17' too high for a newb?

[GMMAT]

I've taken "several" deer with my compound over the last 3 seasons, but I sold that, recently, and will be hunting with all trad, this fall.

With the compound, especially after leaf drop, 23' was no issue to hunt from.  I have a friend who wants to put a couple 17' ladder stands on my grounds (he hunts with me some).  Is this too high?  I was planning on hunting no higher than 12' or so my first season (I typically hunt out of a climber).

Your opinions are appreciated.

[Mo. Huntin]

Personal choice.  Maybe run your climber up 17 feet and practice on your target and see how it goes.  Being Higher may help you feel like you are not going to get picked off and you may shoot better.  I like to be 12'

[bentpole]

What your saying is you used to hunt with a compound at a height of 23'. Your concerned that after your switch to Trad your afraid your accuracy at that height won't be there? Did you practice with wheels at that height? Practice out of your tree stand with your Trad gear until your confident enough at that specific height.

[Guru]

What bentpole said....no need to hunt any different

[James Wrenn]

You know how these NC deer are always walking around looking up.I would not get too low unless you really have to.Take good shots and you will be fine from your regular heights.It is best to set up so the deer are not too close to you when possible.The angle on a 20yd+ shot is much better than that under the tree stuff so getting two holes is easier. jmo

[GMMAT]

I'm saying the angle at 23' is different than the angle at 17' (at a 10-15yd animal).

It's kind of like the difference between taking a qtring away shot v. a broadside shot.  If I had my druthers........

My personal restrictions won't see me taking shot I know beforehand I can't make.  I'm asking the question, because I haven't shot from that height with the trad bows.  I have shot from 12'.  No biggie.

I just wondered if there was a noticeable diff. as you got to that height.

Thanks.

[Big Ed]

Practice to figure out your confidence level or height.

[longbowben]

I also hunted high in the trees with wheel bows,But with trad gear i stay 18 to 20 feet .I know what you mean by the angle.Practice and you will be fine.

[GMMAT]

Big Ed...I'll surely practice.....that's a given.

I asked the question I did....because a friend is offering to come up, tomorrow, and bring two 17' ladder stands to put on my hunting lands.  I think I'll just buy another one (ladder stand) and put up in the back yard.  I did this the first year I bowhunted.....and never felt the need to do it again with the wheel bows.

Thanks for all of your replies.  I'll make it work out.

Originally posted by bentpole:
What your saying is you used to hunt with a compound at a height of 23'. Your concerned that after your switch to Trad your afraid your accuracy at that height won't be there? Did you practice with wheels at that height? Practice out of your tree stand with your Trad gear until your confident enough at that specific height.

I shot the deer in my avatar this year out of a tree stand that the base was about 20' off the ground. Like bentpole said, practice from the height you want to hunt from and you will gain confidence ( and confidence is a big key to successful trad hunting).

Bisch

[longbowben]

What he is meaning is when you are at ground level you have a 20 inch target as you go higher it srinks when the deer is close.it might only be 12 inch target.Less room fo eror.

[Fritz]

I also used to hunt higher with wheels than I do now with trad.  I usually stay between 12-15 ft.  I like the shot angle alot better.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Ive hunted  out of a 7ft. ladder stand (I removed one section) for the past 15yrs.  Works fine, take deer every year.  Advantages--its lighter to move around, and shot angles are not so severe.  Disadvantage-- once leaves fall from the smaller saplings that block the deers vision, it is hard to find an adequate place to set up--but not impossible.  Up to the time that the leaves fall, 7-8ft. is just fine,-- just be weary, weary still.  Personally I don't get this obsession with height.--Birdseye view is a little bit too detached for my liking. -- kind of like spearing pike--not that theres anything wrong with that--but -- it is too removed from the action for me.--and totally unecessary.

[BRONZ]

I understand your question; and personally, I stay under 20' with my recurve.  Like Fritz, I usually hunt at around 12-15'-- the shot angle is much better.  I think if it is too steep, you can run into problems with lower limb clearance (depending on your shooting style) and, your ability to take out both lungs without going thru the shoulder blade becomes more difficult (I'm shooting 46#).  When I shot wheels, neither of these issues were a concern.

[Stone Knife]

I hunt 16'-18' all the time, all I did was practice and then hunt from the same stands that I hunted before at the same height. I have been buying some 15' ladder stands lately just to cut the angle down a little in a couple spots on the sides of the ridges.

[BAK]

Can anybody explain why shot angle is any different with the type of weapon?  Lower angle is better, no matter what your shooting.

[GMMAT]

It's not better with differing weapons (shot angle).

I wouldn't hunt at 20+.  I'd hunt at 12' with no issues.

I asked a simple question, asking others to cite their experiences at that height.  Out of the 21 whitetails I've killed with the bow in the last three seasons....most have been taken from well over 20' high and the majority were taken at qtring away whitetails.  If you're good enough to make that shot with your trad bow....my hat's off to you.  I'm not.

I'm comfortable at 12' (now).  I wondered if 17' was a huge difference, and I had a buddy ready to bring the stands to me.  They're up.  

Thanks for the replies.  I'll make it work out.

[tarponnut]

I like 10'-12' but it's more of a fear of heights thing(fear of falling actually).
As already said, if you are comfortable being that high and practice from that height, go for it.
Like Chuck says,I've taken several deer and hogs from 10'stands(or lower).

[paleFace]

GMMAT I hunt between 18-25' almost all the time. i have not changed one thing in the way I hunt with the exception of the bows & arrows. I switched from wheels to trad in 1999. My shot distances are less, where I may have taken a 35-40 yard shot with my wheels, I have limited it to 20-25 yards. nothing to do with the angle or height, but rather my abilities. I'm certain I get better penetration with my heavy trad arrows so the angle doesn't bother me. just pick the spot and you will be good.

honestly I don't think you will notice that big a difference from 12-17', but as it was mentioned just put one up and shoot out of it and find your range. Me personally I feel more confident shooting 20-25 yards on the ground than in a tree, but that could just be me.

I missed an 8 yard shot this past fall while hunting around 12' up and then made a perfect hit at 27 yards while hunting at 20' up. Concentration was probably the biggest factor a long with picking the spot.

[Fletcher]

I don't think you will have many issues at 17 ft.  Most of my stands are in the 15-16 ft range and shot angle is not an issue unless the deer is real close.  Another foot shouldn't make much difference.  I'll hunt as low as the tree or cover will let me, but most of my climbing sticks are 15-16 ft and I run out of comfort zone real fast after that, so that is where I end up.  A big item for me on a ladder stand is a fold up seat.  Good luck, ladders are great to hunt from.