Newfoundland and Labrador Hunter Education Program

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Advantages and Disadvantages for Using a Treestand

Gives a hunter a longer range of visibility, which allows more time to prepare for a safe shot.
A hunter's scent remains in the canopy of the trees, instead of on the ground where it can give away a position to nearby animals.
Game animals can detect even slight movements. In a treestand, the hunter can move without being easily detected.
Blaze orange can be seen at greater distances in a treestand than on the ground, where the hunter's color(s) might be blocked by brush and debris.
Shots taken by a hunter from a treestand are at a downward angle, so the bullet or arrow will go into the ground. This is especially important when hunting near homes and farm buildings.

A hunter has no protection from the wind unless the treestand has a skirt around its platform.
Some treestands are quite heavy to carry into or out of the woods.
In rainy or snowy weather, a hunter might lose his or her footing when climbing up to or getting out of the treestand.
It is difficult to change positions or move around in some treestands
Setting up and taking down a treestand can be very noisy
A hunter might fall asleep in the treestand, and this could result in an incident.
Many hunting incidents occur when a hunter is getting into or out of a treestand.

Important! When using a treestand for hunting on private land, always first obtain permission from the land owner.