Deer Stand or The Ground

[Plundering Bill]

I think often it just depends on the area you are hunting. Where I am, I am in a stand in the woods...lots of tall oak trees dropping acorns and the extra visability range helps. However, when I am watching tree lines across the fields, I am just sitty behind hay bails.

For me, my first goal is to be a meat hunter. I have a large family (4 sons - used to be that was a small family) and they eat like termites. Heck, not just eat...they graze! Anyway, we take 6-10 deer and 2 - 4 turkeys per year for meat value. I do not hunt for racks, so to say. I adore a good buck, but my primary goal is to fill the freezer first. Couple that with a large garden with 30 different veggies and I do quite well!.

Where I am in VA, the tag allows 3 bucks and 3 does, limit 2 per day. You can get additional doe stamps at 2 each, as many as you are willing to pay for. I have never needed them since both my older sons have their own tags. By the way, there are a lot of deer and turkey here in VA.

[teacherboy]

For bow hunting I hunt out of a tree stand. Gun hunting I start in a ground blind for the first hour then go out still hunting.

[senn.15]

I sit in a stand most of the time. I like being able to see more of my surroundings. My stand is at the edge of a woods and grassy area so the height helps me see into the grass.

[Terry_P]

I hunt during the bow season as well as firearms and stand hunt 100% during bow season and 80% during firearms.

[Gene Seward]

I love both, but since having my second back surgery I can no longer draw a compound bow any way except standing I have started to hunt only from a stand. On the ground takes alot more skill, and you learn to get up close and personal. Somehow I just don't think indians hunted from tree stands. LOL

[Trek Jeff]

Up high. I enjoy seeing more of what's going on around me and for a safety issue, during gun season people can see me (orange in Michigan)

[carver]

Originally Posted by Jmg198

Do you like to deer hunt from a stand or do you like to hunt from the ground? I am going to try deer hunting from a stand this year. I am open to tips for hunting from a stands. What are your reasons for hunting deer from a stand as opposed to hunting from the ground or vice versa?

I used to hunt from homemade stands, couldn't afford a store bought one. My stands were no more than 8' - 10' tall. Due to old Arthur, I have been hunting form a ground blind for the last few years. I also used to still hunt a lot, but because the old legs don't work so well anymore, walking in the woods has become a chore, and still hunting is out of the question. For some reason I keep tripping on anything, and everything! Can't slip up on a deer like that!! The stands I made were out of treated 1"X4"X8', or 10' boards, trimmed to 1"X3". Each leg was routed at an angle to accept the steps. Steps were attached with drywall screws. After the steeps were attached I would drill a hole under the steeps on both sides and run a piece of all-thread through, and using nuts and washers, would pull it all together real tight. The seat was attached, and made from marine grade plywood, about 24" square, with a "V" cut in the back side to fit a tree trunk. It was braced back against the legs from the back side of the seat. I used a chain and turnbuckle system, attached to the seat braces, to lock the stand to a tree. This method was strong enough that I could stand on the seat and jump up and down on it safely, and weighed no more than 40 lbs. I have killed many deer from just such a stand, and so have both of my sons. The one I was using was built about 20 years ago. I would leave it in the woods year round. Before hunting season started I would grab several cans of flat spray paint in green, brown and grey, go out to the stand and paint it. I lost it this year due to logging in the area where I hunt, but family members were using it as late as last season. These logger morons destroyed several stands back in September. They just didn't care! Tore up anything that got in the way as they clear cut about 200 acres. Mine was removed from the tree they wanted to cut, and then ran over by a skidder. I am however, thinking of a store bought one at this time, might, or might not, purchase one. If I can find one that will let me remove some of the leg sections, and set it up at about 10', I might just purchase it. Am also thinking about a box stand with steeps up the side so the wife can come sit with me when she wants to. As far as hunting from the ground is concerned, I have seen deer walk up and touch a hunter sitting on the ground. They are curious creatures, and if you have covered you scent well enough, and don't move, they will walk right up to you.

[younggun28]

i hunt in a stand because i dont think the deer will be able to spot you as well and you have a better view

[Jmg198]

For me when I hunt on the ground I never see deer until they snort. Then I see there tail go up and they take off running. When I'm in the stand, they tend to move all around me and will come right up to my tree.

[tbam]

I do both, but more from the ground. I've killed 75% of my deer from still hunting

[45nut]

I prefer a blind / stand, but the most thrilling hunts are when I still hunt a deer and kill it. But, I am a meathunter and putting deer in the freezer is the most important point of the hunt.

Whether it's a ground blind or an elevated box blind or a tripod, I think it helps to have some cover. I have hunted on the ground with the camo burlap and my 3 legged stool in the right location.

My favorite set up was my tripod. It was 12' tall at the base and 14' at the seat. I covered the sides with camo netting but never bothered with a cover. I hung my back pack from a biner hanging from a heavy duty wire tie. I killed many deer from that stand.

[guntech59]

I really enjoy the challenge of hunting the animals on their own turf. I have alot of fun trying to sneak up on them.

I do have a stand that I use to sit on field edges. That seems to work well til the deep snow hits, then I'm back on the ground again.

This past Sunday, I had 3 deer within 30 yards of me that had no idea I was there. I got exactly zero of them because the trees and brish were just too thick to sneak a shot through. That was the second time in two weekends that I was in the same place, in the same situation.

NEXT YEAR I'm going to put a ladder stand about 10 yards further back. I'll be able to see OVER the crap

[flannelman]

I voted for the stand. I have hunted both ways and it really depends on where I am going and what I'm hunt with as to which method I choose. I almost always bow hunt from a stand. I have used ladders, climbers, and box stands and have had success with them all. I have also used a pop up ground blind and natural cover with success. Often if I am hunting a new area I will leave the stand at home and take a small folding stool and my gps. I'll slip through the woods till I find a likely spot and then just sit on the stool till something comes by or till I decide to move. I killed a couple of does this year hunting like that. It is amazing how close they will come to you when you are on the ground. I had one come in at about 15 yards while I was sitting on my stool. She was looking at me the whole time but never got spooked because I was still and I had some cover around me to help break up my outline. I was able to shoot that doe after she calmed down and began to feed away from me. Talk about a rush!! One important thing is to be sure you have some cover behind you. I think is is more important than having cover in front of you. I had a group of small pine trees behind me when that doe came out but there was nothing between me and her. I think that is true if you are in the stand of on the ground. I also like to use a climbing stand because I can move from place to place. Be sure to get a good one though. Most of the cheaper ones are well built but they are so heavy that you won't use them in the end. I have one made of steel and I usually find a tree that I want to hunt on and just leave the thing chained to the tree when I leave. Always be sure to wear a safety harness when hunting from a stand!!

[Jmg198]

I hunted from a stand on the final day of regular deer firearm season this year. (I have still not taken a deer after three years of hunting.) I went to the range this year and sited my 12 gauge in and have even been shooting trap for the past several months. I wanted to make sure that this year I wouldn't miss my shot, as I have done during the previous two hunting seasons. This season I waited for the perfect shot. The deer was about 30-40 yards away broadside. I shot, the deer jumped slightly and then walked away. I lost site of the deer at about 100 yards away. My uncle and myself found hair and a piece of skin where I took the shot and picked up a blood trail at about 80 yards away. We followed the blood trail for about 100 more yards and then the trail stopped. We where in a area of tall grass and many fallen trees. Well any way we searched for more than three hours for the deer and where not able to find it. I went back to the spot later the next morning and still could not find any signs of a deer from the point we last spotted blood. Does anyone put tracking devices in there slugs?

[flannelman]

I hate to hear that you lost that deer but it happens sometimes. I don't think there are any slugs with tracking devices in them. Are you required to use only slugs where you hunt?

[Jmg198]

Rifles are not allowed where I hunt.

[flannelman]

Do you use a smooth bore or a slug barrel on your shotgun? What about buckshot, can you use that? We can use rifles here but I started out with a shotgun and switched between slugs and buckshot based on where I was going to hunt. I missed a lot of deer even with a shotgun when I was learning to hunt. I shot at a doe 4 times with a 16 ga and buckshot and never cut a hair. The bad part was that she was standing still for each shot!!

[Jmg198]

I use a 12 gauge smoothbore Savage 755A. Buckshot isn't allowed either in my area. I would have shot a 2nd time but the deer was walking directly away from me and in and out of heavy trees and brush.

[jacksonco]

I am a land lubber when it comes to deer hunting. I am no too fond of the height factor involved in tree stand hunting. Seemed to always get a deer though so there was not much incentive to change my tactics.

[flannelman]

Originally Posted by Jmg198

I use a 12 gauge smoothbore Savage 755A. Buckshot isn't allowed either in my area. I would have shot a 2nd time but the deer was walking directly away from me and in and out of heavy trees and brush.

Are you allowed to use the rifled slug barrels up there? I know they get good accuracy out of the new slugs with those barrels out to 100-150 yards. Keep at it and you will get that deer.

[Jmg198]

Yes, we are allowed to use the rifled slug barrels and if all goes as planned I will have one fitted on my New England 20 gauge with enough time to practice with it before the next season begins.

Hopefully a bunch of laws are not changed by then. During this past season a man opened fire on a deer not realizing that one of his slugs hit the day care center behind the deer. No one was hurt and he was said to have been 277yds away from the center, but why would you shoot towards a building. Now everyone is wants something done about it. I haven't heard what kind of gun he was using. I also didn't realize that a slug could travel over 277yds. I kind of assumed that they can travel over 150yds, just not with much accuracy.

[tex45acp]

For those of you that like your stands.........equipped, here you go. A South Texas Long Range Special, With all the comforts of home!!!

[durk]

Originally Posted by tex45acp

For those of you that like your stands.........equipped, here you go. A South Texas Long Range Special, With all the comforts of home!!!

He he, that's what i'm talking about!

[aloft]

Originally Posted by tex45acp

For those of you that like your stands.........equipped, here you go. A South Texas Long Range Special, With all the comforts of home!!!

Is there a bathroom and a wet bar? This is the best I can do here in the northeast.

[connor992]

personally, i like to hunt from a stand, most of them are no more than 12-13 feet. i dont see the point of going any higher. i was able to take a 17 point w/ my gun and a nice 8 point w/ my bow this year, plus 2 does... but if you are taking someone w/ less experience, or a young hunter, i would probablly hunt from the ground