Ever entered a perfect setup...
Only to get wicked out right before price moved in your direction?
Congratulations.
You just got stop hunted.
But here’s what nobody tells you:
> Stop hunts aren’t manipulation — they’re strategy.
And if you understand them, you can profit big from them.
Let’s break it down 👇
🕵️♂️ What Is a Stop Hunt?
A stop hunt is a liquidity grab.
Market makers or whales push price just beyond key levels (support/resistance) to:
Trigger stop losses
Flush out weak hands
Collect liquidity for their real entry
It’s not random. It’s calculated.
And it happens every single day.
⚠️ Why Retail Traders Keep Getting Trapped
Retail logic:
> “I’ll place my stop just below this support… it’s safe.”
Smart money logic:
> “Everyone puts stops there — let’s go take them.”
So the market:
1. Dips below support → hits your stop
2. Triggers mass exits
3. Grabs liquidity
4. Then reverses hard in the original direction
You got played.
🔍 How to Spot a Stop Hunt Setup
Here’s what a typical stop hunt looks like: ✅ Clean level (e.g., support at $1.00)
✅ Price slowly grinds toward it
✅ Sudden sharp wick below the level
✅ Reclaim + strong bounce
✅ Big volume on the recovery candle
📌 Pro Tip: The first reaction after the stop hunt wick is your signal.
Strong reclaim = high probability entry.
🧠 Turn Stop Hunts Into Trade Entries
Here’s how smart traders flip the script:
1. Wait for the Hunt
Don’t enter at support. Wait for the fake breakdown.
2. Let the Wick Form
Look for a long wick piercing below the key level — especially with volume.
3. Enter on the Reclaim
Once price closes back above the level → that’s your entry.
4. Stop Loss?
Tighter than before — place it below the wick, not the original level.
🎯 This turns a stop-loss zone into your entry zone.
🧪 Example Setup: Stop Hunt Long
Support at $0.95
Price dips to $0.92 → big wick → quick recovery to $0.96
Enter at $0.96
SL at $0.91
Target: $1.05+
Risk: tiny.
Reward: huge.
Edge: psychological and structural.
🔥 Final Word: Trade Where Others Get Stopped Out
Most traders lose to stop hunts.
But pros use them to enter with the best possible R:R.
✅ Watch for obvious levels
✅ Expect manipulation
✅ Let price lie — and then catch the truth on the reclaim
> The best trades come from the zone where everyone else just quit.