History of hunting from trees

[Bigpete]

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.

Yes,actually I have.

 

[hanshi]

I guess I've hunted about 50%/50% ground and elevated. Just being on the ground doesn't necessarily spook deer more than in a tree. A deer generally needs two of it's three senses to get really spooked. If you attract ones attention and stay still they'll more than likely hang around. But say if you get spotted and stay still but the deer smells you or hears you make a noise, he's gone. But they do funny things. I once spotted two deer behind a small bush watching loggers cut up wood with a chain saw. The deer were very close maybe 20 feet away from the guys.

 

[Bushfire]

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.

I think it's a learned behaviour, I've watched plenty of US hunting videos where your whitetail are cautiously moving through the bush and looking up. They are obviously aware that danger lurks up.

Here where we don't hunt from treestands for the most part and watching deer in the bush they don't seem neat as concerned about looking up.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Hanshi, I’ve had loggers tell me that moose seem to be attracted to chainsaws. Not really sure about that, especially since I've probably spent the equivalent of 2 years or so in outfitter tents and collected umpteen hundreds of chords of firewood for those tents, or my stove at home while in Alberta’s north. Never had a moose step out that I saw. Lol
Walk

 

[Brokennock]

I think it's a learned behaviour, I've watched plenty of US hunting videos where your whitetail are cautiously moving through the bush and looking up. They are obviously aware that danger lurks up.

Here where we don't hunt from treestands for the most part and watching deer in the bush they don't seem neat as concerned about looking up.

Very much a learned behavior.
Deer, and many other game animals, can be educated.

 

[Mad Professor]

I still enjoy stalking deer much more rewarding than waiting in a "tree fort". You learn so much more about the deer and land. That said, when it is like waking on corn chips I'll post up or use a stand.

 

[Ninering62]

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?

Great idea for a post, thanks. My father only hunted from 2x4 & plywood treestands, my grandfather only ground hunted/stalked. From 8yrs old in 1970, I've done plenty of both, but my primary/preferred way of hunting is with a self climber treestand. I never gave it a thought as to where that type of hunting originated or by whom it was first started & when it first started. I'm looking forward to reading this whole thread.

 

[tomm9903]

I have seen medieval paintings of archers both with longbows and crossbows perched in trees shown shooting at game. I think the painting was from the 1400’s as I recall.

 

[French Colonial]

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.

Peter Capstick wrote about the lions as well, several excellent books.

 

[SOLANCO]

Lmao
"Ensure" ?!?!?!


Seriously though. I'm not 100% certain of the history here either. I do vaguely recall reading about natives standing on large branches to shoot down at game, but I'm not positive this was a researched thing with documentable evidence, or just conjecture.
I'm also not certain how viable it would have been pre-contact or in very early Colonial New England. The forests here at the time of contact and for many years after were old growth and reported to have little understory. This is part of the reason given for native bows in this area being rather long and narrow. They were not hunting from horses or through thick underbrush necessitating shorter bows. Instead slipping through forests of tall straight hardwoods unless in the pines. So, how many low, large enough, branches were there to hunt from?

As a matter of conjecture, I wonder how productive the old growth forests were for hunters. Little or no understory would seem to say little or no food. I suspect that they hunted the edges of mature woodlands. Around clearings made by fire or disease or other natural causes.
I like to hunt the edges of power and pipeline rights of way. Deep woods not so much so.

 

[Patocazador]

Hanshi, I’ve had loggers tell me that moose seem to be attracted to chainsaws. Not really sure about that, especially since I've probably spent the equivalent of 2 years or so in outfitter tents and collected umpteen hundreds of chords of firewood for those tents, or my stove at home while in Alberta’s north. Never had a moose step out that I saw. Lol
Walk

That's probably true although they aren't attracted to the chainsaw. They are attracted to the tender new leaves and shoots that the loggers leave behind.
On our old lease in Alabama we learned to set up around a site so we could kill a deer or two. As soon as the loggers knocked off for the evening, the deer would come right in and start munching. The chainsaw noise is like the dinner bell being rung.

 

[Gvilleddie]

I love these stories…..

 

[user 53891]

That's probably true although they aren't attracted to the chainsaw. They are attracted to the tender new leaves and shoots that the loggers leave behind.
On our old lease in Alabama we learned to set up around a site so we could kill a deer or two. As soon as the loggers knocked off for the evening, the deer would come right in and start munching. The chainsaw noise is like the dinner bell being rung.

You know, I've had guys tell me that they hate hunting on public land(BLM/National Forest) because the atv's run off the deer/elk/bear/antelope!! Like most animals they "improvise, adapt, and overcome"! We drive our atv's to areas we like to walk in and hunt, many, many times on the way we come across deer or elk and they stand there and watch you go by. Like anything else, during the off season, folks drive atv's, utv's, dirt bikes in the same areas and these animals just adapt to the noises.

 

[SOLANCO]

You know, I've had guys tell me that they hate hunting on public land(BLM/National Forest) because the atv's run off the deer/elk/bear/antelope!! Like most animals they "improvise, adapt, and overcome"! We drive our atv's to areas we like to walk in and hunt, many, many times on the way we come across deer or elk and they stand there and watch you go by. Like anything else, during the off season, folks drive atv's, utv's, dirt bikes in the same areas and these animals just adapt to the noises.

Still trying to figure out how the deer know when it's opening day. Maybe from the number of hung over sportsmen stumbling around in the pre dawn.

 

[Brokennock]

As a matter of conjecture, I wonder how productive the old growth forests were for hunters. Little or no understory would seem to say little or no food. I suspect that they hunted the edges of mature woodlands. Around clearings made by fire or disease or other natural causes.
I like to hunt the edges of power and pipeline rights of way. Deep woods not so much so.

We get told a lot that old growth forest doesn't support game, or much wildlife at all. But, who us doing the telling and what other motives might they have?
I'm sure old growth pine doesn't support much big game. But, picture an open forest of oaks, hickorys, and beech trees. Maybe a few pawpaws and persimmon trees thrown in here and there..... Plenty of good deer, turkey, and squirrel food right there.

 

[user 53891]

We get told a lot that old growth forest doesn't support game, or much wildlife at all. But, who us doing the telling and what other motives might they have?
I'm sure old growth pine doesn't support much big game. But, picture an open forest of oaks, hickorys, and beech trees. Maybe a few pawpaws and persimmon trees thrown in here and there..... Plenty of good deer, turkey, and squirrel food right there.

Head to the old growth pine in NM, CO, ID, UT, WY, etc. and you will find plenty of yummy animals.

 

[brazosland]

There were Indians in the trees during the attack at the beginning of The Revenant, so clearly they were familiar with the idea.

Personally I try to kill any doe that has learned to look up at my tree stands. On my own property I have watched them learn and use that knowledge.

 

[Spikebuck]

A number of decades ago when hunting videos were rare, "The Bowhunter" featuring Curt Gowdy was released. They compared native american techniques to "modern" bowhunters and had native americans in the film and references to numerous sources. In that video they specifically mention use of trees in native hunting.

That said, the film wasn't a documentary, it was for entertainment, but I'd think their source documents did indicate use of trees.

Regarding mature timber...don't forget that natives altered their habitats to increase game populations through burns, etc. creating edge habitat. In addition, across all regions of North America, there are and were many varying habitats. So some areas may not have had suitable lower branches, but many areas would have.

 

[DuncNZ]

I would not like to be caught up a tree in Hostile territory with a muzzle loading rifle even if there was room to reload .
Cold air moves down the mountain side in the morning , katabatic wind , so hunt up hill in the morning .
Warm air rises in the late morning / afternoon , anabatic wind , so glass from up on high then hunt down into the wind in the afternoon , most deer species look down more than up , but also have better sense of smell than sight or hearing , all deer have a jump first and ask questions later response to danger , Smell needs no conformation , sight or hearing usually need conformation of one of the other senses before jumping .
Here in New Zealand most public land huts (hunters cabins) are sighted on river flats to take advantage of the Katabatic and anabatic winds , hunt up 1000 -3000 feet through the bush , get out on the open tussock tops and move and glass the bush edge , then hunt back down to camp , or stagger down with a load of meat .
If you have seen Lord of the Rings we hunt in a lot of that country

 

[Walkingeagle]

A number of decades ago when hunting videos were rare, "The Bowhunter" featuring Curt Gowdy was released. They compared native american techniques to "modern" bowhunters and had native americans in the film and references to numerous sources. In that video they specifically mention use of trees in native hunting.

That said, the film wasn't a documentary, it was for entertainment, but I'd think their source documents did indicate use of trees.

Regarding mature timber...don't forget that natives altered their habitats to increase game populations through burns, etc. creating edge habitat. In addition, across all regions of North America, there are and were many varying habitats. So some areas may not have had suitable lower branches, but many areas would have.

Natural forest fires were obviously left to burn, creating habitat and regrowth. We only fight them due to insurance payouts and logging companies.
Walk