Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Any Saddle hunters?

Earlier this year there was a thread about climbing stands and I mentioned a couple Summit climbers collecting dust in my garage (actually I found a 3rd in the basement too ).

That thread inspired me to haul 'em out and use them this year.

Matter of fact, they were so easy to use, I feel foolish for not having used them sooner.

The problem is, and this was mentioned by several posters, oftentimes you end up hunting perfect trees versus deer.

So, after catching a couple YouTube videos on saddlehunting, I took the plunge and went all-in.

I ended up reaching out to the fellas at Tethrd and asking them to put together a whole starter kit for me; saddle, platform, ropes, sticks, ascender, etc., etc.

It ought to be fun playing with it, and reliving a little youth swingin' from trees.

Anybody else tried saddle hunting?

This guy convinced me to go all-in.

I’ve been wanting to for three years or so now. But I have so few places to hunt where there are trees I’m having trouble dropping the cash. I think I’ve killed a total of two deer out of a tree in my whole life. It would probably greatly increase my effectiveness with the bow, I manage to kill one every couple years off the ground so it wouldn’t take much to increase my effectiveness. 😁

I have hung around some as they say. It's an interesting way to hunt and certainly easier to carry a saddle and gear that a climber, but I still like a regular stand when possible. I did a couple all day sits in mine this year and while it's OK, I wouldn't say it's comfortable. I can see a real advantage for the guy who goes deep, like 2+ miles and over the back side of the mountain, but in reality how many of us actually do that vs brag about it on SM?

I've been using a saddle for several years now. I'll likely never use a standard "safety harness" again. I use the saddle any time I'm going up a tree, even if it's in a preset lockon stand. I think it's the safest way to hunt from a stand. If set up correctly, there's no way to fall. The mobility and ease of movement/changing angles has made me a big fan. I'm always trying something new with it...some good, some not worth the effort.

I hunt with the saddle in several ways:

1. Using a Lone Wolf hand climber seat as the platform. The seat is ~4 lbs. Lightest and most compact option but I don't care to do all day hunts out of it. For me it's a morning or evening only option...can do it longer but I try to keep it to 4 hours or less. I have used it to climb with, but I prefer the method I list below for climbing.

2. Using a light weight lockon I carry/hang each time as a hybrid platform to stand or sit. Using a XOP Retrograde (~6 lbs), I can stand or sit. Previously I used a Millenium Micro Lite but the Retrograde is noticeably lighter and much more compact. The lw lockon is my favorite method for anything longer than 4 hours...really it's my favorite option even at less than 4 hours.

3. Using a preset lockon. Gives the option to stand or sit. Makes shooting in any direction easier, ability to hang off to the side, etc.

I've used ring of steps and I've used a single climbing stick as platforms. It's doable but not my preference.

I don't use sticks to climb. They are comfortable and easy to use, but the extra weight and bulk of sticks wasn't something I wanted. I use a rock climbing ladder aider attached to a tether. Same technique as 1 sticking (climb, raise/set saddle tether, hang, raise tether for aider, repeat) but it's lighter and very compact. There's a bit of technique to it but once you figure it out it's great. I always have 3 aiders - 1 for saddle tether, 1 for ladder aider tether, 1 extra to leap frog around limbs or setup above preset lockon if needed. I also use 1 of the tethers to hang my pack/rifle once setup.

My equipment is:
1. Saddle
2. 3 tethers, each with prusik and carabiner (one will have a Ropeman on it)
3. Ladder aider
4. Either LW hand climber, XOP Retrograde, or nothing if hunting from a preset lockon

There are a couple of presets I have 30' Muddy climbing ropes hung that I'll rappel from but I haven't picked up a long/lighter line to use when I don't have a preset....and I'm not carrying the thick ropes to rappel.

It's not for everyone but I'm a fan.

Great thread. I have wanted to try a saddle a few times and have had a kit in a cart a few times and haven't pulled the trigger yet.

30 - 40 years ago I'd wear spurs, carry a Anderson tree sling in my pack and hunt all day. Thankfully I don't hate deer that much anymore.

Nope. Way too old and creaky. Gave up treestands this season as well and had a great season hunting from the ground. There’s enough terrain on my WMA to provide an elevated view in most places, and the DNR cleared a bunch of head-high weedy meadows and planted food plots that make it easy to play the wind. They don’t provide bedding cover, but the deer seem to be following the same paths. The plots attract does, and the does bring the bucks. The scrapes are where they were before too.

My “stand” now is a 21” tripod stool, augmented by a foam kneeling pad. Total weight about 2lbs, lighter I believe than my safety vest. Changing locations only requires folding it and strapping it to my pack.

I use #1 also and find it's pretty convenient, but I'd like to see a video of how you use a tether with a front facing stand in #2. Do you just extend it and run it over your shoulder when sitting? It would seem to me it would constantly be in my way.

I extend it to where the carabiner/prusik (usually have a ropeman) is a couple of inches above the seat, sit, fold my bridge to one side of my lap, and have the tether run beneath the arm on that side. I make sure the carabiner is up enough to not touch the stand or anything that would make noise. It leaves enough room that I can rotate while seated and stays out of the way.

One thing I forgot to mention on my list of equipment is a pair of light knee pads. A generic version similiar to these:



I love them. I usually wear them when I'm still hunting as well. Usually it's raining when I'm still hunting, usually it's a mountainside covered in fallen leaves...it's slick. A few years ago when hunting in those conditions the leaves/dirt slid under one of my feet as I was moving up a steep section. My knee went straight down, not far, I landed on it, and kept balance...but my knee cap hit directly on a rock. That knee cap hurt for the next 7-8 months. It never limited me from doing anything, didn't hurt to move, but if it hit something it hurt. Those knee pads would have saved me a lot of pain and they're really nice when kneeling to shoot or rest.

I have been using the Tethered system with 15" (One Stick) and rappel device for 2 years now. The Saddle has it's place the only time I use it is when hunting small trees that my Summit can't get into. I can’t seem to get comfortable in it.

I'm probably getting to the age to be considered old-school but I can't bring myself to purposely hang/suspend from an elevation. If I'm hanging, it's because my harness caught me when my regular hang-on failed.

Brother played with it - has found no real advantage for where we are. As others said - maybe if you're on a 3 mile pack in/out somewhere but meh.

Me - I hate climbing sticks. Much prefer climbing stands.

If they had been popular 30 or so years ago, I would have surely tried one, especially after having one chain-on stand stolen and another one shot to pieces.

With two knee replacements and two rotator cuff surgeries, all of my hunting is done on terra firma now.

It's not for everyone. For myself, the reduced weight/bulk, the comfort (especially when hybrid with a lockon), and the flexibility are the big draws. Before trying the saddle, I'd spend much of my time in a lockon (or climber) standing. When standing in a saddle it gives the extra stability of leaning on something while standing. It makes it easier to move slowly and change angles.

Kinda interesting, XOP is offering a hybrid saddle/harness system. I've not seen one or used one.

https://xopoutdoors.com/collections/harnesses/products/mondo

I do for bow and gun. I use a platform or ring of steps and sticks. For public land run and gun, it can’t be beat. Very easy to scout and be setup in just about any tree.

You have to find the best method for YOU getting up and down the tree. To me, that’s the hardest hurdle to overcome next to your buddies asking is that a diaper you are wearing 😂

If you are serious, I would get started sooner than later and practice, practice, practice. Give a look at Wild Edge Steps too. I wish I knew about them when I first started, I think they are a very easy and safer way for beginners to get up and down.

Matt

I can definitely see the merit. And in skeeners (OP) locale with the gnarly trees he's accustomed to, going this route makes a lot of sense.
We've got a lot of telephone-pole-esque trees in my neck of the woods so finding trees for a climber is pretty easy.

I gave up my climbers 3 years ago @ 57.
I'll still hunt from buddy type ladders but mostly just use ground or slightly elevated blinds these days.

was a lineman /pole climber for 35+ years i can see a real advantage even at my age of 70 i want to try this ,i guess i gotta check this out more. thanks for posting the video,Pete53

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