Getting busted from behind

[LtMoe66]

Getting busted from time to time is all part of the game. You learn new things each time. If we were all perfect at setting up there would be no deer left to hunt! I usually try to set up in trees that provide as much cover as possible(i.e-double trucked, trees with cedars next to them, set up amongst the branches of trees that allow movement, sometimes being up high is not always the answer. Setting low with a lot of brush and over growth to hide your outline with sometimes just a couple of lanes, is better than standing out like a sore thumb high in a tree, etc.) This year I used 2 squirrel steps set about 6-8 inches higher than my platform or one stick depending what I was using. It allows you to straddle the tree and keep your body close to the trunk while being extremely comfortable plus allowing you to slightly step down onto you platform with less movement and you are able to use them to maneuver more easily around the tree if necessary. Good luck. Hope this helps!!!

 

[kyler1945]

Cover at the deers eye level is more effective at concealing your outline and movement than cover right in front of you.

Try to hunt places where the deer will pass with things between it’s eyes and you, with those things being closer to the deer than you if you can.

Math applied to the “I get busted more in saddle versus stand” will reveal that it’s not all that useful of a comparison. You can do far more for preventing getting busted by where you hunt, and the space you set up in, than any delta between facing tree or away.

 

[bfriendly]

This^^^
cept I’m having trouble finding trees. Being the first year in a saddle, I guess I shouldn’t be too disappointed. I’ve had a few chances, but only connected one time. preseason scouting next year will be much different than this past season.

 

[bodark]

Cover at the deers eye level is more effective at concealing your outline and movement than cover right in front of you.

Try to hunt places where the deer will pass with things between it’s eyes and you, with those things being closer to the deer than you if you can.

Math applied to the “I get busted more in saddle versus stand” will reveal that it’s not all that useful of a comparison. You can do far more for preventing getting busted by where you hunt, and the space you set up in, than any delta between facing tree or away.

But it’s not always that simple. Sometimes things happen. All things being equal I would rather NOT have a tree in front of me to maneuver around. If deer approach behind me in a hang on I just spin around. There’s no way to realistically do that hanging in a saddle and I don’t care what anyone says. If I’m in a lock on a deer approach from my front I’m already able to shoot.

in a saddle I’m eliminating a huge window I can reasonably shoot a deer from.

 

[wyearby]

When at all possible, I try to set up with a tree with split limbs. It allows for more comfort and cover, or climb into cover, it's a little more tedious to climb but helps out in the long run.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[JCLINE84]

I seriously can’t remember the last time I got busted but it’s because it’s so dang steep here. I said on a podcast that I can only remember getting busted in a saddle twice and I don’t think people believed it. The advantage I use to keep from getting seen or winded is steep terrain and barriers. I hunt mostly ridge tops looking down on benches and saddles. If you’re 20 feet off the ground and another 30 feet above the bench below the ridge top it becomes really hard for them to see or smell you. I’m sure I get winded all the time from far away and it causes deer to just avoid that area but I accept that. At least they aren’t blowing and scaring the deer that are in the area away. What I’m trying to say is when you find a spot try to find the terrain or barriers in that spot to use to your advantage. If I was hunting flat ground I’d find a tree that was 20ish yards away from where I thought the closest deer would be that had some type of barrier downwind of the tree. Like a super thick cluster of trees and brush, maybe a highway, a pond or creek, an old fence row. Anything that would make it hard for the deer to approach from that direction. And that’s the direction my back faces. Expanding on the setting up at least 20 yards from where you expect the deer to be, it took me a long time to realize I needed to be watching the action from a safe distance instead of setting up right in the middle of the action. The perfect tree is the one that you can hang in all day and watch deer walk past you from 25 yards away without them knowing you’re there. Not the one that brings them right to your feet. If you tailor everything in your setup for one outcome and accept the reduced opportunity then you can reduce the randomness also. Sorry I wrote so much, and I’m nowhere near perfect, I mess up other things all the time. Just sharing some things that have drastically improved my ability to stay hidden.

 

[1simplemann]

But it’s not always that simple. Sometimes things happen. All things being equal I would rather NOT have a tree in front of me to maneuver around. If deer approach behind me in a hang on I just spin around. There’s no way to realistically do that hanging in a saddle and I don’t care what anyone says. If I’m in a lock on a deer approach from my front I’m already able to shoot.

in a saddle I’m eliminating a huge window I can reasonably shoot a deer from.

Maybe I'm missing something here. Are you a saddle hunter or a hang on hunter? Using the tree as a buffer between you and the deer is one of the main advantages of using a saddle. I can shoot 270 degrees easily. Probably more like 300 degrees. I can shoot in front and behind by a simple slow swing. On the other 60-90 degrees, I stand and pivot on my platform and shoot just like I was on my LW. The weak side saddle shot becomes the strong side treestand shot. If possible,I prefer to have a tree in front of me AND behind me.. That way I have cover from 2 directions and my 6 o clock is protected from surprise behind encounters. When hunting from a treestand, I try to do the same thing if possible.

 

[LtMoe66]

Maybe I'm missing something here. Are you a saddle hunter or a hang on hunter? Using the tree as a buffer between you and the deer is one of the main advantages of using a saddle. I can shoot 270 degrees easily. Probably more like 300 degrees. I can shoot in front and behind by a simple slow swing. On the other 60-90 degrees, I stand and pivot on my platform and shoot just like I was on my LW. The weak side saddle shot becomes the strong side treestand shot. If possible,I prefer to have a tree in front of me AND behind me.. That way I have cover from 2 directions and my 6 o clock is protected from surprise behind encounters. When hunting from a treestand, I try to do the same thing if possible.

I have to agree. If your not a saddle Hunter why are you on forum. I can see doing different methods but you appear to not like saddle hunting? Just curious myself ?

 

[bodark]

I have to agree. If your not a saddle Hunter why are you on forum. I can see doing different methods but you appear to not like saddle hunting? Just curious myself ?

Ive spent the better part of 5 years checking this forum religiously as a “saddle hunter.” I should probably find a more productive use of my time.

 

[raisins]

 

[LtMoe66]

Ive spent the better part of 5 years checking this forum religiously as a “saddle hunter.” I should probably find a more productive use of my time.

Go for it! Obviously not a saddle hunter! Good luck

 

[JCLINE84]

Ive spent the better part of 5 years checking this forum religiously as a “saddle hunter.” I should probably find a more productive use of my time.

I think that we’ve gotten away from your original question a bit and it’s starting to sound like people are attacking you instead of trying to help. I reread my post and it sounds preachy too. I promise I didn’t mean it to sound like I’m a pro because I’m not. Just offering some advice. I will say that a deer approaching from behind in a saddle will have a similar sight picture as a deer approaching from the front of a stand. So what do you do in that case? In both examples the tree isn’t hiding you from them. So it would seem that both methods have the same weakness but in different directions.

 

[raisins]

I think that we’ve gotten away from your original question a bit and it’s starting to sound like people are attacking you instead of trying to help. I reread my post and it sounds preachy too. I promise I didn’t mean it to sound like I’m a pro because I’m not. Just offering some advice. I will say that a deer approaching from behind in a saddle will have a similar sight picture as a deer approaching from the front of a stand. So what do you do in that case? In both examples the tree isn’t hiding you from them. So it would seem that both methods have the same weakness but in different directions.

In a stand, if I hear something from behind, then I can sit tight and even reach over and get my bow off my thirdhand bow holder right next to me on my seat (because the tree blocks a lot of movement). If I hear something behind me in a saddle, I feel more helpless because I can't see them and I'm exposed if I move and they might see me (more likely than if blocked by a tree).

Where it really hurts is when you don't hear anything. You don't think anything is behind you, and you turn to look or reach for something....and it turns out a deer has been behind you for 5 minutes. With a tree stand, the things you can't see behind you also have more trouble seeing you due to the tree helping.

Having said that, I still find being able to hide behind the tree where you are set up to shoot is a bigger advantage than having an exposed rear end, but I don't like that exposed rear. I bought the hat mirror that Nutterbuster suggested. It works really well, but I'll have to be careful about not reflecting light in a deer's eyes.

The tree might not hide you from in front with a stand, but at least you can see the deer coming and know to stay still until they go behind something and their view of you is blocked.

 

[Fuse Dude]

My brother got busted from behind when my mom walked in on him while he was moving like a crazed dog, with his girl friend.

 

[Bowtech12]

Pretty much got away from the question

just finished my second full season exclusively saddle hunting

I did get busted from behind but I have probably 40 hunts in
However I do “feel naked” from behind
Yeah yeah I get it , put the tree between you and the deer
Well deer don’t care if I think I know where there coming from, they do what they want

never felt naked from behind if I was in a hang on stand since I had a tree blocking myback

that’s all

 

[98XJRC]

Personally I try to get setup in a tree that provides cover to my back from other trees. I don’t need to be right in the thick of them but having branches from other trees come in around me at height has worked for me. Many times I’ll be climbing around branches on other trees while I’m on my way up. May not be perfect but has worked for me. Granted I’m usually cursing under my breath saying I’m making to much noise when climbing.

 

[arrow30]

even in a bar or restaurant , i prefer to sit with my back to the wall.

 

[1simplemann]

I think that we’ve gotten away from your original question a bit and it’s starting to sound like people are attacking you instead of trying to help. I reread my post and it sounds preachy too. I promise I didn’t mean it to sound like I’m a pro because I’m not. Just offering some advice. I will say that a deer approaching from behind in a saddle will have a similar sight picture as a deer approaching from the front of a stand. So what do you do in that case? In both examples the tree isn’t hiding you from them. So it would seem that both methods have the same weakness but in different directions.

There isn't a perfect solution with either style of hunting. All you can do is play the odds. Which tree will give me the best odds of killing that buck?When setting up a stand or a saddle, I always try to able to see in the direction that deer are most likely to be coming from. The challenge is when they can come from multiple directions. That's when picking the right tree becomes important. Having good cover is huge. The other factor is height. If you can have both, then odds of being busted from behind are much lower unless behind you is down wind obviously.