Yesterday was my second time out hunting and boy what a difference a couple of days make. My first trip out there seemed to be deer everywhere (except close within shooting range)--yesterday the woods seemed to be empty, I may be imagining things but I could almost sense "spooked" in the air. I was lugging along a portable ladder and hanging stand and all my gear together weighed close to 50 lbs--I now know why you want a good tree-climber stand . : )

The area I'm hunting is archery only, and after crossing a field that slopes upward with the intention of setting a stand up with a good vantage point--the very spot I had chosen from the distance already had a high ladder and hanging stand on it (nobody in it)--had to be at least 40 feet off the ground. I'm just a beginner--but I'm a little suspicious about the set-up. It seems to me that the height and angles the hunter would be shooting at would be low-probability/high-risk shots with a bow--though looked perfect for a rifle set-up with long-range command of the field. Any thoughts?