Textbook perfect Saddle

[plinker22]

I saw this today and had to snap a picture. Is this a Textbook Perfect Saddle or what? :)

 

[Jon54]

Makes me think of Dolly Parton

 

[duckriver]

I'd hunt on top of one of the 2 knobs. So they would not have the high ground on me. Looking towards the saddle

 

[rem270]

Nice view :)

 

[PickettSFHunter]

One dandy and a marginal in this topo for anyone looking at topos.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Nice spot

 

[weatherby man]

Doesn't look like a saddle. Not wide enough.

 

[MUP]

Plink, that looks almost the same as a place out on my property....and it's in the mountains of E Tn too... hmmmmm. :D

 

[plinker22]

Plink, that looks almost the same as a place out on my property....and it's in the mountains of E Tn too... hmmmmm. :D

Dang, I thought you were off TnDeer this week MUP. :P I promise, I didn't see any No Trespassing signs! :rotf:

For the record, this was along a road in East Knox county, between two of my hunting properties.

So wheres the best place to hunt an area like the picture?

As one member noted above, you could hunt from the top of one of the knobs. IMO, this would be appropriate in gun season in the morning (air drafts rising).
During bow season, I would hunt 20 to 30 yards off the bottom of the saddle, playing the wind. Scouting during the off season, finding trails that cross the saddle would be very helpful in determining where to hunt as well.

 

[MUP]

I too have a stand upon the eastern most knob on my property, but I've had deer come from all around. It's a very good vantage point.

 

[BSK]

Doesn't look like a saddle. Not wide enough.

Any low spot in a ridge-line is technically a saddle.

 

[BSK]

One dandy and a marginal in this topo for anyone looking at topos.

Do you mean "marginal" in whether you think deer would use it, or "marginal" topographically (difference in elevations)? I see two MASSIVE saddles in that topo; far, FAR deeper than any that I usually see/hunt.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

One dandy and a marginal in this topo for anyone looking at topos.

Do you mean "marginal" in whether you think deer would use it, or "marginal" topographically (difference in elevations)? I see two MASSIVE saddles in that topo; far, FAR deeper than any that I usually see/hunt.

Marginal for deer use...historically deer have used the saddle in the middle much more than the one toward the bottom.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BSK]

One dandy and a marginal in this topo for anyone looking at topos.

Do you mean "marginal" in whether you think deer would use it, or "marginal" topographically (difference in elevations)? I see two MASSIVE saddles in that topo; far, FAR deeper than any that I usually see/hunt.

Marginal for deer use...historically deer have used the saddle in the middle much more than the one toward the bottom.

OK, that makes sense.

 

[plinker22]

One dandy and a marginal in this topo for anyone looking at topos.

Steven, could you mark up this map with trails (if their are any) with how the deer normally use this funnel? I assume they come from NW to the SE or visa versa, correct?

 

[AT Hiker]

Cool pic! I like to hunt saddles but one problem I have at some of the heavily timbered public land I hunt is the number of saddles and they all seem to be equally used by deer.

For turkey hunting though, sitting up on a saddle can pay off if you have a bird working.

 

[BSK]

For those who hunt the "big mountains" types of saddles, like the one in the above topo map, do deer cross these saddles perpendicular to the ridge, or do they go through the saddle at only a slight angle?

I ask because in "ridge-and-hollow" terrain, which is a bit different than mountains, and where the saddles are nowhere near as topographically dramatic, deer don't go straight over saddles (perpendicular to the ridge), they just usually walk along one side of the ridge and cross to walking the other side through the saddle.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

For those who hunt the "big mountains" types of saddles, like the one in the above topo map, do deer cross these saddles perpendicular to the ridge, or do they go through the saddle at only a slight angle

I'm certainly no expert, but from what I've noticed by hunting places like South Cherokee and Foothills, is that deer cross at an angle while bears and hogs are more likely to cross perpendicular. A saddle my have 2 or more trails crossing it. The perpendicular one will primarily be used by bears, while the one at an angle will be a deer trail.

 

[mathews338]

For those who hunt the "big mountains" types of saddles, like the one in the above topo map, do deer cross these saddles perpendicular to the ridge, or do they go through the saddle at only a slight angle?

I ask because in "ridge-and-hollow" terrain, which is a bit different than mountains, and where the saddles are nowhere near as topographically dramatic, deer don't go straight over saddles (perpendicular to the ridge), they just usually walk along one side of the ridge and cross to walking the other side through the saddle.

I have seen them go perpendicular up and through the saddles but it is more common to see them walk around the side and through. Around here there will almost always be a bench or flat about level with the saddle going along the sides of the hills and the deer will walk out the flats into the saddles. These are my favorite places to hunt in this area and nearly a guarantee to at least see a deer every hunt.

 

[redhunterZ71]

1700 ft on both sides and 1200ft in bottom of gap


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Generally like this....perpendicular traveling benches and crossing at the saddle and then the ridge runners cruising the ridgetops. Bucks out cruising during the rut like ridge running in my area.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[plinker22]

Generally like this....perpendicular traveling benches and crossing at the saddle and then the ridge runners cruising the ridgetops. Bucks out cruising during the rut like ridge running

Thank yout Steven. I assumed the x trails but not the "ridge runners". Good info.

 

[MUP]

I've seen them cross thru saddles both straight thru and at a diagonal Bryan. Killed a nice 7pt one year after a doe and her two young'uns came skirting up past me and straight on thru the saddle. He was hot on her trail about 4-5 min later. Lots of deer in general cross from "top to top" too tho. Can't tell you the times I've been down lower on the ridges and see the outlines of deer skylinen as they were walking across the tops of the knobs.

 

[DntBrnDPig]

This is a great thread.

 

[BSK]

Generally like this....perpendicular traveling benches and crossing at the saddle and then the ridge runners cruising the ridgetops. Bucks out cruising during the rut like ridge running in my area.

OK, thanks everyone who responded. The map above is the type of crossing through saddles I'm used to seeing, basically a narrow "X" pattern. I can't say I've seen much crossing through saddles in a truly perpendicular "+" pattern (at a 90-degree angle to the ridge-line).

 

[AT Hiker]

BSK, do u ever run cameras on saddles? If so what do u look for? Benches, major intersecting trails, flats, etc...specifically what time of year?

I ask because rifle hunting set ups on saddles are different than archery set ups. I would liken archery stands to camera placement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BSK]

BSK, do u ever run cameras on saddles? If so what do u look for? Benches, major intersecting trails, flats, etc...specifically what time of year?

Only if there is "something else" to concentrate movement. For running most trails-cams, you need to find spots where deer will definitely walk within 30-40 feet (10-12 yards) of the camera, and closer is better. Generally, a saddle produces much wider travel patterns than that.

Now a scrape in a saddle? KILLER spot! Often the most traditional and heavily used scrapes are in saddles. Another set-up would be some type of attractive habitat. One of my most productive camera spots has been a long ridge-top food plot that "hourglasses" right at the lowest part of the saddle. Bucks like to cross that exact spot because they have to cross the shortest opening.

 

[AT Hiker]

Makes sense, hence my comparison to archery set ups. At LBL I have a spot that is exactly like ur food plot set up except instead of a food plot it is a oak flat surrounded by deep thickets. Its hit or miss depending on mass but when its hot it is a killer spot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BSK]

Makes sense, hence my comparison to archery set ups. At LBL I have a spot that is exactly like ur food plot set up except instead of a food plot it is a oak flat surrounded by deep thickets. Its hit or miss depending on mass but when its hot it is a killer spot.

One of my favorite hunting and camera locations is a saddle so subtle that it doesn't even show up on a topo map. This saddle is half-way out a very long, narrow ridge, and is probably only 4-6 feet lower than the rest of the ridge-line. A thicket of planted pines comes up the hillside, right up to the edge of the saddle, with the saddle being big mature hardwoods. One of the hottest traditional scrapes in the area occurs in the middle of an old logging road right at the lowest part of the saddle. I get some great pictures there! I've killed some nice bucks there too!

 

[sgtwebb1]

Generally like this....perpendicular traveling benches and crossing at the saddle and then the ridge runners cruising the ridgetops. Bucks out cruising during the rut like ridge running in my area.

OK, thanks everyone who responded. The map above is the type of crossing through saddles I'm used to seeing, basically a narrow "X" pattern. I can't say I've seen much crossing through saddles in a truly perpendicular "+" pattern (at a 90-degree angle to the ridge-line).

That's exactly what I was going to say.
I'd hunt the wind, close enough to the saddle itself to be able to put whichever weapon I'm using into use, but still allow good visual of the benches.
LOVE to hunt saddles!