The climbing method has a lot to do with saddle hunting, but it seems like you have that figured. Obviously you want to set up with the highest %of deer movement to your strong side. Practice the platform ballet as much as possible. Shots come from everywhere so you'll need to know how to cover your area and still stay in some type of decent shooting form. It's way easier to get twisted up in a saddle because it's so safe you never really have to worry about balance and position like in a stand. If you can hunt public land during the week when most are working that'll give you some space. Being mobile will be your biggest asset. You don't always need to go deeper to find the best spots. I've found that over the years my sets have actually moved closer to the edges of WMA while John Q public all move to the interior. It really is uncanny how deer seem to be nonexistent to some but I'm always trying to figure out how I'm going to get stuff out without leaving any sign of a kill. Find a spot to hunt that's as convenient as possible because your going to be there often for scouting, and get to know it and deer patterns better than anyone else. I use other hunters patterns,( where they park, the trails they use to get in, and where they set up) to help determine where to set and when to hunt. Most casual deer hunters want to chat about there experience in the woods so I always stop by the "parking lot" to see how everyone's morning went, they give me general hunting locations and that's all I need to figure out where to set up for an evening sit. I hunt one of the busiest WMAs in my area and seem to run into shooters more often than not. Find thick escape routes, and hunt thicker cover. The view isn't always expansive, and I probably have fewer sightings than most, but the probability of deer using the trails in thick cover are higher if they have pressure. Getting them in the thick also makes for some close encounters, but it can be frustrating if your a little off the mark in your setup. Good luck with your practice and scouting.
