Ridges Are Big Buck Magnets. 
Don't get excited about food or sign or heavy trails because the bucks will show up on ridges when they are cruising and many times it's where you will catch them checking doe groups or hanging with a hot doe. For those of you that like to rattle, ridges are great because if you set-up corectly the wind will put your scent into the next county and you will have an extremely high chance that the animal will be in bow range.

Some of you may not like this next statement, however I challenge you to put it to the test.  "You are wasting time and energy as well as creating major disadvantages by setting up your treestands." If you are familiar with my other 3 articles on trophy buck hunting you know I'm going to throw in my 2 cents about the Treesuit. If there is ever a time when the concealment at low level is a must it is on your ridge set-up. I'm going to show you how to view the most area, have the best angled shot and have the greatest distance that you can shoot -- your stand will normally be 5-12 feet up a tree.  You will be spotted at this level with a treestand but not with my method. 

Setting Up On Ridges
Lets go over the Ridge Set-up and these are everywhere. The wind is blowing across the ridge (not along it). You want to position yourself on the downwind side of the ridge, staying high enough on the ridge that the wind hits your body and blows your scent straight away above the bank. (Remember that if the wind hits the crest of the ridge before it hits you it will swirl down the bank and be a bust.) 

The best way to find a good spot is to walk the crest of the ridge and look straight out (downwind) at eye level for trees that are 10-20 yards off the crest.  The idea here is to have a great double lung opportunity for a buck traveling the top of the ridge while you have shooting opportunities along the bank as well. 

The point that you pick on the tree will normally be from 5-12 feet high. Walk to the chosen tree and look down the bank. Be sure that this places you under the canopy on the bank side so you can visually cover allot of area and make an exciting hunt. 

I have plenty of stand sites where I am extremely high in the tree. The problem with doing this on a ridge is that it places me above the canopy and anything other than straight below or beside me is out of bow range due to being on a hill already. That means that if you are 20 feet up a tree and a deer is only 25 yards down the bank he will be out or range. 

Put yourself 5 feet off the ground and the shooting angle is better and you are closer. On top of this you are looking at a set-up that can be done on the move with a few strap on steps at only 2 - 3 minutes. If you are concerned about being spotted it is not an issue with the Treesuit. The concealment and ability to draw undetected is beyond explanation due to being positioned around the tree instead of out in front of it. Sometimes harder work does not pay and this is one of those times. 

This method of hunting can be used on the bank of any hill or at the edge of a flat that goes down a bank. There are many situations where being on these edges increases your viewing area and allows you to call to a deer that you otherwise would not have seen. 

I  believe that the single most important aspect of trophy hunting is stand placement. Think long and hard about where you can view the most area and shoot the longest bow range distance at a location that the buck wants to go to naturally. Ridges fit the bill.

Jason Nolz is the owner of TreeSuit - the Treestand alternative.

To Jason Nolz Home Page and list of all his articles

1. Jason Nolz is the owner of TreeSuit - the Treestand alternative.
2. To Jason Nolz's Home Page and List of all his articles

Dr. Jason Nolz is a 35 year old, avid hunter, 3D competitor and fisherman who has bowhunted for 20 years. He has trophy hunted for the last 11 years and  has 7 trophy class whitetails to his credit. The others Jason took with either muzzleloader or shotgun. A practicing Chiropractor for 11 years, Jason is married with 3 children.  Not content with just hunting, Jason also designed and now manufacturer the TREESUIT.  "I designed the TREESUIT out of the frustration associated with hanging multiple stands in my quest for trophy class whitetails." Jason Nolz.