Deer season is approaching and it’s almost time for Dad and I get our tree seats up.  Blake Anderson at Huntertreestands.com offers this advice for the best places and types of tree stands to use to ensure you land that buck!

Thanks Blake!

The Sky Condo that Dad and I built.

Optimized Tree-Stand Placement

There are a lot of elements during hunting that are often out of your control, which can ultimately lead to an unsuccessful hunt. However if you optimize those components that are within your control, then you can quickly turn a disappointment into a great victory. Tree stand placement is one of those key rudimentary elements that will decide whether or not you end up empty handed, and there is more to it than just finding a great location.

Proper height placement will help you solve several different problems that most hunters face when hunting deer and other intelligent animals. Deer have a keen nose and will easily evade even the most experienced hunter if the proper steps aren’t taken to give you the advantage.

The goal when selecting how high up to place your tree-stand is to go as high as possible while still remaining safe. A good starting height is around 20 feet, but I’ve heard of hunters working their way up to 25 to 35 feet into a tree. The reason why great emphasis is placed on tree stand height is because it helps you solve two key elements that are in your control. The higher up you go, the less concentrated your scent will be when it arrives at the deer’s nose. Obviously if you are trying to stalk a deer at ground level, then your smell is at its strongest levels. So it only makes sense that the higher up you are, the less likely you will frighten off a deer due to your scent. The other advantage is that not only will you be able to see further, but there will be a less likely chance that the deer will spot you.

No matter how high up in the tree you go, you should still always keep the direction and strength of the wind in the back of your mind. It can be as equally and even more important than a tree stands height placement and mean the difference between seeing multiple deer that day or none at all. Choose your stand location so that the animal will arrive upwind or in the crosswind of your stand. 

 Also be sure to approach the location by walking up to it with the wind blowing towards you.

The best tree to choose will be the one that is easiest to climb and doesn’t require a ton of preparation and movement before you are fully situated. Look for a tree that is as straight as possible and doesn’t have a lot of branches that will break and fall on your way up. It makes no sense to choose a great spot and then thoughtlessly scare every deer in the area away. Keep these few basic principles in mind when looking for a great tree stand location and you’re sure to optimize your chances of having a successful hunt.

Blake Anderson

Huntertreestands.com