treestand concealment

[luvhuntin]

Took a walk through the Iowa deer classic yesterday and came across this product on their website last night http://blindedhunting.com/crowsnest/

my one failure this season was stand concealment. Lets face it when you do a bad job of it or put your stand in a "THIN" spot you may as well take it back down because your going to ruin your love of the hunt that day sitting in a stand that makes you paranoid of movement. I also wonder how many more deer I could have seen because they picked me off before they were even in chip shot range with a high power.

I always try to get my stands close to 20FT but that`s not always high enough due to terrain features that bring deer in off the high side staring you straight in the eye. or a low side that`s steep enough that their looking right up at you coming up the hill. and it`s not always possible to find a better spot in the area.

how many of you do this sort of brushing in?

did you like it more?

did the brushing in cost you as many shots as it gained you because now there`s a damn branch in the way?

what sort of cover can a guy use? oak and cedar hold longest but does fabric ghille suit material work just as well?

[luvhuntin]

I should have added I`m more concerned about bowhunting the way the gun seasons line up here in Iowa I`m swamped at work and trying to get my Christmas shopping done!

[Woods Walker]

Well number one, going over 20' high for a bowstand is asking for trouble, especially if the deer are 15 yards or less when you shoot. High shot angles make for a much reduced kill zone window.

There are other things that you can do involving treestand placement that should reduce the chances that will be seen.

1. When at all possible, try to pick a tree that has multiple trunks, or a branch or two where you place your stand.

2. Terrain plays a big role. ALWAYS try to set up so that you are above the deer's most likely path of approach. This is also where being above 20' can be a deteriment, as that will only increase the height of the shot angle.

3. If the deer trail you are setting up on has a bend or curve in it...however slight...try to set up in a tree that's on the INSIDE of that bend, as the deer's eyes will not naturally be looking straight at you but away from you as they travel the curve.

4. Try also to select a tree who's backdrop is not open sky, or a field, or some other view that will make you stand out. When you find a tree, walk around it and view it from different angles to make sure that the "skylight" factor is low or non-existant as possible for the likely path of approach.

5. Time of day when you will most likely be hunting that stand is a REAL big factor. NEVER, EVER sit a stand where you are facing the sun for that time of day. You may as well have a flashing neon sigh that says, "YOO HOO DEER...HERE I AM!" Always try to plan it so that you will be on the shady side of the tree for the part of day that you will be hunting it.

Very few, if any, treestand sites will offer all of these things, especially for an archer. Most of us select several stand sites on the property we hunt for times of day, wind conditions, etc. For me, it's all part of the challenge and fun of the hunt. Sometimes you win, most of the time the deer win!

[Chris_the_Plumber]

I have another thing you could do although myself I have had little experience doing it. There is always the possibility of a tree stand blind. I'd think that would be more permanent and set up for you than branches and would conceal you. I've done it a few times but trying to find a good set up for a bow would be challanging. The only other thing I could think of would be a ghillie suit and a tree saddle I think would make a pretty nice match if the budget allows it, which is why I still don't have either myself.

[msbadger]

I have to admit I don't under stand all this tree stand concealment....I have mature Maple woods and that means few branches ....and the only thing I try to do is cover my back...meaning a big diameter tree...many of my stands are 15ft ladders and the others 16-22 ft high built in trees hang on or saddle built....deer walk past up to and under these stands and even look straight at me with no problems... I'm not a small person and use just regular camo....but I don't do a lot of moving around...constant glassing the area fiddling with equipment and such...I sit listen and watch...on occasion slowly stand or sip water....On 2 of my built stands I did put camo tarp...but that was to cut some brutal cold winds....another I did try nailing conduit brackets and installing beech branches...the dried leafs rattled so much in the slightest breeze it drove me crazy...I think if your scent routine is good and you aren't a figgeter (?) it's not a problem

[Woods Walker]

Bingo badgie! You hit on two key factors......backdrop and movement.

I do some hunting now from ground blinds....natural ones that I either have set up before time, or I make "on the fly". They vary quite a bit in size and shape, althought the two things they have in common are that they all have a solid backdrops and they are minimal. In fact, rarely do they anything at all in front of me.

Your points also illustrate one of the disadvantages of ladder stands. I love ladder stands. They are comfortable, and they sure as shootin' are a lot easier and safer to get in and out of. I've killed a ton of deer from them too. But the one big drawback to them is that you really have to be very careful of their placement due to the fact that they tend to put the hunter's silhouette AWAY from the tree, making him/her far more exposed and even the slightest movement all the more noticeable. Most of the deer I've killed from them were firearm kills where the distance tended to negate some of those disadvantages.

[a molasses golem in a jiffy lube shop]

Find a cedar tree and start cutting some small V shaped branches off of it.
Take these branches and hang them from various parts of your stand, such as the ladder steps, straps, braces, pieces of railing, etc. Just take some brown burlap and wrap it around the top of your tree stand's shooting rail to provide yourself with more cover.

[Proline]

I pick trees with decent diameter and background breakup as mentioned above. The climber is typically the porblem if things are open. I bought this but have yet to try it: http://www.badriveroutdoors.com/store/t ... -p-51.html

I think they overdo the coverage abit but this could help.

[spearfisher]

I looked at that website......all they sell is camo bikinis. Why would you want one of those?