How many of you guys hunt out of treestands with your trad setup? The reason I ask is that I have taken many deer from a treestand with my compound, but with a trad bow it seems it would be very challenging due to the increased tip to tip length of the bow. There are obviously advantages to hunting from a treestand, but how do you best prepare to overcome the additional challenges of maneuvering a trad bow up there?
While hunting out of my climax hang on's or my lone wolf climber I have not had any trouble at all with Trad gear. I did stop using my API due to the side arms on the seat part getting in the way with my lower limbs.
It's mostly open space around a tree stand so maneuvering the longer limbs isn't much of an issue. Most try to set up their stands to make it easiest to draw in the direction from which the critter is most likely to come. The real challenge with trad gear is timing the draw. With trad gear, one can't draw and hold for a few minutes while the critter moves into position for a shot as one can with a compound. :archer2:
If you practice in the yard with targets at different distances it works out fine. Practice and patience is the key from a stand with trad.You won't get the 40+ yard shot you got from the wheels.
I do and the lock-ons are the best for clearance reasons.
My stands are just basic seats with platforms. No rails, arm rests, etc. I've not had any issues other than those monster bucks not making an appearance
I had the same problem with side supports on my stands. Had to remove the left side to get clearance while shooting my long bow.
My Uncle shoots 68" self bows out of a tree stand climber, hang ons, and ladder stands.
I have killed my only 3 kills from a lone wolf hand climber...you can take my bow but dont take my lone wolf.
My uncle has also had luck sitting in the corn on the ground.
I have used My 72" T2T selfbow out of a lock-on, climber and a ladder stand with no problems.
Like everything else you get use to it and the best way is to practice.
I thought the same thing when i made the switch. but its no problem at all. you cannot hunt with a stand that has a safty bar in front of you. just clear the branches and twigs infront on you and above you so your bow doesnt hit them.
i found that the hard thing to do is picking a spot from 18 feet up!!! you dont have a little green site to look at anymore. i have missed several deer. i have killed several deer too! even the misses are fun! but when it all comes together it will be better than any caompund kill you have ever made!
I am shooting 62" bows from my stands. They are all hang ons with climbing sticks. I just trim branches out of the way and am good to go. Bow length is not a problem.
As regards stand placement... I do not hang a stand much over 12 foot to the bottom of the platform. I know many here go higher... I do not. I am fortunate to have my own ground to hunt on. This allows me to both leave my stands in place and monitor the deer pretty well.
I do spend time locating the stands so that I have good background. This likely effects my height. I don't seem to have trouble drawing on an animal once they show up.
JMHO
I shoot with my bow canted, but have never had much of a problem shooting out of a stand. I agree with TJ, that for clearence reasons, a good lock on is the way to go. I will admit the newer climbing stands do look like they would be alright to shoot out of, but limit you on the available trees.
I use a LocOn Windwalker, you might check them out.
God Bless,
Nathan
We use lock on that we make ourselves. These have low arm rests and supports with no guard rails. Commercial ones are available but make sure you use a safety harness. Also I like to lean way out with my harness for extra clearence, but that maybe out of some peoples comfort zone.
I hunt out of ladder stands with out a rail.
Usually shoot 64-68 inch recurves out of treestands. Easier than from the ground, thats for sure!
Make sure you take several shots from a treestand before hunting from it, then clear whatever you need to. But leave as much as possible! If a deer comes close but is in a position where you can't fully draw your bow, DONT SHOOT! Relax, your life does not depend on that deer (for most of us.) If it did we would be snaring them in leg traps, not bowhunting.
Cracks me up when people say they need 60 inch or shorter bows to hunt from trees, if they ever saw the giant bows I've successfully shot they'd never believe it! Took a buck once with a 1969 72" Herters Perfection target bow at 50#'s from a hemlock.
Every one of my 22 treestands is the 29.99 dollar hang on stand from the Sportsmans Guide. I buy camo wratchet straps and secure the stand to the tree with two straps. ROCK SOLID. Don't care about the cable or chains that came with them. I'm 205 naked, and these stands easily take my weight, are cheap and can go just about anywhere. Sneak them in the tighest spots, no sweat!
Been getting caught on the ground right behind our cabin,so I bought and put up a ladder stand 2 weeks ago.Gonna set on it Monday evening for the first time. Will have my 66 inch longbow with me.
I shoot a 62" bow at 15 feet plus. I do enjoy ground hunting more.
I hunt from ladder stands w/o arm rests, its never been a problem so far. but the extra bow hanging out is definitely more visible to the deer, around trees and such.
It is just a matter of a little practice.
Your upper limb hangs out just as much as the lower...NEVER forget that! :D
Yes I do.
I use a 58" recurve and don't seem to realize any problems with it. You'll get used to it.
I hunt with 62 inch bows. I have never had a clearance problem with any treestand I have ever sat in. However...I know some people have had some trouble with certain ladder stands. I can't comment on that...because I have only hunted out of ladder stands twice...and did not take a shot at a deer.
Take out your stand a shoot from it, Then you will realize any limitations and make adjustments. Since all treestands are different Its hard to make generalisations based on what I use.
Climbers and lock ons are the best for shooting clearance. Ladder stands with the little side rails are the worst for me. I usually stand to shoot and stand most of the time anyway.
Only problem I've had so far in stands were ones hung by compound hunters who invited me to come hunt. They do the straight up bow thing and my canted style interfers, but I dare not trim anything...most are positioned in such a way I can't begin to "trim" as they're large limbs in the way.
For myself, I hunted the ground some this year and that proved MORE of a clearance challenge in a ground blind than in a stand.
I've hunted out of ladder stands(no rail) with my 68" Hill without a problem. I do have to cant the bow but even so I can still shoot it sitting down.
Treestands are the only way I hunt. No rails, climbing aids, etc.
Lock on treestands are the way to go, no restrictive rail in front that way, and always use a safety harness, like bigbadjon says gives a guy extra mobility for a leaning out shot.
For me it was always my left leg that was in the way that would interfere with my bottom limb. I've learned to cant the bow more or even hold it straighter to avoid my leg.....Ryan
For me it was always my left leg that was in the way that would interfere with my bottom limb. I've learned to cant the bow more or even hold it straighter to avoid my leg.....Ryan
No problem here with a longbow and ladderstands. I stand to shoot. I also make a small rail for the front out of bent rebar attached with u bolts. I hang some burlap and pine bows from that to disquise movement. It's lower profile than the normal rails..... and looks like a squirrel nest. Practice shooting from your stand, it's different from up there.
I can shoot my 64" longbow out of my Summit Viper..I just drop the top down kinda low.
Practice. I have hunted from hang-ons.
Always practiced from a tree in the back 40.
Never really went higher then 15' due to shot angle. Just made sure I had good cover.
Earl
I do. I only have problem with my climber so I don't use it much. I have a very small hanging stand and a 58" recurve.
TTT
Have found that I must stand up to have good clearance from any direction or angle.
Use a safety harness always!
I hunt from an older API climbing stand that has no shooting rail because I cut it off for this purpose. Even with a rail though if you shoot with a canted bow position you shouldn't have any problems.
With a compound held vertically I had 270 degrees of available shooting area. I cant my trad bows a lot, drastically reducing my available shot oportunities. Upper limb hits the tree to the right, lower limb hits the tree (or seat) to the left.
I don't like doing it, but I have to position my stand straight on to where I think my shot will be to get the most range of motion. Many deer have been passed due to them not following the plan I laid out for them. :)
I do practice shooting with the bow more vertical but it just feels so odd to me.
No problem, you just need to be mindful of your long bow when picking your stand placement... once the stand is up be sure to draw your bow aiming in all your shooting lanes. trim accordingly..
I use the cheapest ladder stands you can buy, no
frills, do all my shooting sitting down. I wrap
my left leg (I shoot left handed) around the stand
and lean out for the shot. this gives me all kinds
of room for my bow draw and creates the bend at
the waist that must happen from a tree stand.be sure to wear safety harness when you do this.