Up till last season I hunted deer using my compound as high as I could get in the tree which very seldom offered clean broad sides because of the steep angle. This year I plan to use my long bow but I still want to hunt from a tree stand. How high do you folks like to go when using trad bows?

It depends on what type of site you plan on hunting. In the eastern areas a lot of tree stand do not require more than 12 feet off the ground to provide the hunter with a good shot. Once the leaves are down some may go higher in a tree. I have set them up as low as 8 feet in a heavy brushy area.

Bill

I usually don't go over 10' or 12' in a tree stand. I have found with good cover, thats all you need. For some reason after I turned 50(a few years ago) I started thinking more about the sudden stop at the end of a fall...and I wear a safety harness.     Pat

My limited experience using tree stands has shown that optimum height is approximately 15'.

I always went high to avoid being busted by their nose, with my compound a perfect broadside was not so critical but being new to traditional I thought maybe a perfect broadside was more critical to avoid a wounded lost animal, I guess I just don't know what limitations may be there when using trad bows that I did not have before, aside from distance of the shot.

I have never gone over 15' when I decide to use my tree stand. Good broad side shots are not a problem at that height providing you set your tree stand up properly for the shot.

I only go as high as I can shoot comfortably  since I dont care for heights. Its usually 14-15 ft high.

I like to be at least 10 feet.  I don't like to be over 15 feet.  Shot angle is one reason.  I don't like being tossed around with the wind up high either.  I can't say that I've ever needed to be higher.  When I was younger I'd take a rifle up higher but I don't think I ever benefitted.  A guy I used to hunt with was a little scared of heights and wouldn't ever go above 10 feet, usually stayed at 8.  Now that is a little low but he got more deer than I did.

I think the cover; or lack of it, is a big factor on how high you should go.  With climbing stands you have to use a bare tree as opposed to ladders and hang-ons.  I have been picked off more using climbing stands than any other type.  My favorite setup is a 15 ladder stand with lots of background cover and limbs that are lower than the stands platform.

I use to go 30' up a tree. You could get away with a lot from up there.

Now due to the steep angle like you said, I go 20' or so. Having cover is real important, but I like to be at least 15'... I usually end up 20ft. or so now.

Mike

I may go as high as 30ft. and as low as 3ft. It all depends on the cover the site offers ya. I have hunted hedgerows and have a few satnds only 3ft. off the ground. It all depends on the amount of cover. Shawn

I'll hunt as low as cover will allow, and available cover is a prime consideration in choosing my tree.  Normally I end up somewhere between 12 and 16 feet.  Height also helps with scent.  Once I get over about 15 feet, shot angle gets crappy fast and the double lung kill zone gets really narrow.

12 to 14 feet is my comfort range but have tacken several deer off a 8 ft ladder stand I have      

18 to 20 feet is where i hunt with my longbow..I use 20 foot bow rope tied to the top of my stand,when its off the ground thats where its hung.

About 5 feet from the ground to my arrow shelf!  Heights and me don't get along well:-(

Ron