Treestands often conceal you better than hunting from the ground. However, this benefit comes with new challenges. A few tricks will help improve your odds.
Most of our shooting practice is done on a flat range, but a treestand forces you to shoot at a downward angle.
The key to shooting downward is to bend at the waist, which keeps your upper body alignment consistent. An easy trick to remember is to hinge at the hips. If you need to shoot at an extreme downward angle, open your stance for more range of motion. You can practice this on steep hills, an elevated deck or by setting up your treestand in the yard.
Use a laser range finder to calculate the distance from your stand to the ground. Photo Credit: ATA
You’ll have to apply a little trigonometry when shooting from a treestand. The distance from the treestand to the target on the ground is longer than the distance from the base of the tree to the target.
When selecting your sight pin, use the distance from the base of the tree to the target. You can compensate for the angle by using an angle-compensating laser range finder. If your rangefinder doesn’t have this feature, range the area before you climb into your treestand.
The position of your stand will affect your ability to take a shot. For right-handed archers, the left and front of the treestand provide the best shot options. The right side of the treestand puts a right-handed archer in an awkward position, making it difficult to take a shot. If you’re right-handed, set your stand so that your most promising shot locations are either straight ahead or to your left.
Don’t have a treestand? Pick one up at a nearby archery shop. Find a store near you, here.
