Elevated Stand Guidelines

Elevated Stand Location

• Place a stand no higher than necessary.
• Never place a stand in a dead tree, in trees with large overhanging dead limbs, or on or near utility poles.
• Select only trees that are straight.
• Never place stands on fence lines or near another landowner's property.

Hauling Hunting Equipment into a Stand

• Never carry your hunting equipment up or down the tree with you as you climb. Always use a haul line.
• Before attaching the haul line to your hunting equipment:
  • If using a firearm, unload it and open the action.
  • If using a bow, put the arrows in a covered quiver and secure the quiver to your bow.
• Use a haul line of heavy cord attached to your stand to bring up your hunting equipment or to lower it prior to climbing down from your stand.
  • If using a firearm, attach the haul line to the firearm's sling so that the firearm hangs with the muzzle pointed down.
  • If using a bow, attach the haul line between the bow's limb and the bowstring so that the arrows point down.
• Slip the end of the haul line through your belt—leave it untied so that it can pull free if you fall. Put on your FAS, secure yourself to the tree, and climb to your stand.
• After you are in the stand and secure, haul up your hunting equipment and untie the haul line.

Before hauling a firearm into a stand, make sure it is unloaded. Also, you can avoid getting debris in the barrel by placing a cover over the muzzle. Once you are securely in the stand, check for obstructions before you load.