Chapter 6: Methods of Bowhunting
Elevated Stands

By far the most popular way to hunt white-tailed deer and black bear with a bow and arrow is from an elevated stand. The most common type of elevated stand is the tree stand—a temporary stand placed in or against a tree. Tree stands have become increasingly popular in recent years with both bowhunters and firearm hunters. While they offer certain advantages, they also have some drawbacks, including a degree of risk.

Advantages

• Due to wider field of view, let you spot game sooner than at ground level, which allows time to plan for the best shot
• Position a hunter above the animal’s normal field of vision
• Make a hunter’s scent harder to detect and movement less noticeable, allowing a hunter to move more easily into a shooting position
• Give the bowhunter a shot angle where the arrow exits lower on the animal, potentially creating a better blood trail to aid in recovery
• Reduce the possibility of a hunter interfering with another hunter’s experience
• Provide a better vantage point for viewing wildlife and enjoying the total hunting experience

Disadvantages

• Increase risk of injury from falling
• Can be difficult to carry, especially large, portable stands
• Provide no protection from cold or wind
• Give little room for movement, which adds to fatigue and increases the risk of falling
• Make estimating distances and shooting accurately more challenging because of the downward angle
• Cannot move toward game while hunting

Avoid using permanent stands made of boards nailed or screwed onto trees. Permanent tree stands are eyesores that upset people who enjoy the woods but don’t hunt. They also cause significant damage to trees and become unsafe after a short period of time because of weathering, rotting and tree growth. In addition, big game animals recognize permanent stands as unsafe areas and regularly avoid them. Big game hunters prefer less conspicuous, portable models that they can move easily.

Judging Distances

When judging distance from a tree stand, use the horizontal distance, not the greater diagonal distance. In this diagram you should aim for 12 yards, not 13 yards.

To calculate the horizontal distance “a” from a tree stand to a target, with “b” being the height of your tree stand and “c” being the diagonal distance to a target (you can establish this number using a range finder), use this simple formula:

For example, if the treestand is 5 yards above the ground and the diagonal distance to your target is 13 yards, then the horizontal distance is calculated as follows: