Low Hanging Treestands?

[Bobtulowiecki]

Looking to pick some brains regarding lower hanging treestands in the range of five to ten feet. I am going to be hunting more public ground this fall but do not feel comfortable yet with a hang on and set of sticks to get twenty feet. Understanding scent control and movement, how many of you have been successful in low stands? Cover will be crucial I am assuming. If you have pictures of these sets, I'd love to see them. Also, what methods are you using to climb, access

[Floxter]

I've hunted out of an old oak tree that has a trunk that forks into two about 6 feet above the ground. The tree is on a well used game trail. It is hollow, so that when I climb up to above the fork I can step down inside and I am surrounded up to my belt by the hollow trunk. As a result my feet are only about four feet above ground inside the hollow trunk. I use screw in steps to get up to above the fork to allow me to lower myself down into the trunk. I have had as many as 5-6 deer walk directly under the tree and never even know I was there. Most of them I could touch with the tip of my 68" longbow.

[Bowguy67]

If you're going as low as 5' I'd just hunt the ground. You needn't be 20 either but at 5 you'd be really imo way visible. You'd be over any vegatation and all advantages of tree stands are negated. Just wouldn't do it

[Doug_K]

The majority of my hunting has been from home made 8-10ft ladder stands, started moving to more ground hunting the past 5 years. I'd say I've been successful. I've lost track of how many deer I've had at the base of my stand, oblivious to my presence.

Don't trim too much, be as minimally invasive as possible, and know when to draw, and there's no issues. A much better shot angle than if your hunting from a 20-25ft stand.

[stagetek]

About the only place I would set a stand lower than 15' would be a pine tree. Plenty of cover all year. Certain situations you might get away with 10-12'. But, lower than that, I'd build a ground blind.

[Bvas]

I'd have to echo what others have said. If only going 5', I would stay on the ground. I would rather maintain mobility over what little visibility you would gain. 10' can work under the right conditions.  In some forests with a thick low canopy, 10' is just perfect. I try to get into the low canopy of forests, or just slightly above it. This gives you good cover, but still leaves you with enough openings for shots.

[ron w]

The bear in my avatar was taken from a stand that was 7 feet off the ground. Now that was over bait but still my feet were at 7 feet, screw in steps were used to get up and in. As mentioned above I might just stay on the ground, set up a couple of ground blinds and go for it.

[Rick Richard]

I set my stand height based on the forest canopy. Too high and visibility is hindered, too low and then the Hunter is exposed.

Keep in mind, it is always about the wind direction.  Set your stand regardless of height based on best wind direction and above the line of sight as seen from the animal.  This reduce being seen, but does not always gaurantee it.

Also, when hunting from a low elevation use your ears more than your sight.  This will keep your movement to a minimum.

Whatever you decide, don't take risk if your not confident in being off the ground and keep it fun and safe.

Around here we have basswood trees that grow in three or more trees per cluster.  Getting a few feet up in them still supplies cover with just a bit more shooting room than at ground level.  On one large maple, it has a huge bottom trunk that is about 5 feet up with four new trees that are about a foot wide.  I put a strap Grizzly seat on it. Problem is, every time I sit there the wind switches and thermals go down hill into the on coming deer. On river slopes you cannot get high enough to avoid the evening thermals sometimes, so I stay on the ground and remain mobile.

[twigflicker]

I was a nose bleeder in my former life... 30' of pullup rope and climb till I felt the bow coming off the ground...

When I started hunting with a recurve, I changed and went to 15'-20' in most cases...

Several years ago I was privileged to go to Barry Wensel's bootcamp... while I was there I saw numerous stands that were less than 10' and Barry as you well know kills some dandy's...

The key is finding or creating the proper cover... he had stands in places that I would have never considered before... he had one I could stand flatfooted and reach the platform... right at 7'...

Now can you hang on the side of a poplar tree at 10' and kill mature deer... maybe... but it will help if they are blind... or have "other" things on their mind...

Find snags... trees that are broken off... trees that fork... a cluster of trees... bushy trees with limbs coming off... pull up branches and set the around you... cedars... pines... or???  You get the idea...  Be imaginative...

Jonathan

PS  I went back and read that you will be on public land... that may change everything depending on how hard it is pressured... a ghille on the ground can be very deadly...

PSS  Barry and Gene use mostly ladder stands... I use a Lone Wolf Alpha and Lone Wolf Sticks...

[Walt Francis]

I keep most mine between 10 & 15 feet.

[Sam McMichael]

I have a couple of stands that are low (less than 15 feet) and visibility can be a problem. My best location had a small tree just in front of the stand, giving the appearance that my upper body came just out of the top of that small tree. If there is no cover in front, a good background is effective. However, remaining very still is crucial.

[tracker12]

I hunted for years off wooden platforms set in the y of trees 8 to 10 feet off the ground and killed plenty of game.  I went high when I used a wheel bow but have since dropped downe low again.  I try to pic a tree with low vegetation  behind me   I have had no problem keeping deer from seeing me

[Buckeye1977]

It's very thick where I hunt and I only hunt about 10 to 15' off the ground. Sometimes I have to get a little higher it just depends on the cover and shooting lanes that I need. Last year I was 10' up and killed my buck at 10 yards and he didn't have a clue I was there. Just make sure you are well hidden and movement to a minimum and as long as they don't smell you you'll be fine.

[BAK]

A good friend of mine took over 50 deer in his lifetime of bowhunting in MN.  He never put his stand higher than he could reach from the ground.  

You should have no problem  if you can read deer and play the wind.

[Bill Turner]

I do most of my hunting on the ground, but if I do need to venture up I use an aluminum tripod that puts my rear at about 7 ft off the ground. This is great in heavy cover when trees are limited in height and number.  Play the wind and make sure you have good cover behind you and you should be just fine.

[CRM_95]

I've never really hunted out of high tree stands. Mostly from 8-15ft. Now that I've switched to trad I try to stay 12 or under for better shot angles. I just look for the right tree, where I can stuff it in thick cover. I wouldn't hunt at any height if I didn't have cover around me.

[PA stickbow boy]

I have had lots of luck out of a 7' stand.

[Mint]

When I went on a guided hunt in Kansas I was amazed that none of the deer that walked by me looked up.

On long Island they all look up, even the dumb spikes.

I've hunted out of some low stands but they had a lot of cover and more importantly I couldn't shoot the deer and the deer couldn't see me until they had passed my stand and stepped into a shooting lane giving me a quartering away shot. that is the only kind of low set up that work by me since the deer are so pressured.

[Vesty]

I have found my sweet spot to be right around 12' Good visibility, great shot angle and still good back cover from foliage.