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Sit or Stand

No, not in the John, but in the tree. Do you guys try to stay seated and twist to your off side to shoot, or do. You stand up when you are taking a shot? I hunt tight cover and most of my dear are within 30 yds when I see them. I find it hard to draw when all twisted, but hate to stand up and turn to get into good shooting position. Not an issue when the deer behave as they supposed to, but we all know that they don’t read the rule book.

I am standing any time I think a target is approaching, why wouldn't you?

I let the situation dictate whether I stand or stay seated, if I have the time and the cover I will always stand, but am just as comfortable with a seated shot.

Carl

What FTWAC said.

I will take a seated shot always if the deer approaches my left. I have two hangers in my trees. One for sitting, and one for standing. If I stand and face my tree, I put my bow on the new hanger as long as I'm standing. If a deer comes to my right (my weak side) I stand slowly, face the tree, then slowly move the bow to the new hanger. For my standing hanger, I have a unique setup. I have a C shaped ring wrapped in plastic, that I hang my cam on, and where my lower cam sits, I have small rubberized screw in hanger that I prop my lower cam on. This way my bow is not only at the ready, it is out of the way. I can use my binoculars and not worry about herky jerky movements, because my bow is not in my hands. I can lift the bow off the hanger, and it is literally at the ready with zero effort. I use a release that is a 4 finger thumb release that is always on my D loop. I hear of guys who have their bows in their hands at all times, and I can assure you, you cannot maneuver as easily while holding your bow if you need to switch positions, or stand, or twist. My bow will be on its hanger, until I commit to the kill. I have friends who question this tactic, but I feel like a rehearsed movement either sitting or standing is what matters, and I set up every stand where I shoot sitting to my left, and two hangers set up the exact way at each stand site. You must practice sitting down, but if you do, you'll actually find yourself even more steady than standing. I'm convinced that your arm is more stabilized while sitting, but you still need to bend at the waist.

Thanks, Pete-pec, very interesting approach. I am 67, so not quite as steady as I used to be, but am finding that if I practice the moves similar to the nes you describe, I feel more confident moving slowly and carefully into position. I agree that I am most accurate sitting and shooting to my left.

I let the situation and my stand setup dictate wether I stand or sit.

Stand. I dont sit at all while hunting unless it's before shooting hours. Actually removed seats on s couple of my stands cuz they get in the way

I remember the home made baker treestand days with no seats and you stood as long as you could or tried to sit down on the stand which caused alot of issues trying to get back up. I welcome having a seat for sure. But, I am standing during high movement times or when I hear a deer sound in the distance. I don't remember ever having to shoot a deer sitting from my tree stand, but I always set up so the high percentage shot locations are to my bow arm side just in case. In hunting you can prepare for everything but there is always something else that happens to screw you up.

I haven't practiced shooting at a target while sitting, so I will refuse to take a sitting shot and risk poor form contributing to a wounded deer. I am seated in my stand less than 25% of the time anyways. I might risk busting a deer while moving to position if I get caught seated, but its a fun challenge.

I just got busted by a nice buck a few days ago trying to stand, should have remained sitting. I do practice in the sitting position. With a bad back and a hip replacement it is hard to stand for a long period of time.

I'm also a "seasoned citizen" at 66. So...standing for hours just don't cut it anymore. I do, however, stand for the shot whenever possible. I also shoot a longbow, so standing is a must with a Summit climber.

Ah the Baker stand . You always knew if a Baker was being used in your woods by the scream of the hunter when it slid down the tree at 60 MPH .

I shoot sitting . I use a 7 gallon bucket ( 6in higher than a 5 gallon )I mostly pratice ob a 7 gallon . At my age I shoot better .

Ruger - Baker tree stands, , thanks for the memories and laughs.

I cant believe the hours some if you old timers put in standing on a 2x10 with notches cut in.

I finally have a seat on my stand and I love it. Ibe been standing for half an hour then sit for a half an hour.

I sit at all times

Tweed - That's all I used when I first started bowhunting. When I was younger I could stand all day, but now -- no way!

I'm too fidgety if I stand all the time so I spend most of my time sitting. I'll stand for a shot if I get the chance, but shooting while sitting is just as easy as shooting standing. The main problem with sitting is that it really limits your shot to the right, provided you are right handed.

Yep, got my baker like tree stand done in high school shop class and had the bright idea of putting a piece of 3/4" oak on it. I thought I was big time in the tree. Then, I heard the crack, then the thought "what was that? Then in an instant I slid down the tree 2 feet, quick. It stopped so I sat there. Young and dumb full of ? I put plywood on in and actually used it for many years.

You could always tell the Baker Deathtrap guys. They were the ones with scabs 'n scars on their chins, noses, and inside or their arms from trying to arrest the unplanned descents!

I designed my stands for the shots.

Thanks for all the posts. Good info, but no surprises. Hunted tonight in very still conditions and couldn’t get turned quietly enough to avoid spooking a doe at 25 yds upwind. And that was standing. Sometimes nothing you do works and the cards are all stacked in their favor. That’s why we celebrate when all goes well.

I hunted from a Baker and how I never fell or was injured, I'll never know. Went to a TSS after the Baker and that was much safer in my eyes.

We only use ladder stands, all have flip up seats for standings. So, we stand when we shoot. The reason for us is, what happens when the deer goes on the opposite side of the tree or in an area you can't shoot to sitting down? Sitting, for us, would limit shot opportunities for sure. Now, each stand sight is different, but most of ours offer 300 degree (or more) shot opportunities. I usually stand the first hour of daylight and the last. If I am seeing a lot of movement I will stand longer. Bow is always on my lap when I do sit ready to rock and roll when needed. BC

I'm like Live2hunt and Nature lives. I stand 90% of the time. I sit in the dark and maybe a 20 minute break 1/2 way thru the day..

Tweed I couldn't afford as much as Hoot. All I had was a 2X6. The rich men had 2x10s.

Baker tree stands. Hahahaha I remember my 20 something nephew sliding down the tree while he bear hugged it, his coat, and shirts were slid up to his neck and he had road rash from his belt buckle to his neck..

Like the comments above, depends on the stand and situation. However, I'm comfortable shooting from the seat and filled my doe tag this past Saturday sitting. Saw her coming in the distance and actually sat down. It's been so cold, easy to get the shakes when standing & excited. I find sitting helps keep you steady. She was jumpy as all get out and there is no way I could stand for 20 minutes with my bow up in the air, in that cold, and stay steady before being able to draw. To each their own.

Baker tree stands...

Being the "Fiscally Responsible" person I am, me and a buddy built our own knockoff Baker.

Did the slide down the tree bit. The stand cut thru my boot when I hit the ground, took 14 stitches to close it up.

Never took the stand off the tree. it was gone the following weekend. Good riddance.

Ahhh the Baker denipler

Man was I brave and dumb in 1994

An incident popped in my head of a buddy who made a baker style, bolt together type. We got out to the woods before sunup. He was about 100 yrds away from me. It was really quiet and still out. I could hear him climbing the tree, then all kinds of racket and swearing. This happened 3 times in a row and by now I have tears coming out of my eyes laughing. Then I hear stomping through the leaves and a big clang, then quiet. When I came out from my sit, there was his stand laying in the logging road.

Those were the days . The Deer were not used to bei ng hunted from above . You could bounce pinecones off of them & they would keep feeding .

And yes I used 2x8's with Notches cut for the branches . Scary stuff .

Trapper - 2x10's, rich like Hoot? Hell I was lucky to have a 2x4 with three kids and a wife to support. LOL

I sit 99% of the time. I feel I'm more consistent/accurate and I move around less that way.

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