Setup Question

[Grasshopper 22]

Ideally it would be best to setup with expected deer movement to be where you are facing AND to your strong shooting side, but I think a few of the locations I plan on hunting won't work to have both.
So which is more important, setting up facing where you expect the deer to come from, or setting up so that the deer will come by your strong shooting side?
Thanks for any input - this fall will be my first time using a saddle

 

[Westdesign03]

Ideally it would be best to setup with expected deer movement to be where you are facing AND to your strong shooting side, but I think a few of the locations I plan on hunting won't work to have both.
So which is more important, setting up facing where you expect the deer to come from, or setting up so that the deer will come by your strong shooting side?
Thanks for any input - this fall will be my first time using a saddle

Personally I would try for a little of both, with the string side shot being more important. It may or may not be super important to be able to hide a little behind the tree trunk when they come out towards you. This probably depends greatly on terrain, type of cover you’re in, and the distance away you expect them to come out. But I know I want to feel as confident as possible in any shot I take so I lean more on strong side shot as the priority.

One tip, if you’re using some kind of a platform, you can get a couple steps normally used in an ROS setup and put them on your platform strap and this can help you extend the width/range of your strong side shooting area. Or you can just use an ROS and have almost 360 degrees of strong side shooting on the right kind of tree. I just like to have a decent platform to stand/lean against most of the time.


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[Grasshopper 22]

Thanks. I was considering adding a couple of steps in addition to my platform but wasn't sure if they needed their own strap or if I could use the same strap as the saddle so that answered that question for me too.

 

[Westdesign03]

Thanks. I was considering adding a couple of steps in addition to my platform but wasn't sure if they needed their own strap or if I could use the same strap as the saddle so that answered that question for me too.

Cool. Yeah I tried it both ways. Granted I don’t really have a great strap to work well for ROS only, like I don’t have a OCB type strap. But putting the steps on the same strap as the platform, I found that the tension of the platform on the strap sort of acted the same as an OCB type strap. So kinda worked out for my purposes anyway.

 

[JohnnyB38]

@Grasshopper 22 , great question that I had this past season. I found that having myself positioned in the tree with cover between myself and the likely avenue of approach was the greater of the two problems you identified. Using the WEI ROS, I found that with minimal practice and significant failures, I could gain nearly full 360 degree shooting without losing much of the range of motion and being able to get my "strong side". I am adding the WEI Perch this year to get some better ankle/arch relief and add some more confidence in rotating around to the weak/blind 6 o'clock shot.

The biggest thing that I learned (through some hard lessons) was how to transition around the ROS with my bow in hand and not fighting my tether/bridge. I practiced plenty with getting the steps set up, get my workspace dialed in and drawing from my strong side, but didn't plan on any of the off-hand/rotation shots. I missed three opportunities fumbling around with my rig trying to get to my strong side. I could have practiced those transition techniques even a few times and I would have increased my probability of getting a shot off. One instance of a hard lesson was following a fast-moving ninny (antlerless area + bonus tag) from my strong side around to the 9 o'clock (around the tree the wrong way) who wouldn't stop. As I progressed around my ROS at full draw, I found myself nearly choked out by my tether. I ended up like the ball at the end of a pendulum arcing back around the tree after slipping off my step. Needless to say, I never recovered that arrow. Lodged in the top canopy of a late-season elm and fortunately not my foot.

Take the time this summer to actually haul the bow up. Set cones up in a simulated scene of where you think the avenues of approach are and then work on the transition techniques until they are fluid. Kind of like watching @g2outdoors or some of these other skilled guys work around a tree.

 

[g2outdoors]

In my opinion, seeing the deer before he sees you is the most important step. Shooting direction is secondary to me.

I'll follow that with I'm very confident shooting to the weak side. I don't feel that's a major disadvantage.

I prefer to setup where I can watch the direction in which I think the deer will travel. The second thing I look for is a good strong side or top side shot. I think the strong and top shots are the easiest to pull off. The drop shot is also extremely easy. The only window that provides any real challenge (for a right handed shooter) is the 2 o'clock - 5 o'clock position. And even that position is pretty straight forward once you're practiced.

I will say the weak side shot can be difficult to pull off quickly in some scenarios. If the deer is alert, or if you're not very high in the tree, or if you have minimal concealment cover (branches and foliage), the weak side can be tricky if you have to do it quickly.

Good luck! Report back.

This might help.

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[Allegheny Tom]

Thanks. I was considering adding a couple of steps in addition to my platform but wasn't sure if they needed their own strap or if I could use the same strap as the saddle so that answered that question for me too.

A step on the platform strap is okay if you continue to keep one foot on the platform. Having multiple steps on the platform strap can cause issues with the platform set if you get 100% of your body weight off the platform and onto the steps. It can cause the strap to sag and effect the nice, tight set you had with the platform.
I absolutely require 1step on the platform strap, located on my strong side. On my weak side is my top climbing step which accomplishes the same thing as the step on the strap.
If you think you will want to get completely off the platform, and step onto steps, you might want the steps on their own strap.
Personally, I don't need more than 1 step on each side, so I always have 50% of my weight remaining on the platform.