The perfect bow-hunting stand setup

Compared to setting up an ideal bow-hunting tree stand, situating a gun-hunting shooting house or ground blind is a piece of cake. If for no other reason than shooting ranges, an effective bow stand requires a lot more attention to finer details.

The typical bow hunter is likely to encounter effective ranges of 30 yards or less. Those guys on the outdoors TV shows shooting bows at 60-plus yards are cowboys; they never show the footage of all the misses or wounded deer.

Stick to ranges you can hit.

This means choosing as perfect a stand position as possible, playing the wind, sunlight directions, keeping totally hidden with effective camouflaging while allowing for a maximum number of open shooting lane options.

Easier said than done, for sure.

Ebenezer hunter Kerry French said he starts by picking the best spots to hunt before even looking for a tree in which to hang a stand.

“Sounds elementary, but as you scout likely hotspots in the woods, look for ambush sites, converging trails, well-worn funnels and prime foods like falling acorns and honeysuckle,” French said. “My absolute favorite place to hang a stand or prop up a ladder is overlooking a trail alongside a streambed or small creek running through the woods.

“I get uphill as far as feasible so I can look down over the trail.”

French said he doesn’t compromise on the tree, either.

“Once I know I have scouted a good area to hunt, then I take my time picking out the ideal tree,” he said. “Sometimes that is tough. I like a bigger tree over a smaller one; wind moves the bigger trees less, and often they offer more cover with limbs and leaves.”

Again, he wants to be uphill of any trail he hunts.

“As heat rises in the morning, any scent I have not masked will move up the hill away from the trail,” French explained. “As the afternoon cools down, I double up on the scent-control spray, and may also put out some buck or doe scent.

“Since I bow hunt close ranges, I completely camo up, wearing gloves and a face mask or blackout makeup. Then I sit tight and quiet.”