setting up on the backside of trees

[fowlskies]

Didn't realize that. I'd always heard and read in one of his books that he doesn't sell them or sentlock suits but very much believes in both.

[DEERSLAYER]

You may be right on that (misinterpretation). That brings up more obstacles to shoot around. Safety harness will cause grief (I do hope we all wear a safety harness) the tree in front of you will cause grief. The whole objective is to kill the buck. If you are behind the tree you are goat roping yourself unnecessarily. Your odds of getting a killing shot are so much better on the front side of the tree.

You can see so much better with much less movement on the front side of the tree. Hunting from a tree stand is seeing what is coming before it sees you. The next step is getting a killing shot off. Hunting on the back side of the tree decreases both of those ingredients. If you are consistently hunting on the back side of the tree you will build on that list of "if I would have killed all the good bucks I had opportunities at I would have a wall full of bucks also". How many times have you heard that? My main point here is to not mislead the younger hunters into thinking the back side of the tree is the way to go. Great topic for discussion.

I don't use one so I forgot about the safety harness. I know, I know, shame on me. I don't recommend anybody go without one.

I'm not "goat roping"myself. Quite the opposite. You can't get off a shot if you get busted while they are out of range. There is also no more movement than if I was on the other side of the tree with my back against it.

I only do this on a straight barren trunked tree. If the tree splits into a "V" I will typically sit with the crotch in the middle of my back instead.

...I also wonder if the guys that are saying they are successful behind the tree are talking deer period or big bucks. When I say something is better or worse I am always talking big bucks not just deer...

I'm talking both

...Things are almost always easier on does and small bucks.

I disagree. At least in the extreme pressure area's around here. I find that in many places around here the big bucks tend to just stand and watch for danger for long periods of time. So when they do come in they seem very confident there is no danger and they do not seem to be very attentive (even though I know they are) so I rarely get busted by them. I am more likely to get picked off by a yearling buck or doe and far more likely to get picked off by a mature doe than a mature buck. It think just depends on where your hunting.

Deer don't see like humans.

No, but I have been picked off many times sitting motionless on the front side of a barren tree by deer and I don't remember ever getting picked off sitting on the other side facing the tree by a mature buck.

Most of the big bucks I shoot meander around a bit and give at least one chance to shoot them before before going past. I am ready and can pull back and shoot at a moments notice. Once they get within 10 yards they get a lot harder to kill because they are so in tune with whats going on around them. They really pick up on movement and sound within that range and react much harder within that distance, so I don't want them to get away...

True, but you can't get a shot if you get busted before he gets in range.

I have tried hunting everyway imaginable... What I have done over the years is "fixed whats broke" when I am getting busted whether its seen, smelled, heard, or other, I TRACK DOWN EXACTLY WHY AND FIX IT...

That's what I do and that is why I started sitting on the opposite side of the tree. I avoid this tactic if at all possible and there is usually another way, but on the rare occasion I'm in a very high pressure spot that I can't ground hunt and there is no cover whatsoever it has worked quite well for me.

[Terry]

It's funny this thread grew so big, shows how much some guys pay attention to detail.

[ Post made via Android ]

[DEERSLAYER]

...I think Dewey mentioned something about John Eberhart and his success with some kind of treesaddle? I would want to hear some reports from guys that aren't selling the product. I don't think John Eberhart is going to say anything other than positive on a product he sells and endorses...

I understand where your coming from, but I have spent hours talking to him in the past and I can assure you that he promotes it because he is 100% sold on it and believes in it.

I can't say the same on the scent lock though. He knows that the way he sets up and the heights he sits at the deer are not likely to smell him anyway.

[Stanley]

...I think Dewey mentioned something about John Eberhard and his success with some kind of treesaddle? I would want to hear some reports from guys that aren't selling the product. I don't think John Eberhart is going to say anything other than positive on a product he sells and endorses...

I understand where your coming from, but I have spent hours talking to him in the past and I can assure you that he promotes it because he is 100% sold on it and believes in it.

I can't say the same on the scent lock though. He knows that the way he sets up and the heights he sits at the deer are not likely to smell him anyway.

I did not know he was into scent lock until you just mentioned it. Knowing that I would not put much into what he would have to say about the treesaddle. I very seldom put much stock in what people say about a product when they are selling/endorsing. There are some really great hunters that push products some of us know don't work. They do however build a huge fan base because some hunters don't know the product don't work.

A great example is; Nike golf clubs are not the best because Tiger Woods uses them. Nike pays Tiger a huge amount of money to have that privilege. Tiger would be a great golfer using any brand club. This also hold true in the hunting world. The treesadle is not the reason John Eberhard is a good hunter. Too many people buy into the commercial promotion factor of products.

[Stanley]

It's funny this thread grew so big, shows how much some guys pay attention to detail.

[ Post made via Android ]

I agree there are some very passionate hunters on the Beast.

[Stanley]

...Things are almost always easier on does and small bucks.

I disagree. At least in the extreme pressure area's around here. I find that in many places around here the big bucks tend to just stand and watch for danger for long periods of time. So when they do come in they seem very confident there is no danger and they do not seem to be very attentive (even though I know they are) so I rarely get busted by them. I am more likely to get picked off by a yearling buck or doe and far more likely to get picked off by a mature doe than a mature buck. It think just depends on where your hunting.

Wow, so you are saying you find it easier to kill mature bucks than does and 1.5 year old bucks in the areas you hunt?

[headgear]

I did not know he was into scent lock until you just mentioned it. Knowing that I would not put much into what he would have to say about the treesaddle. I very seldom put much stock in what people say about a product when they are selling/endorsing. There are some really great hunters that push products some of us know don't work. They do however build a huge fan base because some hunters don't know the product don't work.

A great example is; Nike golf clubs are not the best because Tiger Woods uses them. Nike pays Tiger a huge amount of money to have that privilege. Tiger would be a great golfer using any brand club. This also hold true in the hunting world. The treesadle is not the reason John Eberhard is a good hunter. Too many people buy into the commercial promotion factor of products.

I can vouch for Eberhart Stan, I've read his books and he knows his stuff. He's shot a lot of mature public bucks in Michigan of all places. I'm not on board with him pushing scent blocker and never could wrap my head around the tree saddle but his results and location speak for themselves. Eberhart would make a great beast member, he is much closer to your average joe blue color hunter than a celeb tv hunter. I followed him closely for a while before I discovered Dan's vids, needless to say I don't pay much attention to him any more but I would consider him a very high end hunter.

[PK_]

Eberhart is hard core and the real deal. He has a rigorous scent control routine which involves scent lok and claims to never worry about his scent (he also hunts 25-30' high) or wind direction. It works for him, the guy has put down an ungodly amount of heavy pressure big bucks with stick and string.

I think the moral of this thread is that there is more than one way to skin a cat. That is for sure.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Stanley]

Eberhart is hard core and the real deal. He has a rigorous scent control routine which involves scent lok and claims to never worry about his scent (he also hunts 25-30' high) or wind direction. It works for him, the guy has put down an ungodly amount of heavy pressure big bucks with stick and string.

I think the moral of this thread is that there is more than one way to skin a cat. That is for sure.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

That sends a red flag to me. You still have to get to the stand site. If I was to talk with him personally I would call him out on that one. He is obviously a good hunter but not paying any attention to wind direction may be a small fib to promote the scent Lock? I have heard that one before.

[Brett]

I use something similar to a tree saddle and hunt the backside of the tree. I also own lone wolf tree stands, which are also great products. I did a lot of research prior to buying a "tree saddle" and came across the Guido's Web. IMO (being i haven't tried the alternative choices of saddles) this is much more comfortable, with the Guido Web resting against the tree and not your knees. Now i am always on the back side of the tree and won't ever go back (although, when hunting <~5 feet off the ground ill use my lone wolf). With this "saddle" you really can get 360 degree shooting opportunities with practice and conformability. I also use muddy sticks to climb. I'm not sponsored by or affiliated with this company, I just really appreciate quality made products.

Heres a link to a video if you want to check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mONCNpRgDLw

-Brett

[Zap]

Eberhardt is shamless in promoting scentlok from what I saw on his dvd's......maybe some day I will be good enough to make some of that shameless $.......

[Stanley]

I use something similar to a tree saddle and hunt the backside of the tree. I also own lone wolf tree stands, which are also great products. I did a lot of research prior to buying a "tree saddle" and came across the Guido's Web. IMO (being i haven't tried the alternative choices of saddles) this is much more comfortable, with the Guido Web resting against the tree and not your knees. Now i am always on the back side of the tree and won't ever go back (although, when hunting <~5 feet off the ground ill use my lone wolf). With this "saddle" you really can get 360 degree shooting opportunities with practice and conformability. I also use muddy sticks to climb. I'm not sponsored by or affiliated with this company, I just really appreciate quality made products.

Heres a link to a video if you want to check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mONCNpRgDLw

-Brett

Thanks for sharing. I did watch the clip. It seems like a lot of hunter movement to get into position to shoot. When i set up on a buck I set up for 20 yard shot or closer. I can't see not getting busted moving that much. Just giving an honest opinion.

[Terry]

I use something similar to a tree saddle and hunt the backside of the tree. I also own lone wolf tree stands, which are also great products. I did a lot of research prior to buying a "tree saddle" and came across the Guido's Web. IMO (being i haven't tried the alternative choices of saddles) this is much more comfortable, with the Guido Web resting against the tree and not your knees. Now i am always on the back side of the tree and won't ever go back (although, when hunting <~5 feet off the ground ill use my lone wolf). With this "saddle" you really can get 360 degree shooting opportunities with practice and conformability. I also use muddy sticks to climb. I'm not sponsored by or affiliated with this company, I just really appreciate quality made products.

Heres a link to a video if you want to check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mONCNpRgDLw

-Brett

Thanks for sharing. I did watch the clip. It seems like a lot of hunter movement to get into position to shoot. When i set up on a buck I set up for 20 yard shot or closer. I can't see not getting busted moving that much. Just giving an honest opinion.

I agree with Stanley. I would never ever be allowed to move so much without hearing a snort and seeing a big white but running from me.

[iowa whitetail]

I don't know what to think about it. I personally set up to ware I hope he is to the right of me that's how I feel comfortable. I have a good friend that is a straight up killer he has at least ten deer over 160 inches and he hangs his stands on the back side alot he loves doing it. I guess I'm not going to say it's bad only because I've helped him drag an arrow ed buck alot and I can say I don't remember a time he wasn't on the back side. Personally I don't feel comfortable. I do feel it would hide you better but also feel thear could be a lost opportunity.

[ Post made via Android ]