Which is best? Sitting inside or out?

Today’s blog asks two questions, and to answer them would be to give the right answer to one person and perhaps the wrong answer to another. You may wonder why.

This person obviously chooses a tree stand but you don’t have to.

Is there a best way to bow hunt if we consider sitting outside in the fresh air or inside an enclosed coop? I don't think so.

There are many people who wouldn't be caught dead bow hunting from an enclosed coop, much less an elevated one. On the other hand, many hunters once they get a bit older, favor the coop because they don't have to worry so much about the wind. A coop is decidedly warmer once the north winds howl, and the snow and temperatures fall.

Are there advantages of one hunting style over the other? One could make a valid argument for spooking fewer deer from a coop, but it's still possible to scare off deer from inside an enclosed coop.

Basically, hunters who sit in a tree stand, out in the open, quite possibly may enjoy the hunt more simply because they must be downwind of the traveling deer and they must remain motionless. They can't get away with scratching their nose or ear, and any sudden wind shift can ruin their hunt. There always is the possibility of an arrow clipping a twig on the way to the ground, and it will miss or wound the deer.

Elevated coop hunters must keep the window closed until it's time to take a shot. Leave the window(s) open, and the odds of being winded by an alert deer increase dramatically.

Coop hunters must keep windows closed and cover until it’s time to shoot.

The coop hunter has other things to consider. Is there a covering over the window behind him? If there isn't, a bow hunter that moves will be quickly spotted by an approaching deer.

Wood and weather can be the cause of another problem for the coop hunter. The shooting window may warp a bit, and make it nearly impossible to open a sliding window. A hinged window is just as bad because the hinges can squeak if they aren't oiled.

Many hunters who hunt from an elevated coop are delivered to the ladder by someone on an ATV or a pickup truck. They jump out, scurry up the ladder, and once they are inside, their transportation pulls away and returns to pick them up at dark. The sound and motion of the vehicle can move deer away, but the animals usually are accustomed to vehicle noise and move away from it. Ten minutes after the vehicle pulls away, the deer come back.

That is usually not the case for the tree stand hunter. He doesn't want exhaust fumes on his clothing, and doesn't want any vehicles near his tree. He eases into the area, climbs into the stand, and sits back to await deer movements. He wants a quiet environment where he hunts.

The pros and cons of each one have been briefly discussed. The key now is to make up your mind. It can be difficult at times.

Me, I favor the enclosed coop more now than I did 10 or 15 years ago. The cold seems to bother me a bit more now that I'm 71 years of age, and frankly, a coop can offer more creature comforts.

Coops are warmer and offer more creature comforts.

Some coops have swivel chairs, and I like the idea of a nice back rest. Many trees, after an hour or so, seem to grow stubs that stick you in the back, butt or ribs. A coop, on the inside, is big enough where one can stand or sit and remain motionless.

I've spent many years hunting from a tree stand, and I still enjoy it until the cold starts to seep through my clothing. I like the unobstructed view available from many tree stands, and sitting still and arrowing a buck from a tree stand is a feat, regardless of one's hunting preferences.

Over the course of the deer hunting season I will hunt from an elevated coop, a tree stand and a ground-level coop. Each year I'll shoot a buck or doe a stand, and all types bring me joy.

Choosing which type of stand suits your needs is important.

So, the choice is where to bow-hunt and which type of stand location to use is every bit as personal as your favorite color for the family vehicle. All have assets, and it's possible to find something wrong with each one, but one thing is for certain:

Come Oct. 1, when the bow season opens, I'll be in one of the three types of stands. I'm not certain at this time which one it will be, but know this: a bad day of deer hunting is twice as nice as a good day at work.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors