Under many circumstances, hunting from a treestand can be the most effective
method of all, especially in areas with relatively high game populations, dense
cover and terrain thats too flat to permit much glassing.
Successful
treestand hunting, however, involves much more than simply buying a stand,
randomly picking out a tree and climbing up. Its a chess game, a dynamic
process of moves and counter-moves; where the hunter selects a tree for his
stand, gives it a go and then, based on his observations and changes in
prevailing conditions, might choose to move the stand to increase his chances at
a high-percentage shot.
Improving Your Odds
Here are some guidelines that will
help make you a more successful treestand hunter:
Scout
You must scout to locate areas where animal sign is
abundant before choosing a stand site. For white-tailed deer, such areas can
include preferred food sources like acorns, corn fields, alfalfa fields and
apple trees; active trails and trail junctions; funnels, green field edges and
fence lines; scrapes and rubs. Look for fresh deer droppings, tracks and signs
of feeding activity like fresh acorn caps, half-chewed corncobs and places where
the ends of browse like honeysuckle have been nibbled on.
As a general rule, the best treestand locations for whitetails cover trails
leading from food sources to bedding areas in the mornings and are close to
preferred food sources in the afternoons.
Hunt Deer, Not Trees
The right way to look for a place to
hang a treestand is to scout the woods, find hot sign and then set up within
good shooting range of that sign. The wrong way is to scout, find hot sign, then
look for a nearby tree that will accommodate your treestand. Thats like the
tail wagging the dog. Never forget that the objective is to get a shot at your
quarry. If your stand wont work in a tree within range of the spot that you
know will produce, its time to reevaluate your hunting technique and your
stand.
Watch The Wind
Even if youre 20 feet off the ground, you
still have to hunt with the wind in your favor. Setting up so that game will
approach upwind or crosswind of your stand and walking to your stand with the
wind in your face are important. For example, when hunting a fresh scrape, its
better to set up 30 to 100 yards downwind of the scrape and not right on it.
Just how far depends on the terrain and thickness of the brush. A buck usually
approaches a scrape on the downwind side to scent-check it before approaching;
you dont want him coming in downwind of you.
Cover
Contrary to popular opinion, deer do look up! Erect
your stands so that you have as much cover around you as possible so that deer
and other game wont spot your movements or your silhouette. You should at least
have a backdrop of leaves and branches. Because most trees are bare by late
season, place stands in small clumps of trees so that the multiple trunks offer
cover. Dont prune away too many branches around your stand and on the ground to
create shooting lanes or game will spot you.
Dont Move
Just because youre elevated and in full camo
doesnt mean that game cant spot your movements. They can! Control your
fidgeting by bringing a book to read while on stand. You can cut and stick
branches in the floor of your stand so that game cant see your feet shuffling.
The less that you move, the more game youll see.
Beware Of Hollows
If you place your stand in a hollow,
you must be aware that deer might be moving on your level on the adjacent
hillsides. This makes it easier for them to spot you. I always erect my stands
either in the very bottom of a hollow or the top of the ridge, but never on a
hillside.
