We’ve come a long way in deer hunting tactics from our ancestors who hunted these beasts from the ground by ambushing them to the present day high tech tree stands that are in use today.
There was a time when you simply nailed some boards on a tree for a ladder and then built a tree stand in the crotch of a tree hopefully overlooking a deer trail and waited on your quarry.
All that has changed today. The modern day hunter has at his disposal a wide variety of methods to take deer. Ground hunting is still done and there are many great blinds out there for the ground hunter to hunt from. In this article I would like to take a look at tree stands and the variety of stands that are offered to the hunter.
There are three types of stands available today for hunting deer from a tree. The first is a climbing stand, the second is a ladder stand and the third is a hang on stand. The climbing stand gives you the advantage of using the stand itself to climb the tree while you are in the stand. A ladder stands are tree stands with ladders affixed that lean up against a tree. A hang on stand as the name implies a tree that hangs in a tree all season and can be reached by either screw in steps, or a ladder.
Climbing stands can be packed in to almost anywhere and set up fairly fast. Mobility is a definite advantage in searching out potential white tail hot spots. The down side to these stands however is that they require a fairly thin tree without limbs to impede the climbing.
A ladder stand on the other hand is one of the easiest to climb into but they are not mobile and pretty much limit your hunting to one spot. A hang on stand provides a good hunting platform but like the ladder stand keeps the hunter limited to one spot. The hang on stand can be moved but this can be a cumbersome task.
The important thing to look for in tree stands is safety features. If you decide to buy one look for one that has an AMO (Archery Manufacturers Organization) sticker on it. This will tell you that your tree stand meets certain safety requirements making your stand a safe vehicle to hunt out of. Ladder type treestand.
Don’t buy your tree stand based on price alone. You get what you pay for is the old saying, and when it comes to buying a tree stand this is pretty much true. You do not want to cut price corners on a tree stand above all things because your life is hanging on the line when you are up in that tree and you had better be in a good quality tree stand to be safe.
One thing to avoid when buying a ladder or hang on stand is chains that attach the tree stand to the tree. Nylon straps are much safer for attaching tree stands to a tree. Chains may be stronger than a strap but they will not go around a tree as tight as a strap will. Stability in a tree comes from a tight strap plain and simple and a nylon strap will give you that stability.
One thing to look for is comfort when selecting a tree stand. How comfortable is the seat? If the seat is too short your hips will be below your knees and if it is too high your mid section will be above your knees. Both of these will impede circulation to your feet leaving them numb and or cold. If the seat is uncomfortable try padding it to make it softer.
Larger stands can be very comfortable for sitting for long periods in your tree stand, and when you are comfortable you are more apt to be sharper in your hunting abilities and attention span. A larger stand will allow you to shift your weight or position and aid in circulation keeping you warmer and more alert.
There are things you can do to make your tree stand more comfortable. For example it never hurts to carry a few extra screw in tree hooks to hang your bow or extra gear on. The whole idea is to make your tree stand as comfortable and clutter free as possible allowing you ample room and movement areas to hunt more efficiently.
Sooner or later you are going to have to yield to the call of nature while in your tree stand. It is a good idea to carry a plastic urinal bottle to contain your urine and the scent that goes along with it.
In closing make your tree stand as comfortable as possible because three things will drive you out of your stand faster than anything else, and they are getting cold, boredom, and hunger. Pack some food, take a book or game boy if you find you are getting bored and wear clothing that will keep you warm.
The tree stand just might be the best thing since sliced bread, to a whitetail hunter anyway.
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