stand or sit?

[ttank0789]

I'm still pretty new to bow hunting as this will only be my third year out and I'm still looking for that first bow kill. The past two years I've done all of my hunting out of ground blinds but this season I'm gonna be up in a tree quite a bit. So I was wondering would it be better stay sitting when I shoot or should I stand up, or does it not matter either way?

[rex6666]

I think i would put up a tree stand and try it both ways, shooting while setting could present some unseen problems, like clothes bunched up. I would think you would not want to try and stand with an animal near because of movement and sound.

[dukkillr]

You can accurately shoot either way but I feel more comfortable standing.  If I see or hear a deer coming I stand up slowly and get set to draw.  I stand for first and last hour no matter what. 

[Empty Quiver]

I always do my best to be standing when the shot presents itself. I tend to set up in areas where trails are joining each other. The deer are many times milling through the area browsing and you just can't predict where the shot will be. Sitting down I'm about the size of a box blind anyway, and like to stand to present the least "shade".

[hunt-m-up]

You can accurately shoot either way but I feel more comfortable standing.  If I see or hear a deer coming I stand up slowly and get set to draw.  I stand for first and last hour no matter what. 

+1
You lose a lot of mobility if you're sitting down and the deer comes in from an odd angle. Most bowhunters could tell you about times they've done a complete 180 trying to get a shot. With a good safety harness on you will be able to get into some shooting positions standing that are just not possible sitting.

[huntswithdogs]

I prefer a standing shot to a sitting one. Just remember to bend at the waist when shooting down. Don't just drop your arm for the shot. If your stand has a fold away seat ,be sure it's well lubed. That SCREEEEEK noise will run off just about everything, it it ain't got some grease.

DO NOT FORGET TO WEAR A HARNESS OF SOME SORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It ain't the fall that kills ya, it's that sudden stop!

Be careful and let the air outa a biggun!


HWD

[ttank0789]

Thanks guys! The stand I'm gonna spend the majority of my time in is in an area where 3-4 trails come together and there are a ton of tracks around and under my stand so I'll probably encounter the "browsing" scenario that Empty Quiver mentioned. Don't worry about the safety harness, I'll definitely have one! I don't feel like dying at the ripe old age of 20!

[squirrellluck]

Like he said, remember to bend at the waist whether sitting or standing.

[horseman308]

I also try to stand at the first and last hours of the day. Before your first hunt, spend lots of time in your stand practicing from both positions and shooting at lots of different distances. By the angles, you have to aim a little lower when shooting from a stand than from the ground (not much but some).

Learn to make those sitting shots, because sometimes you just won't have time to move - that deer will be there and then gone in a few seconds and you have to know whether you can make the shot cleanly or let it walk.

[ttank0789]

Thanks again! You all have been very helpful! I'll keep you updated on what happens. The place is loaded with deer and the property owners told me they saw a nice buck so I'm pretty excited and optimistic!

[KP]

The first deer I shot with my bow, I was sitting down in a tree stand. It left a lasting impression on me, especially when the lower cam whipped around and hit my knee cap. So be sure to draw your bow and check for clearance all around. Practice for all angles of approach.

Oh yeah... wear a harness.

[41 mag]

The first deer I shot with my bow, I was sitting down in a tree stand. It left a lasting impression on me, especially when the lower cam whipped around and hit my knee cap. So be sure to draw your bow and check for clearance all around. Practice for all angles of approach.

This also happened to me however I was on the ground. Keep the little things in the back of your mind and you won't be disappointed. Luckily in my case however the limb was what slapped me on the knee. It did however launch a brand new FMJ and broadhead out into who knows where.

The clearance part is now second only to the harness.

Good luck

[kinslayer1965]

I try to stand as much as possible. I never sit during the rut. you just never know when one is going to come running over the ridge chasing a doe. Gotta be ready.

[41 mag]

I was up at our country place this weekend doing some mowing and such. Saturday evening I decided to sit one of my bow stands to see what was going on in that area, and hopefully drop a big hog.

The area has 4 or 5 trails which come down from the top of a hill to the edge of a pasture. From there they either graze the edge of the pasture, the feeder or food plot, or head across to water at our pond or on to another strip of woods some 400yds away.

I had the wife drop me off and just before climbing up I tripped the feeder. She waited until I was up and secure then drove back up to the house. Before I could get an arrow knocked and my release on I already had a small buck and three does within 30yds. Me standing there with nothing ready.

Time spent sitting about 5 minutes total out of about two and a half hours. shots presented, I quit counting I was so excited. I ended up with three bucks none of which were shooters, and around seven or eight does, all withing 30yds or closer for the whole time I was up there. They would hit the feeder which is around 50 yds over, then come back into the woods and mill around. The bucks were already sparring and one was really showing his dominance over the others.  Him and another got into it for close to 45 minutes straight. I wished I had a video camera but left it in the truck.

Point is, this was simply an evening sit to relax and see what might come by. It ended up an action packed evening with everything I could have hoped for, even had a hog come by but too late for a shot. If your practicing your shots, also do the other things as well. Practice the whole regiment. Get completely set up as if you are hunting, as it will be the little things that screw you the most. 

Things noted for opening weekend, the leaves are dry but the deer made little to no noise on their approach, or while walking around under my stand. They had no clue I was ever there. The mosquitoes sucked literally, didn't have time to get out the Thermocell. I practiced drawing my bow on a couple of them simply to see how slow I could get it back and let off if needed and found I need more practice letting off. I didn't get busted but it sure wasn't anything graceful.


Good luck on your hunting.

[Big Nasty]

It depends on many factors, one you may not have a choice. Deer are like magicians and sometimes appear from thin air, when this happens you may not have a choice the deer decides for you. At that point if you are sitting and they know you're there but have not been busted yet don't even try to stand, sitting at that point may be you're only shot. I have had to shoot sitting before I had no choice she walked in and looked right at me for 5 minutes looking to the ground from time to time giving me enough time for a draw and a twist at my waist for the shot.

[Big Nasty]

last nights deer was a sitting shot. They came in so fast when I saw them too the shot was about 6 seconds. I knew if I stood I would be screwed.