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Sit or Stand?

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Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 04 28, 2016 •  [Post 1]

When shooting at a critter do you sit or stand? Some people prefer to sit. Others prefer to stand but can sit if they believe moving around will be a problem. I must have killed about 30 animals out of my tree stands over the years, and have never been able to sit and shoot. What about others?
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby stringunner » 04 28, 2016 •  [Post 2]

Always stand. Never sit.

I too set the stand so the base is perpendicular to the water. Assuming the water is the most likely chance at a shot, I'm then standing so my draw arm does not back up to the tree. Allows for more room to move. Anyone else do something like this?
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 04 28, 2016 •  [Post 3]

It seems that many hunters have a problem with their drawing arm being next to the tree. It does not matter to me, as I stand out on the very end on the stand platform. I do get a little more of an arc with my bow arm next to the tree, but not a whole lot.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby ishy » 04 28, 2016 •  [Post 4]

I've never been overly comfortable standing even when getting in and out of a stand. I think when a critter gets in shooting range I tend to get overly focused on getting a shot. I think I might just step off the stand. So I think I'll keep sitting until I have to shoot another direction.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby stringunner » 04 28, 2016 •  [Post 5]

Having now sat in your stands Swede, the platforms are noticeably longer than my stands. I think this greatly impacts the ability to draw without interference with the tree. Sitting in your stands last year, I literally felt like I could "walk" out to the end of the platform. ;)
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 04 29, 2016 •  [Post 6]

I wear a safety harness 100% of the time in the tree. I am usually attached to a safety line from the time I leave the ground. The safety line or the strap I use to connect my harness to is fixed above my head, so that when I am seated the line is almost snug. I have very little slack in the line. It is comfortable, but not loose. When I stand and walk out on the platform, I am at the end of the safety line. There is no way for me to ever fall. I too would get the eeebie geebies if I was up there letting it all hang out.
Stringunner: Maybe this year I will place two stands up at some water holes so we can take turns napping, and just one of us needs to stand watch. :D
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby stringunner » 05 03, 2016 •  [Post 7]

Swede- I like the idea of two stands. I will take the first and last watch then sleep in the middle time slot while you stand guard. :lol:
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Charina » 01 26, 2017 •  [Post 8]

I've only hunted blacktail deer out of a stand. Not the whitetail famous for looking up, but still had to be very careful of movement. I don't think I ever got above 18-20 ft on my setups though, so that might have been part of it.

Even after reading comments on here about elk not looking up, I still struggle to grasp that whey wouldn't notice the movement of standing up and moving to the end of the platform if it happens within their field of vision. How do you go about getting up and into position without being detected? Typical measures that would be taken when getting into position and drawing in a spot and stalk? Or is it easier than that?
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 01 26, 2017 •  [Post 9]

Charina, a hunter can be seen by elk while in a stand. If the sun is on you, if there is no cover around, or if you move; elk can figure you out. I am becoming ever more aware of this, but it is not new. I go about 25 feet up and like cover around. Still when I stand, I am careful to do it when the elk is looking away. I think movement is the biggest problem and direct sun on you is a close second. If you have a hillside that goes above your tree stand location, hang your stand so that elk coming in from above are not looking directly at you or be careful to set up some cover. You can hang your own concealment material to disguise yourself and your movement if natural cover is not available. Elk aren't too smart so camouflage can be made from a lot of natural and man made material.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 01 26, 2017 •  [Post 10]

I guess I missed Stringunner's "generous" offer. Did I mention I have a hidden fear of heights and scream out in my sleep if I am in a stand? :lol:
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby TimeOnTarget » 01 26, 2017 •  [Post 11]

I'm a sit and shoot guy. Mostly cause i was terrified of heights for a good part of my life so even getting in a stand was an accomplishment. I can shoot left or right sitting down and practice shooting while sitting all summer long as well.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Charina » 01 27, 2017 •  [Post 12]

Must be shooting a gun right and left. I failed to put in my post that I'll be archery hunting. I do intend to practice from a sitting position (align my stand perpendicular to expected shot angle), but also expect I would do better standing.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 01 27, 2017 •  [Post 13]

I am getting lost on this I guess. I only bow hunt from a stand. Standing allows me to increase the radius/area I can cover and I can draw my bow easier. Of coarse I need to watch and be careful when I stand so I am not detected.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby OregonTK » 01 27, 2017 •  [Post 14]

I stand to shoot. Shoot a recurve and always worry my lower limb will hit the stand.
If you rattle, they will come!
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 01 27, 2017 •  [Post 15]

OregonTK, do you hunt elk from a tree?

BTW: It is good to have an old timber cutter here. I don't remember you, but I worked pre-sale and Timber sale administration up on the Clackamas District years ago.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby OregonTK » 01 27, 2017 •  [Post 16]

Swede wrote:OregonTK, do you hunt elk from a tree?

BTW: It is good to have an old timber cutter here. I don't remember you, but I worked pre-sale and Timber sale administration up on the Clackamas District years ago.


Yes, killed 2 bulls in the last three years from a stand overlooking a big wallow. Before that I was pretty much a "run and gun" so to speak bowhunter.

Worked all over the Clackamas and Bull Run Watershed either directly or indirectly for Ray Schoppert Logging. Tending hook for 10 years and cutting timber for the last 28 years that I worked. Try to remember some of the names of the USFS guys we worked with back then?
If you rattle, they will come!
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 01 27, 2017 •  [Post 17]

One of the guys I worked with was Jerry Shorey. He was a sharp and experienced sale administrator. In sale prep. I worked with Duane Kiggins and Tom Bourgo. They were good folks to work with also. I got a Christmas card this year again from Tom. I don't know anything about the rest. I left the Mt Hood in 1979. It doesn't seem so long ago, but time flies. Back in that era the F.S. had crews that worked and produced. I don't know what they do anymore.
BTW, my dad was a logger for many years. He too cut timber mostly, but also ran cat or yarder some. He worked farther south out of Glide. Dad would not drive truck. He said it made him feel lazy. I had a different observation about log truckers. Many were self appointed experts on everything. I believe they had too much time to think. :D
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Charina » 01 28, 2017 •  [Post 18]

Swede wrote:Dad would not drive truck. He said it made him feel lazy. I had a different observation about log truckers. Many were self appointed experts on everything. I believe they had too much time to think. :D

Hummm. So . . . is that an argument against sitting in a tree and thinking all day while waiting for elk? Or is that an assertuin that tree stands are the path to further enlightment? Haha
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Swede » 01 28, 2017 •  [Post 19]

No, that was just dad. He could sit in a yarder(machine with a 90' to 110' tall tower used to move logs to the landing) all day. I would rather drive truck myself. At least I would see more scenery.
As far as my observations about log truck drivers is concerned; it is just meant to be funny. Many times I checked a truck for their brands, paint on logs used to restrict their being exported, and the log load receipt along their haul route. Sometimes I also talked to a trucker on a log loading site called a landing. Often the truckers would tell me how the logger should be logging, or how the Forest Service should be managing the roads, etc. etc. Some truckers were very vocal about these things, others were not. Certainly, most of the truckers were good people to be around. But like I said; often they had too much time to think.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby stringunner » 01 29, 2017 •  [Post 20]

Again I stand. Haven't been able to sit and shoot and feel comfortable taking the shot. Ideally I hear or see the animal coming in giving me time to stand undetected. We had a guy in camp this year that didn't have that time and took the shot sitting down, i think I would have too given his circumstance, but that would have been a more difficult shot for me. Sometimes it's risky to stand because of the movement but my confidence in the shot is far better standing so i have always taken the risk.
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Re: Sit or Stand?

Postby Mathewsz7-elkridge » 01 29, 2017 •  [Post 21]

I have shot them sitting and standing. Perefer to sit because I feel my aim is the most steady while doing so. With a gun I have shot way more sitting then standing but archery a would have to say 10% were sitting. Archery hunting the first chance I get to stand I do so. You just never know what side of your stand a shot is going to happen.
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