Choosing to hunt from a treestand can be a very effective way to harvest an animal. After you have gone through the process of choosing the right treestand to buy, the real work begins. Where are you going to set your treestand!? Even if you know the area you want to hunt in, make sure you consider these 7 things before actually committing to a location and setting a treestand.

1) Consider the Expected Wind Direction

Because smell is by far a deer’s most heightened sense, wind direction is the first thing I consider before setting a treestand. Although you can’t accurately predict the season’s weather, it is a safe assumption that many of your hunts will consist of a north to northwest wind. To keep your scent going in a safe direction it is best to set a stand south or southeast of where you are most expecting the deer to be moving through. On the flip side of things, you may already have multiple stands set up for a north wind and may want to place your new stand where it will be ideal for a south wind. This tactic will help you be more versatile and flexible with your hunting locations depending on the weather. 

Stacking Odds in Your Favor

Your stand location is the BEST form of scent control! There are hundreds of products that claim to “eliminate” your human odor. There are detailed processes that people swear by to become scent free. But the most effective way to bypass a whitetail’s sense of smell is to never have your odor reach their nose.

Capitalize on locations with “dead zones” – or where you least expect the deer to be approaching. A high bluff, large body of water, or a bare open field would be a good example of this. If you can choose a location where your scent will be going into these “dead-zones” you will greatly optimize your hunting success. If the deer aren’t there, your scent should be!

Don’t make the mistake of setting a stand in a killer location before considering the expected wind direction. When you are out scouting and find an area you definitely want to hunt, consider what would be your ideal wind for that location and choose an appropriate vantage point. Just being 10 feet this way or that way off the trail could make the difference of tagging that trophy!

2) Consider Access In & Out

Having a treestand in the absolute best location is great, but if you don’t have concealed access in and out you very well may be wasting your time. Too often, hunters find a great area with high deer activity, find the perfect tree, and then their route of access is contemplated after their stand is set. Unfortunately, I am very guilty of this and have definitely learned from my mistakes.

My personal example of this is when I set my treestand on the northern edge of a field because I had witnessed a lot of deer movement in this location. I scouted it out, found the perfect tree with signs of high activity around me, considered the ideal wind, and it all seemed perfect. Perfect until I actually hunted it. You see, my only access to the property was from the south, which meant I had to cross the wide open field to get to my stand. In the mornings going in, I’d spook all the deer feeding in the field and in the evenings I’d scare out all the deer that had filtered in just before dark. I was literally pushing out and educating the deer every time I hunted that stand.

Use Natural Blockades

Berms, creek bottoms, tall grass, and thick timbered areas can provide excellent concealment in and out of your stand. If you have the ability to do so, planting tall grasses or leaving uncut corn can be a great way to provide cover across open areas. Whitetail Institute offers a product called Conceal that I am eager to test out on my hunting property.

When you’re planning out your route, don’t forget about the wind direction. Tall grasses and thick timbers will hide you from the deer’s eyes, but not their nose. Walking parallel to a food plot with a crosswind is a sure way to spook out deer. Although it’s not always feasible, having multiple access routes may be ideal.

Considering your access in and out of your secret spot can prove to be highly rewarding. When it comes to stacking the odds in your favor for that trophy deer, you cannot afford to skip this step.

3) Consider the Tree’s Geometry

After you’ve found the perfect location, you’ve considered the wind and access routes, it’s time to pick out the best tree. A straight tree is ideal for comfort. A small lean can really put a kink in your neck or back after a long day’s sit.

Also, a stand that is unable to be set straight can really cause instability. Stability in your treestand is crucial for many reasons!

• Safety – A stand that moves around will greatly increase your risk of a fall. A straight tree that allows you to have a sturdy platform is absolutely essential.
• The Shot – When it’s the moment of truth and you’re ready to let that arrow fly or bullet zip, you need to be steady and stable. In a treestand, that stability stems from the platform you’re on. You’ve worked too hard and put too many hours in to have a leaning stand cost you a buck of a lifetime.
• Stealth – Your stand will be most secure on a straight tree. This is important because a stand that moves, slips, or shifts, can create unwanted noise. A little creak or pop will be enough to send that trophy buck running!

What to Look For in a Tree

The formation of the tree will also dictate where exactly you can place your stand. You may want to face it a specific direction but due to the lean or the configuration of the branches you will not be able to. Take note of this when choosing your desired tree.

The size, or diameter, of the tree is important too. Smaller trees, 6 to 12 inches, will not provide very much cover and will sway ALOT on a windy day. You may be able to secure your stand to the tree really well, but if the tree itself is unstable, you’ll find yourself in a bad situation. Larger diameter trees are ideal, as they will provide excellent concealment and be more stable with high winds.

Pay attention to the condition of the tree. You want to set your stand in a growing strong tree. A tree that is dead or shows signs of rapid decay can be very dangerous. The last thing you want is for the tree to break or fall when you’re hunting out of it!

Rarely will you actually find the perfectly shaped tree in the exact location you wish. But being aware of the small things before committing to your placement will save you a lot of work and time. Consider the tree’s geometry before setting a stand to avoid wasted efforts.

4) Consider Your Cover

Being highly concealed is the name of the game, especially when trying to harvest a mature whitetail buck. Remember, they didn’t get that big by being stupid! The older bucks have been around and it is guaranteed they have seen a hunter up in a tree at some point in their life.

Larger diameter trees provide excellent back cover as they can shield most, if not all, of your entire body. I define back cover as having objects behind you that will break up your silhouette. Deer keen in on movement, and movement is best detected by contrasting in colors/brightness. By having a dark stationary background, your body shape and movement will be better concealed.

Equally important is forward cover. I define forward cover as having objects between me and the deer. The idea is to provide better camouflage and force the deer to look through something to see you. The more forward cover available, such as branches, trees, and leaves, the more broken up your body will appear. The key to concealment is to appear as small as you can. A large mass in the forest instantly will alarm deer, but a lot of little leaves and branches pose no threat to them. The goal is to display yourself as a lot of little leaves and branches. Trees with large limbs extending out in front of you are perfect for this. Remember too, leaves and vegetation can provide excellent cover for early season, but the large branches are what will really hide you in the bare forest of fall and winter.

Get Creative! Use What You Can

Sometimes it is just not feasible to have very much forward cover, for example when you’re hunting a field’s edge. If this is the case, your best bet will be to set your treestand as high as possible. If you are able to and feel comfortable doing it, set your stand at 20 plus feet in the air. This will help take you out of the deer’s immediate sight. However, be aware of your surrounding terrain. If the deer will be walking down a hill towards you or up on a high berm, you may want to place your stand even higher yet to be above their line of sight. Another tip is to position your stand where the tree you’re using, actually becomes your forward cover. The trunk, if large enough, just may be all you need to stay concealed.

If you happen to find an open tree that you must hunt, not all hope is lost. A good tip is to provide some well placed artifical cover. There are fake branches you can buy and attach them to your tree or platform. You also can gather some vines and limbs from around you and secure them where you want. The important thing is to still provide yourself with some sort of back cover and forward cover. Get creative by using rope, nails, or whatever you have to! Just make sure that your cover is highly considered before hunting that new treestand.

5) Consider Shot Opportunities

Visualizing where you plan to shoot that deer is key to your success. Think of your ideal situation: where is that buck coming from, when/where can you pull your bow back or position your gun, and how/where will you be able to stop him to get your kill shot? Know the surrounding trails, scrapes, and areas where they will be passing through. Your stand position on the tree will also change your angle at which you shoot the deer. For example, if you’re set up on a very large trunk, it may be impossible to lean around the tree and make a shot at the trail directly behind you. This is why it is so important to try and predict deer movement through your area. Anticipate exactly where you’ll shoot, but be ready to improvise in the moment!

Make very defined shooting lanes in these key areas, you don’t want a half inch twig ruining your shot at that buck of a lifetime. This works really well if you have the help of a good hunting partner. With one person in the stand, and another on the ground using a long pole saw, you can quickly trim clear paths to shoot. But, don’t go crazy and remove all the brush around you. There is an important balance of having cover and optimal shot opportunities.

Strategic in Your Trimming

I typically like to create two shooting windows that will be slightly up and back from me on a given trail. With this tactic I can sneak off a shot as the deer is slightly quartering away, no matter which direction it approaches. Leaving thick and heavy cover between these windows provides an opportunity to get prepared for the shot, which is highly important for a bow hunter. The diagram below illustrates this well.

Getting a deer close to you is a big part of the battle, but one of the most heart dropping moments is when a big buck comes within 10 yards and never provides a shot opportunity. Having well placed and defined shooting lanes is absolutely essential for that moment of truth. It is time well spent to clear out these areas before hunting your new treestand.

6) Consider Sun Glare

A consideration that is highly overlooked when placing your stand is the angle at which the sun will hit you. You’ve thought of everything, your stand is placed on the perfect tree, at the perfect height, with your ideal wind, and all shooting lanes have been strategically positioned. It’s your first time hunting your newly set stand and as the sun rises, you quickly realize you forgot about one thing. Yes, that’s right, you have positioned your stand to face directly at the sun!

This may just seem annoying as you have to squint your eyes, but it really is hurting you much more. With the sun completely lighting you up, you might as well wave at the deer to let them know where you are. Having the sun beam right on you can also create glare off of your equipment. Your bow, binoculars, glasses, etc. easily can become a focal point to the deer if the light is shining off them.

Being tucked in the shadows of the tree can help conceal your body like you wouldn’t believe. The darkness will distort your body outline and help hide your movement. Any bit of extra concealment, especially for bow hunting, is absolutely critical.

Avoid sun glare, in the mornings and evenings, by positioning your stand on the tree correctly. Sometimes finding a tree shielded by a larger one or a tree up against a bluff will be enough to block out the sun during your hunt. Allow yourself to see the deer better, and keep them from seeing you glow in the tree by considering the expected sun glare before you set your treestand.

7) Consider Safety, ALWAYS!

ALWAYS consider safety as a top priority, especially when you’re hunting from a treestand. ALWAYS wear a safety harness and use a safe line for climbing in and out of the tree. From the moment you step off the ground you should be tied off to prevent, or at least minimize, the risks of a fall. Have a strap permanently placed up in your tree so that you can snap your harness line to it as soon as you set foot on the platform. Before I take my backpack off or haul up my bow I transfer my safety hook from my climbing line to my solid strap around the tree.

You may be the best of all climbers but equipment can and will fail. Constantly check straps and cables when you hunt, but still be prepared if something should go wrong. You can help prepare yourself for these dangerous situations by having backups in place. For example, you may be stable in your stand, but if the platform cable breaks, you will find yourself helpless. By having other safety measures in place such as being tied off in your harness, you won’t plummet to the ground. Straps around your stand and climbing sticks should be checked each use for rips and tears and replaced every 2-3 years. The money you put into safety for your treestand may be the most important investment you ever make!

Prepare for the Unexpected

Another safety measure I always implement is sharing my location and expected time of return. The HuntStand app is ideal for this. I mark on the satellite imagery map the locations of all my stands/blinds, apply a different name to each, then sync share with my wife’s phone. She then has a map that shows where my stands are set and can even track my exact location. If I were to be helplessly hanging from a tree, it is comforting to know that rescuers will know exactly where to find me.

In emergency situations, time can be the difference of life and death. Try to always have your phone charged and with you. As a backup to that, be confident that others know where you are hunting and when you should return. It’s easy to imagine how quickly you can become helpless out there. Picture yourself up in a stand without a harness, you slip or the cables break and as you hit the ground you break your legs and back. Your only hope is that someone finds you and carries you out to safety. With a dead phone and nobody aware of your location, how many hours go by before you’re found? How many days? It’s scary to think about and a risk that none of us should ever take!

Hunting is our passion but in the end we all have the same goal to return home safely to our loved ones. To recap on safety:

ALWAYS…

• wear a safety harness
• install and use a safety line
• share your location and time of return with others
• have your phone on you and charged

Create Your Success

Before you get out in the field this season, consider these 7 things when setting a tree stand. By doing so, you will increase your odds of punching that tag on a trophy whitetail. If you already have a treestand set, think about these 7 considerations next time you hunt there. Are there things you can improve on? Is there a better location just a few yards off? The work you put in now can become very rewarding later on! As with everything, be willing to accept your mistakes and continue to learn. Anyone can throw a stand in a tree but it takes a good hunter to tune into the key elements and subtle details. This is what will make the difference between a “success” and an “almost” story.