How High?

**ToddCountyKiller** · 11-01-2009, 07:36 PM

Hwy guys and gals, I hunt from a climbing stand. Just wondering what heights ya'll hunt from and see as effective. I usually sit about 12 to 15 feet.

**GWSmith** · 11-01-2009, 07:44 PM

I have a 20ft pull rope for my weapons and tie it to the top section of my climber.
I quit climbing when it starts to move the weapon on the ground.
For Rifle season I dont mind being that high or even a little higher.
For Bow season I like to be under that height and tie off the pull cord accordingly depending on the availible cover.

If you've climbed enough trees you'll realize that you can actually climb too high in the woods. You get to a point when the lower limbs of trees start to decrease your vision of the ground defeating the purpose.

Maximum Visibility for Rifle season.
As low as possible for Bow season while maintaining back cover for the stand to increase the likelyhood of a double lung shot.

**fly** · 11-01-2009, 07:47 PM

Depends on the tree. My lowest is about 20 feet and my highest about 35 feet. The 20 foot stand has a lot of large branches after 20 feet that I'd rather not cut because I like the cover they provide. The 35 foot stand I don't hunt until about now and then has no cover so I have to get high to avoid deer seeing me.

Most of my stands are around 25 feet high.

I only use 2 hang on stands. I use rapid rails and stick ladders to get that high.

**mike13candace** · 11-01-2009, 07:54 PM

Twenty feet minimun.. I've been picked off two days in a row from 17 ft. Both deer walked down run.. stopped and looked up at me... busted..

**Rhino** · 11-01-2009, 08:03 PM

It all depends on cover and the setup. My bowhunting treestands vary from a low of ~14' to a max height of 27' to the platform of my stands. My firearm stands vary from ground level sitting on the side of a ridge up to ~25'. I honestly don't believe there's a magic number. Every set is different.

**camoman1** · 11-01-2009, 08:05 PM

Mine are all 17-20 ft high or so. I dont have the need to go any higher.

**NC8point** · 11-01-2009, 08:17 PM

15' to 20' im my area I can't get alot higher without skylining myself

**sskybnd** · 11-01-2009, 08:22 PM

20 to 25 ft, higher if im using a pine tree

**BearClaw** · 11-02-2009, 09:56 PM

I'm up around 17-18 feet

**MCH** · 11-03-2009, 11:45 AM

Depends upon the tree and the backdrop. I've successfully hunted from 12 feet off the ground with a bushy tree behind me and then I've got a new stand for this year where I'm 30 feet up a pine tree with no backdrop.

**Whitetail Freak Hunter** · 11-03-2009, 12:01 PM

I used to climb telephone poles for a living, and 22' feet takes getting used to, but once its done its okay. Some guy's like just being at 12' feet and that is okay.

Never go higher than you need to, or feel okay with as its not falling that hurts but hitting the ground should you do that. Wear a good harness, and get an arrest that will lower you to the ground should you be saved by your harness.

**dbHunterNY** · 11-03-2009, 12:07 PM

It depends on the tree but the stand is usually at around 15'.

**brad dryden** · 11-03-2009, 08:35 PM

I only go any where from 12-17ft depends on the situation the reason I dont go as high as 20-35ft is I have been in situations where the bottom climber of the stand falls then I have to rig up my safty harness and us it as a rope to climb down with but now I have a new stand and dont have this issue in mind my old stand was over 10 years old. Also I don't feel comfortable going any higher but I have good luck at these highs not a issue with deer seeing me yet.

**OUTSIDER** · 11-04-2009, 08:06 AM

usually 35 or so feet up in the tree while using my climber, but my hang on stands are much lower, i usually put them in trees that render myself a lot of cover, usually large oaks, or pine trees and then maybe 20-25 feet is all i go.