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Enough Cover For Saddle?

Soonlobo

Soonlobo

Member
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
79
New guy to saddle hunting trying to learn as much as I can.

Scouted a new area today. Found these three trees in thick cover but they rise above the canopy.

The spot is terrific, within 20 yards of a prominent game trail with deer tracks and scat.

Would these trees provide enough cover for an alert saddle hunter using the trunks and branches?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

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This is another tree close by to the first three to show what kind of cover this area provides.

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The photo of the three trees is really the only angle where the trees are exposed in the area.
 
Nutterbuster said:
Absolutely. I'd hunt that in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...
Excellent.

The tree on the left in the top picture looks like a good one with the fork of the branches.

There were deer tracks all over that area, will have to get there very early before sunrise to beat the others there, this is on public land.
 
Doesn't look like any background cover, but with leaves it looks good. Even after leaves drop the forks help, just gotta be a little more careful on movement without anything behind you.

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BCHunter said:
Doesn't look like any background cover, but with leaves it looks good. Even after leaves drop the forks help, just gotta be a little more careful on movement without anything behind you.

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Click to expand...
The lack of background cover is my biggest concern.

The top photo was taken east of the tree. East and Southeast are the only areas I’m concerned about. There is cover from the other directions lower. That makes me think I would have to set up and keep to the west side mostly.
 
Cover is great, but in my book it's better if the deer think THEY have cover. Deer that think they are hidden think that nothing can go wrong. They don't look for danger the way they do if they're in an open field. Also, cover at ground level blocks their view of you too. Looks like you've got plenty of that.

Sit still, pay attention, and don't over hunt it. You'll be fine. :)
 
Looks to be good. Definitely migrate a little higher as the season gets later in the fall when the leaves drop.
 
You can definitely hunt that! I like the one on the left the best. If there is lack of cover in the tree I will climb a little higher. Remember you can use the tree trunk as cover since you are hiding behind it. IMO going higher helps you get away with the little movements for the times those deer sneak up behind you, which happens oven with great ground cover.
 
The one on the left for me first choice. The one on the right second choice if I could get above the branch in the upper right hand of photo


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I was very happy finding this spot yesterday. There are at least 10 great trees similar to those I posted earlier. There is also a nice oak on the edge of a clearing where I found numerous deer tracks.

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Two lakes and at least 2 foodplots nearby. The WMA cleared out hundreds of cedars last year to provide more open areas where hopefully some oaks, cottonwoods, and elms will grow.
 
Those trees look plenty good to hunt. If you are worried about being skylined, you may be able to hunt low enough that your outline is hidden by the understory. SOMETIMES higher ain't necessarily better. Years ago, I'd climb just as high as I could get. Steep shot angles became a nightmare. Each situation is different. You have the tools to adapt accordingly.
 
I like any of them, usually the places I hunt I'm struggling to get to 20ft with little to no cover which in fact is one of the reasons I began saddle hunting in the first place for the ability to hide behind the tree.
 
I’d hunt those locations! This will be my first year but from what I have read, watched, and heard if I was hunting those trees I would set up on the tree on the left, because it looks to give you more cover. Depending where the trail is I’d set up with my dominate shoot to the trail. If your worried about the deer spotting you the nice thing about the saddle is that you can spin around the tree to advoid getting spotted as easy. Put the tree between you and the deer. Once you have the opportunity to draw your bow do it and look around the tree for your shot. Hope it works out for ya!
 
Soonlobo said:
Excellent.

The tree on the left in the top picture looks like a good one with the fork of the branches.

There were deer tracks all over that area, will have to get there very early before sunrise to beat the others there, this is on public land.
Click to expand...

I’d put my feet just a smidge above those forks... that’s all kinds of cover there.


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