Should you hunt out of a tree stand? Heck yeah! I’ve been climbing up in stands for over 40 years with just a few scrapes and bruises. Quite a few manufacturers make safety gear if you’re worried about falling and hurting or killing yourself. Deer, both whitetail and mule, can see, smell and hear better than any other living creature, so getting yourself elevated will give you the advantage over those superpowers.
So why is it worth taking the risk hunting in a tree stand? Well, they just work! I have had some sketchy moments in tree stands where life and limb were on the line and I know that they can be deadly, but I still find myself using these powerful tools, year after year, preferably during deer season and the rut. Why? Well, remember, deer are comfortable when they can hear, smell, and see. Anything that perturbs anyone of those senses makes for a skittish animal. You should hunt from a stand, and you can do it safely.
Here is a simple list of best practices and safety tips that can go a long way when you are 18 to 25 feet up in a tree.
- Buy, don’t build (unless you’re confident in your construction methodologies)
- Know your limitations
- Plan your hunt
- Harness and tether
- Stay awake
- Secure your gear
There are still things that can go wrong, but if you mitigate risk from tree stand falls, you can walk away from your stand season after season with only happy hunting stories to tell your buddies.
Safest Tree Stand Practices
I came up with the safest tree stand hunting list after 40 years of stand hunting on the eastern plains of Colorado, around the Midwest and in the South. Convinced that you cannot beat being elevated when it comes to hunting success, I also wanted to ensure that my hunts would be safe and enjoyable. So, climb in that stand! You’ll see more deer and your shot opportunities will increase significantly. Here is what I learned.
I was hunting whitetail in Missouri on Fort Leavenworth and drew a great hunting spot. Fortunately for me, someone had already built an elevated stand on a game trail that looked promising. At first glance, the stand looked pretty stable, but halfway up the ladder, I heard a snap, and moments later I was on my ass. The 2×4 rungs of the makeshift ladder had rotted out from the inside out in the Missouri humidity. The only way to ensure that you avoid a situation where you may get hurt is not to climb a stand you are not sure about. Modern hunting stands are designed for strength and durability and to handle a certain load. Billy Bob’s homemade tree stand “is what it is” and an accompanying sign should read “use at your own risk.” Unless you built it or bought it, I would stay out of homemade tree stands. That simple principle could save you a lot of broken bones or punctured lungs.
Know yourself. Climbing 25 feet into a cottonwood to install a tree stand is risky business. If you have health issues or lack the adequate upper and lower body strength you could easily find yourself in a sticky situation. Gravity is not on your side in these situations. Hunt from a blind if you are more comfortable and capable on the ground.
Related Article: Do Ground Blinds Spook Deer?
Plan properly. Tree stand placement is an art form. I will usually take hundreds of pictures with my trail cams on a deer trail to determine where I should best place my stand for maximum opportunity. Likewise, setting up your stand in a dead, rotten cottonwood could spell disaster in high winds. Make sure the stand you are installing is perched in a solid, wide, and healthy tree. Avoid dead branches and watch out for trees that have not grown straight up and down. Climbing and descending can have a funhouse effect if the tree isn’t straight.
If you don’t tether – you’re crazy. Simple as that. A simple harness can and will save you some broken vertebrae or a leg or two. I’ve gotten into the practice of hooking myself into the ladder of my ladder stand with every step I take up. It forces me to slow down and assess the state of my ascent or descent. Yes, I’ve slipped several times on slippery and icy stands and ladders and every time the harness and tether have saved my ass. It just takes moments and unlike some of the rumors about harnesses affecting your bow shot, it’s just not true. There are so many products out there, you are bound to find the one that fits your hunting style the best.
Stay awake. I know at least two hunters who did a face plant from a tree stand. Both walked away, but they were shaken. Mike never climbed a tree again. Once again, know your limitations, secondly, bring a little coffee with you. It could be a long morning and the urge to get a little shut-eye before dawn and deer movement is tempting.
Simple Tactic for Avoiding Accidents
Most accidents occur when a hunter is entering or exiting a stand. Simple things can really mess you up while your climbing or descending. Firstly, folks, take off that class or wedding ring. It was about 2002 when a buddy of mine found himself at the ER in a Podunk little town trying to get his ring finger stitched back on. He had caught his wedding band on a climbing spike while descending his stand on the way to his truck for a coffee refill. Bottom Line: Take it off or get a rubber wedding band.
Stay Alive – Don’t Push It
20 years ago, on a Colorado late plains archery hunt, I fell ten feet into a snowbank trying to save some time by climbing my ladder stand with my bow in hand. Normally, I climb unencumbered then hoist all my gear up via a rope. It’s just safer that way. Before climbing secure all loose clothing, especially your shoelaces.
Related Questions
What Is The Most Important Piece Of Gear When You’re Tree Stand Hunting?
So, you want to get elevated when hunting? I highly recommend it. I also recommend that you go buy a harness, that’s non-negotiable. Read the directions on properly wearing the harness, keeping in mind safety first. Secure your gear before you climb or descend. For goodness sake, have a plan for staying awake and always stay tethered on the way up, in the stand, and until you’re safely back on the ground.
Do You Have Any More Advice To The Novice Or Expert Tree Stand Hunter?
Another reminder if you are hunting alone – bring your cell phone. It could save your life if you’re too injured to belly crawl back to your truck parked a 1/2 mile away. If you’re hunting in a cell phone dead zone and hunting with others, carry a “push to talk”, two-way radio. It will at least provide you some short-range communication with your hunting buddies. There is no reason why you can’t hunt from a stand both successfully and safely.
