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Q:
im a big bow hunter and i was wondering about how high do you think you should be up in a tree. normally i go to about to 20-25 ft but it seems like the deer know im their im not shure what to do

Question by klee_2011@hotma.... Uploaded on November 20, 2009

Answers (21)

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from eddie21 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I think you should be about 20 ft. I don't know why they see you. HAven't had a problem with it. Good luck

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from klee_2011@hotma... wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

well i am about 20 to 25 ft up and i usse a lot of scent cover so i dont know what to do now

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from stormn wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Klee I am never more than 15-20 feet in the air. I haven't had much of a problem with it, but when I have it was self induced. I have been seen pulling my bow back or when I turned my body not knowing there was a deer behind me. Good luck Aim low (personal experience)

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from buckhunter wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Eddie is correct. I see no reason to go over 20 feet. The higher you go the steeper the angle of the shot which makes hitting a double lung more difficult.

If you are being spotted the deer may be smelling you or seeing you move.

+5 Good Comment? | | Report
from mrhansen9 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I sit 18 feet and that's about my high limit. If they're looking at you a lot, try checking what's behind you. If you're silhouetted against the sky without consciously knowing it, then you won't be able to move an inch without drawing attention. I say this, because it's the second thing that comes to mind behind scent, but it seems you use a lot of cover up. Good luck!

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from codybrotz14 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

i would say about 18 feet is pretty good

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from stutzman.21 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

20 ft. plenty. climb near other trees and limbs to break up your outline.

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from bjohnston wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I don't think hight is as important as breaking up your silhouett. I have a 12 ft. ladder stand tucked in some wild grape vines that aren't so thick i can't see through them but they're just enough to break up my outline. It works good for me.

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from steve182 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I go between 20 and 25. Could be you are not playing the wind? or as buckhunter said, maybe they catch your movement. Try to be still. Also, if you're overhunting a stand they know you're there.

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from BioGuy wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I agree with just about everyone here...break up your outline, play the wind, and keep your movements slow and minimal. 20 feet is more than enough. Last year, the deer I killed walked directly under my stand and my stand was only 10 feet off the ground.

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from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

One word, "CONCEALMENT"!

I'm willing to bet your looking like a "BLOB" sticking out!

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from 007 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I go for around +/- 20'. Agreed with most of the above, sit still and be quiet.

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from deerslayer1234 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I am always at least 15' up.

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from Del in KS wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I have sat as high as 27 ft with no problem. Most of the time around 20 to 24 is where I'm at. Keep movement very slow when a deer is on alert. Move when the head is behind a tree, etc. Try to sit in a large tree near the first limbs to break up your outline. Several times this fall I have had bucks straight downwind and not been detected. Still looking for something bigger.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from steve182 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Got busted by 4 does tonight. Reaching for my bow in case a buck was following. If he was, i spooked him too. Wind switched right before they cam in, screwed me. I was at about 22 feet.

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from klee_2011@hotma... wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

thank you for all the answers i do sit where i have a lot of cover behind me and i usally hunt on state land so i do not over hunt the stand i have a climber

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from WhitetailHunter706 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

hey try using all these tips that are posted i am not sure what to tell you if you try all these. Also if you are wearing your hunting close in your truck on the way to your hunting spot you are putting scent on your close. Next time change after you have reached your location... i mean when you park your truck get out and change in the field so you dont cover up your deer scent with more scent good luck

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from Cheap Shot wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Steve182, if you were up 22 feet, the wind switching direction shouldn't have given you away.

Klee_2011, stop spitting your tobacco juice out of the damn tree stand!

Ok, I'm sure you're not doing that, but I'm amazed at things people do that they don't think about. I have a buddy who hunts with me. He has a bad habit of touching every GD thing that he gets near with his bare hands; brush, limbs, trees, everything! And this is after we usually hit McDonalds and probably have bacon or sausage grease on our hands. I pisses me off and he's like, "oh, I forgot!"

So think and analyze what are you doing? I don't even touch the tree at ground level - even with gloves. I don't even like to touch my waist pack to the ground - even though it's de-scented. So think! What are you doing wrong?

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from codyboyd wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

i can't believe that your that high. i have stands that are only like 8 feet up and i have killed deer out of it. you may be leaving a scent trail. try and control where you walk.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from BrigMarine wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

I hunt about 15ft with success

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from shane mcelroy wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

i only hunt 20-25 feet and it seems like if i take out to many branches they look up but when i leave some cover works out real good

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from eddie21 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I think you should be about 20 ft. I don't know why they see you. HAven't had a problem with it. Good luck

+6 Good Comment? | | Report
from buckhunter wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Eddie is correct. I see no reason to go over 20 feet. The higher you go the steeper the angle of the shot which makes hitting a double lung more difficult.

If you are being spotted the deer may be smelling you or seeing you move.

+5 Good Comment? | | Report
from mrhansen9 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I sit 18 feet and that's about my high limit. If they're looking at you a lot, try checking what's behind you. If you're silhouetted against the sky without consciously knowing it, then you won't be able to move an inch without drawing attention. I say this, because it's the second thing that comes to mind behind scent, but it seems you use a lot of cover up. Good luck!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from stutzman.21 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

20 ft. plenty. climb near other trees and limbs to break up your outline.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from bjohnston wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I don't think hight is as important as breaking up your silhouett. I have a 12 ft. ladder stand tucked in some wild grape vines that aren't so thick i can't see through them but they're just enough to break up my outline. It works good for me.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from klee_2011@hotma... wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

well i am about 20 to 25 ft up and i usse a lot of scent cover so i dont know what to do now

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from stormn wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Klee I am never more than 15-20 feet in the air. I haven't had much of a problem with it, but when I have it was self induced. I have been seen pulling my bow back or when I turned my body not knowing there was a deer behind me. Good luck Aim low (personal experience)

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from codybrotz14 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

i would say about 18 feet is pretty good

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from steve182 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I go between 20 and 25. Could be you are not playing the wind? or as buckhunter said, maybe they catch your movement. Try to be still. Also, if you're overhunting a stand they know you're there.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from BioGuy wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I agree with just about everyone here...break up your outline, play the wind, and keep your movements slow and minimal. 20 feet is more than enough. Last year, the deer I killed walked directly under my stand and my stand was only 10 feet off the ground.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

One word, "CONCEALMENT"!

I'm willing to bet your looking like a "BLOB" sticking out!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from 007 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I go for around +/- 20'. Agreed with most of the above, sit still and be quiet.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from deerslayer1234 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I am always at least 15' up.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Del in KS wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

I have sat as high as 27 ft with no problem. Most of the time around 20 to 24 is where I'm at. Keep movement very slow when a deer is on alert. Move when the head is behind a tree, etc. Try to sit in a large tree near the first limbs to break up your outline. Several times this fall I have had bucks straight downwind and not been detected. Still looking for something bigger.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Cheap Shot wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Steve182, if you were up 22 feet, the wind switching direction shouldn't have given you away.

Klee_2011, stop spitting your tobacco juice out of the damn tree stand!

Ok, I'm sure you're not doing that, but I'm amazed at things people do that they don't think about. I have a buddy who hunts with me. He has a bad habit of touching every GD thing that he gets near with his bare hands; brush, limbs, trees, everything! And this is after we usually hit McDonalds and probably have bacon or sausage grease on our hands. I pisses me off and he's like, "oh, I forgot!"

So think and analyze what are you doing? I don't even touch the tree at ground level - even with gloves. I don't even like to touch my waist pack to the ground - even though it's de-scented. So think! What are you doing wrong?

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from steve182 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

Got busted by 4 does tonight. Reaching for my bow in case a buck was following. If he was, i spooked him too. Wind switched right before they cam in, screwed me. I was at about 22 feet.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from klee_2011@hotma... wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

thank you for all the answers i do sit where i have a lot of cover behind me and i usally hunt on state land so i do not over hunt the stand i have a climber

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from WhitetailHunter706 wrote 2 years 11 weeks ago

hey try using all these tips that are posted i am not sure what to tell you if you try all these. Also if you are wearing your hunting close in your truck on the way to your hunting spot you are putting scent on your close. Next time change after you have reached your location... i mean when you park your truck get out and change in the field so you dont cover up your deer scent with more scent good luck

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from codyboyd wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

i can't believe that your that high. i have stands that are only like 8 feet up and i have killed deer out of it. you may be leaving a scent trail. try and control where you walk.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from BrigMarine wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

I hunt about 15ft with success

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from shane mcelroy wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

i only hunt 20-25 feet and it seems like if i take out to many branches they look up but when i leave some cover works out real good

0 Good Comment? | | Report

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