History of hunting from trees

[zimmerstutzen]

Hard to say. Most of Penn's woods were conifers before contact. Harder to get a clear view from a conifer than a deciduous tree. But if any one would have realized the advantages of hunting white tail, I would think the natives would have realized the advantage of being above the deer's line of sight.

 

[deerstalkert]

Talk about tree stand craziness. I was hunting buck season only , out of a Tree Lounge climber stand at about 30 feet above the ground. Shortly after light , six does came down the trail I was above , and stopped . After three days of camp food , gas was abundant , and I let rip to see if the noise had any effect on the does . They stood stock still w/ all eyes riveted on the camo mass up the maple tree ,above them. Then just walked under me and disappeared in the thicket. You never know what pearl of wisdom might prevail , if experimentation happens.

LOL! I had much the same happen. was hunting MR. Gigantious, you know that one buck that makes your heart pound just seeing him at a quarter mile?.
for years, for only God knows why, deer season opens, my wonderful bride would start a huge pot of chili, with beans.
swear i tooted through the woods with every step.
Hiding behind a huge root wad next to MR. G's favorite trail and my stomach roared. followed by a trumpet blast. followed by a snort and wheeze from the opposite side of the root wad.
Mr. G had snuck up to 15 ft of me. never saw him again. guess he didn't like the neighborhood anymore.

 

[Bushfire]

A lot of today's big game hunters -- especially bow and muzzleloader hunters in whitetail deer states -- put tree stands to very good use to ensure harvest and hunting success. But it occurred to me that I really don't know a thing about the history of this hunting strategy. We know that Civil War snipers used trees to good advantage to gain a better view of targets and conceal their firing places, and that British hunters in Africa and India shot from trees or elevated "machans" (think "The Ghost and the Darkness").
But I cannot recall reading any historical descriptions of American deer hunters shooting from trees -- or more specifically from elevated platforms. Anyone have any sources from the 19th century or earlier?

I know it's a bit of a digression, but as much as I love Ghost and the darkness I have to shake my head at it. I watched it that many times growing up I know nearly every line, right at the start Samuel says "remember this, even the most impossible parts of this story really happened". They then go on to tell an almost completely fictionalised version of a great historical story.

A better reference to hunting from trees and out of machans is from my outdoor idol - the greatest hunter, writer and conservationist of the past 2 centuries Jim Corbett. I have all his books and have read them many times over, great man and great hunter.

 

[Bigpete]

I know it's a bit of a digression, but as much as I love Ghost and the darkness I have to shake my head at it. I watched it that many times growing up I know nearly every line, right at the start Samuel says "remember this, even the most impossible parts of this story really happened". They then go on to tell an almost completely fictionalised version of a great historical story.

A better reference to hunting from trees and out of machans is from my outdoor idol - the greatest hunter, writer and conservationist of the past 2 centuries Jim Corbett. I have all his books and have read them many times over, great man and great hunter.

Oh,I dunno,there were a few bits which were true

 

[Trooper]

I used to bow hunt with a modern compound bow and aluminum 2117 arrows when I was much younger. My arrowhead was a thunderhead 125 grain weight. My first kill was from a tree at 16' on a tree seat/ platform. I had a spike buck trot under my stand and I launched my first arrow at him which missed as I aimed high. That buck heard the thump of that arrow hitting the ground next to him and while he stopped to look around, I had time to knock another arrow, draw and release. I aimed low, the arrow penetrated the deer's body at the base of the neck, he dropped instantly. It was only after I brought the animal home and start skinning him that I realized the arrowhead had his a vertebrae and severed the spinal cord. When the animal dropped, he had rolled over onto the arrow breaking the shaft from the head. This year, I intend on deer hunting solely with my 54 cal Renegade. November 1st can't get here soon enough.

 

[Bushfire]

Oh,I dunno,there were a few bits which were true

Have you read Patterson's book on it? Lots of variations from the truth.

I think the worst was lions breaking into the new hospital and going on a killing spree. They did in fact get into the outdoor area of new hospital, but they grabbed one guy and from memory couldn't get him out of the boma anyhow.

 

[user 53891]

The American Indians used hunting from trees to great effect. They were hunting deer etc long before the Europeans arrived. I would surmise that before the gun came into use that the rest of the world used trees to hide in too. So it likely goes way way back to when spears came into common use.

https://countryroadsmagazine.com/api/amp/outdoors/knowing-nature/the-first-deer-hunters/

I don't recall ever reading about American Indians hunting from trees.
However, one can expect whatever was the best way available was used.
We didn't invent hunting, so I can imagine even the cave man did so at some point.

 

[appalichian hunter]

You would need yo get pretty high up to chuck a spear through a mammoth. Years ago I read a account where a native americian would lie on a limb over a known mineral lick and wait on a deer to get underneath and then drop off the limb and stab the deer with a blade. Now thats hard core hunting in my book.

 

[Walkingeagle]

You would need yo get pretty high up to chuck a spear through a mammoth. Years ago I read a account where a native americian would lie on a limb over a known mineral lick and wait on a deer to get underneath and then drop off the limb and stab the deer with a blade. Now thats hard core hunting in my book.

You’ve never??
Walk

 

[Jaeger]

Talk about tree stand craziness. I was hunting buck season only , out of a Tree Lounge climber stand at about 30 feet above the ground. Shortly after light , six does came down the trail I was above , and stopped . After three days of camp food , gas was abundant , and I let rip to see if the noise had any effect on the does . They stood stock still w/ all eyes riveted on the camo mass up the maple tree ,above them. Then just walked under me and disappeared in the thicket. You never know what pearl of wisdom might prevail , if experimentation happens.

They obviously thought it was a buck snorting.

 

[TDM]

Yes they look up, especially if you make a noise or movement. I dont tree hunt, its not the fall but the landing that taught me years back, just dont bounce like I used to.

I didn’t believe that for many years, unless you were waving a flag or something. But several years back I was watching a doe and yearling in a food plot not far from my stand when a small plane flew directly over, maybe 1,000’-2,000’. They both looked up and watched that plane till it went out of sight. I’m a believer now.

 

[Robby]

They do look up, but like humans they look but don't always see. I stood in a tree stand watching a doe eating wild apples and right below me she grabbed an apple tilted her head back and started chomping. Her head was less than three feet from my feet and I was looking directly in her eyes, could even see the juice dripping down both sides of her mouth. Maybe the apples had already fermented, or she was just savoring the moment. I don't wear camo.
Robby

 

[Rifleman1776]

This thread reminds me of a fellow, now deceased, who used to live in my area. He was a muzzle loader and an alcoholic. He once got drunk while in his tree stand and fell out, paralyzing himself from waist down for rest of his life. He never gave up the drinking.

 

[Brokennock]

Deer definitely look up, especially if there is a disturbance that draws their attention upwards. They also can be educated. I've seen deer check out trees that have had hunters in them in the past.
I once shot at and just nicked a small buck with an arrow from a treestand that bordering an old skidder path..
Every time thereafter that I saw that deer appear at the opening in the trees where he entered the skidder trail,,, he would look up at the tree I shot from.
I never did get another shot at him. He has had at least one son. I saw a small buck last year with the same unusual black markings on his face and down his back.

You also don't need for deer to look at much of an upward angle for them to bust you in the trees. All it takes is for them to come in on a slight rise or hillside above you or even with you and for you to move at the wrong time.

 

[appalichian hunter]

They do look up, but like humans they look but don't always see. I stood in a tree stand watching a doe eating wild apples and right below me she grabbed an apple tilted her head back and started chomping. Her head was less than three feet from my feet and I was looking directly in her eyes, could even see the juice dripping down both sides of her mouth. Maybe the apples had already fermented, or she was just savoring the moment. I don't wear camo.
Robby

Not necssarily you but but a different object in the area (you up the tree) as long as no movement from you and the wind is blowing away from you and the deer, it was curious what was different in the area at the time, As I said I gave up hunting from a tree and now hunt from the ground, have had deer walk right to me. A doe one year actually came right up to me and sniffed my boots as I was sitting at the base of a big oak tree with my legs streached out. Movement and wind have busted more deer hunters than we could ever imagine.

 

[user 53891]

This thread reminds me of a fellow, now deceased, who used to live in my area. He was a muzzle loader and an alcoholic. He once got drunk while in his tree stand and fell out, paralyzing himself from waist down for rest of his life. He never gave up the drinking.

That's the "spirits", never give up!

 

[appalichian hunter]

You’ve never??
Walk

I never what, lay on a limb and drop on a deer NOPE Like I stated it was years ago I read the mentioned method, Perhaps fictional perhaps not, If one is hungry enough and limited in methods to kill supper might work but would be one he@@ of a ride I bet.

 

[user 53891]

I never what, lay on a limb and drop on a deer NOPE Like I stated it was years ago I read the mentioned method, Perhaps fictional perhaps not, If one is hungry enough and limited in methods to kill supper might work but would be one he@@ of a ride I bet.

Had a friend that I worked with when I lived in Texas, he was from Pagosa Springs, Colorado. His family had a ranch there. Said he got a little to much to drink one day and snuck up on a doe to see what it was like! Well, he said when he got hold of that little doe, he couldn't let go fast enough. That doe cut his legs up something fierce. End of story....never did that again

 

[Robby]

I taught hunter safety for archery for years. I would stress over and over the dangers with hunting from a tree stand, and the use of a safety belt, one of the example's I used was a fellow that helped teach the class. While gun hunting he shot a deer and was so excited he stepped off the stand, no safety belt. I don't remember how they got him out of the woods but he had broken his pelvis and he said he could feel the bones grinding all the way out.
Robby

 

[necchi]

Anyone have any sources from the 19th century or earlier?

I think your just looking at it from the wrong angle.
"Ambush" hunting techniques have been used since man invented the spear.
The practice of Climbing a tree to wait for game along a well used trail is about a million years old.
Making a nest like structure for support and perhaps camouflage would have been next
Then followed by the act of "building" a comfortable platform in said tree would have come after