Can Deer See You In A Tree Stand?

Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter, and Outdoorsman.

When you are hunting whitetail or mule deer, you’ll need to be stealthy. If they detect your presence, they can grow very skittish. So, can deer see you in a tree stand?

Deer have good peripheral vision. If you are moving in the stand, they will be able to spot you. Their eyesight will often be better at night. To avoid being spotted, hunters will need to optimize the way they set up their stands. Make sure you pick an inconspicuous spot. Then, wear camouflage clothing, stay still, and wait for the deer to come to you.

To have a successful hunt, you’ll need to make sure that you are staying concealed. Here are some of the most important things you need to know about tree stands.

In this post, we'll cover:

Do Deer Have Good Eyesight?

Many hunters are aware that deer have a keen sense of smell. Most of them have learned to identify the scent of a human. This is enough to put the whole pack on high alert.

Vision is a weaker sense. It’s believed that deer only have 20/100 vision. In other words, they need to be 20 feet away from something to see what a human can observe from 100 feet away. For a deer to focus on something, they will need to lift their nose. This allows them to put both eyes on the target.

But that doesn’t mean that hunters can underestimate the sight of the deer. They have a wide peripheral view. It’s believed they can see 300 degrees around them. This gives them good coverage of the area. They will be able to spot even small movements.

At night, though, the deer can come into their own. Some species can see 50 times better than a human at night. They have excellent night vision.

How Do You Stop Deer From Spotting You in a Tree Stand?

When you bow hunt, the last thing you want is for the deer to see you moving in your tree stand. Once they are alerted to human presence, they will be a lot warier. Sometimes, they will be spooked and leave the area entirely.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make sure that your stand blends in with its surroundings.

Where Should You Put Your Tree Stand?

The most important thing is to put a lot of thought into placing your tree stand. The last thing you want is for it to stand out against the natural environment.

You’ll need to look at the area. Consider any natural funnels. These can be things like downed trees. This will shape the way that the deer move around the area. By learning to read these signs, you’ll know the direction the deer will approach your tree stand.

This will tell you how to set up the stand. For example, you’ll want to hide the ladder behind the tree.

Next, you’ll need to think about where the sun is rising and setting. If you plan to hunt in the afternoon, you want to have the setting sun behind you. This will give you the right lighting for a food shot. It also stops the deer from spotting you. Like humans, they don’t want to look directly into the sun.

You’ll also need to look at the trees in the area. Ideally, they should have a lot of green leaves. This will make it easy to camouflage your stand. Try to have some back cover. This will make it harder for the deer to spot your movement.

Once you’ve finished getting the stand set up, take a step back. Look at it. Ideally, it should be hard to spot. You don’t want anything that will draw your attention towards it.

How High Should a Tree Stand Be?

One of the most common mistakes is making the tree stand too low. This will give deer a chance to spot you. It also makes it easier for them to detect your scent, which is their primary way of being alerted to danger.

But you don’t want to set the stand too high. This will make it harder to climb up and down. It can increase the chances that you will have an accident. Because of this, it’s recommended that you use a harness when you are in the tree stand. This will stop you from falling.

The ideal height for a tree stand will be around 20 feet. This will put you out of the line of sight of the deer without putting yourself in danger.

How Far Aware Should Your Tree Stand Be?

It’s also important to make sure that the stand is far enough away from the deer. Too close, and you won’t be able to get a clear shot. Too far away, and you won’t be able to hit their vitals.

Generally, you’ll want to have them stand around 15 to 20 yards away. This will put you in the perfect zone.

What Should You Wear When You’re Using the Stand?

Once you’ve got your stand set up, you need to consider your behavior when hunting. Movement, rather than an obvious stand, is what will spook the deer.

To make it harder for them to see you:

Try wearing camouflaged clothing.
Pair your clothing with the seasons.
Remember, deer have sensitive noses.

Because of this, many hunters will regularly spray themselves with scent control. This may not completely mask your scent, but it’ll significantly reduce and prevent it from lingering in the area.

You’ll also need to remember to take it slowly. Any fast movements will tell the deer where you are located. This will scare them away. Instead, move slowly and calmly.

How Long Does it Take for Deer to Get Used to a Stand?

Deer are susceptible to changes in their environment. If you put in a new stand, they will know it’s there. At first, they will be very skittish. If you try hunting at this time, there is a strong possibility of scaring them off. If this happens, it will be a while before they are willing to return to the area.

To ensure that this doesn’t happen, you’ll need to give them some time to familiarize themselves with the stand. Let them see that it isn’t a threat. Usually, this process will take around two to three weeks. If you have the time, you can leave the stand-alone for a month. You can use trail cameras to monitor this process. During this time, you want to avoid visiting the stand too often.

Once the deer are comfortable, you’ll be able to start hunting. Because they are used to the stand, they shouldn’t have any problems with coming right up to you.

It’s also essential to give your tree stands a rest. After 12 hours of hunting, the deer might pattern you. This means that they will start to avoid that area. Because of this, it’s a good idea to set up multiple tree stands. Over time, you’ll learn which ones deliver the best results at what times of the year.

Final Thoughts

A good tree stand is a key to successfully bow hunting deer. However, they are intelligent animals with a keen sense of smell, and bow hunters need appropriate scent control. Getting patterned will cause them to avoid the area for months. Ideally, it would help if you used this to blend into the background. Don’t forget to leave at least two weeks to get the deer used to the stand. If you do this, they should feel comfortable about approaching the area.

Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.

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