It’s been 55 years since I followed my dad into the darkness of the woods for the first time on a squirrel hunt. Half scared and half excited, I followed him closely, trying to be as stealthy as an eight-year-old boy could possibly be. I still look back at my first morning hunt in the woods as one of my favorite outdoor experiences. Still too young to carry a gun, I opted for an old broom stick that was cut down to size and had a nail driven into it (my trigger). This was my pretend weapon…careful to keep the end always pointed towards the ground for safety reasons. Safety was the first lesson learned…instilled in me by my father from the very beginning.
To this day, I truly believe that led me on a path which I hope to travel as long as I’m able to get around. That first morning in the woods opened a door to a whole new world and left a pleasant and permanent track in my memory.
As I grew, so did my passion for bow hunting. There was something about climbing a tree in the dark and sitting for hours that completely captivated me. Time in a tree stand is unlike any other. Suspended above the forest floor, nestled among branches and leaves, you become both observer and participant in the quiet, unfolding drama of the natural world. In those long, still hours, time seems to stretch and compress in odd ways…hours and hours of sweet anticipation graced with moments of incredible excitement when the woods come alive. Whether you hunt for food, sport, or simply for the peace it brings, the time spent in a tree stand offers more than just the chance of a successful harvest—it provides space for reflection or “think time” as I like to call it. There are many things that pass through my mind while sitting in a tree stand.
In the early hours before dawn, climbing into the stand in silence becomes a kind of ritual. The world is still dark except for the soft shimmer of stars or a sliver of moon. Slowly, as the first golden rays of sunlight appear over the horizon, (my favorite time to be in the woods) the forest awakens. Birds begin to call, squirrels chatter, turkeys begin their morning rituals and we, as hunters, watch it all unfold from our elevated perch…unnoticed by most of the animals below. It is a front-row seat to the rhythms of nature, uninterrupted by the noise of modern life.
Time in a tree stand requires patience. Hours can pass without a single glimpse of game. There are no phone calls, no meetings to attend and no television to watch…just the distant rustle of leaves or the crack of a twig. It is in this stillness that the mind slows down. You become attuned to every sound and movement. Focus sharpens. There is space to think, to breathe, to listen…not only to the woods, but to one’s own thoughts. Many hunters speak of clarity that comes only in these moments, a kind of mental reset that is increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced world.
The tree stand also teaches humility. No matter how carefully you plan or how still you sit, nature operates on its own terms. The deer may never appear. The wind might shift. Rain could fall. There is no guarantee. And yet, these quiet failures are part of the appeal. Each trip into the stand is a reminder that we are not in control, but participants in something larger, older, and wilder than ourselves.
When the hunt is successful, it is a moment of gratitude and reverence. A clean shot, a respectful harvest, and a full freezer are rewards not just for the act itself, but for the many silent hours that led to it. Even without a kill, time in a tree stand offers its own rewards: peace, patience, and perspective.
In the end, time in a tree stand is about more than hunting. It’s about presence. It’s about stepping away from the artificial noise of life and remembering what it means to be still, to be aware, and to be part of the natural world. And in that stillness, many find exactly what they didn’t know they were looking for.
Great article…so true that “stepping away” is necessary to remember that quiet time is paramount to preserve one’s sanity in an otherwise noisy & busy world, a certain peacefulness only found in the woods…