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

Tag

Ol' Big Brown dropped the goody box off.

And no worries, JCMCUBIC, they upsold me on the Arc'teryx knee pads too.

Skane is right, sometimes trees are few and far in between in Kansas's Flint Hills.

I see a saddle as being just another tool in the tool box.

For fellas saying they didn't find a tree saddle comfortable, I spent 2 hours this morning sitting on a Walkstool tripod seat nestled in some thick CRP where there isn't a tree taller then 10' for a half mile in any direction.

Those tripod seats are brutal on your man parts.

If Santa is reading this thread, all I want for Christmas is feeling back in my testicles. 🎅

Skeen if you could list what you got you’d save my butt!

Yeah, man, no problem.

Here's a shot of the packing list which includes everything except the knee pads.

If you're a military veteran they give a 25% discount on the saddle and platform, saves you a couple hundred bucks. But you've got to ask for it.

Thank you! I happy to be a Vet as well, so that helps out some!

Thanks for that. It's kinda what I needed cause I wasn't sure what was needed.

I would suggest running 8mm ropes with prusik tinders. 8mm is way more packable in your dump pouches than 11mm rope. I run 8mm on lineman’s for sure but still run 11mm on mainline with a ropeman. I’m also 6’8 and 340lbs and that being my reason for running that line because prusik cord has more stretch than a metal ropeman. If I were smaller though I would run 8mm on everything and not look back.
Timber ninja makes one of the best thought out saddles out there. I ran an H2 for a few years then went to a Timber ninja nano this fall and I like it. It has magnetic loops for stick holders and has a magnetic loop to put your platform on the rear of the saddle on your back. This truly makes running up a tree in one trip very doable. The waist belt also cinches better on this saddle too so you can actually get it tight enough with the weight of 2 sticks and a platform on you it’s not sliding down and sagging.
Knee pads are a must in my opinion and I can survive a 4-5hr set in a saddle longer than I can a mobile hang-on. My only gripe with saddle hunting is that it starts to limit your shots some so facing in the right direction is crucial so you don’t end up with lost opportunities. For hang and hunts in the mountains around home this is the most packable option and compromises have to be made at times.

Good info. Thanks for that. I was introduced to saddle hunting 3-4 yrs ago and like a lot of things in life with good intentions, never got to it yet. Always good to have more info before making any final decisions.

I do a lot of sitting on the ground and/or still hunting at the typical places I hunt at, but for any public ground hunting around here which has a lot of mountain laurel to deal with at ground level, and crooked low limbed trees, saddle hunting would be the way to go.

And that’s the thing with hunting in that kind vegetation, at times you may only have to setup 8-10’ up a tree just to be in the vegetation cover line. That is if you can see being that low anyways. You climb too high above laurel/rhododendron you stick out like a sore thumb. As for crooked trees the thing about saddle hunting in them where you’re hanging by a rope it will naturally swing you to the low side if that makes sense. And you may be fighting with that the whole set. It’s not too bad if you get on the complete opposite side of the crook but then your rope will dig in the tree some if you need to swing/turn. So I prefer a straighter tree if possible but I know sometimes you take what you can get.

Have a buddy that has used one the past two years. Some situations is loves it, says it gives him options he didn't have before. IF (I'd like to say when, but I know myself) I can lose some weight and get in better shape, I'd like to get one. One way I could see me using it is as an easy way to double up on a stand when hunting with my boys. One of use in a ladder stand and one above them in a saddle. Even my youngest is big enough now that we fill up a 2 man ladder stand. My oldest I won't even try...he's not little.

I also like the idea of being able to hunt some tree in the right spot vs finding the right tree. We hunt some powerline ROWs. All the trimming and being on the edge many of these trees have crazy branching or are leaning the wrong way. I'd think a saddle would make them easier to hunt.

Been using a saddle for a couple years now. I have played with the sticks long enough to know that ain't for me. I use an old cut down climbing platform and climb the tree with saddle and platform. Using the new LWCG crossover climber this year and still use saddle to sit in facing the tree. I find the saddle more comfy to sit in than stand seats. I use a full length tether to the ground and friction hitch when climbing and same hitch and munter hitch when decending or repelling.

JRB saddlehunting and tree climbing on YT has some good videos on how to do things safely. I will be using his preset methods and incorporating some loc ons in the future. He has some good instruction on SRT and DRST climbing.

I don't own any horses so I have never used one.

www.newyorksaddlehunter.com

Lot’s of info with these guys.

I bought a setup year before last. I used it a couple of times during bow season but never got a shot. One thing I did notice as a mddle aged hunter was that I'm not so limber anymore and turning around for some of the extreme shots would cause some cramp type pains. I need to do more stretching, as that is a problem with me not being as limber as I could be, not a flaw with the system.

I would recommend practicing with it at home, low to the ground to get used to it.

I started hunting in fixed homemade ladder stands in the 80s, then moved to climbers. Then to lock one with tree steps. I also pulled out my summit viper last year for the first time in 5 years. I thought I was hunting out of an easy chair compared to my tiny lock on perches.

Nope not for me. Still using a climber, API grand stand supreme. The guy I hunt has one but does not use as much as I thought. I like my climber to much. comfortable, safe. I can nap in the dam thing! Try that with a saddle. No thanks.

I was at a couple of get-togethers over the holidays – each with a contingent of hunters.
Without inquiry, the topic of saddle hunting was omnipresent. And I was reminded of the old joke about how one identifies a pilot or doctor in a crowd.

Hahaha….this is so true😂

I simply picture the village people😂