I agree,Safety harness and practice!
Set it up throughout the summer and actually shoot your Bow from different positions.

If it is possible,I wouldn't go as high as 20'.The shot angle gets difficult anyway and of course the higher you go the scarier it gets.14' is usually plenty.12 may even work.

Keep in mind that in the first couple hours of morning and the last hour and a half of evening,the cooler air id drifting down anyway.Wind floaters can help you see what is going on from a treestand.You may be surprised what the wind currents are really doing.I think Guru has a How To in that forum on making them.

Swirly wind places are tough.Some may be onhuntable most of the time.In this country,the calmest time is usually early morning.Afternoons can be bad.

The climbing stands with a bar enclosure on the top part make one feel much more secure. Taking an extra ratchet strap to secure your stand to the tree once you get to your desired hight also makes you feel secure.

A tether type safety harness(full body) that you attach to the tree on the ground and keep attached to the tree as you climb is the best thing you can use for piece of mind.

Sorry,didn't read page 2 before writing.Didn't mean to copycat George but do agree.

I like stands with bigger foot platforms better and feel safer in them.  I also put a stand up in the yard and pratice geeting in and out and shooting from it.

You might think about not going so high.  I've been using tree stands for years and don't have much of a fear of heights, but I feel a lot more comfortable with my feet about 12 feet off the ground than I do when they're 20 feet off the ground.  That's one of the reasons I seldom go much higher than 12 feet.  That, and you get a much better shot angle at the lower elevation.  Good luck.

Lots of great advice about the need for safety harness and hookup going up and down.You need to research what you need to do once you have fallen.The harness will save your life inasmuch as stopping your fall.Then it will proceed to kill you if you have no plan to reach the ground.Always let someone know where you will be hunting.Most harnesses have a loop to place your foot into to stand and allow blood to flow into your legs and return to your heart,some do not.I hate cell phones.If Ted Turner can run a billion dollar enterprise without a cell phone what do I need one for?That being said carry your cellphone and a whistle.I do have a Tracfone(cell phone) that I can activate 90 days at a time foe $21.I always carry it in a pocket I can reach while hanging from a harness.Remember cell phones are unreliable in remote locations.Basically have a plan from ground to stand to ground.Every year someone will die in a fall,be smart,if you don't feel safe in a given situation don't do it.

Never in my life of hunting since back to 1969 have i ever had to be over 12 feet up to kill a animal, and most have been in my favorite stand called a Ambusher set at eight foot. All about where i put the stand from the trail for me. And more shot from the ground than off the ground. Once i had a bud try to put me in a stand of his, 20 plus foot up. NO way i sat at the base of the tree and arrowed a doe as she walked down the trail. I have sat in some ladder stands that have no more than a foot sq to park my butt on and i never sat long on them, or would own one.

Stay attached, and just do it. You'll get comfortable. I grew up in climbing stands, since I was 9 anyway, and I still got nervey the first time I hung/sat in a lock on. It's like riding a motorcyle, you're certain you're gonna die at first, then you start having fun.

20 feet is a long way up (or down). You may only need to go up to the best cover. I spend a lot of time at 15' or less. Second the Trophyline. You will not be nervous regardless of the height.

I am using a hang on stand. It's some off brand name I can't think of right now. I'll check when I get home from work. Cannot use a climbing stand due to the type of trees and limbs all the way up. A ladder stand can't be used as it is public land and can't be left out as folks would steal it. The area is pretty close to a country highway.

I just tossed 20' out there. Wasn't really sure how high to go. Now I do. Seems like those guys on the hunting videos are pretty high up sometimes. Someone mentioned Lone Wolf climbing sticks in a PM. Think I will give those a try. I really appreciate all the feed back and recommendations.

As far as scent cover goes, I think I do a pretty good job but, am always looking to better that one. We have 'yotes here so, I will leave a rag soaked with scent around the area so that the deer can get used to it. I tell ya though, those blacktails are sometimes hard to fool.   :rolleyes:

I was going to sugest a stand that allows you to face the tree.  I had the same feeling that with a small platform Iwas going to topple right off the tiny platform (even with a safety harness). Anyhow the Trophyline treesaddle where you face the tree has made me much more comfortable going higher and feeling more secure.  I have a climber that faces the tree I have a equalizer but Summit makes on too.  If you cant do climber look at the tree saddle.  Starting low and working up is good too.

20 feet is my norm, I have it marked on my pull up rope. It DOES help with scent contol in that deer right begind you you should not wind you as the scent goes over the top. I have several set ups like this that have proven successful. I am talking about close shots here 5-8 yards, not 20-30 yards out. If on the ground you would have no chance. You must however be very scent free for this to work. It is a gamble but works for some grown over field edges where the deer walk right up the edge.
20 seems to be the height for me that I dont get picked out often. I like a climber & safety harness. I will go higher or lower as directed by the situation, trees & cover. Mike

Lots of great safety advise here and Safety is job one!!

After you feel safe and secure, are properly secured, be sure to practice shooting from your stand. Sitting or standing shooting from a tree stand is much different than shooting with both feet on the ground.

My tree stands are set from 12 to 15 ft. 20ft is pretty high. Have you tried a tripod? It might feel a little safer. Also a pop up blind would help hold some of you sent down, not 100% but might be as good or better then being up high.

Good Luck.

Gilbert

I used to be scared of heights but I practiced goig higher and higher using my summit bushmaster. At each height I stood up, practiced shots and drawing my bow until I felt comfortable and then worked my way higher. I generally go to 15 feet now as I'm most comfortable there and like the shot angles I GET FROM THERE.

As other have said USE A HARNESS. I practiced using my SOP until I felt comfortable sooting and moving around with it.

Listen to the song Sky Pilot. It gets your ready to climb!!

Here is the stand. It is a Rivers Edge hang on. It kind of worries me as it only has one nylon strap to secure it to the tree!

just get up there and think very hard about how much its gonna hurt if you fall off.lol...jokin tw...i have a stand you can borrow if you want,its huge and is a climber.what i did was climbed up to around 10ft then just sat there a while then moved up some more then more.before you know it you're used to it.its the eyes looking down thats unfamiliar and it triggers endorphins in the brain which cause fear and distress.wear a harness and you'll be good to go bro.i know these things because i stayed at a holliday inn express last night.      :D

run a backup strap and check them before setting it out everytime, something we all should do regardless of a hang on or climber