Tree hunting

[BigBoresmokepole]

Do you hunt out of tree or on ground for muzzleloader season? I hunt out of a tree saddle now it is so nice and comfortable and you don't have to limb the tree. And you are always hooked in. And it's very quick moving to a different location and set up in no time.

 

[MrTom]

I'm in a permanent elevated stand.

 

[deermanok]

For me, it kinda depends on where I'm hunting on a particular day.
My go to stand is an old (20+) years, API climber. At 18 pounds, it's not too bad to carry, but my 70 year old body is starting to like hunting on the ground, LOL. When I do, the Millennium tree seat is what I use.

 

[bronko220002]

I hunt from the ground with the muzzy. Why? because I like to move around. I'll sit in a spot that I scouted out for a couple hours then still hunt until I see another promising looking spot and sit for a while and continue this. I've taken several deer just slowly still hunting. A couple I shot while they were still in their beds unaware I was even there. Moving slooooooowly is the key. Take a step or two and look all around. Each step gives you an entirely different view of the landscape. And don't forget to look behind you. One time I walked about 35 yards right past a bedded 8 pt and he never moved. He was laying flat behind a log. When I was past him about 50 yards or so I looked back and saw a color that was out of place. I stood there motionless for a long time watching it and sure enough he raised his head to lick his back. When he put his head back down I moved to get a solid rest on a tree limb and shot him in his bed. He never got up. Just flipped over.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have 2 Summit alum. climbers i use 90% of the time. I have just one ground blind left of the 3 i had. Tree rats have ruined one of them, chewed holes all over it. Another has 2 holes chewed into it. I will set it out this Fall n i am sure they will ruin it. I am not buying anymore of them. I will throw up limbs around a dead-fall n use natural.

 

[MrTom]

One time I walked about 35 yards right past a bedded 8 pt and he never moved. He was laying flat behind a log. When I was past him about 50 yards or so I looked back and saw a color that was out of place. I stood there motionless for a long time watching it and sure enough he raised his head to lick his back. When he put his head back down I moved to get a solid rest on a tree limb and shot him in his bed. He never got up. Just flipped over.

Back many years when we actually had snow during our season in SE Minnesota, I always still hunted and my reward on several occasions was a deer shot in its bed. I've shot a ton of bedded deer walking standing corn too, but you have to have wind to do that.

 

[jd24.5.48]

It just depends on where I'm hunting. I've got a climber that I love hunting out of because it's a very comfortable stand. I've got a comfortable Turkey hunting chair that sits on the ground and Is light enough to pack around and use for ground hunting. I also have a ladder stand up and very rarely hunt out of it. Just depends on the season and the weather!

 

[Fyrstyk]

I am intrigued by the tree saddles, but don't think my 70 year old body is up to climbing trees and hanging from a seat. How do you get up in the tree? Do you climb, or use some other method?

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

SRT method and a foot attached accender. I lot of YouTube videos on the subject and I've been doing for 2 years now and love it and I'm 55. You have to have the right gear for the job to be safe.

 

[nodanlboone]

Speaking of tree stands, I can't remember if I asked this before, but I also like to move around so I mostly hunt on the ground and hit where I aim consistently, but when I do get into my father-in-law's permanent stand it seems I can't hit the broad side of a barn. It doesn't seem logical, but do you aim differently from above the ground?

 

[Va Hunter]

I hunt out of this overlooking my food plot .

 

[smokepolehall]

Speaking of tree stands, I can't remember if I asked this before, but I also like to move around so I mostly hunt on the ground and hit where I aim consistently, but when I do get into my father-in-law's permanent stand it seems I can't hit the broad side of a barn. It doesn't seem logical, but do you aim differently from above the ground?

I don't aim differently if in my climber, doubt there would be enough rise to miss my spot over couple of inches. I use support while aiming, a good steady point of aim keeps you in the vitals, well at least me it does. I have no idea or control on what others do n aim.

 

[gman57]

Like most it depends on weather and location 90% of the time I’ll be in my Summit climber, I put a mesh seat on it and it’s a lot lighter carrying in and more more comfortable in the warm hunting conditions in NC. if a chance of rain I have my tree umbrella. On a cold rainy day I’m in my seat ground blind and my 76 yr old bones stay warm and dry. I’m out from dawn to dusk so I gotta be comfy.

 

[Whokalouie]

I am too old for this now but in my young country hick days I did this.
Found the right ponderosa thirty yards from the main elk/deer trail that left my alfalfa field and went into the timber. Attached a twelve foot wooden ladder to the tree. From there it was easy climbing on heavy limbs. I tied my swing (two ten foot ropes tied to an above limb and a padded seat) so it was above and behind a branch 18" below for a foot rest. The seat was at 18' above ground. With a swing a person can rotate to look 360 degrees and your silhouette changes VERY little. I had two favorite "swing trees", one for bear over bait and one for deer and elk.

 

[deerlessbob]

I hunt in one of my two Summit climbers or in one of the 15 or so shooting houses we have at our club. Almost all of my biggest deer in the last 20 years or so were shot from a climber.

 

[Nimrodder]

Both, but the older I get the more I like to stay on the ground lol.

 

[retrieverman]

There’s a lot of factors that determine what kind of stand I hunt from. I still use an old no name climber I bought in 1988, I have tripod stands set up at a few spots as well as one box blind at my place in Oklahoma, but I hunt a lot out of portable ground blinds.

 

[bronko220002]

Back many years when we actually had snow during our season in SE Minnesota, I always still hunted and my reward on several occasions was a deer shot in its bed. I've shot a ton of bedded deer walking standing corn too, but you have to have wind to do that.

I heard the corn thing was a good way to hunt and know how to do it from videos and writings but I don't hunt any agriculture areas. But if I did I would definitely give it a try.

Speaking of tree stands, I can't remember if I asked this before, but I also like to move around so I mostly hunt on the ground and hit where I aim consistently, but when I do get into my father-in-law's permanent stand it seems I can't hit the broad side of a barn. It doesn't seem logical, but do you aim differently from above the ground?

Just out of curiosity, how far are you shooting? I'd be willing to bet you're either resting your barrel or your stock forearm directly on the window sill of that blind. This will cause you to shoot high. Put some kind of cushioning on the sill - a sock filled with sand or even a pair of thick gloves or your hand and it will eliminate your misses (unless its buck fever - can't help with that!)

 

[sheriffjohn]

We have four ladder stands on my 209 acres, but mostly enjoy stumps, logs, and leanin' trees along with a thermos of coffee, sandwiches, sardines, oreos, and jerky. White tails are in the same place and the same time, every day, for 90 percent of the year. The rut and hunters on other farms disturb them for awhile, but it's not a problem to shoot a deer. I can do it sitting on my porch, Tree stands I have are for guests to keep them from falling out of climbers.

 

[Ninering62]

I do like ground hunting & a good stalk & hunt from time to time, but more often than not, I'd rather hunt out of my Summit mini viper self climber.