How to Hide My Deer Hunting Stand

An example of natural foliage camouflage.

Deer hunting is an enjoyable way to connect with nature, sharpen woodsmanship, and obtain tasty venison. Hunting usually takes place from a ground blind or a stand placed high in a tree. However, deer are well-known for getting spooked by any metallic reflections or abnormally straight lines, as these phenomena are unnatural is the forest. Thoughtful hunters properly camouflage their stands beforehand to maximize their chances for a kill.

Things You'll Need

• Leafy tree branches
• Hatchet or saw
• Plastic zip ties
• Camouflaged wrap or tarp
• 1 can of brown spray paint
• 1 can of green spray paint

Instructions

Natural Foliage

1. Search the ground for fallen branches at the base of your hunting tree. Ideal branches the thickness of your thumb at the base with plenty of leaves. If you are unable to find any, remove a few branches from the trees of the same type with a hatchet or saw. Be sure not to remove more than two or three branches from each tree, as removing too many can cause the tree to die.

2. Attach the branches to your stand at the recommended height between 10 to 15 feet above the tree base. You can weave the branches through the seat and railings, or you can use plastic zip ties. This hides the unnatural lines and metallic finish of your stand and makes it look like a part of the tree. Try to space the branches in a similar fashion to the natural branches attached to the tree.

3. Examine your tree stand from the ground to evaluate your work. Make any adjustments as necessary.

Camouflage Wrap

1. Take the camouflage wrap with you up into the stand. Depending on type you purchased, unfold or unroll the wrap around the stand starting from the top. Tree stands are small pieces of equipment, so you should have no trouble covering all sections of metal.

2. Secure the wrap by stuffing any excess between the tree and the tree stand straps, or with plastic zip ties. Do not worry if the wrap is not tight and moves in the breeze, as this actually looks more natural.

3. Examine your tree stand from the ground to evaluate your work. Make any adjustments as necessary.

Spray Paint Camouflage

1. Completely coat your tree stand in brown spray paint, taking special care to coat the underside, as this section is most visible from the ground. You may wish to cover the seat with plastic beforehand, though this is not necessary.

2. Spray small swatches of green paint onto the bars and underside of the seat to create the illusion of leaves. It doesn't have to be perfect, because all you are trying to do is prevent metallic reflection and to break up the straight lines of the frame.

3. Allow the stand to dry and let it sit outside under shade for at least a week. If you hunt from the stand too soon, deer will smell the fresh paint. You may wish to rub dirt on the metal after the paint drys to hasten the drying process.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the greatest contributions to proper tree stand camouflage is the selection of a proper tree. Pick a tree with low, leafy branches to maximize your ability to stay hidden.

• While any camouflage wrap will do the job of breaking up the unnatural lines of your tree stand, try to find a wrap with a similar camouflage print to the type of trees in your hunting grounds.

• A combination of the above techniques will provide optimal camouflage.

• When you remove any wrapping or tree branches at the end of the season that were fastened with zip ties, be sure to remove the cut plastic ties from the forest.

References

• Deer Hunting Guide: Deer Hunting Stands
• Free Deer Hunting Tips: Deer Blinds or Ladder Tree Stands - Which Work Best for Deer Hunters?
• Field and Stream: How to Sit and Wait

Resources

• Outdoor Adventures: Basic Tree Stand Hunting Techniques