I'm interested in comments on shooting a longbow out of tree stands. I guess I'm thinking to contrast this with a shorter bow? Thank you
I have an API climber and switched my seat to a Hazmore net seat. I put it on tight so you do not sit deep down into the frame of the stand but rather you sit even with the bars the seat is attached to. Doing this lets you adjust the top section closer to the bottom section but you are still high enough to be comfortable. When you stand to shoot this setup gives you more clearance so your bottom limb doesn't hit the stand whan you shoot. I do cant my bow some but it has worked out using my 68" longbow. I recently bought a 60" LB so this should work great also. Hope this helps.
I've hunted from blinds the last few years, but before that I hunted from climbing stands with bows as long as 72". The best advice I can offer is practice, practice, practice.
I've hunted for the last 3 years almost exclusively from treestands with either a 68in Howard Hill big 5 or a 66in Liberty English. To be honest I have found treestands to be easier with a long bow than ground hungting. I can choose how much clearance I have and I like to setup in a tree with with a few branches for cover that are below me.
No real problem as of yet from a hang on, haven't used a climber though
I do the same as 8upbowhunter and that has worked for me, however I am shooting a 58" recurve.
I've hunted from tree stands with bows from 72" long down to 47". As long as you are familiar with your surroundings it shouldn't matter. I don't like any rails on a tree stand but if yours has them it can be a little more problematic.
I shoot from ladder stands with a 68" longbow. It is not too hard to get used to handling the bow, but you do need to develop the habit of watching the lower limb tip. I sit a little bit side ways and lean out just a little to enhance clearance. This sounds difficult, but it is not. I don't use stands with any hand rails.
I shot a 66" longbow out of my climber for years.
I have hunted with a 64" and 66" out of a treestand. It worked ok, but I was careful about the stand placement, re: limbs.
Actually, the only time I had a problem was with my 60" recurve out of a new ladder stand with side rails. I took a practice shot to the left side and my lower limb hit the rail. Just another example of paying attention to the smallest details when hunting. I will still hunt with longer bows in the future.
Practice shots out of my treestand are important to me for checking clearance but also for getting my form right for shooting from higher levels.
I do what Supbowhunter said in your first reply, you do have to stand but it puts my lower limb above the rails of my climber.
Watch your limb clearance....learn to shoot with a almost horizontal cant. It just takes a little practice but no real issue. The same aspects that make a long longbow forgiving on the ground apply to the stand. You just need to learn to use it effectively and know by instinct how to hold it to avoid obstructions.
Get a practice stand set up and shoot away.
I shoot 62" and 64" bows. I have no problem from lock on type treestands. Ladder stands and climbers are OK if there are no handrails, but are almost useless if the have them.
Bisch
QuoteOriginally posted by two4hooking:
Watch your limb clearance....learn to shoot with a almost horizontal cant. It just takes a little practice but no real issue. The same aspects that make a long longbow forgiving on the ground apply to the stand. You just need to learn to use it effectively and know by instinct how to hold it to avoid obstructions.
Get a practice stand set up and shoot away.
Yep.
Although 99.99999% of my shooting throughout the year is from level ground I know that come November I'm gonna be sitting in a tree so I gradually shift my practice to a ladder stand set in the backyard where I shoot with more cant than normal.
Only thing I'd add is that a lot of time spent stump shooting and busting brush with longbow in hand is an efficient way to develop a natural feel for limb clearance.
While I wish this were me in the video, I'm posting just because of the way the shooter leans out and cants the bow during the shot, which is virtually identical to the way I shoot traditional bows out of treestands. I practice using extreme cants...literally horizontal...out of elevated positions to be ready in case I need that much cant.
Enjoy the < 3 minute video. I liked it so much the first time I saw it I saved the URL so I could watch it whenever I wanted to get a little motivated!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNHj0XS-W7o
The only problem I've had is shooting behind the stand. It can be done but takes practice. Get very familiar with your bows clearance so you can concentrate on your shot. Bad things tend to happen when the mind wanders from the shot.
68 " longbow here...no problems from hang on or climber for me. I do cant quite a bit when shooting from ground or stand.
I've had no problems shooting my 62" Palmer out on my lock-on stands
https://youtu.be/aKxdJ6Hbn-k
I have a couple of stands where I have 2 treestands, one on each side of the tree. I can maneuver between the 2 platforms to shoot both ways.
It is the rails on the ladder stands. Helps to know others have had this difficulty. It seems when I bend forward I do hit the lower limb. I suppose practicing a greater cant is the trick. It is the 66 inch bow I have trouble with