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How high is high enough with a saddle?

A

Alaska at Heart

Active Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2023
Messages
190
Location
West Michigan
I know that every tree and situation is a bit unique, so let's forego the conventional wisdom about diameter of tree or forked trunk or branches that provide cover.....that is pretty much a given for an experienced hunter. What I am asking is how high does a typical saddle hunter feel is adequate to allow for some movement to the 'weak' side or reaching for your bow on a bow holder strap? How many steps/aiders do you employ to get to your desired height? I know that I tend to go higher in my climber because of the straight trunked trees without low hanging branches that are pretty much required. I've killed a bunch of deer at about 15' from a fixed stand and sticks combo......is that sufficient?
 
As high as the situation dictates as far as cover/concealment and as high as you fee comfortable. I've killed deer from 8', all depends on the surrounding vegetation and terrain

I think 15' is the norm and like you, that is where I've killed the most...years of treestand hunting. 2 sticks with 3 step aiders on each, 3 or 4 mini sticks, one stick, sladder, etc
 
15’ is plenty high in most cases. I usually hunt around 18-22’ just my preference if it allows. Lower early in the year, higher later in the year. I’ve also hunted as high as 30’ to my platform on the side of a hill. Tons of deer have been killed out of 15’ ladder stands.

In my experience the main thing is cover. Some areas the only trees to hunt are telephone poles where if I’m not at least 25 feet up I have no confidence in not being picked out.
 
For me it’s entirely situational. I want cover and some clear shooting lanes. Getting really high can create steep shooting angles and in coniferous woods puts you in the zone where there’s alot of dead branches. Im usually between 10’ and 20’ but have hunted as low as 5’ and as high as 30’.
 
No, that's a logical disjunction not foundational reality. You just learn not to move/fidget because you are hunting instead of playing with equipment and goofing off. A proper size platform helps with shooting positions. I don't know about swinging around 360 degrees and playing peekieboo with deer, because again I am hunting, not playing games.
 
I'm a 20' and higher guy. We tend to move when we think there isn't any game around. We 'll never know how many animals got away because they saw us before we saw them. IMO, The lower we are, the more easily we are seen especially at distance when we are still in their line of sight. Try killing a deer on the ground w/ no blind at close distances. Very hard to do. They usually pic you even though you think you didn't move. You can get away w/ a lot at 20-25' . With that said, I've killed em' at 14' but that was situational. I couldn't get any higher. If I could've, I would've.
 
Alaska at Heart said:
I beg to differ. Many have noted that they tend to move, shift or fidget more in a saddle than a fixed or climber. So how high do you have to be to accept that as a foundational reality and still remain basically undetected......that is the 'nutshell' of the issue at hand.
Click to expand...

The issue is movement.
 
I wonder if folks who claim/believe they sit 'perfectly still' in a saddle, other treestand type or even from the ground, had a trail cam on video pointed at them during an entire hunt......or better yet several hunts......would they be surprised by what they saw when viewed the footage? Even it if is just turning our heads to scan the area for animal sightings.....we tend to move around. Hands are also a major culprit of movement that we tend to overlook. Quite frankly, no one goes into complete mime-mode from the moment they start hunting and holds their head straight while only moving their eyes......not until they see game anyway. So getting back to the origicinal question.....and thank you 1simpleman for actually addressing it.....how high do you typically shoot for on a typical hunt?
 
If I climb I'm usually only 12-15 feet and I try to have excellent cover. Even if it blocks off a side so I can't shoot that way. I just had a successful hunt tethered at ground level too.

There is no magic number. It's all situational. Even if we all said X height that doesn't mean it would work for you, in your situation. Isn't this part of the point of being " mobile". You set up the best for the situation not climb the same ladder and hope bulwinkle walks by this year
 
I'm 12-18' measured to my platform about 95% of the time. My pullup rope is marked so that's not guessing. The other 5% is lower more often than higher. I don't think I've ever been higher than 25' hunting. Saddle or treestand is the same either way for me. I ditched saddle patforms that didn't allow me to maneuver for clean shots. To me ROS and small platforms fell in that category. They work for some people. It's all very personal. If you want to win an argument, you win. I don't care.
 
High enough to get into cover or to get out of the eyeline of approaching animals. There isnt a set height. Sometimes too high and you block yourself out of your shooting lanes. Done this more than a few times when cold rolling an area.
 
I got picked off at about 20' yesterday. I saw the deer coming and did not budge. I do believe they were the ones I spooked earlier. It was a tree with very little cover,the only one I could get into that covered the rubs I wanted to cover.
Pretty sure they would have picked me off in a climber too.
 
Killed my best at 8' off the ground. I typically hunt closer to 20

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
Just putting in my 2 cents. When I used a climber I always tried to be 20 to 25', now in a saddle I normally only get from 17' to 18' with 4 skeleton sticks and a 3 step aider on the bottom stick. I normally get 6' to 7 ft. with the bottom stick then around 40" with each remaining stick. I'll place my platform around a foot higher than the top of my last stick but sometime I place it even if I feel I might need the help with getting around the tree for a shot. Now with that said and I'm no expert with saddles since I've only been using them for the last 4 seasons. For me I feel that if I climb to small a tree I get picked off easier by deer. Yes the basketball size is what most people want but I do like and feel more hid in a tree that's about 20" or so in diameter. When setting up for a strong side shot the wider tree hasn't been an issue and it hides me better plus when my pack is hanging on the side I don't feel I'm making such a large bulge that looks abnormal on the side of the tree. I do climb all sizes of trees from 12" diameter up but I prefer the larger tree for better hiding. I did the same in my Summit when I used it so I had a wider backdrop in my stand. But like someone said earlier movement is the key. Try being a fidgety person and turkey hunt with no blind, just you, camo and a tree against your back. An old gobbler or hen can pick you off from a very long distance if you move. But I've also had them almost step on me when I stayed still. I've also killed deer as close as 8' on the ground with a pistol.
Good luck this year Guys and Gals. Hunting sure is fun and can be done multiple ways with success. That's what makes it fun trying different things to see if you can beat the game in their house. Been at it around 55 years and it's still fun.
 
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