How close is too close? - tree stand shots

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:03 am

Moved my 15' ladder stand yesterday because the deer (at least the shooters) are hitting the feeder in the morning hours. The wind is usually wrong from where I did have it located for morning hunting. The only suitable tree is located right behind the gamecam position (if you've seen any of the pics I've posted), only 6 or 7 yards from the feeder. This will make an extremely sharp downward angle for any shots at the feeder. The approach from the food plot may offer the shots I'm used to (15 - 20 yards) and allow me to get a good broadside double lung, but at the feeder they will be very close. Would you shoot so close, and if so, what shot would you look for? I probably will add a hang-on stand on the other side of the feeder as season get closer, but the wind may limit it's use to evenings. I can get a good 15 - 20 yard setup there.

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:01 am

wabi I see what looks like a good stand of trees to the left and back from the feeder. Are the trees to small in dia. for a stand

It looks to me that their are a couple suitable spots but I am not there

GonHuntin · Post by **GonHuntin** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 4:00 pm

Couple of years ago I shot a doe that was 4 feet from the base of the tree I was in......I put the verticle crosshair on her spine and put one through her.......I missed the spine by an inch or two and the arrow exited her sternum.......she ran about 25 yards and fell over.

It's not my first choice of shots, but I certainly won't turn it down.....

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 11:08 pm

Trouble with most of the trees on the other side of the feeder is that they lean toward the feeder making them uncomfortable to set in a stand placed in them. The tree I had it in before was good, but would have been a left-handed shot for me unless I stood and turned to face the feeder, and I like to keep movement to a minimum. Also the wind is wrong for morning hunting on that side. It in a valley that curves with one end West - NW and the other end faces South, and the wind does wierd things there

I may place a hang-on stand where I had the ladder stand first - I can hang it to give me a better angle. The ladder was limited because of nearby trees blocking the base of the ladder.
GH - what did the shot you made do to the does vitals? Did it clip the heart or lungs? I'm afraid of a single lung hit so close due to the angle. If a deer is broadside at 6 or 8 yards from the base of the tree (15' stand) would a high aiming point on the "boiler room" be a ethical shot?

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:01 am

You'll have to excuse the engineer in me

. 6-7 yards = approx. 20ft and your 15 ft up a tree

. You are better than a 45degree angle. You might not double lung them but you'll still have a lot to shoot at. I think you'd be fine with this, but I'm no expert.

GonHuntin · Post by **GonHuntin** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:40 am

Wabi

My dad was hunting with me that evening and I had to meet him before I could field dress the doe.......by that time, it was dark and I had to gut her in the headlights, so I didn't get to see all the damage to the vitals.......however, I'm sure I got more than just one lung because she didn't go more than 25 yards and was dead within a few seconds.