Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Saddle hunting.....

Any of you guys experienced with “saddle hunting”? I normally hunt from a climbing stand but these new saddle systems look intriguing. How do you guys like the saddles for rifle hunting. Pro’s-con’s?

I use a “Brazo’s Double Rig” myself.
Better for roping.

A (saddled)horse was 'standing' about 10' away from me when I dispatched the biggest whitetail buck to date.


Public land, no corn in 40 miles.

He’s not talking about horses.

https://www.trophyline.com/collecti...dhfeG7wIVUxx9Ch28IAejEAAYASAAEgIpPfD_BwE

Had to give it up when I got married.....

LOL

https://freaknhunting.com/saddle-vs-treestand-which-method-is-best/

Sounds like the latest craze.

Innovate or die!

and it helps to have trees where one hunts if he plans to use either a saddle or tree stand.

ya!

GWB

I gave it a try this year. I like it. I used the following:

Hawk Helium Saddle - only use the seat/saddle and the tether/attachment rope
Lone Wolf hand climber seat as the platform....I already had it.
Aider: https://www.rockandsnow.com/21330/Yates-6-Step-Big-Wall-Ladder/
Knee pads
A little paracord attached to platform and saddle to pull platform up

Of course a basic pullup rope for pack/gun and rope hanger for the pack....same as you'd use for a climber.

Climbing consisted of: attach the aider to the platform, climb the aider to the platform, raise rope and sit to the side in the saddle, raise the platform (pull up with paracord), and go through it again until you get as high as you want.

It's very comfortable and you can shoot from about any angle but it takes a while to learn how to position yourself and get steady. There's a learning curve to it....I'd say I'm still fine tuning it but I doubt I'll ever use a climber again.

I used the saddle instead of a harness in some places where I had permanent lockon stands. It gave me the ability to sit on the tree stand seat for a while and then turn and sit in the saddle looking the opposite direction (or sides) while using the stand as a platform.

LOL!

^^^ Not making fun of it, just thought it was funny!

Like I said, it takes a while to learn how to get steady.....

Sam;
Top of the morning to you my cyber friend, I hope spring's going the way you need it to for calving and all else is more than less fine with you all.

The feeder cart you had in the one video is made in Red Deer, AB by the way, the locals sometimes call it Dead Rear when they're unhappy with their locale...

At risk of once again driving the thread into the rhubarb, I'll say that the only whitetail buck I had a chance at when aboard Carly the Appy was subsequently saved by her when she walked in front of me as I was trying to get into shooting position.

There was a lesson learned in phases and stages - do not just kneel on the lead rope - tie it to a substantial tree. This I know because she ripped out an entire Antelope Brush I'd tied her to when sneaking up on what would have been my best 4 point mulie ever and then she ripped a dead branch off of a Ponderosa Pine another time when I was hoping to invite an up to that point oblivious 2 point to come home with us.

The crack of the branch breaking surely did wake the youngster up right smartly Sam!

Anyways, in the spirit of the old time 'Fire which was "pics or it didn't happen".









We'll go back to the regular programming now Sam and again I'll need to apologize for taking the thread off course a wee bit.

Our current whitetail population is such that in a 3 month season we saw less whitetails of all genders than moose Sam, so the thought of sitting in a tree waiting for one to come by is about as foreign a concept to our hunting up here as teleporting, but that's what makes the 'Fire interesting to me still. That is to say seeing how different hunters in different areas pursue the game.

All the best to you all Sam, I hope you can get enough sleep in calving season and trust you'll all stay well.

Dwayne

Creative use of your gear for sure. When you sat to the side in your saddle to raise the platform, I assume you just braced your feet/legs against the tree? Knee pads come in to play here as well?

Used a Anderson tree sling and climbing spurs for years. To old for all the that nonsense anymore.

Yes sir. You can sit completely in the saddle and then your body is against the tree if you wish but I used knee contact, pull the stand up past feet, feet contact, pull it past knees, then just raise it up as high as I can reach...pull down on it to snug it against tree, climb aider onto stand and stand up, raise rope, sit to side and start all over again.

Once you learn how to relax while doing it there's very little strength/effort required.

The knee pads are a requirement, even if you use sticks or whatever for the climbing. Your knees will be in contact with the tree much of the time while you're hunting.

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I think I'd much prefer to sit down rather than hang on the side of a tree , I have sat for hours in my Summit bullet backpacker .