Treestand questions

[coldsteel3d]

How many of you guys use treestands when your hunting? Do you use them more for deer or elk? I just bought a treestand the other day, it's my first and I am just trying to get things figured out, I will probably be using it more for blacktail cause I am fairly successful at calling bulls, but what should I be looking for in selecting a stand site? How high should the stand be?

[Machias]

Before I moved to WA I probably lived a good chunk of my life in a treestand hunting whitetails in MO.  I still like using them here a bunch!  You want to have three or four stand sites already picked out, shooting lanes cleared.  You want your treestand about 15 to 18 feet up, and you want your outlined broken up when your in your stand.  NEVER hunt a stand location if the wind is wrong, no matter how much you like the stand and no matter how hot the stand is.  Make sure you plan a route into your stand that is not going to leave your scent on the trail you expect the deer or elk to show up.  Once in your stand figure out distances to different objects so you'll know the distance when a deer or elk comes in.  Once in your stand make sure it does not squeak or make any sound no matter where you shift your weight.  Also remember if you have mud on your boots and shift or slide your feet it will come off and stat raining mud and spook a wary animal.  Never, ever hunt your stand without a safety belt.  Lots of guys get comfortable in a stand and fall asleep only to wake up on the way down!  One big thing practice, practice and then practice more from your treestand.  Remember to bend at the waist when shooting otherwise you'll shoot right over their back and remember to aim a couple of inches lower then normal.  I like to adjust my safety belts so when I lean out and bend at the waist I am pretty solid because I'm at the end of the belt.  I practice drawing even on animals I'm not going to shoot.  You can be picked off when drawing from a treestand.  Hunting natural funnels from a treestand is very deadly and a great way to spend a day, IMO.

[bow4elk]

I used them constantly and have since 1990.  Deer, elk, bear, whatever...they are extremely effective and I'm not quite sure why people in the NW don't use them.  That has always baffled me.  Sure, they are a staple for midwest whitetails but they are deadly over waterholes for elk, and get you above the brush for blacktails and bears.  Heck, one time in Wyoming I was about to hand one on a phone pole near a water source in order to kill an antelope.  My blind produced a shot the next morning so I never did, but my point is simple - they are a very effective tool to have in your bag of tricks.  Rifle, bow, muzzy; it doesn't matter what your method.  A treestand provides a visual and potential scent advantage needed in many of our NW habitat situations.

I've used many different brands and highly recommend Lone Wolf.  I also build and use my own stands.  I had bad luck with Summit back when they first started.  We received some stands for an Alberta bear hunt and I got dumped out when I put all my weight (165 pounds at the time) on the seat.  It buckled and I fell forward and out onto the ground.  Fortunately, it was set up in camp just 3' off the ground.  Lesson - always, always, always test our your stand BEFORE you're 18' up in the air.  And don't hunt from a stand without a full harness safety vest/system.

[Aneoakleaf]

I used them constantly and have since 1990.  Deer, elk, bear, whatever...they are extremely effective and I'm not quite sure why people in the NW don't use them.  That has always baffled me.  Sure, they are a staple for midwest whitetails but they are deadly over waterholes for elk, and get you above the brush for blacktails and bears.  Heck, one time in Wyoming I was about to hand one on a phone pole near a water source in order to kill an antelope.  My blind produced a shot the next morning so I never did, but my point is simple - they are a very effective tool to have in your bag of tricks.  Rifle, bow, muzzy; it doesn't matter what your method.  A treestand provides a visual and potential scent advantage needed in many of our NW habitat situations.

I've used many different brands and highly recommend Lone Wolf.  I also build and use my own stands.  I had bad luck with Summit back when they first started.  We received some stands for an Alberta bear hunt and I got dumped out when I put all my weight (165 pounds at the time) on the seat.  It buckled and I fell forward and out onto the ground.  Fortunately, it was set up in camp just 3' off the ground.  Lesson - always, always, always test our your stand BEFORE you're 18' up in the air.  And don't hunt from a stand without a full harness safety vest/system.

[MIKEXRAY]

Come on guys quit teasing about treestand effectiveness. The last thing we need is more people using them out there. Who would chase the elk to me if we were all sitting ?? Tree stand suck, sore ass, boring, dangerous. Chase & chase is the best hunting method. 

[jrebel]

I own a Tree Lounge with the bow hunting platform and love it.  I have only used it a few times, but with great success.  My father-in-law hunts black tail with a stand and has great success as well.  Black tail have many of the same habits as white tail.  They will use the same sets of trails their whole life, unless scared off them.  Set it up and give it a shot....and good luck.

[adam.WI]

I use a summit viper XL back in WI all the time. great all around stand and you can really get comfortable. I agree with previous statements about many stand sites, then go as high as your comfortable being, I believe higher is better. Dont forget your snacks and pee bottle

[jrebel]

Pee bottle is a must.  Oh yeah and don't drop it while your peeing in it,  one it ruins your hunting spot for a long time and two you piss all over your hands.  Well at least that's what a friend told me.....

[MAVsled]

Lone Wolf fixed stand and ladder-step style attachments that buckle around the tree trunk.
Light weight, quick easy set up and most of all...quiet if you need to move.
Like my Hunter Safety vest-belt system. comfortable and easy to put on or take off when done.

I also like to scout out my various stands-trees, prep area slightly for quicker set up. And knowing the wind and how its direction affects your stand(s) area is key