Low stands
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Kanati
06-Jul-22
Anybody hunt 8-12’?
From: Buffalo1
06-Jul-22
I do and sometimes lower. Depends on terrain and background cover.
From: RIT
06-Jul-22
I don’t usually but I am in the process of installing a Redneck with a 10’ base.
From: fisherick
06-Jul-22
Usually 10 - 14' with background cover, better shot angle.
From: TGbow
06-Jul-22
I hunt mostly on the ground but when I hunt out of a stand I'm never much over 12 ft. It's not about height but blending in.If you look at a house say 50 yrds away, you could see the roof and chimney..being still and blending in is the key...not to mention the shot angles are a whole lot better.
From: Bou'bound
06-Jul-22
Killed a deer from 4 and a bear from 6
From: soccern23ny
06-Jul-22
usually my feet are around 6-8ft off the ground. I don't use a harness
From: Guardian hunter
06-Jul-22
I have been practicing with my recurve bow this summer and hope to kill my first deer with it. My compound bow stands are roughly 20 ft so I'm thinking 12 to 15 ft for this. Thoughts?
From: Casekiska
06-Jul-22
All my stands are between 8 and 14 feet and I always set-up in the middle of a two or three tree "cluster." Sometimes we call them "shotgun oaks", three trunks coming off & upwards off a common stump base. Easily have deer right below me, no problem. The key is being still and blending into background cover. If there's no cover, or not enough, I add leafy branches to the stand sides and the trunks of the trees I set-up on. Key, mostly, is being still.
From: nchunter
06-Jul-22
16 to 20 for me.
From: Habitat for Wildlife
06-Jul-22
Hang-one at 12’ most of the time. Ladders infrequently used at 15. As others said with the 12’ height, blend in and remain still. Good luck!
From: TGbow
06-Jul-22
Gary, I've shot recurves n longbows for 47 yrs. You will be fine at those heights as long as you blend in..but that's true whether you are 10 ft or 20 ft. Plenty of folks kill deer 8 to 14 ft.
Just like on the ground, being still and blending in is key. I actually can hide on the ground easier...I'd rather be 12 ft and hid than 25 ft up and sticking out like a turd in a punch bowl.
From: beemann
06-Jul-22
Just had a bear hunt in Saskatchewan. I could lean my bow against the tree in front, climb in and reach down and grab my bow. Bear walked over and stood up and put his feet on the platform. I lunged at him and he took off. I think both out hearts were beating fast....
From: drycreek
06-Jul-22
I’ve killed a bunch of deer from tripods that were only 8’/10’ to the floor. A couple turkeys too. Just had to have good cover and pick your time to move. When the trees are no taller than 15’/20’ tall you don’t have many choices, not to mention that on a mesquite tree there ain’t two feet of straight trunk anywhere ! ;-)’
From: ryanrc
06-Jul-22
I feel height matters more when a deer may come in behind you. I have hunted 6 feet off the ground before if the situation called for it, but a lot of those times I knew that it was unlikely a deer would come from behind me. I wouldn't like it that low if I thought something might see me move from behind.
From: Catscratch
06-Jul-22
Hunt mostly from the ground but a short ladder stand works sometimes too. Knowing wind and thermals can be important for hunting a location multiple times without burning it out.
From: Lawdog
07-Jul-22
Like others, mostly from the ground if I can. I do notice that the deer, not all, regularly pick out my blind. And, I put some effort into brushing it in. After a tree stand accident, I got rid of all of my stands except one 10' foot Warren and Sweat aluminum ladder stand. As said above, it's all about blending in. Unlike my ground blind, I usually don't get busted. In some of the places I hunt, I have to get just high enough to get over the vegetation.
From: RonP
07-Jul-22
most of my tree stand setups have my feet at about 12 feet. as others mentioned, the background is important and i prefer other trees to be close and preferably a few evergreens.
i use only ladder stands now and not climbers. i weave a few branches between the steps to help break up the outline.
lots of things to consider such as what does it look like in late fall when the leaves have fallen off, the thermals, etc.
From: Will
07-Jul-22
Yes. I was sure I was 15 - 20 in my climber, but assessment of a rope I thought measured me at that height (my gear tote rope which is attached to the hand climber of my summit) is under 15'. So apparently for years I've been killing deer from about 12-13 vs 15+... When I moved to a saddle I use 2 sticks with aiders which lands my platform at 11 feet, 12 if I opt to put the platform well above the stick v using the stick tohelp walk around the tree. And I have killed deer consistently with that.
It's convinced me that the key thing is picking a tree out of the direct line of sight if possible, ideally with solid back cover and choosing to move when critters eyes are obstructed is key.
I'm sure higher can make for easier hiding, but low can work just fine.
From: Kanati
07-Jul-22
10’ worked last year
From: 12yards
07-Jul-22
I'm usually 14 to 17 feet depending on if I use 3 or 4 LW sticks.
From: Bill in MI
07-Jul-22
3 to 4 LW sticks for me too. This is probably 12-16' to the platform in most trees. Of course, I prefer multi-trunk trees for added cover and bring heavy zip ties to attach leafy branches up close to my stand/on my stand for controlled cover.
From: Kanati
07-Jul-22
This worked too
From: Kanati
07-Jul-22
This worked too
From: TGbow
07-Jul-22
Kanati..did you wear your harness..lol
From: Kanati
07-Jul-22
Lol yes . I was up 10’ in both.
From: WV Mountaineer
07-Jul-22
If you are in terrain, height matters. If you are in woods that a high stem count, where the trees are skinny and tall, and there is little limb coverage due to natural pruning, height definitely matters.
One thing is for certain, if you are 15’ or less, in an otherwise straight and limb free tree, if the deer gets close enough to you, he’s likely going to see you in the tree. No matter how still you set.
So, height indeed matters. But, it can be trumped with the setups described above. Problem for me is finding these setups in the right spots.
It’s why I love saddle hunting so much. It allows me to hide. Even with a trad bow, I can setup at 12’ and be good if the deer cooperate. With a compound, I’ll push on up the tree regardless of the setup. I just feel more confident the ani Al won’t pick me out or see me. So, I slow down and get it right. When we aren’t rushing the shot, we usually make good shots.
I’m like everyone else. I climb as high as I can for the situation. I hover most around 15-20 feet. Sometimes less. Sometimes more. It’s what is called for where I hunt.
Good lucI and God Bless
From: Lost Arra
07-Jul-22
10' frequently in big thick cedars (I think they are actually junipers but we call them eastern red cedar). Putting a stand in one can be a chore but it's great cover. I usually use a short ladder stand or remove the lower section from a taller one. Cram it in the cedar then only trim what is necessary.
From: ahunter76
07-Jul-22
Myself, Brother, adult son have killed tons of Whitetails from 7-15'. Mostly 15 foot ladders the last 10 years. Hogs from ground & 12 footers. I took 2, 19" Black Bears at 10 foot. I was in a 12 footer last fall & had 6 Does feeding within 5-15 yds at the same time & they never knew I was there. Took their pic.. Movement is your enemy.. This little guy I rattled in got a pass. Right under me.
From: ahunter76
07-Jul-22
many times. This guy at 8 foot from the trunk of a blown down tree.
From: Charlie Rehor
07-Jul-22
It matters most in states with pressured deer and also many seriously good bow hunters. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin bow hunters will on average be elevated higher than hunters in other states.
From: TGbow
07-Jul-22
If I have to get higher than 14 ft I will just hunt on the ground..lol
From: CTBobcat
07-Jul-22
Nothing more exhilarating than from the ground!
From: Shawn
07-Jul-22
Now that I saddle hunt I hunt much lower, rarely over 15 ft and a lot of times 8-10 ft. When saddle hunting you use the tree itself as cover. I have killed deer as low as a couple feet from tree stands to as high as 47 ft when trying to cover a power line and had few trees to choose from. I 100% agree with Charlie, states with heavy pressure or properties with heavy pressure can dictate the height of any set up. Shawn
From: TGbow
07-Jul-22
I've considered saddle hunting but it doesn't look like I'd be able to be still long enough in a saddle
From: WV Mountaineer
07-Jul-22
Send me your address TGBow, I’ll send you one to try out and tinker with. Just send it back when you are done.
From: JSW
07-Jul-22
10' minimum for me but not over 15'. I make my own stands and recently I've been making 5' and 6' ladder sections so I can make it 10', 11' or 12' high. It works for me.
From: scentman
07-Jul-22
Ahunter, that is retro right down to the sideburns bro;0)
From: Blood
07-Jul-22
My pull-up rope is 20’. I put it on the top part of my climber. So I’m about 17’ up most of the time on the bottom of my climber. Killed lots of deer from that height.
From: groundhunter50
07-Jul-22
We all hunt different areas, and different environments,,,, so you have to be hones with your area............. I have land and hunt the Bluff along the Mississippi river in sw Wis,,, we have tremendous deer potential here..... I have been out of a tree stand for years in this area..... I learned that 30 feet means nothing, when the bucks behind you on the bluffs, are still at eye level................. So becuase of all the timber and hills, went to a Millenium tree seat... Why, because I am more mobile we have tricky thermals here, and can move so much more quickly than my noisy Lone Wolfs and sticks............. Did I try saddle hunting here, yes, again to slow to move...
I have a hunting cabin in the UP,,,,, not the best if your into horn porn, but a special place to hunt.... I have bought alot of ladder stands, either from wal mart spring close outs, or sportsman rummage sales.... first thing I do, is take out the bottom section.
I can easily put a 10 footer over the shoulder, move it around, set it and strap it, without any fuss, and since there is alot of conifers, no issues,,,, I just tuck in....
I have a hunting house in Lebanon SD,,,,, from Akaska to Redfield shot alot of nice deer in this area,,,, this is all ground hunting, and has taught me, the discipline to go to a compound and know how to shoot out to 50 yards..............
Point is you adapt to your environment,,,,,,,,,,,,, Other than my own land in wis, I am not hunting prime, no pressure deer.... but I get the job done,,,, lots of fun
From: Candor
09-Jul-22
in southeaster pines with little to no cover it is not unusual for me to be 30' on a ridge. Given a good cedar tree backed up to a pine tree in the right place I may be as low as 15'.
In the midwest I am comfortable at 10'-12' with relatively little backdrop with a big tree.
From: Vaquero 45
09-Jul-22
@ over 64 I don't mess with a climber anymore. When I am "fixed " hunting up a tree I " am between 8 to 17' up . Down south I don't care for being fixed on the ground before daytime with all the cotton mouths, Eastern diamond backs , pygmy rattlers , copperhead. Etc. Only had one life threatening bite in my whole life "A professional dang gold digger ex supermodel in a string bikini . " But that was my own dang fault . That's why alcohol and hunting don't mix. ! Buyer beware .... LOL
From: TGbow
09-Jul-22
Orlando, same here..I've seen the cottonmouths n rattlers out in January ..thank God I've never been bitten
From: Vaquero 45
10-Jul-22
Amen to that Clay for sure ! .....
From: LBshooter
10-Jul-22
I use the old loc-on Titan ladder stand. I use one rung and the platform, so my feet are anout 4.5 off the ground. I can attach this to saplings where no other stand would work and in between trunks of trees, deadly set up and comfortable. I've had deer walk right up and sniff the ladder. Public land deer seem to look up in the trees and never seem to mind something that's only a few feet off the ground, deadly.
From: TGbow
10-Jul-22
Peter, I was talking to a fella that hunts in Illinois every year..he said they started hanging stands lower just above the lowest branches and they weren't getting busted as much. Probly wouldn't work to good on a southern pine that don't have branches for 20 ft.
From: Rock
10-Jul-22
Normally 12'-16' depending on the trees and what it has for structure or cover (whereever the Stand hangs best). But have shot Deer from stands as low as 6' and that deer was about 3' from the tree
From: Kanati
11-Jul-22
Im surprised on how low some of you go. I shoot a longbow and i think most traditional shooters stay low. I know on this site alot shoot compounds and ive always read that they seem to favor higher stands. I think alot has to do with shot angle. I know thats why ive gone lower.
From: WV Mountaineer
15-Jul-22
From: TGbow
15-Jul-22
Kanati, I've shot recurves n longbows all my life but I've never liked being too high on a tree all my life..lol
I do like the shot angles from the ground or low treestand.
From: Tracker
15-Jul-22
I started stand hunting from 8-10" out Y of trees back in the 70's then came the Baker Tree Stand and I still rarely hunted much higher. As climbers got better I moved up but really never muck past around 15' except of a few occasions. I try to hunt as low as I can. safer and shot angles are better. Back cover is more important to me than height.
From: TGbow
15-Jul-22
We use to call the Baker's a death trap..lol
From: TGbow
16-Jul-22
When I was about 16 I was climbing with a Baker stand, didn't have a top section..just hug the tree and jack it up..I got about 8 ft up and must have stepped too close to the tree and it just slid down the tree bout 6 ft..I was skint up but I never let go till it stopped..lol
From: Basil
16-Jul-22
Hunted in the Dakotas quite a bit out of 10-12’ ladder stands. On the edges off cattails on lone standing dead Cottonwoods. Some didn’t even have bark. Deer often walked between he ladder & the tree sniffing my tracks but never looked up. These days in Minnesota deer seldom come by without looking at me no matter how high or how good the background cover is.
From: cnelk
16-Jul-22
I put up a fairly low tree stand yesterday. Right along a good elk trail.
From: cnelk
16-Jul-22
From: TGbow
16-Jul-22
Looks good BK
From: Missouribreaks
16-Jul-22
I shoot stickbows instinctively so prefer hunting deer and bear from the ground, if elevated no higher than 12 feet. This helps my depth perception, and provides a better shot angle.
From: TGbow
16-Jul-22
I e hunted on the ground 85% of the time but a lot of areas I hunt it's nice to be elevated some just to see over the thick stuff
From: Kanati
17-Jul-22
Cnelk, im from the east, whats a low stand for Elk 20’? LOL
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
17-Jul-22
cnelk thst looks like quite the swing around from back to front to get on to the platform lol!
From: Kanati
17-Jul-22
I never knew Elk were hunted from tree stands. TV always has guys on the ground.
From: wyobullshooter
17-Jul-22
I’ve hunted elk exclusively out of a tree stand for the past 25+ years. The platform is maybe 12’ high.
From: Paul@thefort
17-Jul-22
Me on stand in back ground, only 8 ft high while elk hunting. Bull elk died 40 yards away. Good back ground in shadows, and favorable wind.
Me on stand in back ground, only 8 ft high while elk hunting. Bull elk died 40 yards away. Good back ground in shadows, and favorable wind.
From: groundhunter50
17-Jul-22
Nice stand,,,, how did you get that picture,,,,,, looks like my UP stands
From: Kanati
17-Jul-22
Nice!
From: Kanati
17-Jul-22
I really shouldnt be surprised they are just like whitetails but much bigger! Lol i love the terrain.
From: Bearman
17-Jul-22
If I get over 16', I get the Willie's. Guessing I've bowkilled 150 deer from 12' and under. Can't say I've ever seen deer walking around scanning trees. But I try to hunt unpressured deer.
From: TGbow
17-Jul-22
Dave, I think the higher stand thing is something that evolved over time. In the mid 70s there weren't too many commercial stands on the market..we had couple of the Baker's, didn't even have a seat on the models we had. Most stands I saw were permanent homemade stands..8 to 12 ft. Blending in and being still is the key, IMO.
From: LBshooter
17-Jul-22
TGbow, heavily hunted public land deer tend to look up in the trees, so yes lower stands work. All I use is my little ladder and it's deadly, especially when can attach to some scrub bush type trees where no other stands can be placed.
From: Bearman
17-Jul-22
From: Bearman
17-Jul-22
I grew up poor. Could not afford stands so it was searching/finding a tree with a suitable limb to sit on. Thankfully we have lots of big burr oak here. Lots of deer killed at 8' or ground Level.
From: Paul@thefort
17-Jul-22
GH50. Trail camera set up across the meadow. The white stake marks 20 yards. I shot him at 18 yards qt away. You can see the BH just poking out behind the front shoulder. He fell in the shade 40 yards away. 9:05 am
From: Bearman
17-Jul-22
From: TGbow
17-Jul-22
LBshooter, that's all it takes is blending in. Paul, you shooting a recurve with sights or a compound? Good job either way
From: stringgunner
26-Jul-22
Shot 10+ elk from a tree in the past 14 years. Always a minimum of 25 ft up. Generally my stands are on a steep side of a hill and I find in need the height to keep me above their eyes if they come in from above and to keep my scent as high as possible. If I’m flatter ground 15’ is enough.
From: TGbow
27-Jul-22
Back in the mid and late 70s we would run into an old fella that hunted out of a homemade lock on type stand.
He also had a Baker climber, but he hunted 10 to 12 ft from what he told us. He killed a deer just about every time we ran into him.
From: fuzzy
31-Jul-22
Yes
From: DMTJager
07-Aug-22
Like EVERYTHING in life it all depends. If hunting heavily pressured deer I get up as close to 20 feet as I can but not higher than 20-25' unless obstructions in tree puts me there. If good low pressure prvt land I still like to get 18-20 feet up. Killed 90% of my 50+ archery deer at 18-20 feet out of Vantage Point pin on treestands. Remaining +/- 10% out of ladder stands 15-18" My experience I MUCH prefer higher hang on stands. Never had any issues with shot angle at 18-20' up. Having said all that now my sons hunt with me if on privt land I put them in two man ladder stands that put their feet at 18' and I brush in the stands as well as can be done.
From: TGbow
07-Aug-22
You can be spotted at 25 ft just as easy as 14 ft if you don't have cover and you're moving around.
From: scentman
07-Aug-22
I got friends in low places, where an arrow flies and the buck chases the does away... ;0)
From: Thornton
07-Aug-22
I've had deer walk under me while I was stading on branches only 7 or 8 feet above the ground.
From: md5252
07-Aug-22
47ft??! That’s like 5 stories up. Not likely….
In any event, 12-15ft is a good range for me
From: TGbow
07-Aug-22
Lol..good one Eric
From: Shawn
07-Aug-22
Md, my buddies call the stand "Nose Bleed", on one side if the tree it is 55ft to the ground from the platform. Shawn
