My reasoning for asking about the tree was most definitely about safety and getting the stand to bite into the tree. I can pick out the tree for hunting purposes, it is the safety that I am primarily posting about.

I know how high I was because I had a rope with me the first day that I practiced on the tree. We (Dad and I) measured how high I was after I got to the point of being uncomfortable. I then tied a small rope to the tree where I stopped being comfortable so I would know where to stop that next morning. At that particular hunting spot I think 20'-25' would be better than where i was.