Looking to pick some brains regarding lower hanging treestands in the range of five to ten feet. I am going to be hunting more public ground this fall but do not feel comfortable yet with a hang on and set of sticks to get twenty feet. Understanding scent control and movement, how many of you have been successful in low stands? Cover will be crucial I am assuming. If you have pictures of these sets, I'd love to see them. Also, what methods are you using to climb, access
I've hunted out of an old oak tree that has a trunk that forks into two about 6 feet above the ground. The tree is on a well used game trail. It is hollow, so that when I climb up to above the fork I can step down inside and I am surrounded up to my belt by the hollow trunk. As a result my feet are only about four feet above ground inside the hollow trunk. I use screw in steps to get up to above the fork to allow me to lower myself down into the trunk. I have had as many as 5-6 deer walk directly under the tree and never even know I was there. Most of them I could touch with the tip of my 68" longbow.
If you're going as low as 5' I'd just hunt the ground. You needn't be 20 either but at 5 you'd be really imo way visible. You'd be over any vegatation and all advantages of tree stands are negated. Just wouldn't do it
The majority of my hunting has been from home made 8-10ft ladder stands, started moving to more ground hunting the past 5 years. I'd say I've been successful. I've lost track of how many deer I've had at the base of my stand, oblivious to my presence.
Don't trim too much, be as minimally invasive as possible, and know when to draw, and there's no issues. A much better shot angle than if your hunting from a 20-25ft stand.
About the only place I would set a stand lower than 15' would be a pine tree. Plenty of cover all year. Certain situations you might get away with 10-12'. But, lower than that, I'd build a ground blind.
I'd have to echo what others have said. If only going 5', I would stay on the ground. I would rather maintain mobility over what little visibility you would gain. 10' can work under the right conditions. In some forests with a thick low canopy, 10' is just perfect. I try to get into the low canopy of forests, or just slightly above it. This gives you good cover, but still leaves you with enough openings for shots.
The bear in my avatar was taken from a stand that was 7 feet off the ground. Now that was over bait but still my feet were at 7 feet, screw in steps were used to get up and in. As mentioned above I might just stay on the ground, set up a couple of ground blinds and go for it.
I set my stand height based on the forest canopy. Too high and visibility is hindered, too low and then the Hunter is exposed.
Keep in mind, it is always about the wind direction. Set your stand regardless of height based on best wind direction and above the line of sight as seen from the animal. This reduce being seen, but does not always gaurantee it.
Also, when hunting from a low elevation use your ears more than your sight. This will keep your movement to a minimum.
Whatever you decide, don't take risk if your not confident in being off the ground and keep it fun and safe.
Around here we have basswood trees that grow in three or more trees per cluster. Getting a few feet up in them still supplies cover with just a bit more shooting room than at ground level. On one large maple, it has a huge bottom trunk that is about 5 feet up with four new trees that are about a foot wide. I put a strap Grizzly seat on it. Problem is, every time I sit there the wind switches and thermals go down hill into the on coming deer. On river slopes you cannot get high enough to avoid the evening thermals sometimes, so I stay on the ground and remain mobile.
I was a nose bleeder in my former life... 30' of pullup rope and climb till I felt the bow coming off the ground...
When I started hunting with a recurve, I changed and went to 15'-20' in most cases...
Several years ago I was privileged to go to Barry Wensel's bootcamp... while I was there I saw numerous stands that were less than 10' and Barry as you well know kills some dandy's...
The key is finding or creating the proper cover... he had stands in places that I would have never considered before... he had one I could stand flatfooted and reach the platform... right at 7'...
Now can you hang on the side of a poplar tree at 10' and kill mature deer... maybe... but it will help if they are blind... or have "other" things on their mind...
Find snags... trees that are broken off... trees that fork... a cluster of trees... bushy trees with limbs coming off... pull up branches and set the around you... cedars... pines... or??? You get the idea... Be imaginative...
Jonathan
PS I went back and read that you will be on public land... that may change everything depending on how hard it is pressured... a ghille on the ground can be very deadly...
PSS Barry and Gene use mostly ladder stands... I use a Lone Wolf Alpha and Lone Wolf Sticks...
I keep most mine between 10 & 15 feet.
I have a couple of stands that are low (less than 15 feet) and visibility can be a problem. My best location had a small tree just in front of the stand, giving the appearance that my upper body came just out of the top of that small tree. If there is no cover in front, a good background is effective. However, remaining very still is crucial.
I hunted for years off wooden platforms set in the y of trees 8 to 10 feet off the ground and killed plenty of game. I went high when I used a wheel bow but have since dropped downe low again. I try to pic a tree with low vegetation behind me I have had no problem keeping deer from seeing me
It's very thick where I hunt and I only hunt about 10 to 15' off the ground. Sometimes I have to get a little higher it just depends on the cover and shooting lanes that I need. Last year I was 10' up and killed my buck at 10 yards and he didn't have a clue I was there. Just make sure you are well hidden and movement to a minimum and as long as they don't smell you you'll be fine.
A good friend of mine took over 50 deer in his lifetime of bowhunting in MN. He never put his stand higher than he could reach from the ground.
You should have no problem if you can read deer and play the wind.
I do most of my hunting on the ground, but if I do need to venture up I use an aluminum tripod that puts my rear at about 7 ft off the ground. This is great in heavy cover when trees are limited in height and number. Play the wind and make sure you have good cover behind you and you should be just fine.
I've never really hunted out of high tree stands. Mostly from 8-15ft. Now that I've switched to trad I try to stay 12 or under for better shot angles. I just look for the right tree, where I can stuff it in thick cover. I wouldn't hunt at any height if I didn't have cover around me.
I have had lots of luck out of a 7' stand.
When I went on a guided hunt in Kansas I was amazed that none of the deer that walked by me looked up.
On long Island they all look up, even the dumb spikes.
I've hunted out of some low stands but they had a lot of cover and more importantly I couldn't shoot the deer and the deer couldn't see me until they had passed my stand and stepped into a shooting lane giving me a quartering away shot. that is the only kind of low set up that work by me since the deer are so pressured.
I have found my sweet spot to be right around 12' Good visibility, great shot angle and still good back cover from foliage.
repeating the wisdom of others.
I am low in one of mine this year here are the reasons I like it.
1. It is in a new location the deer have never seen a stand and do not tend to look up.
2. It is in a large poplar tree surrounded by small fir and lodgepole so I have good cover to break up my silhouette.
3. It is tight to the trail I am hunting so I do not want to be too high and shoot at too steep of an angle.
Hunted it for a couple of hours for the first time this weekend and had one doe walk by oblivious to the fact I was even in the country. Optimistic that the buck I have targeted will do the same one night for me.
hang low if you have cover, and scent control. If I had a tree further from the trail I would like to be higher for scent travel, but too high would silhouette me above the cover.
oz
Years ago, I made ladder stands out of 7'6" 2x4 building studs. There were dozens of them laying around the building lots, after the houses were framed. (apparently carpenters don't like "bent" wood?) I'd climb up, set my butt on the platform, and shoot deer. Never gave much thought to cover, or even how high I was. Basically, I could see as good (maybe a little better?) as if I was standing, but I was sitting and more comfortable!!! About 10 years ago, I bought a 15' ladder stand. 1st time I climbed up in it, I just couldn't get comfortable... (Ok, I was shaking like a dog passing a peach pitt) I only hunted out of it a few times after that. My big problem these days, is that my back starts to nag me, after about an hour of sitting. On the ground, I can get up and stretch and move around if I have to. It helps to keep me in one "spot" longer. If you're in a good spot, I don't think it matters if you're on the ground, or in a tree, or how high you are.
Just one old farts opinion...
I usually only use 3 of the 4 section in my ladder stands so my foot platform is usually about 10 and that seem to get me out of line of sight. Also have several tripods where the seat is only 8 or 9 feet. But they set nicely back into small oaks and persimmon bushes.
I'm not the "squirrel" that I used to be, nor willing to take the "straight down" chip shots that were possible when I used wheelie bows and sights. I'm lucky to hunt the Blue Ridge mountains of N.C., where you have mountain laurel cover that you can "nest" a stand in and disappear as long as you're still. If I'm hunting at 10-15 ft. I do have to be more conscious of prevailing winds which is an oxymoron, as in the mountains they swirl and eddy and never "prevail" from the same direction for more than about 5 mins., lol. Placement is everything and on a side-hill you could be 15 ft. off the ground and exactly at eyeball level with a deer 10 yds away!
Cover to break up yourself is more important than height....there is NO MINIMUM if you can do it on the ground. Higher stands also increase the shot angle and gives the hunter a decreased visible kill zone on most animals.
Most of my hanging or ladder stands are in the 8-12 foot range but I make sure the trunk is wide or there is good season long cover like hollies, tupelo, magnolia, wax myrtle or live oaks to break up my outline.
Find a comfortable height and then just make sure it is broken up enough to keep you hidden...
You can use natural vegetation but it dies or leaves/needles fall off. Instead you can buy the fake vegetation from craft stores that represent deciduous and evergreens and attach them to your stands and the tree trunk. Tie them on with zip ties on foot platform, seat rails, and even in the belt/chain of the hanging device. Or if you want specific bowhunting instead of DIY...go here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq94JJPgUh8
It depends on everything.
If ground cover makes an elevated platform more efficient, and low lying cover allows, a 5-10 foot stand is for sure doable. I did it in my favorite marsh for years.
If you are hunting a stand of poplars or fast growing oaks with little understory you may need to be twenty or more feet up to fit in.
Less then 10 ft...just hunt the ground. Too much chance of getting busted under average conditions.
The cover, wind and terrain dictate everything. I have put stands 2 or 3 feet off the ground in the past. I don't like being over 15 feet if I don't have to.. Sometimes some situations sitting on the ground will be better. Keep your options open and be creative.
I hunt a lot of lower stand locations. Terrain and canopy dictate how high. Sometimes the higher you go in pines or hemlocks your visibility decreases. I never hunt very high. I just don't like the angle of penetration. I never hunt a stand two days in a row unless conditions are optimal.
I killed my 3 biggest bucks out of a 10' ladder stand with a white metal deck chair on top. I didn't have any cover near the tree. It was in a natural funnel that had a few trails close by. Starting around Halloween each year the bucks started cruising these trails looking for does.
I hunt low allot.
Like 7-12ft. Sometimes I go to 14-15. But not often.
A climbing stand will screw you most times. Think limbs.
A hang on is where it's at for hunting low and tucking yourself into neat little spots with cover below you..
It best to set up so the come quartering past you n then shoot. On set up so the truck in kinda between you n them
Somewhat. Or there is another tree there to hid you that close to the one your in. I have little trouble and I hunt heavily hunted pa public lands.
Effective method if done correctly. Common sense and woods wiseness when and where to use.
I hunt higher, but I could see the advantage of being only 5-10 feet up the right tree and opposed to being on the ground. It would allow me a better chance of seeing the deer before he sees me, so I could get ready. The right tree would be off to the side of the trail with other trees to screen me. A split trunk tree would work great.