Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Nathan Killen on August 10, 2011, 06:49:00 PM

Title: How high do you go ?
Post by: Nathan Killen on August 10, 2011, 06:49:00 PM
This will be my first "offical" year going trad only and was wondering what the ideal stand height is for stick bows. Ive always hunted between 20-24 feet with a compound but was thinking I might need to come down to around 16-18 feet with a recurve for the best shot angle. So how high do you go ?
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: mscampbell75 on August 10, 2011, 06:52:00 PM
yep, 16-18 for me
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Al Natural on August 10, 2011, 06:54:00 PM
Depends on the cover. But yes I try for 14-18ft.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Terry Lightle on August 10, 2011, 06:55:00 PM
15 feet when on my ladder stand be hind our cabin,spend most of my time on the ground
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: jamesh76 on August 10, 2011, 07:07:00 PM
8-16 for me.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Red Tailed Hawk on August 10, 2011, 07:10:00 PM
14-18' depending on cover and location
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: WRV on August 10, 2011, 07:17:00 PM
My butt stays on the ground
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Plumber on August 10, 2011, 07:32:00 PM
you wont belive what you can away with at 12feet I also shot compound for years I needed to get lower for a better more confident shot.12 feet is a little safer also,but can still die at 12 feet.no need to be up at 18-25 feet any more.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Michigan Mark on August 10, 2011, 08:11:00 PM
12' to 15' The height is not as important as your movement!
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: BWD on August 10, 2011, 08:17:00 PM
I don't get as high as I use to.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Roger Norris on August 10, 2011, 08:43:00 PM
About 12 feet
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: z-man on August 10, 2011, 09:01:00 PM
X2 on where the cover is. If not much cover 12-15 ft.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Walt Francis on August 10, 2011, 09:59:00 PM
I have no fear of heights, just like the shot angles better for close shots; 12 feet on most stands, once in a while I go up to 15 feet.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: elkken on August 10, 2011, 10:01:00 PM
Twelve feet 6 and 3/4" for me .... after that I get scared  :scared:    :scared:
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: SELFBOW19953 on August 10, 2011, 10:17:00 PM
Heights and me don't get along.  I start getting very uncomfortable above about 15 feet.  Holly trees are wonderful things!!!
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: BRITTMAN on August 10, 2011, 10:17:00 PM
10 to 15 feet depending on cover
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: LCJ-CSA on August 10, 2011, 10:19:00 PM
somewhere around 15 feet
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Bowwild on August 10, 2011, 10:22:00 PM
Your thinking is right on. Going from the compound to recurves most of us drop some draw weight, speed, and a bit of accuracy (rather than golf-ball-sized groups we hope for baseball-size groups). Therefore we need to make the shot a bit eaiser if we can.

Depending upon the lay of the land and cover around my tree, I hunt 15-18' with my recurve. I like multiple stemmed trees or really branchy ones. I'm very stingy about trimming shooting windows. I would rather tie back limbs than cut them, so I can restore some cover if I over do it.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: awbowman on August 10, 2011, 10:33:00 PM
Given cover is not an issue, I still like to get 18' - 20' when I have either my compound or trad bow.  I adjust for the angle by  placing my stand at a 18 yard shot or so from where I think the deer will pass to help with the angle.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: tim roberts on August 10, 2011, 10:38:00 PM
10 to 15 feet.  Ain't no need to go any higher.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Hermon on August 10, 2011, 10:39:00 PM
5' 8" for me.  Havent't hunted in a tree for a long time
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: cedar on August 10, 2011, 10:59:00 PM
10 to 12 ft.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: huskyarcher on August 10, 2011, 11:04:00 PM
I am still young and stupid all of my stands are ATLEAST 25ft up, most are more like 30. my favorite stand is 32ft, i know this because my 30ft pull rope dangles 2ft up.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: buckeye_hunter on August 11, 2011, 12:45:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Red Tailed Hawk:
14-18' depending on cover and location
Yup!

However high you have to go to get to cover/branches. Anywhere from 6 feet up to 14. I personally don't like to go higher.

I was 7-8 feet up a tree last year and had a doe dead to rights but my limb tip caught my tether strap on my safety vest.....    :banghead:    She was at 4 yards and looking the other direction!
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: GRINCH on August 11, 2011, 03:15:00 AM
Nevr go above 15 feet uaually stay around 12.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: BowMIke on August 11, 2011, 07:44:00 AM
12 feet to 17 feet depending on terrain and cover.
Next time I go bear hunting I think I will only be up around 8 feet. (they usually know your there anyway).

Mike, (BowMike)
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: KentuckyTJ on August 11, 2011, 07:56:00 AM
As low as I think I can get away with and never over 20' at the highest.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Swamp Yankee on August 11, 2011, 08:06:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by huskyarcher:
I am still young and stupid all of my stands are ATLEAST 25ft up, most are more like 30. my favorite stand is 32ft, i know this because my 30ft pull rope dangles 2ft up.
I'd get nose bleeds that high.  On the other hand, you're almost high enough to parachute down at the end of the day!
This reminds me I should really sell my tree stand in the classifieds; it's been collecting dust for two years now.  Loving ground blinds.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: TRAD101 on August 11, 2011, 02:20:00 PM
12 to 15 feet, no more no less.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Huntrdfk on August 11, 2011, 02:26:00 PM
Normally I never get higher than two Lone Wolf sticks, whatever height that is.....


David
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: KevO on August 11, 2011, 02:47:00 PM
The key is to find the right tree.  One with good back ground cover, multiple trunks, etc.  No point in sitting in a "telephone pole".
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Ric O'Shay on August 11, 2011, 04:33:00 PM
Butt level no higher than 10 feet. I have 3 sections to my ladder stand and never have or ever will use all three. Figure if I fall, I can hit terminal velocity from 10 just as easy as I can from 20. Besides, I believe the shot angles are hideous above 10 feet anyway.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Jason R. Wesbrock on August 11, 2011, 05:30:00 PM
It completely depends on the situation. Most off my stands are between fourteen and twenty or so feet high.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: MnFn on August 11, 2011, 05:55:00 PM
Around 12-15 ft. Starting to prefer the ground blind in some situations. I tried the ghilli last year and had a good exeperience with it.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: snag on August 11, 2011, 06:15:00 PM
I think it depends on the terrain and the positioning of the stand. If you are on flat ground and the thermals or prevailing wind is such that you don't need to be more than 10-12 ft. But if you are in the hills/mountains in a canyon where the thermals and wind makes you have to go up higher in order to get your scent up off the ground more. If the animals are coming in from uphill you will need to be up higher....just depends.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: stevewills on August 11, 2011, 06:31:00 PM
i have to go about 15 to 18 feet because i hunt old woods and there is no low branches or cover..but i can shoot 15 to 20 yards without hitting a tree,the trees are so big i cant use a climber....
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: DennyK on August 11, 2011, 06:31:00 PM
12-16 feet
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Huntingnut on August 11, 2011, 06:53:00 PM
10-15 feet normally.Sometimes I'll push it to 20, but I don't really like going that high.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Coonbait on August 11, 2011, 08:30:00 PM
I feel comfortable from 16-18'.
Glenn
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: arrowslinger22 on August 11, 2011, 08:39:00 PM
One the ground mostly, my one ladder stand is 11 feet.  I fell once wearing a harness and I'm not interested in doing it again.  I sat in that ladder once last year when I put it up, not sure I'll do it again.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: USN_Sam1385 on August 11, 2011, 10:05:00 PM
I use climbers. So I have to find a straight tree, with one trunk, and 3 or 4 small trees right behind it for some background cover.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: SL on August 11, 2011, 10:11:00 PM
12 to 15 for a better angle.
SL
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: babs on August 12, 2011, 02:39:00 AM
It all depends on my cover but I usually like to get up around 15-20 feet
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Charlie Lamb on August 12, 2011, 10:05:00 AM
I never hunted my stands set much higher than 15 feet to the platform. Over the years I settled on an average height of 12 feet... haul string is 12 feet. I tie the loose end to my belt when first climbing the tree and and stop when I feel the weight of the stand pulling on my belt.

I've found that proper positioning of the stand as regards deer movement and the amount and location of cover in the area to be more important than stand height. There are always exceptions.

I've always felt that getting too high in some trees sky lights you. Lower down and you usually have background cover to help you blend.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Darren.zesch on August 12, 2011, 01:15:00 PM
The older I get, the closer to the ground I stay.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: hightop_hunter on August 13, 2011, 08:08:00 PM
My stand last year was only 8 feet off the ground. it was on a hill so it was higher on one side and lower on the other. I found being closer to the ground gave me a better shooting angle. i have shot out of much much higher stands only to find my target small and far away. personally i like to be up and close. thats why i have been trying to do more ground blind and stalking. but in some places there is no other way to deal with the scrubby bush on the ground
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Bud B. on August 13, 2011, 08:27:00 PM
Feet at ten, butt at 12.

Homemade

(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/Equismith/HuntingGrounds003.jpg)
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on August 13, 2011, 09:10:00 PM
I think you're making a big mistake if you have a preset height you want to put your stand, unless you are in a ladder stand.  With a hang-on you want to go the correct height for the tree you are hanging it in....some trees need 20 ft, some need 8 ft.  Let the tree, available cover, distance to the expected shot etc etc etc dictate the height, not a predetermined "want".  

The only absolute I live by for treestands is that I will not set up without adequate cover, whatever that means for the specific situation.

Ryan
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: longbowben on August 13, 2011, 09:20:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Ryan Rothhaar:
I think you're making a big mistake if you have a preset height you want to put your stand, unless you are in a ladder stand.  With a hang-on you want to go the correct height for the tree you are hanging it in....some trees need 20 ft, some need 8 ft.  Let the tree, available cover, distance to the expected shot etc etc etc dictate the height, not a predetermined "want".  

The only absolute I live by for treestands is that I will not set up without adequate cover, whatever that means for the specific situation.

Ryan
Right on every spot and tree tells you how high you need to be.
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: kennym on August 14, 2011, 09:27:00 AM
12-15'  Zip ties and pinoak or cedar limbs work wonders for cover. One of my fave stands is a cottonwood we call the power pole, NO limbs and about 12" at butt....
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Will Taylor on August 14, 2011, 09:53:00 AM
100 foot drop---broke both legs,back in bad shape.6 months in army hospital-Ft campbell,1981.Not afraid of heights,but I ain't going up there!
Title: Re: How high do you go ?
Post by: Shawn Leonard on August 14, 2011, 08:01:00 PM
Depends on the cover and other variables, but in the bow only area I hunt, deer are actually looking up more and more these days. I feel you have a better chance if you stay low with lots of cover! Shawn