Tree Stand Locations
Deer hunting tips: There is no perfect set up that can be used every time out in the field while deer hunting. The reason is simply because conditions change too often. Each situation is different whether due to weather and wind conditions, hunting pressure, or deer movement activities. Paying close attention to these details and following some basic guidelines, one can narrow the margin of error in finding proper tree stand locations.
Placement
To start, tree stands need to be placed as close to an area as possible of where suspected deer movement will occur. These locations are found through scouting and monitoring deer in the chosen hunting area. Stands should be placed where the hunter will have the best opportunity at a shot. The stand should be placed down wind of deer activities. Also make sure that the stand location provides the hunter with cover but does not prevent the hunter from making an accurate shot attempt.
Hunting Style
Choosing proper tree stand locations also involves the hunter’s style of hunting. This may include hunting near food and water sources, trail crossings, or rutting and scrape lines. For example, if hunting a food source area, stands should be placed in between the food source and the deer bedding areas for best results. If hunting during the rutting season, stands should be placed near scrapes and rubs or near doe movement areas.
Helpful Tips
Tree stands need to be checked prior to hunting situations to make sure there are no loose or squeaky parts. They need to be sprayed with cover scent before and during use. Stands need to be placed at the hunting areas several weeks before they are to be used. If this is not possible, place them during the times when deer are the least likely to be moving in the given area.
The hunter should remember to use cover scent while erecting stands to minimize scent contamination. Also, there needs to be simple enter and exit paths to the stands that do not come into direct contact with deer trails. When using tree stands, always use safety climbing equipment. Use these deer hunting tips for proper tree stand set up locations to better prepare for a successful hunt.
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Using Scents
Deer hunting tips: The whitetail deer’s nose is it’s primary weapon of defense. In order to combat this ultimate security sense, deer lures and scents were invented. These scents help the hunter distract, cover up, or attract a deer to or from a specific area. Learning the right way to use these scents and lures is important if one is to be successful while hunting.
Cover Scents
Cover scents are used to aid in the masking of human odor. These scents come in different flavors or smells such as fresh dirt or some form of a tree smell. These are to be sprayed directly on the clothing of the hunter. The main point to remember is the choice of scent should be determined based on hunting location. For example, if one hunts in a pine forest, tree scents such as pine should be used and not apple scents simply because this smell would be out of place. The same goes for other unnatural scents. Always use scents that are common to the area hunted.
Attractants
Deer attractant lures are used to draw a deer to a predetermined location. These lures, such as doe estrus urine, should be placed away from the hunter’s stand location. Many hunters make the mistake of using these scents as cover scents by spraying directly on the hunter. Or by spraying the scent below or too close to the stand. The proper use would be out away from stand location. This way the deer doesn’t come in too close and detect the hunter. The goal is to stop the deer a safe distance from the stand based on the hunter’s accuracy skills. These doe urine scents should only be used during or as close to deer rutting season for best results.
Availability
There are a wide selection of lures and scents available on the market. There are bottled scents, spray scents, prepackaged scents that attach to clothing and trees, as well as many others. The hunter should learn to choose the proper scent based on the given hunting conditions. The hunter should pay close attention to details of the hunting area and use the right scent that corresponds with that area. So give these deer hunting tips a try the next time one goes into the field. Used properly they should help improve success.
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Tree Stands Placement
Deer Hunting Tips – Deer hunting has become one of the biggest of all game sports. To be successful, one has to be able to think like a predator. A way to do this is by setting up an ambush location. By using permanent or portable tree stands, one can use natural tree cover to gain an advantage in the field. Knowing the best placement location for tree stands takes experience, often obtained through trial and error. Understanding deer movement and activity will help guide the hunter in the right direction.
Styles
Tree stands come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are ladder stands, lock-on stands, and portable climbing stands. All can be used effectively and safely by hunters. The most important things to remember about stands are to follow the climbing instructions and to use safety equipment. The next step is finding a proper tree to securely attach the stand against, making sure the tree is adequate in size.
Location
The big question is where to place a stand. There are several different issues involved in stand placement. The time of day that one will be hunting needs to correspond with deer movement. Therefore one should place a stand in a location that will provide the best opportunity for deer contact. Using a morning, mid-day, and evening hunting set up generally works best. The wind direction needs to be monitored at all times with stands being placed down wind of approaching deer. One also needs to consider how one will get to the stand without alarming the deer. All these factors should be taken into consideration prior to stand placement.
Field Of View
Once the tree stand location has been chosen, one then needs to make sure that adequate view points and shooting lanes are available. This may require pruning of limbs by the hunter. Try to provide several positions for shooting, generally in a circular area around the stand if possible. Don’t over prune the area as this could alarm deer. Also, climb into the tree prior to hunting to make sure that every thing is secure and that the sight point is adequate.
The use of deer stands can give the hunter a chance for a more productive hunt while in the field. Just remember that safety and positioning are of the utmost importance. Use these deer hunting tips the next time you go to the woods for a better chance at success.
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Rain Deer Hunting
We decided to give it a go as it was calm at this point in time. So off to our deer hunting land we went. As we arrived before light, we made our way to our stand locations. My brother was hunting about two hundred yards from me.
At daybreak, or at least official hunting time, I noticed that the sky was black with clouds and that the wind had started picking up. I decided to climb down from the stand for safety reasons and sat down near an old blow down tree. The winds became stronger and stronger. Every thing in the woods seemed to be moving.
Sure enough, just as the weatherman had predicted, the wind was so strong, I could barely keep myself still. As hearing anything moving was out of the question, I kept my eyes looking from side to side. Suddenly, as if by magic, I saw a doe standing in front of me about twenty yards away. The deer was looking directly at me. Then she turned and walked slowly away.
About two minutes later, the deer returned and stopped broad side in front of me. I decided to take the shot. The deer ran about ten feet and fell. I walked over and just as I started to field dress the deer, I felt a rain drop. Then the rain started falling a little faster.
Upon completing the field dressing, I dragged the deer the three hundred yards to the truck. I put the doe inside the truck bed and jumped inside the cab. Just as I closed the truck door, the bottom fell out of the sky and it was raining harder than I had seen in a long time.
About twenty minutes later, my brother came running up and jumped inside. He was soaked from head to toe. I had to laugh at him. I then asked if he had seen anything and he gave me an evil look. I then smiled and pointed to the back of the truck. Smoke poled. He hadn’t heard the shot due to the wind.
Missing Deer and Grinning.
That afternoon, my brother and I arrived at the deer stands in hopes of harvesting a few does. As the evening set in, we began hearing a deer walking from the woods towards the bean field. The deer walked out in between us just as predicted.
As I watched the deer in the field, I anticipated a shot from my brothers bow at any moment. And as if on cue, I heard the thump of the compound bow. I then watched and heard the arrow fly just over the top of the deers back. Tink, tink, tink, was the sound of the arrow bouncing off the beans.
A smile came across my face as I had just watched my brother miss. The deer however, simply took a few steps and went back to feeding. About a minute later, I again heard the thump of the bow. I watched as the second arrow flew over the top of the deers back. Down through the beans the arrow went. The deer looked around and went back to feeding.
Now I’m sitting in the tree doing all I can to keep from laughing out loud. About another minute goes by and sure enough, I hear the bow thump again. And again the arrow goes over the back of the deer.
The deer finally decides that something wasn’t right and moves away from my brothers shooting hole. I now have tears coming out from laughing so hard.
The deer then makes a turn and starts walking towards me. And wouldn’t you know it, the deer heads straight towards my shooting lane.
As I drew my bow back, I have to admit there was a little bit of a feeling of pressure on me. I took my time, breathed, aimed, and released the arrow. You already know what happened. Down through the beans the arrow went just over top of the deer. That’s four misses if you are keeping track.
The deer took a couple steps never even raising its head. I decided to try one more shot. This time the shot was perfect and the harvest was successful.
My brother and I both got a good laugh out of the experience and it remains as a fond memory.
The Twenty Minute Buck
One of the ladder stands is only about five minutes from where I park my vehicle on an old tractor path. The stand over looks a small hardwoods cut over. I generally use the stand for rifle hunting. The stand is strapped to an oak tree nestled in a quarter acre patch of pines. Inside those pines is an old cemetery lot that dates back to the eighteen hundreds. For this reason the stand is known as the graveyard stand.
One day during the early part of bow season while at work, I had a strong feeling that I needed to be hunting that afternoon. So I decided that I would go straight from work. I always keep my hunting gear in my truck for just such an occasion.
I arrived at my property at 4:00pm, slipped my coveralls on, sprayed myself with cover scent, took my bow and ran up the tractor path to the graveyard stand. I arrived at the stand at 4:06pm. I pulled my bow up the tree, put my release on and nocked an arrow.
As I stood there looking across the cut over, I caught movement about seventy five yards out. I looked through my binoculars and found a beautiful eight pointer walking in my direction. The buck was at a steady walk and closing fast as if he had some where to be.
I slipped my binoculars inside my coveralls and placed my release on the bow string. The deer walked all the way up to a ditch about thirty five yards out and stopped. The deer looked around momentarily and then jumped the ditch. The deer then walked within ten yards directly facing me. The deer then turned and started walking to my right giving me a perfect quartering away shot.
I released the arrow and watched as the arrow made a perfect shot on the buck, entering on his right side, through both lungs and heart, and exiting on the left side. The buck followed a path about thirty yards and fell. The time was 4:20pm. The total time in the woods was twenty minutes. Lesson learned, always follow your instincts.
