That waiting might be for several hours, or even a whole day at a time.
It can be a very effective technique, especially for the whitetail deer which are the most hunted species in North America.
The key to success or failure lies in being in the right place at the right time.
Sounds easy!
But it's what separates the consistently successful hunters from the rest.
So how do you go about being in the right place at the right time?
When hunting deer, almost all activity revolves around: * Food * Cover * Travel routes between food and cover
The following 10 steps should increase your success when hunting from a tree stand.
1) When looking at deer tracks, note the direction of the tracks. Trails or runways being used to reach the feeding areas are likely to be most productive during afternoon or evenings.
Those leaving the feeding areas often produce the best results in the morning.
Trails with tracks going in both directions should be good at any time
2) The wind direction. You should site your stand downwind from where you expect the deer to come from.
Alternative sites should be chosen to accommodate different wind directions, so that no matter which direction the wind is blowing, you have a location to hunt
3) If using a bow your stand should be sited within your accurate shooting range of where you expect to see the deer. If using a rifle, you can be farther away to reduce detection
4) The route in to the site. Try to choose a site that allows you to reach it without getting busted by the deer on your way in
5) Location of other hunters. If you are close to other hunters your success rate drops due to more scent, noise, etc in the area
6) Availability of trees. Finding the right type of tree for your stand, and in the right location can be a challenge
7) The type of stand you hunt with. You may have to change your type of stand to suit the environment
8) The height you are confident shooting from. Its no good climbing to a height that puts you out of your confident bow range
9) The height you are comfortable climbing to and have the skills to shoot from
10) Choose several sites so that if the wind changes or deer movements change, you have an alternative site that meets the above criteria.
Your consistent success depends on the pre-season scouting you do to identify the highest success locations, and then following these 10 steps.
If you do that, you can expect consistent hunting success.
When stand hunting, choosing your location will make the difference between success and failure. Choose a good spot, and as long as you have taken into account wind direction, your scent and the noise on the way in, then you should be able to see deer. Choose a bad location, even doing all the other things right, is unlikely to give you success. If you follow the 10 point guide below, you should see and bag more deer.
1. The first point to remember is that you start by hunting deer, not trees. You don't look for the ideal tree and hope the deer will come within range of that tree. You need to do pre-season scouting to identify the 'hot spots', or if you were unable to do this, you need to quickly identify where and when the deer are moving so you can hang your stand in the best place.
2. In the off-season, go and walk your hunting areas looking for sign of big bucks such as scrapes and rubs. If you find this type of sign, you should also be scouting suitable trees for stands. The off-season should be between December and April because the sign you will discover will be from the previous hunting season and rut phases. In summer, deer movement is completely different to that in the fall.
3. Once you have located a 'hot spot', the next task is to find the most suitable tree that will put you in the correct position for the shooting lanes you have identified. The 'ideal' tree allows you to travel to, and leave the stand, without ruining your chances of success. You shouldn't cross trails on your way in or out, and should be on the downwind side of the deer's movements. Creeks make a great route to travel in and out to reduce your scent trail.
4. The 'ideal tree' will be downwind of where you expect to see the deer, based on the prevailing wind direction. An alternative tree[s] should be identified to take advantage of other wind directions. Don't underestimate the ability of whitetail to detect your scent, even if you think you have done all you can to hunt scent-free! Remember bucks usually travel downwind of food sources to scent-check them for danger, and downwind of bedding areas to scent-check for 'hot' does. Cunning bucks like to stay in the shadows out of danger, so try to stay downwind of where you expect to see the deer.
5. How far downwind should you be? That depends primarily on the weapon you are using. If you are using a rifle, 50 -200 yards may be appropriate depending on the type of environment [how far you can see] and your accuracy. Some people prefer to be 200-300 yards away so they can minimize being busted. Other hunters prefer to be 50-100 yards to increase the chances of an accurate kill shot. Finding suitable trees will also be a deciding factor. If hunting with a bow, 15-25 yards away is what most hunters look for.
6. If you have a choice of trees, choose larger trees as the smaller ones make it harder for you perched in them, to blend in with the woods. Also the trees that provide some cover to your back and sides are great as well. If you can choose a tree in the shadows then that's even better as it helps with your concealment. It is better to look out from shadows into brighter lit areas, than to be in light, and be looking into darker areas. It also helps hide those shiny reflective surfaces we often have on parts of our equipment.
7. What is a good height for the stand? There is no correct answer, but a lot of hunters prefer to be in the 15 to 25 foot range. If you go a lot higher, the shooting angle gets worse, you have more obstructions to shoot through, and it is more dangerous. However, when you are high your scent is carried away higher above the deer and the deer are less likely to see you. The real determinant is where the tree provides the best cover. If that cover is at 15 feet, then that is where your stand should be. If you are choosing your tree pre-season, keep in mind what the area will look like with leaves shed!
8. Now that you have located your tree, remove any potential hazards away from the base of the tree, such as rocks, limbs etc. Put your climbing harness on and strap it to the tree. Start inserting the climbing steps into the tree about a foot apart and separated at 90 degrees to make it easier and more natural for climbing. Be cautious as you put your weight onto each step to make sure it is secure.
9. When you reach the required height, trim away any limbs or branches that will be in the way. Then, using a haul line, pull up the stand and then attach it according to the manufacturer's instructions. Attach the stand so that you step down onto it from the climbing steps. Trying to pull yourself up onto the stand may dislodge it. Once the stand is attached, carefully put your weight onto the stand, making sure you are always attached to the tree.
10. Once you are confident the stand will safely support you, sit or stand on it and trim away branches that will prevent you getting into or out of your stand safely. Also trim away any branches to give you the shooting lanes you require. A lot of hunters like to have 2-3 shooting lanes. These branches may also be able to be trimmed from the ground using a cutting/pruning telescoping pole.
Steve Nickson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Hunting, Pregnancy and Family Planning and Hunting. Steve Nickson has hunted deer for over 40 years. Learn how you can bag the biggest buck of your life at . Steve Nickson's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.