right below my tree, I was standing there just 60 minutes before, and then he walked right on the trail I used to the tree,....never flinched!
Go figure.
I say as long as the wind is right and you minimize your scent a ground blind is a good option.
Brush blinds are the cats ass..nothing like getting up close and personal..i try to use pines as much as possible for the roof and behind me seeing they last the longest..ill bring it in with me if i have to when scouting...i use evercalm deer herd in a 50 radius and hang a evercalm stick inside..if you do a roof you have to take in account what youll be sitting on so you have enough clearence to draw your bow....nothing like watching a deer watching you from 5 feet
