Basic Tips For Public Area Stand Hunting

By Don Wixon

FloridaHuntingFishingAdventures.com News

There is nothing like hunting, especially from a tree stand. Many stands place you in a position where you sit well above the vegetation and provide an excellent view of the area in which you are hunting. Some stands place you just high enough to obtain a clear view where trails meet or just below thick branches, while other stands will place you on the ground in a well concealed location. The odds of harvesting game are normally greater from a stand.

 Today, there is a wide variety of hunting stands made available to the hunter. Some of these stands are as follows: climbers, hang-on, box, ladder/leaner, tripods, platform and ground blinds. Each of these stands serves a different function.

Getting to and from the stand: I have found that getting to my stand well before light and leaving well after dark has worked the best. On a number of occasions, I have walked right up to deer at the base of my stand. I have immediately stopped and stood still and, in many cases, found they have grazed off and are only a few hundred yards away at first light. I once found a large buck at the base of my stand with an extremely large rack that I could see in the light of the full moon as he trotted off after sniffing me thoroughly. I got him a few weeks later. If you must go at first light, or just after first light, then try to walk in a casual, non-threatening manner because deer, for some reason or another, can distinguish between a hunter and a hiker/photographer. I would also recommend holding your weapon low because deer also seem to understand the firing stick in your hands.  

Stay in your stand: If you don’t have to be back at camp or have to leave the area, then stay seated and don’t move. It kills me when I am cleaning a deer between 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and other hunters are coming out of the woods saying they have not seen any game. That’s probably because they are constantly moving in their stands.

I have killed the majority of my game within the first hour of light or between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. But I hardly move a muscle during this time.

 Limit your trips: I see and hear about many hunters sitting in their stands before the next day’s hunt. In my opinion, this ruins a stand. Deer aren’t as stupid as we would like to believe. Remember the part about deer knowing what that firing stick in your hand really can do? I stay away from my stand well before the hunt. In fact, I usually don’t go near it until the morning of the hunt.

Bathroom Breaks: I don’t take them if I can help it. I just carry a gallon jug in and out of the woods for urine and just hold anything else if I can. 

Eating and drinking: I set up my immediate area so what I need is very easily accessible. I use a hose bladder for drinking so I limit my movement. I won’t eat until absolutely necessary. Remember, I am in my stand all day. And I only carry water and soft drinks with me. Alcohol and the woods don’t mix. 

Use the other hunter: I set up in a field, while other hunters hunt the thick areas around me. The deer usually are pushed out of the thick and into the field in an attempt to escape the thicket hunters.

Adequate cover and weather (wind): Adequate cover is, for the most part, easy to come by, but wind is another story. If I am not hunting a tripod, and I am in my climber, I will always hunt at the highest point. Any scent is dispersed fairly well, but I also use some scent cover. I deal with rain by using a quality silent raincoat that zips over my boots and has a cap style for my head and face area.

Food plots and travel routes: Use them to your advantage on private property or less hunted public land. Remember, many deer, once the first shot is fired, or when the woods become full of people slamming vehicle doors and stomping through the woods, abandon their regular routines. Spend time to research, scout, and learn the area. You can find the deer’s alternate routes, but it takes patience and scouting before the season starts. This time spent enables you to learn deer movement before your designated hunt. 

Respect and consideration: If you see a hunter or stand, then out of consideration/respect you should attempt, at all costs, to avoid the area. If you wish to set up a stand close to another hunter’s stand, and you have a good idea the stand will be occupied during season, then the stand should be set up before the season. It should be at least 500 yards away from any other stand. I shoot a bolt action 30/06 and am very capable of taking a deer in the open up to 300 yards away with one (1) shot. I consider 500 yards to be a minimum safe distance between stands because it provides a buffer from the other hunter. DO NOT cut in on another hunter’s area. Would you like it if they cut in on your area? Most hunters do not have a problem if you use their unoccupied stand. I usually post a sign at the very bottom, on the ground, of my stand stating when I will be there but also allowing others to hunt in it if they want.

Consideration -- it’s a key factor in the woods. We are competing to some level, but we all need to work together. Don’t walk up to a hunter in a stand and say, “Have you seen any deer?” I have actually had people do this, and I am in awe. I don’t yell or even talk, I put my finger over my mouth and wave for them to move on.

Shot placement and distance: We all know our capabilities and what the weapons we are using can do. If not, you most certainly should. Have respect for the animal, and if you can’t kill it with one (1) shot then don’t shoot.

Do you have some pointers you can share? Discuss them in our forums!

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