Where To Put Your Treestand or Saddle

As the Okayest Hunter, I might have more credibility to tell you where not to put your stand! Though, in learning some things the hard way, I can certainly share some tips that might help you from making some of the same mistakes I've made over the years.

To set the stage, I only hunt public land. This is important because, as a result of being a public land hunter, I am primarily a mobile hunter. This means I set up and tear down my stand on each hunt.

I mostly use a saddle with climbing sticks throughout each hunting season. However, I also have a hang-on tree stand for various situations.

Some things worth considering

I'm not going to be the one to tell you where you should put your stand in terms of where you're likely to see the most whitetails. That's better suited for some of the Hunting Public fellas. What I can note are some more technical things. This is because I've done them wrong before.

Identifying the right or best tree.

Hopefully, you've already taken things like where the deer are bedding and feeding in correlation with the predominant wind direction. If you've done your homework and you're trying to pick the tree to set up in a given area, I'd suggest the following.

Ensure you have a sufficient backdrop of coverage. This is key if there are taller trees or bushes behind you (or where your stand or saddle will protrude). By taking your backdrop into account, you are ensuring you won't be silhouetted, decreasing the odds of a deer picking you off. It'll also give you more grace when you're moving or drawing back your bow. It might also lend more branches to hang your gear from.

This might seem silly

When you get to the tree's base, look up the tree. What you're looking for here is the way the tree is leaning. Depending on the adjustability of your stand or saddle platform, you might find yourself in a weak position to draw back. If you're hunting the rut and planning an all-day sit, extra comfort will go a long way. Additionally, it'll make all the difference in terms of your comfortability.

Sometimes there may even be a knot in the tree. If you're looking for good lumbar support, this might be a bonus if you can set up just right on it.

Direction is key

I've set up in the entirely wrong direction before. If this is an afterthought, it could significantly impact your ability to drawback or shoot from your strong side. Of course, deer will do what deer are going to do. You should have some assumptions about where the deer may or may not be coming from. If you're hunting morning vs. night, sunlight can factor into things, too. Manfred Mann's Earth Band said it best that you might be "Blinded by the Light" when it matters most.

Height matters to a degree

In some cases, getting really high up can help mitigate your scent and how the wind and thermos can impact it. Of course, the higher you climb might also allow for some other grace in terms of movement. I'd strongly recommend practicing from the heights you intend to hunt at. The angle of your shot plays a significant role in where your arrow will hit.

Sometimes hunting just one stick high off the ground can be enough. I shot my 2020 public land buck from one stick off the ground. When I got down to recover my harvest, I just jumped out of my stand. It was just high enough to get me into good cover. It was also as high as I could go in that particular tree, and it was the only tree that worked with the wind and bedding for that public piece.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention safety. Of course, you need to hunt how you're most comfortable. Tree stand hunting isn't for everyone, and setting up and tearing down every hunt introduces more opportunities for potential accidents. Ensure you're using modern, tested safety gear designed for your setup.

Be safe, have fun, and good luck out there!

-Eric Clark

About The Author

Eric Clark is the Co-Founder of Base Layer Media, a digital design and outdoor media company, and Co-Founder of the outdoor lifestyle apparel company, Okayest Hunter and podcast by the same name.

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