My Low Treestand Plan

[Roger Norris]

I have been researching the concept of hanging a VERY low treestand this year. I use a Beast stand, and typically hang/hunt a new spot daily.

The area I am in has some pretty bushy canopy, and hanging lower puts me right in the thick cover. Going higher is a problem becasue I can't shoot down through the canopy.

It is also interesting to me because being lower is 1) easier and 2) it improves the shot angle dramatically.

So this weekend at Huntstock I ordered 2 Arsenel ultra light steps, and an adder. This should put me right where I need to be. I will be experimenting in my backyard woods later this week, pics incoming.

I am interested in anyone else tring this, I would love your input.

[LookMomNoSights]

I am doing the very same for this year Roger.  I actually messed with it a bit last year too.   I am using the Novix stands and their sticks as well.  The stand and 3 sticks.  Very light kit.  All things point to the ideas that 1. you don't to be nose bleed high to kill deer from a treestand and 2. there are so many benefits to being lower!  Less sticks or steps required,  best shot angles,  faster set ups.   I do think its key to have back cover worked into the set however you achieve it, with natural stuff or the synthetic stuff on the market now,  but I'm all in for the lower stand sets going forward.   Dare I also add that,  should you have a miss hap,  less distance to the ground is a better thing that being 15, 18, 20 ft up.   Position the stand to your best advantages and have some back cover and enjoy the woods I say 

[Bogle]

Sounds like a good game plan. I use a lock on and sticks most of the time, and I have found that 2-3 sticks high works most of the time for bowhunting. I have also found that if you can find a tree with a fork in it, or if you  have to use a hand saw to hang your lock on, you very rarely get busted. Yea, they will lock in on you sometimes as they are so close, but it seems like I very rarely get busted. I went from not carrying a hand saw with me at all, to having to use one about every other sit.

[STICKBENDER98]

Way back some 40 plus years ago when I first started bow hunting I used a homemade stand I help my Dad put up when he bow hunted.  It was in a big triple oak, the platform was low enough that when I stood in the crotch of it, which was only a step up into it, I could touch the bottom of the platform.  I lost track of how many deer I killed out of that tree, I named it "old faithful" most of those deer were shot back in my compound years, as I don't have access to that property anymore, but I still had to be careful about movement at that height.

I remember one opening night, after I was old enough to drive, I left the house drove to the property, maybe 10 minutes away, got into that stand, shot a nice 6 point, and was back home 45 minutes later.  Dad looked at at me and asked why I was back so soon, I told him I'd just shot a buck and wanted help dragging it out.. He looked at me and said oh BS!!      I told him I wasn't joking, I'd marked the spot where I had blood going into the woods, and came home. We went back made a short track and were back home before dark.

AS I got older I started going higher 18-25 foot because I thought I needed to, now that I'm quite a bit older, and hopefully a bit wiser    I tend to hunt 12-15 foot.  I bought a saddle last year towards the end of season and am looking forward to hunting out of that this year to be able to do hang and hunts.  So short story long, I think just like hunting on the ground, as long as you have cover and are careful about movement, a low set up will work as good as a high set up.


Jason

[Wudstix]

I like 8 foot ladder stands.

[Bowsey Wails]

I have a couple of productive stands in thick farm land hedge rows that aren't more than 3-4 feet off the ground. Perfect height for a clear shot with great concealment.

[MCNSC]

Shot my best Buck from a stand that was approximately 7 ft. It did have very good cover and the shot was maybe 4 yards. My normal height is probably from 12 to 16 ft using 3 sticks and a hang on stand. I mostly let the setup and cover determine how high I climb

[Bear River]

I would imagine lower would be ok, as long as you have a solid trunk or something to blend your silhouette. I've had deer walk right up into my face while sitting against a tree on the ground. But, I tried something similar last year in a patch of hawthorn, sat on a stand only 6ft off the ground up in the thick tree branches, the deer came in to about 20 yds and noticed me and got nervous. I thought the brushy branches behind me would be enough to give me cover, but they still noticed the big mass up in the trees. This year I'm thinking I might stick a scare crow or something out in the location for a few weeks. Probably would have been better to get it out there first thing in the spring, but to late for that now I dunno, maybe getting down on the ground against the tree would be better for my situation.

[fisherick]

I recently hung a stand at 74" above ground on a 4 trunk tree. This location gives me great background cover and can see below the branches out at a distance. Hopefully it will work great.

[Arrowflngr]

I've started using a saddle and two sticks. I just find some good back cover.

[Jegs.mich]

Roger, when I hunt swamp's it's hard to find a tree where you need one. End up in alot of small trees 6-8' up . It's more difficult to get away with movement but as you said shot angles are much better. First picture is a small tree with excellent cover 3 stick's up so would be similar to two sticks with an aider. Pic 2 is also 3 stick's up. You know the game, wind and concealment. A good friend and hunter was talking to me recently about using the angle of your stand for partial concealment. While this is probably obvious to most of you, it made consider my setups again. I really appreciate talking with experienced bowhunters. Something obvious said in a new way can be very helpful. Good luck to all in the woods.

[BUCKY]

Fisherick i have the same set up with my climber!