Does anyone else do their long range hunting from a treestand or from the ground ?

[scott0303]

I can see 750 yards across a big field and 850 down the power line. Both stands are the same.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Aye Sir! I still have much to learn. From day one, I learn that there is always somebody far better than I am with far more knowledge and real-world experience.

Tis true. When we stop learning, we stop growing. When we stop growing, we begin dying.

 

[FEENIX]

Tis true. When we stop learning, we stop growing. When we stop growing, we begin dying.

BAM!

 

[dgr416]

I just started hunting out of a blind this year .I finally shot a deer out of one 15 yards away .It was in a gully and kept ducking .I noticed that deer stop when your in a treestand and freeze . They just keep walking when your in a blind .I don't know how much longer I can climb up a treestand I am 58 .I have to take it out in the woods on my deer carrier these days and not on my back .Our deer are super smart .I just built a standing bench rest to shoot off of for hunting it works awesome.I used scrap old weathered wood that blends in the trees and deer come right up to it with me behind it .i am going to try my 338-378 weatherby off of it next year for deer .

 

[sendero72]

I grew up in SC, so the standard practice is the ladder stand. I shoot over the bean fields in a two-man ladder attached to a huge oak or pine. Using a piece of 3/8 plywood, I cut out a section that looks like a bench rest that will reach across the rail at all angles. Then place my front and rear sandbags which will give me a solid rest out to 1000 yds. Longest kill shot from the stand is 940 yds with a 7mag, 162gr Amax. I've shot dozens of whitetails in this scenario.

 

[GLTaylor]

Too old now. Gave away all my climbing tree stands. Will hunt off a ladder stand if i have to.
Now i hunt on the ground and use cross sticks. Good to 400 yds - my self imposed limit. Practice that far in my lower field (farm).

 

[Mike Matteson]

I have never hunted from a tree stand or elevated platform. I don't have acrophobia, as I enjoyed jumping from a plane when younger. I have shot from edges of cliffs in prone and sitting positions. Whatever works for you is good, but I like being on the ground, since it feels more stable.

I have hunted from tree stands when using a bow in Az. When I was a lot younger I had a choose of either joining the Air force, Navy, or the Marines, but I couldn't fly or walk on water. So I waited for the draft. In 1968 while being drafted 250 of use took the oath at the same time. My last two serial numbers was 98. They from 201 to 250 into the Marines. I didn't fallow my rule. I signed up for Jump School, and ended up flying as a Dustoff Medic or as a door gunner part of my time over there, in Vietnam in 1969. The moral of the story is, me too being on the ground.

 

[Bucklowery]

When I can it is prone from the ground but I do occasionally from box blinds when needed for visibility

Thanks

Buck

 

[ndking1126]

From a deer stand, I'm thinking my max distance would be about 200 yards.. and that's assuming a good rest to shoot from. Many treestands I'd have to keep it even less than that. I'm not worth much unless shooting prone with a good bag or bipod.

 

[skipglo]

Whatever best fits the need!

 

[30calyooper]

Define long range hunting from a tree stand. I've been able to range deer out to 770 yards from my platform 20' up a tree. The only time I could even consider taking that shot would be the first and last hour of daylight. Even shooting from it at half that range was difficult due to movement from wind. In my rifle hunting area, finding trees big enough on edges of clear-cuts is tough. Usually 10-12" diameter trees at the location the stand is hung is typical. I've passed up so many shots from these scenarios that now I only hunt areas where shots are 200-300 yards max. I do prefer hunting from a treestand with a rifle as it definitely does offer better shot opportunities. For me tho, I had to minimize range from wind being an issue in both my confidence and shooting ability.

Good common sense approach! One I had driven home the hard way as a younger guy - got a little cocky and tried an across-the-hayfield shot on a dandy of a buck. Wasn't all that windy...until of course the second I squeezed it off and my tree swayed a few inches sideways in what had to be the biggest gust of the day. Yep, arrogance has a price alright...bottom line - tracked for a lot longer distance than I was happy about, and a couple of private landowners were not very nice to me. Finally lost blood and he made it down into heavy swamp cover...and of course it snowed like crazy that night. Tried for two more days - Lost a fine buck. Learned a lesson I always share with new hunters - always stay within your known capabilities. Don't shoot 300 at the range then assume you can still make it count beyond that!

 

[dale guthormsen]

I have hunted from tree stands when using a bow in Az. When I was a lot younger I had a choose of either joining the Air force, Navy, or the Marines, but I couldn't fly or walk on water. So I waited for the draft. In 1968 while being drafted 250 of use took the oath at the same time. My last two serial numbers was 98. They from 201 to 250 into the Marines. I didn't fallow my rule. I signed up for Jump School, and ended up flying as a Dustoff Medic or as a door gunner part of my time over there, in Vietnam in 1969. The moral of the story is, me too being on the ground.

Ahh! All I can say to a dust off medic is, God Bless You! was a ground pounding marine over there 68/69!
crashed 2 times in choppers .
I stay on the ground and do not fly!
Almost no trees here. plenty of big open deer country though. prone seldom works in prairies, at least for lr shooting.
to me finding doable long range shots, even in prairies is the hard hunting part.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I can see 750 yards across a big field and 850 down the power line. Both stands are the same.

Good common sense approach! One I had driven home the hard way as a younger guy - got a little cocky and tried an across-the-hayfield shot on a dandy of a buck. Wasn't all that windy...until of course the second I squeezed it off and my tree swayed a few inches sideways in what had to be the biggest gust of the day. Yep, arrogance has a price alright...bottom line - tracked for a lot longer distance than I was happy about, and a couple of private landowners were not very nice to me. Finally lost blood and he made it down into heavy swamp cover...and of course it snowed like crazy that night. Tried for two more days - Lost a fine buck. Learned a lesson I always share with new hunters - always stay within your known capabilities. Don't shoot 300 at the range then assume you can still make it count beyond that!

We all learn the hard way at times. That lesson hurts a little more when a nice animal is lost. I've been there and learned the hard way as well.

 

[del2les]

I have done and do both. Before permanently moving to CO, I grew up back East, and often, we hunted from elevated houses. tripods, home made climbing "Trecliner" stands with aluminum rails for shooting support, and of course the ground. Watching ag fields, power line ROWs, clear cuts, etc, and having the ability to also look into the timber behind or side of us was a plus. Shots into the woods could be short, or across the openings, several hundreds of yards to whatever range you could connect.

The more typical dual purpose climbing stand, bow and firearm, offers little shooting support, but several can be modified with shooting braces. Our home made recliner stands, which eventually we marketed, trademarked (Trecliner) and sold, offered all day comfort and better bracing support for long shots.