As always, I tend to over complicate things. So here's the question. If you are expecting deer movement to come from the west, which way do you face your stand if you are a right handed? Do you face west so you can see the deer coming? Do you face east so the tree blocks you? Do you face north or south? Assume a north wind and you are in the woods so there are some trees for cover, etc. It's a small detail but one I got to thinking about and it is something I don't think I have ever seen discussed before. Picture is posted for reference. Don't hate my awesome Paint skills! Black line is deer trail. Red dot is the tree you are climbing.
In that specific situation I'm facing my stand east or northeast. I don't like to have to move around a lot or even stand up if I don't have to when a deer comes in. Right handed with deer coming from west going east, stand placed facing northeast or east, I have a bit of cover from the tree, a broadside shot and never have to stand up if I don't want to. This is where the deer does something unexpected and comes from the east on a trail south of you.
I'm sure everyone is different, but I want to face the direction I'm expecting deer to come from. I stand up for every shot and I stand up as soon as I hear or see any deer, get my bow off the hanger and get as close as I can to the tree. I'd much rather need to hang my bow back up if I'm not going to shoot than have to get it off the hanger with a deer in range. Also, IF the deer come head on the tree is helping break up my profile. That's just the way I like to do things.
North so I can keep my head on a swivel both directions and also not ever looking directly into the sun. If it's only half a day sit I will try to make it so the sun is at my back so the deer has to be looking into the sun when looking my direction.
North. I can comfortably pull my bow from a seated position to my left or straight ahead. It also depends if you sit or stand as well. Standing I may face it SE and face NNW using the tree to block direct line of sight if standing and wait for a broadside shot on the east side of the tree.
In that situation (with the amazing graphics provided) I would probably set my stand NW. I they are coming from the west I could hopefully get a shot before they wind me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
NE in that situation. He's 1/4'd to the whole time he's coming, so I'm not going to shoot until he's N of the stand anyway.
Obviously everyone is different and this is a personal preference so there really are no right or wrong answers in a universal sense. That said, it doesn't make any sense to me to point the stand West (for a righty) and definitely not south and north is an awkward position as I wouldn't prefer at all to take a quartering to shot and a straight on shot (me facing north, deer broadside) puts your draw arm's elbow going towards the tree so possibly restricted movement. If that east bound deer (assuming it's traveling as expected) happens to be unstoppable until quartering away...that further turn into the drawing arm is going to get increasingly harder to pull off the further left turning (east) a north facing stand hunter is going to find him/herself in. Sun in your face for an east facing hunter: Wear a cap...and sit still. For a tree stand hunter, the morning sun is not as much of an impediment as some may think. You'll most likely be looking at a downward angle for a shot and in the given scenario...ideally you have a broadside or quartering away (for an east facing stand) shot straight north or slightly northeast...so not looking into the sun in any case. Like I said no right or wrong answers, just talking through in more depth why I would go with the east or northeast facing stand.
NE for me. Placed enough so I don't have to strain myself seeing where they come from. I like using the tree for cover somewhat and the deer will be quartering away by the time it gets on the other side of tree.
I hunt mostly funnels. Like to face my stand up / or down the draw so I can shoot both directions. It allows me to cover most the width of the draw that way.
I figure out the worst possible spot for the specific scenario, and that's where I sit. Waiting for hours on end for something to happen, that never does.
