Testing the Best Treestand Height for Bowhunting
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- Is 20 feet really the perfect treestand height for bowhunting? We decided to test it by hanging stands at 10, 15, 20, and 25 feet. We shot from each height and evaluated the shot angles. We also did a simple wind check from each height to see if there was any potential impact on how scent drifts down.
The real takeaway here is to not get obsessed with treestand height. Knowing how to hide your stand in a tree and when to move on a deer is more important than the height at which you’re hunting. There’s no shortcut to fooling a mature buck. You’ve got to do all the little things right, not just hang your stand an extra five feet higher.
Chapters
0:19 Intro
1:33 Setting up the test
3:09 Shooting at 10 feet
4:50 Shooting at 15 Feet
6:17 Shooting at 20 Feet
8:23 Shooting at 25 feet
11:33 Evaluating the impacts and exits
14:13 Final takeaways
Read the full story here: www.outdoorlif...
Bushnell R5 Range Finder: bit.ly/3XI29Do
Bushnell R5 Binocular: bit.ly/3TU07iy
Read our review of best treestands here: www.outdoorlif...
Read our review of the best climbing sticks here: www.outdoorlif...
Remember to always wear a safety harness (bit.ly/3ZGnBvc) and use a lifeline (amzn.to/4dKg561) when hunting from treestands.
I rarely go higher than 15 ft. I base my height on shooting lanes and back cover etc. I continually check my shooting lanes as I climb and stop when I get to the proper height based on each scenario presented at the time. Public land, no trimming allowed and often the trees themselves are a limiting factor as well
That makes real good sense. Gotta be much more adaptive when hunting public.
Excellent video. I really enjoy thoughtful analysis of gear and tactics. The presenter seemed very bright and the explanation of the pitfalls of shooting at various heights was explained in a manner that was easy to understand. The video compelled me to set up a stand in the backyard later and measure the actual platform height that I am achieving. Thank you for the fine content.
Hey, thanks for watching and commenting!
Great video! I find that I set my stand where ever the back and surrounding cover is the best. The buck I shot last year I was sitting in a stand that was only 12 feet off the ground. I don't think I have any stands that are set higher than 15 feet.....I hunt pretty thick woods and swamps and where I hunt the heavier back cover is lower and does a better job of concealing my movement.
I found that most hunters say 20 ft but they never measure so they don't really know. 20 ft is very high, most people probably are only at 15 and just think it's 20
This is my 45th year of bow hunting. I have ALWAYS gone to 20 feet. I have always used 20 foot ladder sticks and my stand platform is always at 20 or even a tad higher. I used to go with 3 or 4 screw-in steps above a 20 foot ladder stick.
My normal height is 28ft have been higher just because of the scent,drawing bow back,being able to move around a little for comfort ,and it keeps other buddies from wanting to hunt my stands.lol I haven't had any problems killing deer at that highet. Nice video!
I smoke in the stand, and I can tell you the scent thing is a myth. I can see smoke above the trees and on the ground no matter how high I hunt, no pun intended. Keeping others off your stand is real though. I'd hunt on the ground by your tree instead of climbing 28'
You need to take account that gravity is working on the higher shots. Even at 15 yards, there is some trajectory. So you probably should of held right on the spot at 20 and 25 feet.
Great video, though I probably go 18 to 20 feet most of the time. But I use a summit climber, and it feels more secure because of rail around you. I get the tree hugging sensation when I get too high, and every type of treestand has its pros and cons.
Very informative video, thanks
Gravity pulls 32f/s² every second the arrow is in flight, so pure distance is the main factor for drop unless you're talking about an extreme angle downward when the drop doesn't apply to the sight line.
Your video was informative. The wind advantage at a higher position is advantageous but only for a few yards. Should a deer come in from a long distance down wind, well, you will get busted. I do find that I am busted less by sight at a lower height. Being skylighted, especially at a height of eighteen feet or so is more prominent. Most of my hunting is one stick (three foot) high. I can actually reach the platform on many setups from the ground. I do wish you had used milkweed or something that could be tracked. Thanks for the video and safe hunting.
Thanks for the comments. Yeah you make a really good point. Not getting busted by sight has a lot more to do with backcover and knowing when to move (or not move) than it does stand height.
Can't forget that with angle you have to compensate for that and take away a couple of yards
Most modern rangefinders also have the ability to compensate angle when providing the yardage too. Something to keep in mind!
@@outdoorlifeBut, it didn't. You shot higher both times from 25. Don't ignore your own proof
@@jconusnthat is most likely because his didn’t keep his shoulders square to the target…..he dropped his left arm to aim down.
@@michaelcolthart4006 is unfortunately correct here @jconusn. The high hits have to do more with my shooting than a difference in yardage. With my bow setup, a difference in one or two yards (at 18 to 20 yards) is negligible. Depending on your setup, it might be the same for you. You can test it by doing this: Shoot three arrows at a bullseye from 20 yards, don't pull them, back up to 22 yards, aim for the exact same spot and shoot three more arrows. If you're shooting 60-plus pounds and a medium-weight arrow, all six arrows will likely be in one tight group. -Alex Robinson
I have 15 ft stands ,being winded is happened more at that height,also being in the deer peripheral vision is definitely a is harder to make moves when they are in close range, 18 is the least i hang a hang on 18-22’ is where i like to at least have it and feel like i have a cushion for movement , sound and scent. I have a stand at 30 ft and have shot 3 bucks outta it . 30 yard shots were fine even at 20 wasn’t to bad ,but the last one was only 6 yards off my tree and was a tough shot, I lowered it to 25’ for this season. Can say i have never been winded in that stand at 30’. Even blowing directly at the deer. Will see how 25’ does this season!
I have 7 stands set up, they're anywhere from 10 to 15 feet at the platform. I hunt oak bottoms and ridges and the trees are not tall enough in most places to go higher. There's some tall trees but the canopy over all you can't see if you go higher. At 10 feet I have deer walk right by at 10 to 15 yards and never get busted. I know how the deer travel and set the stands for the travel and wind direction. I also have 2 10 ft tripods I place in cedars and don't get busted. I think as long as you have the wind right height isn't that important 🤔
It sounds like your stand locations provide lots of cover. Wind is obviously an incredibly important factor, but arguably, cover is just as important. Height of the stands does matter, but there are lots of ways to avoid getting busted at any height.
I was looking for this point - climbing higher than the local canopy makes no sense. It’s different forest to forest. Do what looks and feels right in your environment.
@@darthwolverine747 exactly 💯
Loved this video!!
thanks for putting it together.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
@Outdoor Life, you should specify if height is measured to the platform or seat.... Also, it will always feel higher because if measuring from the platform, add another 5 feet 10 on average to get the perceived height from your eyes.
Really good point. We should have mentioned this in the video: We measured from the platform of the stand to the ground.
I'll be commenting twice, once prior to watching beyond the introduction. The second comment will be after reviewing the video. For the first, let me share that I did a three year study on different stand heights. The primary question was at what height am I noticed most by whitetails. I quickly learned that a height of eight to twelve feet to the bottom of the platform was when I was noticed least. I think it had to do with back cover. Two caveats: sixteen or seventeen feet was the highest tested; all tests were from a platform, so no saddle hunting was tested. Hanging low worked best for me.
Cover, at any height, is incredibly important! We hope you enjoyed the video!
My personal preference is 18 - 20 ft. On a lower stand, the deer don’t even have to look up, you are right there in their peripheral vision. What stands are you using? I like the size and looks of those platforms.
Great video! Thank you!
Won't your shot always end up higher as you get higher in elevation, due to downward angle?Even when aiming point is the same. Isn't that why there is angle compensation built into the rangefinder? Great video!
A little, but not enough to matter at bow range unless you're shooting straight down. The angle compensation is a much bigger factor for long range rifle shooters.
@@BG-bx4ey oh yeah forsure, but they aren't shooting 20°-30° down. More like 10°-15° up and down, and like 200+yds. I know the rangefinder I use tells me to aim 1-2 yds shorter, 15ft up, at 20yds.
12-15 feet
Great video!
Thank you!
When I first started bow hunting public land I would climb 30 plus feet. I think it shrinks the kill zone. So I shortened my bow pull up rope so I can’t climb higher than the mid 20s. If I have cover I like to be at about 20 feet high.
Being up 30-plus feet and shooting at a deer 20 yards or closer would definitely make it more difficult to get a good double-lung shot. Not impossible, just much less margin for error.
Us guys are known for exaggerating our lengths ya know 😂😂😂 most of these guys are just guessing and are more than likey10ft lower than what they claim 25-30ft is just crazy for making a shot with a bow
I hear ya on that one. Sometimes it's better not to measure.
At 25 feet, can you imagine if the deer was at 10 yards! You wouldnt be able to hit both lungs with it being such a straight down angle.
What about jumping the string s little 🦌🦌🇱🇷
During early season I'm sit bout 15ft mid season to late season I'm sit bout 30ft with all the leaves 🍃 all falling off
I use to get up 20 to 25 feet. I no this because how many sticks i use. My sticks are 4’ long and i have used 6 before wich should put my stand about 24’. Now that im older i like about 17-18 ft
Why would you aim high when bow hunting? Always low. String jump is real and your better aiming for that white line or just behind the elbow.
When shooting downhill you have to aim high lest you risk a brisket or a single lung shot.
I agree that you sometimes want to aim low if it feels like a deer is going to jump the string (I've interviewed a bunch of experts about this and it's not quite as simple as "always low." Story link here: www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/deer-jumping-string-bowhunting/). But for this video I wanted to show good entry and exit points, and I was pretty sure my 3D target wasn't going to jump the string. You can see illustrated in the video that at 25 feet, hitting lower on the target would result in a single lung hit.
I'm sure my stands are in the 15-20' range. I did hunt one year on a stand that was closer to 25' at a friends property and it was really high, to the point of being sketchy if the slightest breeze came through.
What are the climbing sticks used?
One thing I learned from doing this ... when it starts to feel sketchy, I don't shoot very well. These were aluminum, 30-inch Summit climbing sticks (bit.ly/3Y4zWIm).
20 to 25 feet is ideal for me.
You’ll never tell me that 25’-30’ isn’t the best. You have to aim for it. But the blood comes out the bottom of cavity. Not the side. The wind is somewhat on your side. Too many pros and not enough cons to change it.
That's a fair opinion and if this works for you, then stick with it! I do have a question though, have you ever actually measured one of your setups with a tape measure, from the platform of the stand to the ground?
An honest 25 feet is much higher than I expected. To get to this height comfortably I'd have to use six climbing sticks (I'm about 6' 2"). The standard Hunters Safety System Lifeline we used in the video was not long enough to be used while standing up at 25 feet (even though it says it works up to 30 feet). I had to use a second lifeline system at 25ft. All i'm saying is that 25 feet to the stand platform is a lot higher than I expected, and I don't think it's a good height for most bowhunters when shooting at 20 yards and in. -Alex Robinson
@@outdoorlife I use three 10ft stick ladders and put stand at the second step from top.I make my own safety rope out of marine dock line to cover the distance
@@bowhunter4893 Fair enough!
@outdoorlife I single stick with a 45 foot rope that regularly dangles from the ground. 35 feet is my preferred height.
@@PainTrainOutdoor that is crazy, and bad ass. If it works for ya, then by all means stick with it.
I'm 20'+ as much as i can.
What platform ate you using? Im currently using a cruzer and its a little smaller then i would like.
These are pretty basic Big Foot XL stands: bit.ly/3Bub18g
(Not fancy by any means, but they do have big platforms).
You’re not comfortable with your anchor because you’re dropping your left arm to aim down. That changes the distance from your hand to your face forcing you to change your anchor or struggle to align your peep and scope.
You're right. I noticed that as well while watching the video back.
I think in real situation the deer will drop and roll away from you,, causing the angle to be less extreme
Your form is off at the higher height because your not bending at the waist.
🙋 What tree stands are you using in this video?
These are pretty basic Big Foot XL stands: bit.ly/3Bub18g
12' is all you need.... Deer are easy
deer can 100% bust you at 25 they have bust me at 35 in my saddle I was like they will have to break there necks to see me but that old nanny goat looked dead at me like really you aint slick mr hunter stuck her tail up and blew all the way to the next county and I was just sitting not moving she some how got my wind it was swirling
The NANNY looked at the dude with the lineman's belt with GRANNY panties attached to it 😂
My ladder stands will only go 16 feet lol
In that case, 16 feet seems like the perfect height.
20' to 25' always been perfect for me.
Informative video. Thanks
Hey, thanks for watching!