Ok this is kind of a spin off to the "how you hunting" thread. Several brought up the need to change "setups" in regard to stand site selection. So if you are one to change, what aspects will you be trying to account for? Other than a typical shot distance disparity, what other reasons will you be changing your setups for? I think this may help some people catch things they may have not thought about and avoid having to learn it the hard way.
I don't go as high as I did when I hunted with my compound. I look for trees that are clumped together, I don't like going into big round trees, they sometimes hinder my draw! I'll set up on a trail I know the deer will come down and set up for a close shot, unlike before I used to set up in an area covering a few different trails with a 40 yards perimeter! I do spend a little more time looking for the the tree I'm going to sit in. Last season I started switching my stands every 2 or 3 sits and then moved on to a different part of the trail or a different area all together! Kinda like running and gunning for deer but with areas already scouted out knowing where the deer are coming and going! I don't want the deer to pattern me!
Early season will have me on the groud ALOT. Mainly because while its fairly warm my wife is going to be wanting to go alot, and she already stated that she doesnt feel too good about climbing a tree. So hopefully I will have some brush blinds made up early on some good given doe spots for her to try and whack one, and I will be with her so good opportunities for me as well. I honestly was very tickled with how I set my stands this year, farthest shot was 25 yards and the other 5 were within 15 so I felt I did pretty good about picking trees. Only problem is its all new land for me and I will have from May 10-Oct 1 to get it all scouted out. Hopefully all goes well.
All ground hunting for me with my trad gear. I really have no interest of climbing in a tree with my trad bow. I like eye-level hunting and do a lot of it anyways... the only real change I see is my effective range so most of my trad spots will be in tight in the thick stuff or a little closer to the edges of habitat transitions. Making lots of natural tuck back in ground blinds..
I'll be hang'n in a tree on Quantico or somewhere in N.VA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------