how high do you go?

[whiteoakbuck]

how high do you hang your deer stand? on average i know it depends on the stand location but do you like being higher or lower in the tree?

[HD]

I usually stick around the 16 foot mark....

[22lex]

The earlier the season, the higher I hang my stands.

The later the season, to me it doesn't matter after 10 feet because with no leaves and snow on the ground, you're still going to look like a big blob in the tree at 15 feet or 25 feet. Also, I am not real fond of climbing up in a stand in middle of december any higher than 15 ft. I am usually so bundled up by this time with the 5/10 degree weather, and don't particularly feel as nimble as I would with the mid-fall 30/40 deg. weather.

That's my reasoning.

[HUNTER2]

With a climber I like to go as high as possible. I think my ladder stands go to 20'.

[Mayfly]

I like to go high! I am usually at 20 feet and no less. I have a couple that are at 19 feet but that is because they are ladders with extensions and that is as high as they go. I used to hunt stand until the end of the season but have now switched to ground blinds to finish the year off. I like them a lot and I have them brushed in real well. I've never shot a deer out of a ground blind so not comfortable with them yet but hoping to change that real soon!! I've missed out of a ground blind.... twice last year 

Benefits of a ground blind (short video I put together):

http://www.vimeo.com/17387001

[nontypicalhunter]

The lower the better for me, I love the challenge of being eye level with the animal.

[jigglestick]

The lower the better for me, I love the challenge of being eye level with the animal.

WHAT?? I figured you for being one of those guys who climbs to 45 feet ... without a climber

[MTCOMMER]

Im always around 16ft.  I have hunted just 4-5 feet off the ground a few times when I wasnt in one of the main stands.
Never been up higher than 20.  I figure if the deer was 10 yards away it wouldnt be a good vitals shot - I would have to go through the back.....

[Mayfly]

Interesting story about being really high in a stand.  That didn't sound right..... You know what I mean.

Anyways, as of a few weeks ago I started hunting this particular buck real hard. I am getting pretty close and I think I will close the deal soon, I HOPE. Anyways, on September 19th at about 9am I passed this deer. I had him at about 10 yards broadside. Had a perfect shot! Knew a deer was coming so was at full draw and was ready to shoot a nice buck or a doe at the time. So he stepped into the lane and stopped for a second and I let him pass. I was drawn and on his vitals but let him walk. I knew he was a decent buck but he just didnt look that big. I was pretty focused on vitals and the shot so didn't get a great look but knew he was decent just not big enough or so i though.... I didn't realize it was him until about a week ago as I was reviewing video. What I found was that it happened so fast and because we were so high we could not get a good look at his antlers. I couldn't tell how high he really was and I knew I had a similar 8 running around that was a bit smaller so I thought it was him. I'm kicking myself now! But yeah, super high stand, maybe 25+ feet and just gave us a weird look at him. 

[nontypicalhunter]

The lower the better for me, I love the challenge of being eye level with the animal.

WHAT?? I figured you for being one of those guys who climbs to 45 feet ... without a climber

Used to be that way, climb as high as you can, but with age and experiance, not anymore. I'm lucky to not break a leg falling off the couch now days...     

[MnDeerStalker]

17 - 20 ft no higher and the occasional ground blind.

[kenhuntin]

I im about 18 feet where I mostly hunt If I go up any higher I start losing field of view because of the understory.

[slystuff]

my stands have typically been 6-8 feet depending on feild of view;I enjoy ground blinds as you can move more and relax more as well you can even get away with a sunflower to warm up the chilly days.An inexpensive ground stand is 3 4X5 foot pallets stood to 4' high and nailed together in a U formation 2 2x4's attached across the center boards and a boat cushion for a seat then just cammo how you wish

[cmpswampy]

It all depends on the area for me...I have some sets that are 14-16 feet off the ground then I also have some that are 20-25 feet all depends on my back cover. If I have good cover low I will stay low. I just dont want to be getting picked out of my sets.

[Cody Gruchow]

18-25 feet, in some areas and 30ft in more open areas. i hunt high, so you can get away with a little more than usual.

[Go Big Red!]

In MN, I sit 20 feet up.  In WI, I sit on the ground.  In a bar, near the cute ladies....

[Fawkinnae]

In MN, I sit 20 feet up.  In WI, I sit on the ground.  In a bar, near the cute ladies....

Go Big Red!

[Cody Gruchow]

In MN, I sit 20 feet up.  In WI, I sit on the ground.  In a bar, near the cute ladies....

ya by that time red is sauced up  so his vision is kinda impaired  and he wonders why he is the only guy anywere near those "cute ladies"   

[kenhuntin]

Lets see bar,sauced, is this impaired vision? I do not think so

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[Cody Gruchow]

  thats awesome!

[Stensethfan]

That is the view you get after you have had that one too many and cannot lift your head off the bar!!  No wonder the stout ones only come by once they know you are almost out for the night!!

I like to be about 20 to 25 feet up if possible.  The one stand I hunt most is about 21 feet to the platform and I have never had a deer even look up at me when passing through the woods.  I can only assume it either has really good back cover or the deer just never really look to the tops of the trees?

[Stensethfan]

I should add that I have a rifle stand that is only about 5 feet off the ground so I can see over the rolling meadow enough to see deer trying to sneak through the low spot.