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How high do you like to climb

How high do you prefer to climb?

  • Total voters
    142
Nutterbuster

Nutterbuster

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Oct 12, 2017
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Where the skys are so blue!
I get it, I get it. You "hunt the deer, not the tree." I think we all do. I've climbed 40ft, and I've sat in the dirt.

But "given my druthers" I prefer to be 25-30ft up most of the time for several reasons. The most important of which is I think you can get away with more movement; and on the cold, clear, windy mornings that I prefer to hunt, I feel that height helps keep your scent out of the immediate area.

I feel like higher is generally unnecessary, unless you are trying to peer down into thick vegetation. With a bow, it also gives you worse shot options. Too low and I feel like you risk detection because you're still in a deer's peripheral vision. I would rather be high with 0 "cover" to impede my draw, than low with lots of stuff around me blocking my shot options.

Not saying I'm right, just saying that being able to get 25-30ft up without having stuff (high or low) blocking my vision and projectile makes me happy, happy, happy.

What's your "happy spot" when it comes to climbing?
 
I like to get as high as I can and still have decent shot opportunities. That tends to be about between 15 and 20 ft I have found. If I could get a bit higher I probably would. Maybe I need to go up another 5ft and confirm whether or not it impedes my shots as much as I think.
 
Usually in the 25' range. Sometimes I have to go higher because I am on the side of a ridge and eye level with the deer so higher is usually better in that situation. Since I am filming I prefer the extra height to conceal my movements and it also helps get my scent higher where it should carry over the deer when they are close.
 
20 to 30 ft. I have a "killin tree" that the stand is about 45 ft up. Its down on the edge of creek and deer are eye level at 20 ft so really only 25 ft above them. go up the ridge another 50 yards and they are eye level again. I do have some cover around me on this set. Needless to say its a preset. Good thread!!
 
I push my self to 15-20 but honestly thats where my fear of heights starts kicking in. There are times i should push myself higher based on the situation but i cant bring myself to do it.
 
I’m usually around 18 feet. Mostly because that’s where my sticks will get me. I’ve found I’m more comfortable going higher in a saddle than I ever was in a climber, so I’m hoping to push to 25 this year if I’m in the pines.
 
Typically in the neighborhood of 20 - 25 ft. However, I have a late season spot that my feet are maybe 8 ft above dirt. That spot has stellar back cover and you are really 15+ above the trail.

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I Would say I average 18-20’ on most sets.
But there are times I’ll feel I need to be higher or possibly lower depending on cover and terrain.
 
I'm a 20-25ft guy. One of the things I like best about SRT is the opportunity to ascend as high as the branch I've lassoed and then make quick adjustments as necessary. If I get up to the top (which only takes about 30 seconds) and it's not the right vantage point, the ideal spot is just a short rappel away... no steps or sticks to find a place for/stow or go back up and retrieve at the end of a hunt if I need to lower my altitude.
 
I think like many other things, this answer is going to depend on your environment and how your deer react.

I am going to be force to go up to around 30 this year. I absolutely cannot be on the ground or anywhere near it. My deer bust me in a millisecond. I have been busted almost every time I’ve been out and at or below 20 feet. This year I’m going to make a point of 25 to 30 feet. I kind of accidentally did that a couple of times last year and never got busted, but I didn’t realize I was that high until after the fact.


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I have found here in KS the trees just don't usually work well above 20ft. You get up above 20 and usually it really limits your shooting lanes. Trees are just shorter here than in the East.
 
I prefer 13 to 15 feet. I shoot a longbow and as such keep my shots under 20 yds. Any higher and the shot angle is poor.
 
All of these polls and none of them have the right answer. I would say I spend most of my time in the 20-25 foot range. If I’m rifle hunting thinned pines I climb until I run out of stepps or get tired of climbing. I use a 30’ pull up rope so When my weapon is swinging around I will usually stop. Personally when I get anywhere above 20’ I can seem to get away with much more movement. That’s not a magic number though. Especially in hilly areas.
 
I like the higher the better. I try for 30’ but the cover usually dictates my height. Even when gun hunting later in the year i get held down in some areas. I’ve been following the Hunting Public and they believe that those higher elevations lead to single lung hits. I am amazed at how low they setup. Like someone said earlier. Deer bust me all the time...hieghts my only answer.


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