Over a lifetime of hunting from tree stands, it has varied by the surrounding tree canopy and brush height. The last few years it has been around 20' because that was high enough to see over the surrounding brush with enough angle to shoot into. I want to be below the heavier surrounding tree canopy, but above the ground level scent stream. 40-50' wasn't out of the question if the brush line was much taller. The "Penthouse" seat was stupid high in a big white pine overlooking a popple regeneration area, but deer were more important to me back in my foolhardy youth. The wife wants my butt about 2' off the ground on a camp stool, so I don't tell her much about my hunting locations. I've gotten better shot presentations on un-alarmed deer from a tree stand than I do hunting from the ground.
I hear ya on the wifely concern. My wife asked one day what saddle hunting was & she wanted to see how it worked. I’m
Not even sure I made my final stick placement and she said she’d seen enough. Lol.
