Yep i typically hunt with my platform between 10 to 12 feet. High enough to help see up the steep sides of the ridges. I like to hunt lower to keep the sent pulling down where the sun doesn't hit much, and it's like a vacuum for thermals. Getting up a little goes along way with being able to see into open pockets of mountain laurel.
Awesome points. We hunt the same. Yeah I can still see very well at that height as well. Ridges are a very good spot for all those reasons. The bucks will also cruise them.
I have some high, some low. It depends on where it is and what is around it. I have had some that if fully extended you will see less than by placing it lower. I am finding over the years though that I have shot as many from lower stands as the high ones. The main thing I have found is by attaching camo burlap to the shooting rail helps cover your movement. It stays on the stand all year and the deer don't pay any attention to it as they see it all the time.
Thanks for sharing all that its interesting. My dad used to do the same when he took us hunting as kids with the camo burlap. I like that idea. I think it blends in as well and looks pretty natural. Any advantage we can get out there im down for.
Yes! I always leave a ladder section out. I don't think I need to be 20 ft in the air to shoot a deer. The important thing to look for when setting up is the location. You can be 12-15ft or 20 feet and if it is on a hill where the traveling deer will be eye level, they will spot you. Most of the time, deer never know I'm around.
Good points. Thanks for sharing it's good to know other people do the same thing. That location is everything. I haven't had any issues myself as well.
I have 5 ladder stands like your Muddy and Big Game 1.5. Both same stand. I never put in the last rung. It's way to high and I'm above the tree canopy. I even have a couple of stands set up that are only like 9 ft high and see tons of deer and they walk right by me. It's location location location!! I want a flatter trajectory for a better hit and less chance of one lunging shots. I shoot most bucks under 20 yards and they don't have a clue I'm there. You have to have a good entry/exit path to the stands with good back cover. Good video to help guys see you don't need to be 30 feet up to kill deer. I've killed many bucks from a stool on the ground with a bow.
That's awesome and thanks for sharing all that. I hunt the exact same way and it's worked for me as well. That shot angle is really important. I like to be a little bit higher on flatter ground. I prefer to set my stand low though. Using ridges has always helped keep me plenty high even though my stand is low. I think the deer have a lot to look at in them situations and you don't stand out as much. I also haven't had an issue with being winded if your wind is good and you can sit still, nothing else really matters.
I don’t do well with heights lol I really only leave the ground to hunt deer, and I feel most comfortable in my ladder stands. Most are factory height around 15-16 feet because of limited back cover but with better placement will definitely be leaving a section out. When I was young and broke I used to make ladder stands out of 2x4’s and they were only 10 feet high and I killed a pile of deer out of them 👍🏻
Same lol. We used to make box stands all out of ply wood. We would build the ladder sections and all. We never really had them that high and never had any issues.
@@Outdoord yeah definetly hard to do… last year I had a huge buck about ten yards away looking thru me because I had a raccoon behind me in the dry leafs and because I moved the buck ran away blowing. But I was literally one step from shooting my biggest buck ever.
@@Outdoord yeah he is on camera again this year and he is even bigger this year.. got my crossbow bolts labeled as wall hanger. My goal is to put one on the wall this year as I’ve had way too many opportunities at giant Ohio bucks. Always slipping away for one reason or another
@@Cloud4hundred20 You will get him. Stay at it, consistency always pays off. Sometimes I feel the same when things don't go my way. That's why I love hunting no matter what happens we always get another chance at some point!
Yep i typically hunt with my platform between 10 to 12 feet. High enough to help see up the steep sides of the ridges. I like to hunt lower to keep the sent pulling down where the sun doesn't hit much, and it's like a vacuum for thermals. Getting up a little goes along way with being able to see into open pockets of mountain laurel.
Awesome points. We hunt the same. Yeah I can still see very well at that height as well. Ridges are a very good spot for all those reasons. The bucks will also cruise them.
I have some high, some low. It depends on where it is and what is around it. I have had some that if fully extended you will see less than by placing it lower. I am finding over the years though that I have shot as many from lower stands as the high ones. The main thing I have found is by attaching camo burlap to the shooting rail helps cover your movement. It stays on the stand all year and the deer don't pay any attention to it as they see it all the time.
Thanks for sharing all that its interesting. My dad used to do the same when he took us hunting as kids with the camo burlap. I like that idea. I think it blends in as well and looks pretty natural. Any advantage we can get out there im down for.
Yes! I always leave a ladder section out. I don't think I need to be 20 ft in the air to shoot a deer. The important thing to look for when setting up is the location. You can be 12-15ft or 20 feet and if it is on a hill where the traveling deer will be eye level, they will spot you. Most of the time, deer never know I'm around.
Good points. Thanks for sharing it's good to know other people do the same thing. That location is everything. I haven't had any issues myself as well.
I have 5 ladder stands like your Muddy and Big Game 1.5. Both same stand. I never put in the last rung. It's way to high and I'm above the tree canopy. I even have a couple of stands set up that are only like 9 ft high and see tons of deer and they walk right by me. It's location location location!! I want a flatter trajectory for a better hit and less chance of one lunging shots. I shoot most bucks under 20 yards and they don't have a clue I'm there. You have to have a good entry/exit path to the stands with good back cover. Good video to help guys see you don't need to be 30 feet up to kill deer. I've killed many bucks from a stool on the ground with a bow.
That's awesome and thanks for sharing all that. I hunt the exact same way and it's worked for me as well. That shot angle is really important. I like to be a little bit higher on flatter ground. I prefer to set my stand low though. Using ridges has always helped keep me plenty high even though my stand is low. I think the deer have a lot to look at in them situations and you don't stand out as much. I also haven't had an issue with being winded if your wind is good and you can sit still, nothing else really matters.
@Outdoord everything you say is true, I think it's more woodsmanship than being high. Use the wind and natural cover and you'll do good 👍
@@SuperDave-pe1zw I agree thanks!
So 9 is good? Because Im pretty nervous up there at only about 12 feet
Ive harvested plenty of deer from 12 to 14’ up
Same!
I don’t do well with heights lol I really only leave the ground to hunt deer, and I feel most comfortable in my ladder stands. Most are factory height around 15-16 feet because of limited back cover but with better placement will definitely be leaving a section out. When I was young and broke I used to make ladder stands out of 2x4’s and they were only 10 feet high and I killed a pile of deer out of them 👍🏻
Same lol. We used to make box stands all out of ply wood. We would build the ladder sections and all. We never really had them that high and never had any issues.
Great video I thought I was the only guy that don’t like too be way up in the air I’m 12-14 feet up comfortably lol
Thanks! That's plenty for me as well. I dont think you have to do what everybody else does. Find what works for you and get out there and hunt!
I'll stay as low as possible if the cover allows for it. I don't think it matters how high you get if there isn't any cover to hide your silhouette.
I agree. Cover and location is key.
I used to move when they do the death stare but I’ve learned to not move and like you said a lot of times they go back to normal behavior
Sometimes they win lol. Yea, acting like you are not even there works but it's hard.
@@Outdoord yeah definetly hard to do… last year I had a huge buck about ten yards away looking thru me because I had a raccoon behind me in the dry leafs and because I moved the buck ran away blowing. But I was literally one step from shooting my biggest buck ever.
@@Cloud4hundred20 oh no! There isn't much you can do about that. Just get right back out there.
@@Outdoord yeah he is on camera again this year and he is even bigger this year.. got my crossbow bolts labeled as wall hanger. My goal is to put one on the wall this year as I’ve had way too many opportunities at giant Ohio bucks. Always slipping away for one reason or another
@@Cloud4hundred20 You will get him. Stay at it, consistency always pays off. Sometimes I feel the same when things don't go my way. That's why I love hunting no matter what happens we always get another chance at some point!