This year I hunted out of a tree that had a split trunk. I hung in my saddle right in between the two trunks, with my back resting on the trunk behind me, in a seated position. It was the most comfortable I've ever been in ANY stand. The two trunks provided good cover in front and behind me. After about 4 hours, a doe came running by at 12 yards from behind me and to the left. A 7 point was on her tail and gave me a 12 yard shot to the left. I sent the arrow through his heart and watched him crash 150 yards later after an all out sprint.

Two days earlier, I took a button buck at 6 yards to my right. This deer actually sniffed my tree steps as I hung in my saddle 15 feet above him on a bare tree with no cover except the trunk itself. He never knew I was there. Granted it was a young dumb BB, but the point is you really can shoot in any direction with these tree saddles.

In three seasons, I've taken 5 deer from my treesaddle. All were bowkills. All were less than 15 yard shots. Only one was shot to the left, a natural bow shot. The others were from the right or behind me - shots that are difficult or impossible to make with other types of stands.

In three seasons, I've only been busted 1 time while in my saddle. And that was my fault. (A buck snuck up to 20 yds behind me on me as I was lookingin the other direction and he saw me move to hand up the binocs). I think that since you are so close to the trunk, with no platform or ladders sticking out from the tree, you blend in much better with the tree trunk. Also, you have the ability to hide behind the tree until you are ready to shoot. This really helps in not getting busted.