Skip to main content

Tips for Getting To and From a Hunting Treestand without Getting Busted

The walk to a treestand location can end your deer hunt before it gets started; following a few simple tips can help you get from point A to B without running deer off to the adjacent property

Tips for Getting To and From a Hunting Treestand without Getting Busted
Checking wind direction before heading to your preferred hunting location is a must-do as part of an enter-exit strategy. (Lynn Burkhead photo)

Creating treestand hunter access routes is likely one of the most overlooked aspects of deer hunting. Although basic logic tells us to take the shortest distance to hunting location, it is far too often the determining factor in treestand access. Travel distance should be considered, mainly for time needed and when you need to start the journey, but is not nearly the most important factor to consider.

Scent Disturbance
No matter what you wear or what passive scent control tactics you take, you will leave scent behind as you move to and from the stand. This scent disturbance not only has “unseen” effects, by can directly affect the success of a hunt.

In a matter unseen is the effect you will have on deer coming through the area. This could be long after you have vacated the stand, but the mere presence of you remains, alerting deer, altering patterns, and potentially affecting the core area and home range. All of this because you didn’t look at the cleanest way to enter and/or exit the stand hunting area.

More disturbing is the alteration on movement when you are in the stand. We have all watched that deer coming in on a rope until it meets your scent trail. Stopping on a dime and whipping out of there like we just jumped up and started waving our arms.

It’s something I learned the hard way and often, especially when in a new spot. Determining where deer came from to avoid carrying my scent through an area that would affect the shooting lane opportunities.

Physical Disturbance
The mere sound of a snort in the cover of darkness sinks the hearts of many hunters. Whether it is through the big timber or creeping along the edge of a field, it doesn’t matter if your flashlight is white, green or red. The bottom line is, you’re not blending in to the surroundings. If deer determine there is something “off,” no matter if it knows what it is, it will alarm others around it. This could blow a hunt or an entire season.

Getting to and from hunting locations is something needing much more planning than trial and error. It can be extremely hard to access a hunting stand location requiring movement across a crop field. In many cases, as bad as it may be, you may simply not be able to hunt a stand when you want. You have to weigh the options here. Do you risk trying to slip in or do you find another option? If it’s close to the end of the season, the risk may be low or irrelevant.

Creating solid routes to and from stands is something every hunter should do. It’s a great summer activity, and you just may be surprised how much it changes the hunting on your property.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Hunting

Kali Parmley - Florida Turkey Slam #1

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How and When to Fish a Buzz Toad

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Destinations

Polaris – Pack Up and Play On

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Gear

Polaris – Camping Adventures In Style

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How to Find Bass in an Unfamiliar Lake

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: Is Bait Color Choice Important?

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Gear

What Turkey Hunters Need to Know About TSS

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Learn

onX Hunt: Your Edge for Successful Spring Turkey Hunts

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Destinations

Cigars International – Enjoying the Finer Things

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Gear

Streamlight – Illuminating Your Adventure

It's fun to procure your own food while out camping, but you're going to want to have snacks along the way. Instead of r...
Destinations

Suckerpunch – Snacks While Securing Dinner

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Game & Fish App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use