Sleeping in a treestand

I have been over come by the "Care Bears" in the tree stand on many occasions, I have always been belted in which is a must in my opinion. I have never spent the entire night in one. As long as one was buckled in I wouldn't see any problem, the portable small stands would be a tad uncomfortable for an over nighter I would imagine. I had a very close friend fall 15ft out of a portable stand, broke his back in several places, he is now for all practical purposes paralyzed from the waste down. He was getting down out of stand when he fell. One can not be to careful when using any sort of elevated stands. At present I use three ground blinds. The worst that can happen is falling off my chair. I find the ground blinds works very well.
 
First time I ever sat in a stand I was nervous the whole time. Second time I hooked my strap up higher. It allowed the space to move and stand up but not enough to bend over and touch my toes. Since then I think I have snoozed in every stand I sit in. Helps to keep the jitters and fiddles down until first light.
 
That is how I Elk hunted for years. Had a stand with a 4' X 6' platform and would set it up 2-3 days before the season. Then I would go in the evening before with my gear and bedroll and was set. Above the scent line and there at first light for the hunt. No noise or scent as not walking in. Worked very well for a number of years until other persons found the spot.
 
Mike K. said:
That is how I Elk hunted for years. Had a stand with a 4' X 6' platform and would set it up 2-3 days before the season. Then I would go in the evening before with my gear and bedroll and was set. Above the scent line and there at first light for the hunt. No noise or scent as not walking in.
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Hate to burst your bubble but there is no such thing as a suspended "scent line." Your scent is distributed on air currents, and air currents are dictated by pressure systems, topography, air temperature etc... in the evening the thermals are falling due to cooling air, this means, even if you are elevated 20-30 feet above the ground, your scent will contact ground level just a few meters from your stand. Conversely, in the morning, air thermals are rising due to warming air (in general, topography, weather systems and pressure also play a role), this means your scent is likely to be carried well over the heads of your quarry... if you are there throughout the night, you may actually create a "pool" of scent in the area of your stand due to limited air movement and falling thermals.

On stands that are particularly finicky for wind, I try to hunt mornings, so that even with swirling winds the rising air column tends to take scent over the heads of game (but not always)... Food for thought.
 
jjohnwm said:
Sleeping in a tree stand, or a blind? Sure, I do it all the time...never intentionally, never planned, but it just seems to happen!

If you've ever dozed off in an airport, or during a boring meeting or maybe a movie, you know how confused you can sometimes momentarily be when you are woken. Believe me, that feeling is way more intense when you wake up in a tree! :)
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You forgot to add the 20 feet up in the air part with some drool rolling down ones chin too ;)
Is it illegal can not say as I have not seen any rules about it any of the Regs in BC, but a hint of advice...wear your fall arrest gear and maybe tether your hunting iron/stick...just in case.
Rob
 
I have fell asleep a few times, quick nap.

A few years ago it was starting to rain so I got down from the stand and went into the ground blind.. Slept,for a few hours, rain always makes me sleep good
 
I broke my leg really badly in the end of May. I'm still walking with a cane, and not for long distances either.. Got drawn for archery elk and I was thinking about over nighting it as well. Just not in my stand. Thinking about building a 4x8x8 shack to hunt and sleep in. Or at least sleep in. My reason is that I don't want to fire up my quad after the afternoon/evening hunt. And my gimp arse would be there and ready in the AM. Have you thought about something on ground level like this? It could be a short distance from your stand.
 
One of my hunting partners built A nice play wood tree stand it was more like a tree fort
He had buck bed small table food,stove ,books and magazines ext,
I wouldn't mined putting sum up my self works pretty slick
As far as I understand it's perfectly legal To sleep in your bline
 
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I've fallen asleep while turkey hunting. Only to be awoken by two toms beating on my jake decoy. I started raising the gun and didnt see the two other toms to the right. They all took off and I didn't even get a shot. It was the first turkeys I seen that season. I realized then that calling isn't as important as I thought, I never made a sound that morning.
 
Many have passed out in a blind on more than one occasion.
Be it a shallow ground blind or backed up against a rock in the warm sun over looking a gametrail or clear cut.
I know I have on more than one occasion too.
Now sleeping in a tree stand would require some special skills.
As far as illegal or contrary to game laws ...that would be a first.
FLHTCUI
 
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fell asleep in the stand on my very first deer hunt. Napped for about 20 minutes. woke up, called, and 15 minutes later I harvested.
 
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