Bow Hunting From a Treestand

[MidMoElkNut]

This will be my fourth year diy otc archery elk hunting and I have never hunted from a tree stand or up off the ground at all for elk yet and I was wanting some advice on how or what you do or if it's a bad idea? I have sat on the ground overlooking a field a few times but not much for elk and this is why I need some advice..... Last year I found a good long narrow field that runs from almost the top to about half way down the field gradually goes down and it seems like a good feeding area..... I think I found the area to sit but I was wondering of using a treestand would help or hurt me more?

Any information will be greatly appreciated!!! And I would like to say thanks to everyone who makes posts on ramdom stuff because it is really helpful for a newbie like me!!!

Thanks Dave

[WapitiTalk1]

I would say that a T stand is a better, more productive option in almost all scenarios than a ground blind if you can get one in to the spot. After all, if you can place one up high to minimize your scent, that's gotta be better than being on the ground, right? Active wallows, trail intersection or known travel routes, water points, benches, and certainly meadows/feeding areas can be prime locations to deploy the death from above tactic. Have you read John Ericksons book on tree stand elk hunting? It's very good and covers a ton of the how to's.

[MidMoElkNut]

Thanks Phantom16!
That is what I was think but you never know I guess.... I don't think I have that one I will have to look.... I have a climbing stand that I could get in the area pretty easily so I don't think that would be a problem. I was wanting to see what others thought and if they have had any luck with it or not?

[B-rad]

I have taken several elk,on OTC areas in Colorado,from a tree stand. I use a lock-on with strap on steps,just because placement of the stand is critical,and the lock increases my tree choice. Its not my favorite way to hunt elk,but early in the season,it can be very productive.

[ishy]

+1 For John's Book. I'm a newbie to stand hunting and it takes time to get use to. I've always been a run and gunner, but after seeing trail camera pics from a wallow decided I needed to try it. For me it gives me a way to maximize my odds with limited time afield. I'd much rather be up my tree mid day than napping and I can still chase and call in prime hours.

[ABQ_Chica]

Go for it!
x2 on John's book. It's an excellent resource. And I agree with Phantom16's advice, that setting a stand on travel routes, wallows, etc. can be VERY productive. Aim for a spot that gives you multiple opportunities, like at the hub of several intersecting *active* game trails.

I'm a fellow newbie, and bowhunted elk from a treestand for the first time last year. At first, I was skeptical, but ended up being blown away at how much more I saw and heard. And depending on the terrain, your stand may not need to be that high up. My stand was only ~16 feet up, and was plenty high enough for that area. Some of my hunting partners placed their stands almost 25-30 feet up, but that was due more to their setting up in steeper terrain (where they risked being "highlighted" by elk coming down steep trails) than because of scent control.

You may already know this, but don't hang a stand in a dead tree (which are becoming all too common across the west, unfortunately). No matter how sturdy a dead tree might seem, a good gust can bring it down.

Commit to it. If you can spend days on end out in your stand, you'll likely have much more success than I did (since I could only hunt a few days here and there).

Good luck! What state will you be hunting?

[ElkNut1]

Treestand hunting elk can be very effective! Your chosen location must be in an active area where elk plan on coming to or by such as a destination spot! Such spots can be well used trails to feeding or bedding areas, water sources, wallows, escape routes, natural mineral licks, etc. Placing a stand at such locations can give a hunter a birds eye view & a huge advantage at seeing or hearing elk coming their way. Stand placement is important here so you are high enough up & wind currents are in your favor during your sit. At no time do you want elk smelling your presence. This also means in your comings & goings from the stand. Don't walk the elk trails in & out because it's easier, stay off of them to reduce detection. Only sit the stand when wind is in your favor, it's possible mornings are better than evenings or vice versa, check it out. Height is another possibility to reduce your detection. 15'-20' is good but you may need to be higher so your scent isn't drifting to the ground on those un-predictable days or evenings.

Use a trail camera before the season if at all possible to check out elk usage at one spot over another & note the heavier use times on your camera. Hotter temps can have elk using water sources or wallows any time of day so be aware of this. Personally I like evenings best if I had to choose early or late, it seems to be a bit more productive. Some folks don't like calling from a stand but I've done well using cow sounds & even bull sounds at times, it's a situational thing as each area & spot can be different. If calling is not one of your strengths then it's best to shy away from it or get better! (grin)

ElkNut1

[MidMoElkNut]

Thanks everyone!!
B-rad - yeah I have a hang on as well I could take with me because I know how hard it is finding the right tree in the right spot....

Ishy - the past 3 years I basically run and gun if you can call it that haha but this spot just seems like a good place for a stand and there was several wallows too so I will have to try it for sure and I will have to check out his book!!

ABQ_CHICA - there is spot I like and the woods bottlenecks and I believe that will be a great spot if I can find a good tree.... getting up high won't bother me at all as long as I can find the right tree and as you mentioned not a dead one, I'm a big buy so it will take a good tree to hold sasquach lol

ElkNut1 - I believe the area will be good as long as it will be like last year, I had a cow and a calf walk right by me with a bull across the field at about 80 yards but could never get a shot so I know it was a good area if that counts but who knows what will happen this year.... my biggest worry is the wind and having enough pacience to sit there and just wait.... there is water wallows and food so I would think it would be another Hotspot this year as well.. I won't be able to do any scouting before season but I can always set up a camera at the start of the hunt and as far as calling I'm not very good yet but getting better at it so I like to keep that at a minimum if you know what I mean haha

Thanks again everyone I really appreciate it and hope to get my first elk this year!!

[Swede]

I just got back from a solo scouting trip. There were many elk in the area, but I never located a great tree stand site. As others have said, its location, location, location. High percentage tree stand jewels are not everywhere. Scouting and effective use of trail cameras can give you a good idea on where to place your stands(s). If I have the location picked right, I prefer to stay quiet. If I go back to a place, like the one I just scouted, where there are trails, watering places, and wallows are all over, then I would cow call infrequently from my stand.
I like tree stand hunting best in the evening, but there are different situations for different places.
P.S. My advise is to never answer a bull that is close, especially if you are at an isolated water hole. You are more likely to run him off than coax him in.

[foxvalley]

I used to do a lot of tree stand hunting for elk, and have been very successfull doing so,but now I am on the ground,and seem to have just as much success.Mostly at wallows,and unlike a whitetail,the elk will come in from whatever direction that they happen to be comming from,and it doesn't seem as important to come in down wind to scent check.I would not give up on a spot just cause there isn't a tree to hang a stand,but you have to play the wind all the time being on the ground,and move accordingly.

[MidMoElkNut]

Swede - I unfortunately can't scout until I'm hunting, being 14 hours away makes it hard to scout and figuring out the area.... But hunting the same unit the last 3 years helps..... I found this certain spot last year so I've still got a lot to learn.... I believe it is a pretty hot spot or it was last year.... i probably won't call at all while in a stand as I'm not that good at it yet and I've read that several times to not call while in a stand..

Fox valley - everything that you mentioned is what worries me, the wind direction is a big one because if your on the ground and it changes that's easy to fix, you just move but having a stand isn't as easy and quiet.... another is if an elk is calling and may not come to me it would be harder to go run and gun or get in better position being up in a tree....

[Swede]

Midmo. I understand your situation. It takes me 8-9 hours to get to the areas I am interested in, so I don't go near as often as I would like anymore. I am retired, so it is probably easier for me to get away. In your situation I would not hold out for the perfect location to hang my stand. Remember, this is not rocket science. All you want is a likely place where you can encounter elk and get a shot. Just find a couple of good spots and start there. You can do additional scouting in the mornings or mid day during the hunt. That could be a good time to check out some places you find of interest, on good topography maps and Google Earth. Hopefully you get an elk early on some years and have some more time to devote to scouting. The absolute best scouting time is during the hunting season. It is just that we are usually too busy then. Good Luck.

[Ponyboy_jonas]

I haven't hunted from a treestand for quite some time now. I have had much more success hunting from the ground. And I feel that you can see much farther on the ground. If I am doing an all day hunt, I always like taking a little nap, but I cant seem to fall asleep up in a tree. Hope this helps!

[MidMoElkNut]

Swede- yeah I know what you mean because scouting would be a huge help but that's how it goes and that's what makes it such a great time.... I will have about 7 days to actually hunt so hopefully I can hunt and scout in that time as well which I guess that's what hunting is I'm general......

Ponyboy- thanks for your experience it helps a lot because that is another thing I forgot to think about is being able to see... if I'm deer hunting I would rather hunting up in a tree but turkey hunting I'm on the ground and to me elk is a little bit of both so that's why I'm stuck in the middle.... My big question is if you are up in a tree say 20 feet up or better, does the wind stay the same as hunting on the ground (by this I mean changes all of the time) or will it stay at a more consistent direction?

[Swede]

Midmo: The wind is generally the same up in the tree as on the ground. The benefit of being 20, 25 or even 30+ feet higher than the trail, or water hole you are overlooking, is that your scent is far away when it comes to the ground, assuming the diurnal winds are descending. That way you are much less likely to spook game in your area. Also, being up in a tree helps conceal you visually, and allows you to make a quiet shot from an open platform.
I don't want to debate other's experiences, but I have found tree stand hunting is more productive than hunting on the ground. This is especially true if you know your area. The key is finding the right spot. I would not waste my time in a tree stand if I was just guessing. That is far too boring. I need solid evidence that a spot will produce, before I perch in a tree.
Don't bet your hunt on just a recent wallow. The elk may not return this season. Find a place where elk trails come together and are concentrated. Know the difference between trails where a herd passed by once, and a trail where elk are frequenting the area. If just a herd passed by recently, your hunt may be over before they return. It helps to find a good isolated place where elk water. Wallows are beneficial, but remember, elk need to drink a lot more often than they will wallow. I hope this helps.

[Scoutman]

Lots of good info here. Been hunting out of tree in Colorado since 05. Mornings, we call and try to get in front of elk. Midday and evenings,we sit water and wallows. Our unit is very dry, so water is a big magnet. We try to get 20 plus feet high to help with scent and also rub down with sagebrush. We wait until elk call around us before we call at all. Usually when sun sets behind mountain and mountainside gets shady. We have taken 4 bulls and 6 cows hunting this way. I go out in may and scout new country as we live 26 hours away. I love calling elk but we kill more from groundblinds or trees in our unit. It's not for everyone but it is a great way to get an elk or the occasional bear.

[foxvalley]

Swede- yeah I know what you mean because scouting would be a huge help but that's how it goes and that's what makes it such a great time.... I will have about 7 days to actually hunt so hopefully I can hunt and scout in that time as well which I guess that's what hunting is I'm general......

Ponyboy- thanks for your experience it helps a lot because that is another thing I forgot to think about is being able to see... if I'm deer hunting I would rather hunting up in a tree but turkey hunting I'm on the ground and to me elk is a little bit of both so that's why I'm stuck in the middle.... My big question is if you are up in a tree say 20 feet up or better, does the wind stay the same as hunting on the ground (by this I mean changes all of the time) or will it stay at a more consistent direction?

Both good points,if you live too far away to preseason scout,you need to do that while you are on your hunting trip.I always try to take slow time to check out new erea,even if it's a few hundred yards from familiar ground,you never know what you will find.Also,going back to the same erea year after year pays huge dividends,as you know the hot spots now,and don't have to waste time looking for them. On the flip side, you can't count on a wallow being hot from year to year, and need to have a bunch found so that you can hunt the hot one,or ones. I have half doz. wallows that I check, and always want to find one or more new ones every year.
If you are 20' up and the thermals are going up,like during midday, most times your scent goes up thru the canopy, and is gone.When thermals are comming down,your scent will hit the ground some distance from where you are,the big advantage of a tree stand. On the flip side to this,spending 6 hours in a small tree stand is extremly uncomfortable to me,and there is no way to take a nap up there....LOL.

P1010045.JPG (51.95 KiB) Viewed 17370 times

This is a spot all elk hunters dream about!

One of my favorite spots is a wallow/playground that is hot every year. It's where the spring first starts comming out of the mtn,and they way it is on the mtn, the thermals go down for the most part, all day long.Spring flooding has created a deep gully,about 3-4 feet sides,and this is a great place to sit, in the gully right next to the water.My scent seems to flow down the spring,never getting out of the gully, and the water seems to eventually eliminate my scent,as I have lots of deer/ elk come from downwind, and never smell me. FYI.

[MidMoElkNut]

Scoutman- thanks for the good info!! I like the idea to call and walk to get to them in the morning and stand hunt in the evening, they seem to be moreleased talkative then anyway so I will have to try that.... the area I hunt has had water everywhere and it's not hard for them to get a drink and hunting over just water may not be all that great unless it's a dry year.....

Foxvalley- this area is just what u described it's not far from the area I normally hunt I just happened to stumble upon it last year.... every year I learn more and always seem to get closer to killing my first elk.... the area has wallow but it also has food water cover and trails close by! That's some good info about the thermals thanks.... yeah I don't have much pacience if I'm not seeing anything either and I know that's a very bad thing lol
that looks like a good spot let me know if you need some help hunting it ; ) ...... that would be awesome if I could find something like that!!!

Thanks for all of the great info guys!! Keep it coming!!

[welka]

I have 60+ tree stands set up on my property for whitetails. Many lessons learned through the years and agree with Swede on making sure you are in the right spot. In the elk woods where they roam a lot more than a whitetail, you really, really need to make sure you are in the right spot and have a couple of back ups just in case your 1st spot isn't the "right spot". The benefit of a ground blind vs a tree stand for those of us who have to scout during the hunt is that you can pack it and are more mobile and hence can set up when you find a potential hot spot. Ground blinds can also hide scent a little better if set up right. Due to a bad ankle, I am at the morning on foot and PM hunts out of tree stands or blinds for elk so this post has been valuable.

[Luckyman]

Sounds like elk will be a whole lot harder than whitetail. Usually with deer, in the mountains where I live, as long as you know they're in the area with fresh sign, you can get 'em. Often going in "blind", in the dark and picking a tree without previously finding an exact spot pays. Usually you can find a trail and setup from it, but without prior scouting to leave your human scent. It's amazing how many times it works. So, elk are way more dispersed from the sounds of it.

[Swede]

Lucky, hunting elk from a stand is based on good scouting or somehow running into a small place that elk frequent. I went out scouting in eastern Oregon a couple of weeks ago. The area has a lot of elk, but they are very dispersed. There are trails, wallows and springs in many places. The best location I found was only average. I suspect Elknut and company would go in there calling and have a great time. I found 3 or 4 spots where I might set a stand, but I would expect I could be in for a long wait. You will recognize a place as great when you find it. It will have rub trees around the area, and several trails coming in. The spring will be muddy, maybe there is a wallow nearby, and the place will stink of elk. It is not a guess then. Other places are good too, but what I described is the ideal to me. Well used trails and passes are good, especially if you have an isolated water hole in good cover nearby.
Mule deer from a stand is a different matter. they are harder to pattern, so you look for an lone spring in a quality deer area. I know some good spots to kill them too, but they are not the same locations where you have a high probability of getting an elk.

[Luckyman]

Okay gotcha, thanks for the insight. Do your stand locations tend to range widely in elevations or is there a pattern of whereabouts? I was thinking of a summit climber that has always served me well in the deer woods. Also, from the number of archery hunters from the past statistics, it seems a 50/50 chance that any location bugling at night will be from other hunters? Anyone found that to be the case even though stats probably aren't exact and represent whole of the archery season?

[Swede]

Lucky, I don't consider elevation. If the elk are using a spot, that is all I need. Sure it helps to have some trail camera pictures to get the excitement level up, but I am no trophy hunter. As for hunters bugling at night, I don't hear them often at all. Once in awhile I hear someone right on a road or in camp. I never hear them out in the woods. There are not that many true elknuts really that serious about hunting. Pardon the pun. I only call at night when my area has gone cold, and I need to move along. My brother was with me once and he thought we found a hunter calling, but it proved to be a bull that needed calling instructions. When I walk out an old spur road and call; I have never had a human answer.

[Luckyman]

Swede, are you an OTC hunter? Do you hunt mostly from stands and do little calling? It kinda sounds like you are more the ambush type than 'run and gun' calling all the while and I assume you normally keep the freezer full?

[Swede]

I hunt 100% otc from a tree stand 90% of the time anymore. I used to hunt only on the ground but changed.

I very rarely call from a stand. I found out that tree stand hunting was more predictable for me. Where I hunt, in the past it would have been easy enough to kill several elk (5-6) per season for years in a row. In the last few years it has become harder and harder due to several factors. Though I had a few opportunities, I went home skunked the last two seasons. There were a few elk around early in the season, but they too soon left for good. It used to be that the herds came back, during the rut, with some nice bulls around, but that has ceased to happen. This year I am branching out to other locations, and doing more scouting than in the past.

Calling from a stand is a dicey situation. If you are situated at a location that elk are coming to, you normally don't need to call. They are coming to water or up the trail, and by calling you are telling them an elk is there. Many elk are skittish, especially in otc areas. These skittish elk don't want to confront other elk. These days they are nervous about that. As an example I have had a bull wait until a water hole cleared of other animals, before they ventured in. I could watch the bull standing and staring down at the water hole.

In over called areas, they also have experience coming into calls, and found a hunter waiting. I have had bulls bugle about 100-150 yards out and wait. Only after delaying 45+ minutes did the bull sneak in. I am satisfied that the bull called to see if the area was free of other elk. If you hear a bull bugle off in the nearby timber, never answer. I know you will be tempted because you will believe he is not coming, but don't yield to the temptation. We both know he may never show, but I have killed some of these satellite bulls, that came in believing nothing, or no one was around. You will stand a better chance remaining quiet.

Now if you are in an area where there are very few other hunters and your stand location is just a little better location than the surrounding area, with nothing to attract elk to your location, I would do some soft cow calls, but not to answer a bull. I do not plan to set up where there is no significant point of locating there, so I won't be calling.

[Luckyman]

MMmmm... much food for thought, Thank You Very Much.
It sounds quite contrary to all the calling elknut's videos seem to suggest even in OTC ares. Sounds like you rarely if ever do any of his cold calling setups or advertising sequences either. Do you think the elk seem to move off for good due to hunting pressure, right?

[Swede]

Lucky, what I am talking about, and what Paul is referring to are not at odds at all. I don't call from a tree stand where I have selected a high quality location to wait for elk. There is something there, usually water that is already attracting the elk.
To me cold calling is advertising. I have bugled from my stand and brought in bulls, but have come to believe it can be counter productive. When I am hunting on the ground, and mobile, I am almost always calling.
In addition, I have used decoys near my stand and find they are more likely to scare off elk than bring them in. Sometimes elk ignore the decoy. Sometimes they are curious and come up to check it out. Often as soon as they see the decoy they turn and leave. Some elk are terrified by the sight of a decoy when they don't expect to see one. Since all of the elk were coming my way, all I accomplished with a decoy was to turn back a significant portion of them.
That does not mean that I don't use decoys at times. I use them in conjunction with my calling. When an elk come in, or is near where it believes another elk is, then it is reassuring to them to see what it believes is another elk. Decoys and calls are tools to be used the right way and at the right times. I guess we can think of these elk hunting tools like any other tool. We would not take a chain saw to make a miter joint, or a screw driver to cut sheet metal. Please excuse me if I sound condescending. That is not my point at all.

[Luckyman]

No worries, I appreciate any and all advice and experiences shared! Thinking back the past 10 years with a bow, of about a 100 shot opportunities on deer from a treestand, I can think of only 2 or 3 from the ground. Its just so much harder, the fleety creatures have such keen senses! I hate the thought of doing the ground game and blowing them out far away by getting busted, assuming I can even get on some elk in the first place.

[N5J]

I started hunting from tree stands 2 years ago and here is just one of my experiences. Tree stand position and location, as others have said is important when placing your stand. I’ve learned not all areas or wallows are suited for tree stands. We have a wallow that sits in a deep bowl. Five trails lead to this wallow with a bedding area 400 yards away. We thought this wallow would be great for a tree stand because I have over 200+ elk pictures of them using it. Because this wallow is in a deep bowl elk walking in are at eye level with the stand…stand is 25+ feet up. ANY movement or poor wind is picked up and they’re gone, so this wallow is best suited for a blind IMO. As with anything new there will be a learning curve with sit backs but Swedes book it has helped me a lot!

[wawhitey]

Lots of guys kill elk from treestands. Just be careful which tree you choose.