How Good is a Well Thought Out Tree Stand Setup?

[Swede]

On Amazon Books I have some reviews of the Tree Stand Hunting Rocky Mountain Elk book. Most reviews are pretty good, but I have a couple of stinkers too. I am not ashamed or even offended by a negative review. Hunting is made up by a variety of hunters with different values and interests, but one review in particular got me to thinking. The Canadian hunter said tree stand hunting was finding a good location preferably near a water hole and waiting. Everything else could have been covered by a two-page paper. I guess it would amount to something like a report. I am sure I could have condensed everything down to sound more like a set of instructions. It would read like the paper you get with something that needs to be assembled. What is a good place to ambush an elk? How do you know? Where do you choose to set your stand once you find an ambush place? What do you do or not do when you are there? All of these things can be managed well or poorly.
Yesterday a fellow set his stand where I have had my and where I have taken several elk. He got our first bull for the meatpole on our forum.
My point is that tree stand hunting can be easy enough if done right. It is not rocket science. When done well, tree stand hunting is very effective. When done well is the operative part here.

[Tuffcrk14]

Do you set up “prospecting” tree stands on ridge tops so you can watch an area bigger than what’s directly in front of you? Seems like a great way to hunt a new area and be able to scout for new spots that at have been overlooked.


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[Swede]

That is an interesting idea. I have never tried that exactly. I have sat in my stand just to observe after shooting my elk when others in camp were still trying to fill theirs. Mostly when I want to see what is going on in an area, I look for sign on the ground. I like fresh rub trees, but tracks and fresh feces will tell you a lot too. Rubs are the surest way to know if you have a good bull coming around. Some people say you can't tell the size of a bull by the size of the rub tree, but there is a correlation between big rub trees and big bulls.

[Lefty]

My point is that tree stand hunting can be easy enough if done right. It is not rocket science. W

That is true with so many things.
Some of us being stuck in our ways is a hindrance.
Some of us don't follow instructions very easily.


While I was at the national Trappers Assn. convention in South Dakota, I ran into a fellow who had a Trapping Video my brother produced. After seeing my brother's video, his catch multiplied by 15 times, and he spewed out the majority of content in less than 2 minutes. That was his takeaway.

And you know; he was right.. And for him it was two minutes of information,
Some of us at too bullheaded to learn from the cliff notes.


And Swede Ive read parts of your book and ElksNuts book 5,6 10 times? who know,, I enjoy the read!!! So Swede 5/5

[Swede]

Thank you, Lefty. Yesterday I got to talk with the fellow I posted the picture of on the meatpole. He is very pleased with his success from the tree stand hunt. I am pleased for him. Some (many) people don't need any advice or help from me. But it sure does my heart good when I can help someone, and it makes a positive difference. Vicariously I was in the tree with him when he shot his elk. I too have had some success this season even though I did not even get close to camp or the forest.
I had to laugh when he said it took a while to build up the courage to trust the book and pee from the tree. He had his doubts about that counsel. Finally, he gave in and let fly. He said the elk came under his tree and milled around but showed no sign of concern. Now he is a believer, not because I told him so, but because he has seen it firsthand.

[Lefty]

My daughter wanted a camera in this location.
When the cameras first put out my original thought was where would Swede put his stand.
During the daylight hours we have had bears coyotes red fox pine marten deer elk
So far five different bulls

[Lefty]

016579000207931-58-4-09202024165700-V-SYFW00207.jpg (196.24 KiB) Viewed 1840 times

Oops to risky to edit the last post

[Swede]

This looks like a typical Oregon situation. What should be a satellite bull has a small herd at or near breeding time. Are there inadequate mature bulls around to breed all the cows coming into estrus? I see this going on until the very end of archery season. BTW: I think I would place my stand up high (20-25 feet up) where I would not be easily seen about 15-20 yards off the trail.

[Lefty]

Like real estate location location.

It's been a strange year for the bulls that we've seen at a distance and on camera.
5x5s of all sizes
And lots of smaller 6x6s
Here we are the end of September

[Lefty]

Like real estate location location.

It's been a strange year for the bulls that we've seen at a distance and on camera.
5x5s of all sizes
And lots of smaller 6x6s
Here we are the end of September, and most of what we run into is acting like it's September 9th

[Elkhunttoo]

Tree stand hunting sounds easy enough. Find a good spot, hang a stand in a tree, and sit until an elk walks by....im sure it has been that easy for someone. Just like a new guy to elk hunting that cow calls a couple of times and a bull comes in and the hunter shoots the bull. Then they claim there is nothing to elk hunting because calling them in is easy. Years ago there was a guy i talk to that did exactly this. He saw elk in a meadow two weeks before the season, then when the season started he went back to the same meadow. He said he sat down and cow called for about 10-15 minutes. A few minutes later a small bull came in and he shot him at 15-20 yards. He had decided elk hunting was super easy and all you had to do was sit down and call them in.


After 3 seasons of spending the majority of my time in a stand i have decided that there is a ton to stand hunting just like calling them. Sure you can put a stand in any tree and have a chance. But the idea is to have the highest chance that you can every day. I want to sit in a spot that has elk 1 in every 4 days verses 1 in every 30. That is the idea anyway. Not only do i want that spot but i want the tree with the perfect back ground for me cover and in the perfect spot to give me an ideal shot. None of my stand locations have this.

I decided that this last season i was going to place a stand in a saddle. My wife and i walked around the saddle and debated what tree we thought would be best. Trails coming into this saddle from all 4 directions. I picked out the tree that i felt gave us the best chance and placed the stand. My wife a cow, calve, and 6 point go through the saddle in a hurry one morning around 9 am. They went from the tree side to the bare side of the mountain. Completely opposite of what i thought the elk would do when i placed the stand. They were about 55 yards away from her and even with cow calls they just continued on through the saddle. had i of placed the stand in one of the other trees we had thought of my wife would of had a 20 yard shot.

Nothing is a given no matter what style you chose. And there is always more to learn in the style of hunting you chose.

[Lefty]

When I was a youngster deer hunter(197o"s) My dad and his best friend were committed Minnesota tree stand hunters,, always after the big buck.

I didnt have the patiences.

Im getting to the point in life sitting in one places has become my my forced method.
With all said Ive found some great places ove the years . And maybe next year where some of my trail cam pics will be my "well thought out stand set up"
Only 100 foot elevation and 70000 feet mostly downhill back to the truck