Tips to keep from getting busted....

[putt4doe]

Hey guys -

I seem to keep getting busted more than normal in my saddle. Do you guys have any tips or suggestions to prevent this?

I always try to set up to the 6:00 - 8:00 of where I expect to see the deer, and have steps to accommodate any possible shots. I feel that in the saddle, I need to stand up and kneel down more often, leading to more movement, and eventually getting picked off. It's frustrating to say the least! Help!

Thanks

 

[d_rek]

Haven't had any problems getting picked off wearing the saddle. Are you checking your setups to make sure you aren't getting silhouetted against the sky? It becomes a lot easier once the leaves drop to get picked off.

Also, what height are you hunting at? I try to do a 20ft minimum. Usually 25-30ft, depending on the tree and terrain.

I kind of spooked a spike earlier this year, but haven't had any problems getting picked off. He came around to my 10-oclock (if 12 is facing the tree) and noticed something wasn't quite right. He froze for a split second, then picked up his ears and pranced off. Not at a breakneck pace, and there wasn't any snorting or wheezing. Just like something he saw startled him slightly.

I had 2 mature does and 4 fawns also come in to my 11 oclock broadside and never picked me off. But the I was setup in between 2 trees with split trunks, so 4 trunks in all, with adequate cover behind me.

I made the mistake of picking trees that didn't provide good cover the first year I used my climber and was easily picked off a few times using it. I haven't really had that problem with my saddle.

I think part of your problem is if you're expecting them to come to your 6-8 o clock that means your going to have to move quite a bit to get that shot off. If it's your 6 oclock that means you're going to be taking a complete 180 in your saddle to get that shot. Maybe try positioning yourself so that your best shots are going to come from 8-11. The doe I shot this year from the saddle came in at my 11 o clock. What i did was kind of 'peep' around the side of the tree trunk very slowly, came to full draw, and then waited for her to hit my shooting lane. I'm pretty sure I had the trunk in between us almost the entire time, until she entered the shooting lane, which probably concealed the bulk of my movements and my silhouette.

I was also getting fidgety in my saddle. Usually it's near the end a 4 or 5 hour sit. The first few hours I can remain very still. But once the squeeze set in I would shuffle frequently between standing, sitting, and even adjusting where the saddle was resting on my hips/torso. I'm hoping my aero hunter evolution alleviates some of the comfort issues I was experiencing.

 

[putt4doe]

Thanks for your reply.

I try to always pick trees that have decent cover, and have lots of a "backdrop" so that I don't get silhouetted, and tend to have my feet 18-20 feet off the ground.

If the front of the tree is 12:00, I am expecting the deer to come from 11:00 to 1:00, so I have the most cover and least amount of movement for shooting or hiding.

My biggest problem is constantly needing to move around in the saddle to get comfortable - I think my fidgeting is whats leading to being picked off.

 

[putt4doe]

I really think the key is having good cover - I love having some spots where I have trees behind me that help break up my outline. In those setups, it's almost impossible to get picked off.

For me the hardest part is in areas where there are trees that leave your back exposed, and lead to being picked off if the deer come from an area you aren't expecting.

 

[Matty]

I noticed the same thing when I switched to a saddle. For years I had sat statue still in stands, but when I came to the saddle, I became a fidgeter.

I soon realized I was fidgeting for comfort and because it's alot easier to move around in it.

A few things that I believe will prevent you from getting busted in the saddle. (many already mentioned)

- Cover. Good back cover is always important. Pretty obvious though.

- Climb as high as you are comfortable. I'm not a fan of heights at all, but I've started using the saddle around 20-22' to my platform when I can. I'll probably even start to go higher because I realized how much it really helps! Unfortunately if cover is sparse the pressured deer we all hunt can still spot you if you're fidgeting. The deer I see must wake up with stiff necks cause they walk around scanning trees. lol I think 30' +would probably be closer to "bust proof" but I don't really want to hunt that high.

- COMFORT! (maybe the most important) You need to find ways to sit still comfortably. Amount of drape, height of tree strap and your foot platform are all critical to comfort. Figure out how to get comfy and you'll naturally sit more still. It will likely take tinkering, trial and error and practice to figure out how to be truly comfortable.

- Be even more vigilant than in a stand. Head on a swivel, constantly scanning for deer. In a stand I would sit like a statue and not have to worry as much about spotting deer immediately. No one wants to be caught off guard by deer, but if you're fidgeting in the saddle (likely for comfort) you're more likely to get picked off. So really make an effort to see deer before they are even close enough to pick you off. Then you can plan all of your movements accordingly.

The benefit of the saddle is that once you get comfy enough to sit very still, you blend in even better than a stand. In a stand you look like some giant cancerous growth on the side of a tree. A squirrels nest on steroids....In a saddle you can not only hide around the tree as deer approach, but you look more like a natural branch if you get caught where you can't get hidden.

At the very least, take this away from my post. You can overcome the fidgeting. I was NEVER a fidgeter, but became horrible when I first switched, but I'm back to being pretty good, still not as good as a stand, but I'm a lot more still than when I first climbed into a saddle.

Good luck with it. Remember COMFORT! lol

 

[boone0]

I agree with Matty on the comfort. Maybe post what exactly is not comfortable and we can come up with solutions.

I found it much more comfortable to have a back strap to lean into... Gives me one more position I can sit comfortably in for 30-45 minutes, make a small adjustment, and sit still for a while again.

New tribe sells a back strap but I just use a padded strap from a golf bag attached to my rope bridge.

 

[putt4doe]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I've been a saddle user for years and have had the aero since it came out - now I have the evolution adjustment.

I'll post what's most uncomfortable next time I'm in it and let you know!!

 

[redsquirrel]

These guys have pretty much hit everything. IMO if you are not comfortable in your evolution, you do not have it adjusted right and you need to take care of this first. It does take a lot of tweaking to get it right.

Like they said..

1. Height. I always try to be at least 25 feet up. This is even more important as the leaves come off. Sometimes I will go higher.
2. Cover. I don't always look for back cover, but I do prefer to be in or around where the tree forks. Sometimes you have to take what you can get, but you at least need one or the other.
3. Matty made a great point. Be vigilant, head on a swivel. This is my motto. I DO NOT stay motionless while I am hunting. I am constantly swinging my head around, and slowly swaying back and forth. My motto is to see the deer before they see me, that way I can get in position, be ready, and be motionless when they are getting close.

I rarely get picked off. I was picked off my a big old doe once this year. When she came in I knew I wasn't going to shoot because it was the rut, and I decided to just stay motionless and let her pass. Well the trail she took took her right to a spot where I was hanging off the side of the tree and silhouetted and she spotted me. In my defense, this doe came out of the swamp and was looking for a reason to go back in. I watched her looking up in trees and spooky at 75 yards away lol.

 

[d_rek]

Something else you could try, if you haven't already, is to wear a leafy suit to better break up your outline.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DaveT1963]

I always try to set up in multi turnked trees if possible or just above a large branch. As others have said - the key is to spot them before they spot you - for that reason I like to hunt in thick nasty stuff with lots of understory - the deer will be more focused on eye level stuff when they cannot see 20 to 40 yards ahead. Most of our trees down here are relatively short so our branches usually begin around 12-15 foot up. I shoot a longbow so I really don't like to get aboe 20 foot high. So far this year I have been busted once. I am using predator deception camo and the scent lok sky/tree camo (not sure of the name). This buck was taken two weeks ago at 20 yards when he walked across my entrance trail.

 

[cedar paul]

A comfortable sit as well as ASAT 3d suit. I don't go much above 18' and getting busted is something that doesn't normally happen unless I move without seeing a wary doe.

 

[Matty]

Dave, that's a good point about them being focused at ground level in thick stuff.

I think the camo you're talking about is Vertigo or something like that too.

Also, big CONGRATS on that buck! Real nice deer! Except it makes me want to cry, looks like a twin to the one I never recovered in mid- November. That took the wind out of my sails and I've only hunted once since. Not trying to rain on your parade though...lol Seriously real nice buck!

 

[putt4doe]

I think I definitely need to still do some adjusting. The evolution is comfy but I haven't found my sweet spot like I had with the aero or my tree saddle

 

[redsquirrel]

I always try to set up in multi turnked trees if possible or just above a large branch. As others have said - the key is to spot them before they spot you - for that reason I like to hunt in thick nasty stuff with lots of understory - the deer will be more focused on eye level stuff when they cannot see 20 to 40 yards ahead. Most of our trees down here are relatively short so our branches usually begin around 12-15 foot up. I shoot a longbow so I really don't like to get aboe 20 foot high. So far this year I have been busted once. I am using predator deception camo and the scent lok sky/tree camo (not sure of the name). This buck was taken two weeks ago at 20 yards when he walked across my entrance trail.

Nice buck Dave! Congrats!

 

[swampsnyper]

Can't talk from my experience with a saddle yet but something I thought of while reading all these post I felt might be good to share. A couple of seasons ago I felt like I was just glowing. I would get picked off all the time from a standard tree stand. Something had changed in my luck and I couldn't figure it out. I always felt like I was invisible till that year. I even tried that UV killer on all my clothes and only washed with uv free sports wash. But I finally figured out I wasn't relaxed. I had started self filming and was always rushing to get ready because I had so much to do before I could shoot. It would cause me to move to much to get ready when the deer was 70-30 yards away. I felt like the sooner I would get ready the better. I now feel this is the distance they will most likely bust you in a tree. I feel that once inside of 15 they are more comfortable with there surrounding if you hadn't given them a reason to investigate closer. And they are now checking trees 30 yards away and further. I've gotten away with lots of movement while being right over a deer. The original post just got me to thinking of my past issues and thought maybe hunting from a saddle was putting the extra pressure on him that he needed to move early and get ready instead of waiting till the deer has already felt safe in his area. I know not every situation allows for close shots but just something to think about. At 30-40-50 yards they can pick movement out easy up in a tree with their peripheral vision.

 

[Stykbow1]

I always try to set up in multi turnked trees if possible or just above a large branch. As others have said - the key is to spot them before they spot you - for that reason I like to hunt in thick nasty stuff with lots of understory - the deer will be more focused on eye level stuff when they cannot see 20 to 40 yards ahead. Most of our trees down here are relatively short so our branches usually begin around 12-15 foot up. I shoot a longbow so I really don't like to get aboe 20 foot high. So far this year I have been busted once. I am using predator deception camo and the scent lok sky/tree camo (not sure of the name). This buck was taken two weeks ago at 20 yards when he walked across my entrance trail.

I kind of agree with Dave when the deer are in heavy cover they feel more comfortable and you can get away with more. If they are coming into an opening or coming out of the swamp and you on setup in that transition zone they may scrutinize that are harder or be on full alert. In many cases hunters setup on field edges, hedgerows, and swamp edges and the deer have been ambushed this way before so they feel vulnerable and inspect anything unusual, the older wiser deer especially does even more so since they are the matriarch of the group.

Hunting higher is an option but above 25 ft I think the shot angled get so poor it's not worth it, nothing worse than doing everything right only to lose the deer because you only got one lung.

I personally think hunting thicker cover, a leafy suit, and trying to spot the deer first are much better options. Also making sure that the saddle is comfortable so that you only have to move when you want or need to is paramount to success with a saddle type system. One thing I think we all need to keep in mind is that once the deer have a few seasons under their belts they can anticipate where we'll be based on previous encounters. That's the beauty of the saddle we can hunt them where they are and not have to hunt where a suitable traditional tree stand would have to be located.

By the way Dave great buck!

Roger

 

[DaveT1963]

Thanks guys - that buck was actually the fourth on my hit list. I got close to my #2 several times but the shot just never developed. #1 was either poached or shot I think as I have not seen him since August. He was a beautiful eight that would have went in the 160s. I also had a 170 inch buck close in Ohio but never felt comfortable with the shot he presented - he'll still be there next year as he survived the winter.

Back to original question. One other thing I did this year that made ALL the difference was to listen to John E. I used to reach up as high as I could to tie in. That was uncomfortable at best and had me swinging around the tree. I moved to an eye level hook up and a system that lets slack easily come into my strap so I can rotate it easily around the tree. I use an Ameristep T screw on back side to keep my strap/rope from sliding down the tree during the slack phase while I am walking around tree as needed.

What this did for me was it made it far more comfortable as I sit, easier to stand for a shot, and so much easier to walk around a tree. I also now can easily cross my feet over (facing away from tree trunk) for those dreaded right side of tree shots.

I also went to a minimalist modified saddle that allows far more freedom in shooting positions.

The most important thing you can do in my humble opinion to avoid getting busted is to not let the deer know you are hunting them. I paid a lot of attention to entry and exit routes and I never over-hunted the stands I had set up. I also did (and I am currently doing) all my stand set-ups in early SPRING (valuable lesson once again taught by John E).

There are times no matter what you do you will get picked off - that's hunting. When it happens I try to ask why it happened and then try to make adjustments. Personally, I am glad deer hunting is not 100% - but then again I like a good chess match

 

[redsquirrel]

Thanks guys - that buck was actually the fourth on my hit list. I got close to my #2 several times but the shot just never developed. #1 was either poached or shot I think as I have not seen him since August. He was a beautiful eight that would have went in the 160s. I also had a 170 inch buck close in Ohio but never felt comfortable with the shot he presented - he'll still be there next year as he survived the winter.

Back to original question. One other thing I did this year that made ALL the difference was to listen to John E. I used to reach up as high as I could to tie in. That was uncomfortable at best and had me swinging around the tree. I moved to an eye level hook up and a system that lets slack easily come into my strap so I can rotate it easily around the tree. I use an Ameristep T screw on back side to keep my strap/rope from sliding down the tree during the slack phase while I am walking around tree as needed.

What this did for me was it made it far more comfortable as I sit, easier to stand for a shot, and so much easier to walk around a tree. I also now can easily cross my feet over (facing away from tree trunk) for those dreaded right side of tree shots.

I also went to a minimalist modified saddle that allows far more freedom in shooting positions.

The most important thing you can do in my humble opinion to avoid getting busted is to not let the deer know you are hunting them. I paid a lot of attention to entry and exit routes and I never over-hunted the stands I had set up. I also did (and I am currently doing) all my stand set-ups in early SPRING (valuable lesson once again taught by John E).

There are times no matter what you do you will get picked off - that's hunting. When it happens I try to ask why it happened and then try to make adjustments. Personally, I am glad deer hunting is not 100% - but then again I like a good chess match

:clap:

 

[putt4doe]

Thanks guys - that buck was actually the fourth on my hit list. I got close to my #2 several times but the shot just never developed. #1 was either poached or shot I think as I have not seen him since August. He was a beautiful eight that would have went in the 160s. I also had a 170 inch buck close in Ohio but never felt comfortable with the shot he presented - he'll still be there next year as he survived the winter.

Back to original question. One other thing I did this year that made ALL the difference was to listen to John E. I used to reach up as high as I could to tie in. That was uncomfortable at best and had me swinging around the tree. I moved to an eye level hook up and a system that lets slack easily come into my strap so I can rotate it easily around the tree. I use an Ameristep T screw on back side to keep my strap/rope from sliding down the tree during the slack phase while I am walking around tree as needed.

What this did for me was it made it far more comfortable as I sit, easier to stand for a shot, and so much easier to walk around a tree. I also now can easily cross my feet over (facing away from tree trunk) for those dreaded right side of tree shots.

I also went to a minimalist modified saddle that allows far more freedom in shooting positions.

The most important thing you can do in my humble opinion to avoid getting busted is to not let the deer know you are hunting them. I paid a lot of attention to entry and exit routes and I never over-hunted the stands I had set up. I also did (and I am currently doing) all my stand set-ups in early SPRING (valuable lesson once again taught by John E).

There are times no matter what you do you will get picked off - that's hunting. When it happens I try to ask why it happened and then try to make adjustments. Personally, I am glad deer hunting is not 100% - but then again I like a good chess match

Very well said.

It's always been amazing to me how much a 1/2" of movement in the prussic location can make. I've gotten to where my perfect comfort level is to have the prussic knot right at the top of my head. For whatever reason, that's the perfect angle to my dangle.

In regards to my original post, I really think the most important factor in not getting busted is to see the deer before they see you. The only time i really get picked off is when I'm surprised by deer and seems like always out of "position" with some funky way of having one leg in the tree and one knee down or some other strange pose that I can't hold too long.

Keep the head on a swivel and don't hunt one spot too often - keep the deer guessing!

 

[g2outdoors]

You guys are all spot on!

I really believe the biggest contributor to hunting success is paying attention to your entry/exit routes. When I'm able to do a really good job with that, experience has shown me that I'll have a killer honey hole.

After finding a good way in and out, the second most important thing to me is getting creative with my setups and not over-hunting. Where I hunt on a military installation, if the spot looks "deery" or is pretty easy to access, I'll avoid it like the plague. The brush choked draw in between the gas station and small arms range that everyone avoids - that's what I'm looking for.

When I follow these two rules, I find I rarely get busted.