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thoughts on platform height...

B

Billy Buck

New Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
Messages
21
Last year it was 30 feet to the treesteps I used for my Saddle base. I would still have deer look up at me, of course as longs as I was still I was fine. The tree did not offer much cover in the way of branches.

What are your thoughts on height to base?
 
With a bow I wouldn’t go over 30’ max assuming flat terrain. The angle becomes pretty tough.

With a gun I go 60’ in one spot overlooking a cattail marsh.
 
Swampfox said:
With a bow I wouldn’t go over 30’ max assuming flat terrain. The angle becomes pretty tough.

With a gun I go 60’ in one spot overlooking a cattail marsh.
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Like Denots stated very situational. The best solution is to find a cluster of trees that give you cover no matter the height.
 
I like 15-18 with good cover. I've hunted as low as 6 feet in traditional treestands where the situation dictated and had deer right under me. Talk about up close and personal. I don't fidget or film, it's all about knowing when to move. Deer vision, I think height makes very little or no difference. I believe there is a case to be made that going higher helps elevate your scent stream.
 
15 - 18 ft is ideal for myself. I cannot imagine 30 ft...there would have to be no undergrowth if i went that high. If deer are looking up at you at 30 ft, then there has to be something you're doing that is drawing their attention. I seldom ever have a problem at my ideal height, unless when they approach they are on a hill where I am at eye level and they pick me up or scent me.
 
It completely depends on the spot for me. I kill deer from 10’ high to 40’. I hunt the sides of some very steep ridges and often have to climb really high so the deer aren’t eye level with me lol. I love when I have good cover at 12-15’. Very easy shot and you feel like you’re right on top of them!


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I find that I have deer looking at me more when I wear darker colored camo (even with no movement). It turns me into a black blob. I prefer the lighter colors camo patterns for this reason. I switched to Sitka this year and will see if that will help.

I also think leaning is a little more natural looking from the deer's perspective.... But not certain if it helps any. I sometimes think that they are looking up more than looking for danger at ground level.

I have hunted on the ground with little to no cover and have had mature does with fawns within 5 yards of me. Just could never move to get a shot off.

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I don't really go substantially higher when hunting steep slopes either. In my experience the deer tend to keep their focus at ground level. Certainly their peripheral vision is huge though, again just knowing when to move.
 
flinginairos said:
It completely depends on the spot for me. I kill deer from 10’ high to 40’. I hunt the sides of some very steep ridges and often have to climb really high so the deer aren’t eye level with me lol. I love when I have good cover at 12-15’. Very easy shot and you feel like you’re right on top of them!


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My thoughts exactly.

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Wow
30ft. What are you using to get that high?

I stay at 18ft max due to not wanting steep shot angle

Movement is what the deer pic up on too
 
I have quite a few locations i hunt where I am only 5 or 6 feet up but I tuck into some dog woods and other cover. I have shot several deer from that height. I hunt at the height where I have screening cover. Some places I have to get up to 20 feet but most times I am somewhere from 5 to 15 feet.

I don't mind heights but I sure like the shot i get when I am at lower heights. It is a nice feeling watching the deer go down 30 yards away after taking both lungs out.
 
Around 18' and use ASAT camo - deer can see me but don't perceive me as a threat just think I am a big squirrel or clump of brush!
 
If you are climbing that high because of no cover, may I suggest adding some. A small hole can be drilled to a size that can accommodate some cut branches. If branches are cut with the leaves still on, the leaves don’t usually fall off, but simply die and remain affixed. The holes can be drilled at an angle or strait and the branches fanned out for the proper cover.
 
I bow hunt 22 to 25 whenever I can because that is where I judge yardage the best from because it always gives me the same look.I use a rangefinder but sometimes things happen quickly.Picking trees with good cover is the most important thing to keep deer from picking you off.Also staying close to tree as much as possible helps.The higher you climb the harder your angles will be making it easy to single lung an animal.JMO
 
Sipsey said:
If you are climbing that high because of no cover, may I suggest adding some. A small hole can be drilled to a size that can accommodate some cut branches. If branches are cut with the leaves still on, the leaves don’t usually fall off, but simply die and remain affixed. The holes can be drilled at an angle or strait and the branches fanned out for the proper cover.
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I'm anti-cover, but the idea of drilling holes with my ez-kut to stick branches in is just too good. I'm going to have to try that out.
 
Sipsey said:
If you are climbing that high because of no cover, may I suggest adding some. A small hole can be drilled to a size that can accommodate some cut branches. If branches are cut with the leaves still on, the leaves don’t usually fall off, but simply die and remain affixed. The holes can be drilled at an angle or strait and the branches fanned out for the proper cover.
Click to expand...

Freakin brilliant idea. I am gonna use that for sure.
 
When I hunted in VA last season I had about a zillion perfectly straight oak trees and poplars to pick so I climbed to about 20 feet on average. This was the height of the platform stand that I used to practice with most days at the archery range that I went to. It made sense to try and keep it consistent.
Now that I live in Tampa, all bets are off. I haven't even been in a hunting area yet, but dadgum it sure is thick! I doubt I will hunt anywhere near as high as I did in VA.
 
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