Tree Safety - How small is too small?
- MuskieHunterDave
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Tree Safety - How small is too small?
I was scouting/moving a trail cam on Saturday and came across a very promising spot. It's in a marsh with lots of dead trees and just a few live ones. There is a well used path cutting through some relative cover, and it appears the deer are using it regularly. The issue I would face, should I hunt the spot, is the tree selection. There are only 2 live trees within range of the path. One is directly over the top of it, but it has great cover. The other is about 10 yds off the beaten path, but is still young and pretty skinny. If I went with the smaller one, I would have a good draw window as the deer pass a thick bush right before they go broadside. I'm just not sure how high I could get in the smaller tree as it's not very thick. Pictures of the trees below:
Smaller (for reference my trail cam is hung, you can see it is barely wider than the cam):
Thicker, but right on deer path:
Thoughts?
Smaller (for reference my trail cam is hung, you can see it is barely wider than the cam):
Thicker, but right on deer path:
Thoughts?
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- Jrdeerhuntr
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
IMO, how small of tree I hunt largely is based on how windy it is. Even if your safe in the small tree when it blowing 20 mph, taking shot while swaying is tough. Back cover on that smaller tree may also be an issue. I do not think you would have a problem hanging a stand in either.
- Ryan549
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
If it's to small for my climbing stand, it's to small to hunt out of and I'm going to be set up on the ground.
- Ryan549
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
I say the tree is plenty big- however, I’m not there, and I’m not you.
I hope I didn’t come off as arrogant, there certainly have been trees that I have not gotten into- or have tried to and found out that I didn’t feel good about it.
Your comfort and safety is far more important that what a guy on a forum tells you. Go with your gut.
I hope I didn’t come off as arrogant, there certainly have been trees that I have not gotten into- or have tried to and found out that I didn’t feel good about it.
Your comfort and safety is far more important that what a guy on a forum tells you. Go with your gut.
Ryan
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
That tree is big enough, depending on how high you hunt. If you are standing on the deer trail I actually prefer one of these 2 trees and set up low.
Or setup on ground and kill when they pass you....if there is a shooting lane at ground level.
Or setup on ground and kill when they pass you....if there is a shooting lane at ground level.
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
Looks big enough to get 10 feet in.
Course I'm a lightweight and only you can make the safest decision.
You can always test and if it starts to bend to much or crack in anyway I'd hurry down.. if your in a saddle sitting would really reduce any lean and be safer then in a stand or leaning away from the tree.
Could start at about 1 stick high and test it before going another stick higher.
Course I'm a lightweight and only you can make the safest decision.
You can always test and if it starts to bend to much or crack in anyway I'd hurry down.. if your in a saddle sitting would really reduce any lean and be safer then in a stand or leaning away from the tree.
Could start at about 1 stick high and test it before going another stick higher.
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
I’d climb either of those trees, just wouldn’t go very high. You could also carry a five gallon bucket on with you so if you didn’t like the looks of things you could just sit on the bucket.
I’ve actually got a little seat that I used to use turkey hunting that has a shoulder strap that makes it easy to carry in. I use it for ground set ups. Keeps me low but off of the ground.
I’ve actually got a little seat that I used to use turkey hunting that has a shoulder strap that makes it easy to carry in. I use it for ground set ups. Keeps me low but off of the ground.
- Dhoff
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
Jrdeerhuntr wrote:IMO, how small of tree I hunt largely is based on how windy it is. Even if your safe in the small tree when it blowing 20 mph, taking shot while swaying is tough. Back cover on that smaller tree may also be an issue. I do not think you would have a problem hanging a stand in either.
Nailed it. Ive been in some real small trees and just try to get to the first crotch if there is one. Never an issue intil its windy...
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
Jrdeerhuntr wrote:IMO, how small of tree I hunt largely is based on how windy it is. Even if your safe in the small tree when it blowing 20 mph, taking shot while swaying is tough. Back cover on that smaller tree may also be an issue. I do not think you would have a problem hanging a stand in either.
Similar approach here, and a different consideration. Like you stated, I consider the size of the tree and the amount of wind - as I don’t want to be in a tree that sways in the wind too much. As another consideration, I don’t want to be in a smallish tree when it is dead still out with no wind. In those situations, adjusting my body position or drawing the bow can cause the tree to move around like crazy, too. Been busted that way a couple of times. I’d rather be in a smallish tree on a windy day than a still day for that reason alone.
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
I've pulled 3 trees together to make one strong enough to hold me up... A tree to small is one that wont hold you up.
- greenhorndave
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
dan wrote:I've pulled 3 trees together to make one strong enough to hold me up... A tree to small is one that wont hold you up.
Yeah, I probably shouldn’t spill the beans, but this is Dan’s new kill tree after losing all that weight…
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Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts
Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts
- MuskieHunterDave
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
Thanks for all the replies!
Jackson Marsh, those two trees are actually dead, they just have some smaller brush/trees in the background that makes them look alive. Some of the trees have vines on them which also make them look alive, but in-person it's clear they're dead. Anyone here sit in dead trees? Seems like a bad idea to me.
I will surely have to feel it out. I like the advantage of being up in the tree to see them coming rather than sitting on the ground. I was about 50/50 last year between in a tree vs on the ground. I spooked a lot of deer on the ground, and never got a shot off.
Jackson Marsh, those two trees are actually dead, they just have some smaller brush/trees in the background that makes them look alive. Some of the trees have vines on them which also make them look alive, but in-person it's clear they're dead. Anyone here sit in dead trees? Seems like a bad idea to me.
I will surely have to feel it out. I like the advantage of being up in the tree to see them coming rather than sitting on the ground. I was about 50/50 last year between in a tree vs on the ground. I spooked a lot of deer on the ground, and never got a shot off.
Be still and know that I am God - Psalm 46:10
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
MuskieHunterDave wrote:Thanks for all the replies!
Jackson Marsh, those two trees are actually dead, they just have some smaller brush/trees in the background that makes them look alive. Some of the trees have vines on them which also make them look alive, but in-person it's clear they're dead. Anyone here sit in dead trees? Seems like a bad idea to me.
I will surely have to feel it out. I like the advantage of being up in the tree to see them coming rather than sitting on the ground. I was about 50/50 last year between in a tree vs on the ground. I spooked a lot of deer on the ground, and never got a shot off.
There are 3 types of trees: alive, dead, and dead dead. Never ever ever sit in a dead dead tree, but sitting in a dead tree or alive tree is okay.
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Re: Tree Safety - How small is too small?
MuskieHunterDave wrote:Thanks for all the replies!
Jackson Marsh, those two trees are actually dead, they just have some smaller brush/trees in the background that makes them look alive. Some of the trees have vines on them which also make them look alive, but in-person it's clear they're dead. Anyone here sit in dead trees? Seems like a bad idea to me.
I will surely have to feel it out. I like the advantage of being up in the tree to see them coming rather than sitting on the ground. I was about 50/50 last year between in a tree vs on the ground. I spooked a lot of deer on the ground, and never got a shot off.
Check out some of the trees Dan sits in on video.
That one dead tree he sat in on chasing down a dream was pretty dead. Even put a safety harness on it
Never give up Freedom for imagined safety.
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