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tree stand too high???

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tree stand too high???

Postby erichunter14 » 06 22, 2012 •  [Post 1]

Hi guys! So excited to have this new forem! Got a question for all you tree stand hunters. This is only my second year trying it...first year was great! This time I hung my stand in a tree about 35-40 feet up. I am worried it may be too high. I have about 15-20 feet of tree above me and about 9 inches (diameter) of tree at my stand. When I get into my stand or when the wind blows, it sure moves that tree around a lot! I weight 220 so I am just wondering if I am safe. Good green tree, not a brownie. I like to be high to keep my scent as far away as possible, but just not much experience in this area.
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Re: tree stand too high???

Postby stringunner » 06 22, 2012 •  [Post 2]

I just finished reading Swede's book this week on tree stand hunting for elk, he talks about setting stands 20-30 feet up. I would say if you do not feel comfortable/safe, then that would be enough for me to pick a different tree or lower the stand a bit. Safety and feeling of safe, is #1 important when tree stand hunting I think.

And if you haven't read Swede's book, I would encourage you to do so. My dad and I have been hunting stands off and on for years and I learned a great deal from the book.
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Re: tree stand too high???

Postby Swede » 06 22, 2012 •  [Post 3]

I do not go up 35-40 feet up a tree to set my stand. I have been that far above a water hole when you take into account the hill I was on. Before I would say 40 feet is too high or even unnecessary I would consider what kind of hole , valley, basin or whatever you are sitting at. When I sat in a 15 foot high stand in a basin, I noticed I was not seeing animals. I knew they came around when I was not there, so I concluded, after some checking, that I was filling the area with my scent. By finding a tree on an adjacent hill side, and going up about 30+ feet in a large pine, I started killing elk right away.

The first thing I would say is to take a squeeze bottle filled with corn starch or the like, and see what happens in the evening and early morning when you squeeze out some. Does it shoot right to the ground? If it does, I would go up a few feet higher. Does it spread out and float in the breeze? If that is the case, or if it floats up in the breeze then you should be ok assuming the elk will not see you. If you have a tree located where you cannot get the corn starch to float away, then you have two options, 1. find a different tree where your scent will not go to the spot you expect to see elk, or 2. find a totally different place during those periods when your scent is flooding into your hunting spot.
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Re: tree stand too high???

Postby planebow » 06 22, 2012 •  [Post 4]

I have a 40 foot windmill in front of my house. When I get on the platform and look down it seems much higher. The only way I would want to be this high is if I was on the downhill side of where I expected game to show up.
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