Things to look for when setting up a tree stand

Trails leading in and out of seriously thick briars, vines, tangles, swampy areas, etc. may be a good thing to look for.

precisionwindsports said:

Like I've said before, I'm very new to bowhunting. When I go out to an unfamiliar place to go hunting (a place I haven't had the opportunity to scout out), what things should I look for when trying to find a place to set up a treestand? geographic features? etc... Thanks!

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You're looking for the deer activity, the travel routes the food sources and the areas they bed in.
once you have an idea on the travel routes then you'll need to look for pinch points along those routes,
those are the areas deer always use to move from one section of the woods to another like a break in a rock wall,
a ravine, an opening through thick brush, etc etc etc..
most of these are natural formations but deer always use them as they are the safest areas to slip through....
Good Luck to you...

Water, trails, and rubs! you find all three in one central location, that'll be your best bet!

ive been told on many occasions understanding deer rubs and deer runs (trails) is like reading a map many of my role models know how to read this map and they constantly shoot big buck year after year i honestly just find the biggest deer run i can find and sit in a treestand above 20 ft to escape most of the deers eye sight and some of its ability to smell u

I consider deer hunting to be like a chess game, lost of parts to start with but ultimately/hopefully checkmate. make each move for a pre-planned reason and always think ahead. Rub lines will tell you the travel direction the buck takes when rubbing, scrape lines with reveal a buck's travel pattern when he was making them. When doe numbers are low the scrape activity will be higher and with high doe numbers the scrape activity may be virtually nill. Bucks tend to use more concealed travel routes than does. During the rut is the time to checkmate the buck as he leaves himself vunerable for daylight interception. I love playing the game with rut bucks during archery hunting!

I guess I dont know how to find a Rub line; or how to interperet it since when I do find a rub there may be a handful of trees within a very short distance that have rubs, then I cant seem to find any other indication of a direction or trail that the line continues on. If you only see three trees with a rub on them that are less than 10 yards apart from the farthest trees then how can you make any sense of that?

Most bucks will will rub on the same side of the tree giving you a direction of travel. Finding rub lines is like connecting the dots, they will be there just take your time and sort out the puzzle.

I've always found the same to be 100% accurate, Bucks make rubs as they travel,
In other words if you see a rub on a tree, look past it, that's the direction the Buck was headed walk slowly and within a short distance you should see more rubs be sure to look left and right really good in case the Buck decides to drift off to the left or right direction. ALSO as you walk keep track of how the deer is traveling this will help you gain tremendous knowledge, try to determine if the Buck is staying in the thick stuff or is he strolling through the open hard woods, or does he like following the creek beds or the old logging trails etc etc etc if you pay close attention you'll be able to see how that buck likes to travel, Then, If you can determine what the buck is comfortable traveling in you'll know better where and how to set up to get him...
Good Luck

Went out into the woods this past weekend and found some really good scrapes. That is another thing to look for. Those scrapes, just like the rubs, are the bucks' way of saying "this is my territory". ALSO- no one mentioned this, but selecting a tree can be hard too. you want to make sure you are far enough back OFF the trail so that you aren't sitting right on top of it. PLUS you want to make sure you find a good straight tree that has good cover in it. Sometimes, to me, selecting the right tree can be just as tricky as finding a good spot along a trail. Any tips on tree to stay away from?

tator said:

Any tips on tree to stay away from?

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A good size, sturdy, live tree. I like some cover, but thats not always available. If thats the case, I'll set up the stand and cut some small limbs that I tie to the tree. A few leafy branches will help conceal you from those prying eyes.
Avoid trees with poison ivy..for obvious reasons:surprised:

My local elms have been attacked by the Elm borer. I've seen quite a few local trees topple that once held my stand.
Oaks and Maples are my favorite. Sycamore trees have a slippery bark and the leaves the drop are huge and noisy. I use a Sycamore for early season, till the leaves drop, then move to another location,due to the noise of those giant, crunchy leaves.

Trees near water can sometimes tip over due to the roots being eroded.
I avoid the trees in areas that are prone to flooding in our woods.

I always like to pick a pine tree as my treestand digs in better to the bark. Also, i like to find a tree that is located off a deer trail about twenty yards or so. if you can find a trail that comes out of a thicket, crosses through some hardwoods and ends into a field....you have found a great spot more than likely. bucks seldom use worn down trails like this however, they like to change up their routes.