Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or have just passed your first Hunter Safety Course, you can be sure to increase your success rates on a climbing stand. Hunting from up in the trees on a climber provides amazing visibility, makes it much harder to spook prey, and will give you more shot chances than hunting from the ground. Here are the top 8 tips you should keep in mind when using a climbing stand.
Tip #1 Safety First
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While bow hunting from a climbing stand provides numerous advantages, being 30 feet in the air can be dangerous. People often assume most hunting accidents involve a weapon or accidental misfires, but climbing accidents and even deaths do occur. In 2017, at least five hunters lost their lives due to accidents on a hunting stand. When using any kind of hunting stand, make sure to wear a harness.
A full body harness is great and has many benefits over a simple leg harness as it provides more support and is nearly impossible to slip out of. A 30-foot fall isn’t the only danger. Hanging from a harness for hours can cut off circulation to your legs and eventually lead to death. Practice climbing back onto your stand while suspended from your harness. Safety also starts with having the best hunting gear for the job.
Tip #2 Use A Haul Line
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When you’re rushing to get in place before dawn breaks, you may be tempted to scramble up a tree with all your gear and weapon. This not only makes it difficult to use a climbing stand but can be extremely dangerous. The added burden of a weapon and gear will also slow your climb.
Bring a simple length of rope along with your climber. Leave your gear at the base of the tree and tie it off to your haul line. Tie the other end to your stand and make your way up the tree. After you’re in position at the top and secured to the tree, you can relax and simply pull up your gear.
Tip #3 Hang Your Gear
After you’ve hauled all your equipment up to you in the stand, you’re going to want a place to put it. Holding your bow, bag, and drink for hours is not only tedious but can ruin your shot opportunity. Bring gear hooks that you can either wrap or drill into your tree. Be sure to set up the hooks and test hanging your equipment so that it doesn’t block your shooting lanes.
Many climbing stands even come with hooks or bow rests built in. These help speed up set up and ensure that your weapon is always within arm’s reach. As with any gear hook, be sure to move around and test positions, like full draw, to make sure nothing gets in the way.
Tip #4 Practice Makes Perfect
Climbing stands are quick and easy to setup, but you’re still going to want to practice before opening day. Find a straight tree, without a lot of branches, and work on your technique. Once you’re good at using the climber, you can test yourself on setting up quickly and quietly. A bit of preseason practice will make setting up at 5 am in the dark a breeze.
The Department of Natural Resources is making a strong push towards tree stand safety. A simple rule of ABCs: Always remove and inspect equipment, Buckle your harness, and Connect to the tree before climbing, following these rules can help ensure your hunt is a safe one.
Tip #5 Preseason Scouting
Just like when hunting from the ground, preseason prep and scouting is vital to a successful hunt. Climbing stands will give you more shooting lanes and amazing visibility, but you’re going to have to find and test out a number of trees. Climbers typically work best on tall, straight trees. Branches can be cut, but large branches will be difficult to remove.
Try to have your scouting done by September, so you’re out of the woods before your prey starts moving. White oaks are one of the best trees for climbers. They’re not only sturdy and strong but drop acorns that deer and other animals love.
Tip #6 Be Quick and Quiet
After you’ve practiced using your stand, scouted your area, and tested your gear, you need to perform all those skills quickly and quietly. Banging through the woods and clanking up a tree is likely to scare away every animal for miles. The same general rules apply when hunting from a stand. You want to get in early and set up before your prey starts moving about.
Many climbing stands can be worn like backpacks. Tying down loose straps and securing all moving parts can drastically reduce the amount of noise you’ll make when hiking in with a stand. Wrapping all metal with tape or cloth can also help muffle any banging or bumps you may experience along the way.
Tip #7 Be Patient
In recent years, bow and crossbow hunters are bagging more kills than ever before. 40% of deer taken are being taken by bow or crossbows compared to just 12% 5 years ago. While stands help increase our success rates, don’t get too excited when you land that perfect shot. Climbing stands get you up above the sightline of your usual prey and significantly reduce the chances of them spotting you first.
However, banging your way down a tree right after a good shot is sure to spook your prey. It’s best to wait 30 minutes or so before breaking down and going after your kill. Depending on how confident you are with your shot, you may want to wait a bit longer. Another 30 minutes in the stand is better than hiking for miles after spooked prey or losing it altogether.
Hunting from a stand will certainly up your chances of bagging your prey, but you’re going to be stuck in a tree for quite a while. Pack accordingly. Bring all your necessary sprays, snacks, water, and everything you’ll need to last you the day. Once you’re up in the air, you’re probably not going to want to get down unless it’s to go after a kill. Be prepared, get off the ground and into a tree with a climbing stand, and start tagging out every season. Here are additional bow hunting tips to become better and faster.
