I need advice on shooting at a deer from behind a treestand.

[maddog]

I need advice on shooting at a deer approaching from behind a treestand. When a deer approaches from behind my stand the xbow limbs can hit the tree causing me to be knocked off the stand or damaging the xbow. The angle of "missed opportunity" for my Excalibur is about 90 degrees and for my shorter Horton is about 45 degrees.
Has anyone a solution for this problem?
Has anyone experienced the affects of a xbow limb hitting a tree?

Thanks, Bill from Pennsylvania

[BUCKSHOT]

If you are on or near a trail, won't the deer come into range at some point? If so get it's attention at the right time and let him have it!

[Don]

Maddog,

No matter where you sit in a tree stand there will be somewhere that you will not be able to take a shot. Set up your tree stand with the best shot for where the most deer are coming from wth the best concealment. If most deer are coming in from behind the tree you are in, it looks like you need to move your stand. Maybe try putting a decoy out in front of your tree stand this has worked for me to draw deer around to a better shot position.

Good Luck,
Don

[mdcrossbow]

I think one of the reasons I take more shots with in 7 yards is because deer tend to come from my back lef side and I set up my stand that way. I then get a good quarting away shot on the deer as it passes. my worst shot comes when the deer moves to the right side of the tree and I have to make a move . I usualy rench my neck in the process but picking a good tree with good cover allows you to make a move if your stealthy. If your not , set up your stand in a way that the deer can not cut on you. Use fishiong line to make a fence off to one side of the other. The main thing is to have something on the side you want the deer to travel in the deer want. Scent , decoy, food plot, salt, sometimes I will throw down a fresh limb cutting from the tree I'm in if it is a type of leaf they like . Many can't resest a fresh poplar leaf or maple. If you going to hunt with a crossbow you have to make many changes to the way you set up Good Luck.

[ranger66]

I agree with proper stand setup and position. Yes I have had an experience with a my crossbow limb hitting a branch/tree, its not nice. It was my first time out with my new horton crossbow and I was set up on a fenceline with some big trees in it, and I was standing beside a tree when two eight pointers jumped out of the swamp into the field and one of them crossed right in front of me about 30yrds so I lifted up the crossbow and got ready for the shot, he stood broadside and I squeezed the trigger, then all hell broke loose, my crossbow limb it a small tree beside me and the butt came up and struck me in the jaw almost knocking me out, I was staggering around the field edge feeling all light headed and dizzy and thought i was gonna passout but I held on. The results were a bruised jaw and had some bleeding inside my mouth. I would hate to have thought what would have happened if I was in a treestand. I now make darn sure my limbs a clear of every thing, luckily I was on the ground cause I would have been on the ground if I was in my treestand. Check and double check that your limbs are clear of obstructions.