When the days are bleeding into nights too quickly, hunters pick up their rifles and load them for the kill. In some states, November marks the start of a hunting season that lasts till February.
Hunting spots are versatile and sprinkled throughout the country. Some hunters go for flat, wooded land full of unsuspecting deer. In contrast, others take on a challenge within a challenge—they aim for their kills from treestands perched high above the ground!
Shooting from a treestand is a notorious and effective medium of hunting. It is a strategic method to gain a bird’s-eye view of the kill. Additionally, one can stealthily examine the area and observe their kill.
As a whitetail’s sharp eyesight is observant of everything, treestands offer plentiful opportunities for concealment and a swift, clean shot!
However, before one tackles their prey from their high spots, it is best to understand the importance of treestand safety. Despite its popularity, treestands have given rise to death and injuries.
Young hunters unaware of the treestand safety measures often fall and get seriously injured. Tragically, treestand falls are quite responsible for mortalities among huntsmen.
Sometimes, a slip, a broken strap, a step, or a falling tree can cause minor or major accidents. That’s why hunters should take treestand safety precautions seriously.
Shooting Rifle from Elevated Stand – How It Works?
When turning to treestands, hunters come with tons of queries. Questions such as where to aim when shooting from a treestand are vast.
Remember, before setting your aim at the kill, be a master of deer anatomy. Understand the locations of vitals extensively to make the kill painless and swift for the deer.
Furthermore, shooting rifles from elevated stands isn’t as alien as it sounds. It comes with the same mechanism as others; long-range targets are hard to shoot, and the close ones are easy, provided you are steady, quiet, and loaded with an appropriate rifle to shoot.
Another question that perks up is whether to aim high or low from a treestand. It’s a myth that for those who wish to shoot uphill, their bullet would fly high, and if you shoot downhill, your bullet will hit low.
In reality, gravity works hard and exerts a massive force on the trajectory of a bullet. So the answer is simple; when shooting from a treestand, aim low! Rather, aim lower for all kinds of landscapes.
Also, hunters, it’s shady, but it’s the truth—deers don’t come like a bear, they show up, and you are caught like a deer in the headlights. Therefore, you must act fast and tackle the beast before it hears the trigger and sprints.
So, when shooting rifle from elevated stand, be quick and lightning fast! Aim the prey, release the safety, and release the trigger like it’s the only thing you know. That will take down the kill in seconds.
3 Effective Tips for Using a Treestand
Start low and at home. Never make the rookie mistake of taking on challenges without checking out the dangers. Practice at home by setting up a treestand a few feet above the ground.
Once it’s all ready, practice climbing up to the stand, testing the movement of the harness strap, and finally checking whether the exit is swift. Moreover, it’s better to check for a sturdy tree that can easily hold your weight. Make sure to practice until you can climb up swiftly.
Never forget to check the stands carefully before climbing into them. Make sure to inspect the area and check all the straps and cables. Never trust your treestand too much. Always shake it before mounting.
Lastly, never climb up the stand with a loaded gun. It’s much safer to use a pulling rope to lift your firearms.
Different Types of Treestands
Now that the safety precautions are taken care of, our next step is to understand the versatile types of treestands.
Many treestands are commercially modeled and manufactured. They are portable models that allow hunters to attach the treestand to any tree. Often, hunters prefer to look for a tree that surrounds a trail or an area brimming with game. Having a portable stand means hiding your game spot from other hunters.
Additionally, the best part about buying a portable treestand is enjoying the complete silence, less time, and ease it takes to position and attach one to a tree. Plus, unlike others, portable treestands are environmentally friendly and often curated from easily recyclable material.
Moreover, buying commercial, portable stands means ensuring a safe hunting experience as they go through the industry’s versatile tests, certifications, and manuals to meet the best standards.
Different types of portable treestands include some basic types, namely, the adaptable and notorious hang-on stands that are best for trees with many limbs, the viral tree saddles that are growing in popularity due to their comfort and durability, the very popular ladder stands, tripod deer stand or freestanding tower stand, and finally, climbing treestands that are known for their lightweight and enough room for gear.
It is important to remember to stick to commercial portable treestands instead of curating your homemade stands. Stay clear from homemade stands, as they aren’t durable enough to hold weight or great hunting gear.
Always follow the hunting gear instructions, and read the manual of the manufacturer’s instructions before practicing and installing a treestand.
Height & Location Precautions for Using a TreeStand
Once you learn how to set up a treestand at home, come to the woods and position your treestand in the following manner:
1. Find a tree that is sturdy enough. Please stay away from thin trees as they will give away your outline, and deers are quick enough to pick out the difference in their surroundings.
2. Place a treestand around 8 to 16 feet above the ground.
3. Keep the sun on your back.
4. Choose a tree with lots of covers to allow ample room for concealment.
5. The height can be changed as shooting lanes.
3 Best Gun Rest for Treestand Shooting
Before you climb aboard a treestand, it’s best to pick a rifle that helps you achieve triple kills! Rifles are an essential part of a hunter’s hunting gear. With the right rifle/gun rest, you can score even the longest shots with great swiftness, precision, and accuracy.
Additionally, they enable you to adjust and change your aim according to height, surroundings, and gun size. The right gear can even help you change guns during your hunt without having to touch your gun rest.
No wonder there are tons of benefits when it comes to buying a gun rest. For the reasons above-mentioned, gun rests are much-needed gears for hunters and shooters to make the most of an enjoyable and leisurely hunt.
With that said, here are the top gun rests that will help you achieve the best game!
1. Summit Treestands Adjustable Gun Rest Lightweight
This gun rest is super light, easy to use, and can be swiftly installed without any extra help. The best part? It is compatible with all treestands, making it a perfect match for your treestand shots!
In addition to this, it doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket as it’s affordable and easily available online!
2. BOG Field Pod Gun Rest
Adding this gun rest to your cart would upgrade your shooting game. This affordable and durable gun rest is lightweight and compatible with any treestand.
Its rubber cradle provides extra support and stability for hunters, so no matter how heavy your gear is, this gun rest won’t disappoint you. Did we mention it comes with a one-year warranty and a dual frame? It’s a must-have for hunters!
3. Ypod Shooting Gun Rest
Lastly, this innovative gun rest will level up your hunting season by providing you with ample room for rotation and an adjustable height mechanism, making it perfect for an in-game gun change!
Ypod shooting gun rest is renowned for enabling accuracy and precision. Above all, it’s affordable despite coming with state-of-the-art features! Buying this will enable you to set It up within minutes and knock out kills left and right!
Remember! The quality of the gun rest is far more important than any other feature. A gun rest of the best quality will garner great results while ensuring your safety. Hence, make sure to go for reputable brands that cater to their hunters with extraordinary durability and features.
Wrapping Up
Hunting season comes with tons of opportunities. Plus, the game gets interesting when it takes a challenging turn. Lift your gear into a treestand and follow the guidelines above to gain a clean and swift kill! And if the sun is on your back and you feel like catching some Zs, remember to unload the rifle, rope it down to the ground, and doze off. Happy hunting!