Who else gets busted while in a tree stand

[Al Bundy]

So I bought a climber tree stand for this season and am trying to figure best way to hunt with it.  I very often get busted by deer when I am in a tree. I remain still but somehow they usually bust me. I see these videos of people hanging out smoking, phone out, etc. If i did that I would never see a deer.  Im thinking face the climber away from the trail. How does everyone else do this and not get busted?

[mowin]

Don't worry about the videos.  Those clips of them turning and moving like nothing is around is because there is nothing around. Those are cut in clips that were placed to make it look like They took place while the deer was under the tree. 

Biggest issues with climbers is lack of cover.  Skylined is the problem. Picking a tree that has enough background cover behind you is the key. More difficult in open hardwoods than areas with some pines. 

Had a buddy that would get 25-30' off the ground and had great success.  I tried that once, and just couldn't get comfortable. 

 

Edited October 31, 2019 by mowin

[YFKI1983]

So I bought a climber tree stand for this season and am trying to figure best way to hunt with it.  I very often get busted by deer when I am in a tree. I remain still but somehow they usually bust me. I see these videos of people hanging out smoking, phone out, etc. If i did that I would never see a deer.  Im thinking face the climber away from the trail. How does everyone else do this and not get busted?

Make sure you have cover behind you. If not get up higher. My pull up is cut to 20 feet so I know how high I am. Any higher than that is too much for me

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[Robhuntandfish]

i have stands at 9ft that are tucked in and at ambush spots that i dont get busted at.  Just depends on the location and setup.  I have been busted drawing when they happen to catch my movement but think that can happen most anywhere.  

[dbHunterNY]

you don't have to be really high. stuff to breakup your silhouette behind you is important. plus you can do things like pick a tree that's near others. there's a lot more to it but once you figure it out you'll get a feel for what tree at what height is best.  if it's all really tall straight tree trunks and wide open but then there you in the middle of it, you're going to stick out.

[Al Bundy]

Im thinking I must not have enough cover.  I Have 3 different trees picked out to climb, one has a bit of cover but its right on the trail. Others are straight with minimal lower branches.  I think Ill try the one with some cover and try and blend best as I can. I have a really nice 8pt on cam on this trail, along with a smaller 8 or 6. 

One other thing I forgot to ask. How you guys get your weapon up with a climber. I was thinking tie a line to it and leave on the ground. Get the climber all set up and get comfy then haul up the line with my xbow attached.  Seems a pain to somehow sling your xbow and climb at the same time. Also while Im thinking,  anyone cock the xbow on the ground or up in the climber? Seems better to cock it on the ground and put the bolt in after hauling it up.  

[moog5050]

8 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

Im thinking I must not have enough cover.  I Have 3 different trees picked out to climb, one has a bit of cover but its right on the trail. Others are straight with minimal lower branches.  I think Ill try the one with some cover and try and blend best as I can. I have a really nice 8pt on cam on this trail, along with a smaller 8 or 6. 

One other thing I forgot to ask. How you guys get your weapon up with a climber. I was thinking tie a line to it and leave on the ground. Get the climber all set up and get comfy then haul up the line with my xbow attached.  Seems a pain to somehow sling your xbow and climb at the same time. Also while Im thinking,  anyone cock the xbow on the ground or up in the climber? Seems better to cock it on the ground and put the bolt in after hauling it up.  

when I used a climber, I always used a tow rope

[Renegade Hunter]

15 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

Im thinking I must not have enough cover.  I Have 3 different trees picked out to climb, one has a bit of cover but its right on the trail. Others are straight with minimal lower branches.  I think Ill try the one with some cover and try and blend best as I can. I have a really nice 8pt on cam on this trail, along with a smaller 8 or 6. 

One other thing I forgot to ask. How you guys get your weapon up with a climber. I was thinking tie a line to it and leave on the ground. Get the climber all set up and get comfy then haul up the line with my xbow attached.  Seems a pain to somehow sling your xbow and climb at the same time. Also while Im thinking,  anyone cock the xbow on the ground or up in the climber? Seems better to cock it on the ground and put the bolt in after hauling it up.  

I try to find two or three trees that are clumped together that I can shoot out of nicely. Situate the climber so it’s in between them. Sometimes I will face the climber away from the trails and post behind the tree for cover if that’s the best option. I also cut my bow rope to 25 feet and don’t stop climbing until it’s taught if the tree has no limbs that high. Tie the bow rope to the top portion of the climber and haul it up. I cock the crossbow on the ground before climbing. Double checking it’s on safe before I do. 

[BizCT]

Not sure why you are getting busted so often. Are you moving a lot? I sit on ground (no blind) pretty often and have deer within 20-30 yards that never bust me. Or maybe you are sky-lined? that's my fear with treestands, standing out like a sore thumb rather than sitting against rocks or a tree and blending in

[The_Real_TCIII]

38 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

you don't have to be really high. stuff to breakup your silhouette behind you is important. plus you can do things like pick a tree that's near others. there's a lot more to it but once you figure it out you'll get a feel for what tree at what height is best.  if it's all really tall straight tree trunks and wide open but then there you in the middle of it, you're going to stick out.

This. You can go too high. Ive hunted trees that I thought were absolutely perfect and got busted regularly, other trees that you feel naked as a jaybird and deer just dont see you in them. I think a lot depends on the terrain that theyre on too, are they coming up or down a slight incline, that type of thing

[BowmanMike]

I have been busted in a tree using my climber,but not very often. It depends where you set up to some degree too. I killed a few does in spots where their focus is on the dirt road in one instance or on the edge if the field. I set up 30 to 40 yds from the edge of a major terrain change and generally the deer try to check the edge.

A thick tree will give you back cover,and sometimes you can find a nice branchless tree with something else right beside it, like a hemlock or beech or something with branches.

In general you want to be out of the deers most likely line of vision.

[Marion]

Gotta tape that shit up tight! I have since added more tape to contact points so I'm as quiet as a mouse fart

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[dbHunterNY]

53 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

Im thinking I must not have enough cover.  I Have 3 different trees picked out to climb, one has a bit of cover but its right on the trail. Others are straight with minimal lower branches.  I think Ill try the one with some cover and try and blend best as I can. I have a really nice 8pt on cam on this trail, along with a smaller 8 or 6. 

One other thing I forgot to ask. How you guys get your weapon up with a climber. I was thinking tie a line to it and leave on the ground. Get the climber all set up and get comfy then haul up the line with my xbow attached.  Seems a pain to somehow sling your xbow and climb at the same time. Also while Im thinking,  anyone cock the xbow on the ground or up in the climber? Seems better to cock it on the ground and put the bolt in after hauling it up.  

 

27 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

This. You can go too high. Ive hunted trees that I thought were absolutely perfect and got busted regularly, other trees that you feel naked as a jaybird and deer just dont see you in them. I think a lot depends on the terrain that theyre on too, are they coming up or down a slight incline, that type of thing

at times i'll set up with cover on adjacent trees so that once they come in on a close trail we're both at times blocked from each others view on my off side. that forces me to shoot after they passed but also puts movement more where they've been and not where they're going and paying attention to. terrain and approach is everything though like TC said. cover is to break up your outline and dark silhouette that would appear to move through patches of daylight in the branches. that has to be from the deer's perspective where you think it's going to be though not you looking at the tree from a distance.

i haul the bow up using the strap that keeps both top and bottom sections together when packing in, which also serves to hold the top section in place once settled in. i loop it around the outer rail of the bottom section and under the bow limbs. as i climb it's right there a few feet below my platform. if at any point while climbing something's coming in i can stop climbing and get to my bow quick without movement of hauling up 20+ feet of line and the bow to the height i happen to be at. plus it's one less piece i need to carry. i don't hunt with a crossbow but most have anti-dry fire feature. while cocked it won't fire without the bolt in place. still you should keep an eye on it as you climb, same with a regular bow or anything else.

[dbHunterNY]

higher you climb the harder the shot. angles make form suck and vitals smaller. even worse when you add in terrain that's not flat like the side of a ridge, saddles, points, or creek bottoms with bigger banks.

[Swamp_bucks]

Ide say not having enough cover.  When i used my climber i always tried to get up in front/middle of pines or a cluster of trees.  If i couldnt ide get 20ft.  This is why i switched to a hang on and sticks because i can make sure i always have cover.

[Zag]

Background is the biggest challenge I think, I'm 6'5 265, I have to focus on cover around me and I can't recall the last time I was picked up while in stand. Here's a pic of my son in a stand. Once the leaves come down it won't matter as behind that is pine trees for a backdrop.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I hunt a friends property and hes got a double ladder stand on the edge of a field that slopes down towards it, so youre literally at just about eye level with deer coming off that field. And for some reason they just do not see me in that stand, its uncanny. I think its because they are walking down hill even though its very gradual. I missed a doe at 15 yards with a sidelock ML and she stood there looking around while I reloaded! Couldnt quite get it done before she was back into the red brush. I guess what Im trying to say is I cant shoot a gun very well

[Hunter007]

Secret when hunting for deer from ground or tree don't move and they will not notice you .

Move around a lot and you are getting seen .

[Taylormike]

This sounds obvious and I'm not being condescending.  See the deer before it sees you, this allows ample draw time.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Just now, Hunter007 said:

Secret when hunting for deer from ground or tree don't move and they will not notice you .

Move around a lot and you are getting seen .

Thats a secret?

[Hunter007]

1 minute ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Thats a secret?

Apparently ,  well he asked 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Hunter007

[chrisw]

How high are you typically going? If you're only going 10-12' off of the ground that could be your issue. I go 25'-30' as an average and very rarely if ever get busted for moving. Cover is also important but I choose height over cover in most spots. That's the reason I don't use ladder stands, the 15' stands I feel put you in a better position to get spotted than if you were on the ground. It's not hard to see a big blob hanging off the side of a tree at 15', go up to 25' and it's a different story, you're out of their peripheral vision for the most part.

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[Al Bundy]

The "don't move and they wont see you" idea does not work. That concept was drilled into my head about 1980.  Good info in this thread, thanks to everyone.  I think its my stand placements, lack of cover, inclined terrain.  The deer are used to an incline and I think they look up the hill and if I have no cover, BUSTED. Im guessing this, based on what you guys have all said.    Ill pick the best cover tree and go with it Sat morning. Maybe move to another Sunday.   

[Hunter007]

11 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

The "don't move and they wont see you" idea does not work. That concept was drilled into my head about 1980.  Good info in this thread, thanks to everyone.  I think its my stand placements, lack of cover, inclined terrain.  The deer are used to an incline and I think they look up the hill and if I have no cover, BUSTED. Im guessing this, based on what you guys have all said.    Ill pick the best cover tree and go with it Sat morning. Maybe move to another Sunday.   

Really?  works for me had deer walk right at me  more then once  from the ground they  didn't notice me until I  moved .

Edited October 31, 2019 by Hunter007

[BizCT]

13 minutes ago, Hunter007 said:

Really?  works for me had deer walk right at me  more then once  from the ground they  didn't notice me until I  moved .

Same. No eye contact is key though. If I get caught by a deer with my binocs up, it becomes a forearm workout and i'll hold those binocs up to my eyes for 10 straight minutes if need be. Once the deer looks away, i can readjust myself.