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Carrying water on saddle?

Check out something like the trophyline platow. It's small enough it doesn't get in the way like a normal pack but plenty if room for water, snacks and gear. Plus, it'll hold those sticks for you. I feel like carrying sticks in one hand and bow in the other will get old quick, especially if you're moving through brush, nice to have a free hand to move branches out of the way. It's also nice to have that other hand free in case you get a shot opportunity on the way in or out of the woods.
 
tailgunner said:
View attachment 84559water in the fanny pack
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This is the way to do what you're describing. No need to fill all the MOLLE slots on your saddle. I've got a couple of lumbar packs that take bladders, which would accomplish your aims; one of them is a battle belt with MOLLE pouches and an ALICE buttpack. If a battle belt is more tacticool than you want to run, a tool belt from Menards or wherever with suitable pouches threaded on to hold water, kill kit, rain gear, etc. will do what you need. If a lumbar pack is more than you want to fuss with, try a turkey vest with a bottle pouch, or a runner's waist pack with bottle holders. Doesn't have to be camo, a cheap Walmart waist pack with the right-size bottle pouches will do what you want. Personally I want my saddle to only have stuff I need for climbing, and everything else goes in a pack or separate belt. I don't need my tether at hand while stalking to the tree, and I don't need water on my belt when it could just as easily hang from my gear hanger.
 
I have hated backpacks for quite some time, and have used a turkey style vest for the last 3 or so years. That being said, I was NOT using the correct backpack, nor was I wearing it correctly. Now I pack everything in my backpack except for my bow.

(IMO you always have the bow in your hand for whatever reason. I've used my bow to redirect charging dogs, wave to other hunters, and have had time to nock an arrow when unexpectedly seeing game.).

What changed was I followed a couple simple rules with packs.
-It's better to use a stuffed full small pack vs a empty large pack.
-The backpack waist belt needs to go around your diaphragm and is not to rest on your hips. It should be snug and cover your belly button. This way when you breathe, your muscles in your diaphragm tighten up against the spine which allows positive posture and back support.
-When putting on the backpack, lean forward and tighten the shoulder straps first, then chest strap, then wrap waist belt around you.
-I put the water high on the pack and use a bladder. The higher the better.

The three packs I use are simply military assault day pack with no waste strap, Medium Ruck, and Large Ruck. The assault pack has a plastic internal shield for a frame, the medium is really nice and has a unique U frame, the large has the plastic frame. Also right now I have started to walk miles with a 25 pound pack to prepare rather than going to the gym. The gym did nothing for me really. Right now I can walk three miles with a ruck and have improved times. We'll see how it goes.
 
PlaSlayer said:
So this is going to be my first season saddle hunting and I’m fairly determined to not wear a backpack going into the woods (sticks in one hand, bow in the other, platform off back of saddle) we’ll see how that opinion lasts when I go to test it… anyways. I’m trying to think of how I’m going to carry water in and found some Molle Nalgene pouches like the stowable version from Arbor Arms. Does anyone else bring water into the tree with them like this or does everyone just use a backpack?
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Depends how heavy your platform is and accessories are!
 
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dbow0603 said:
I have hated backpacks for quite some time, and have used a turkey style vest for the last 3 or so years. That being said, I was NOT using the correct backpack, nor was I wearing it correctly. Now I pack everything in my backpack except for my bow.

(IMO you always have the bow in your hand for whatever reason. I've used my bow to redirect charging dogs, wave to other hunters, and have had time to nock an arrow when unexpectedly seeing game.).

What changed was I followed a couple simple rules with packs.
-It's better to use a stuffed full small pack vs a empty large pack.
-The backpack waist belt needs to go around your diaphragm and is not to rest on your hips. It should be snug and cover your belly button. This way when you breathe, your muscles in your diaphragm tighten up against the spine which allows positive posture and back support.
-When putting on the backpack, lean forward and tighten the shoulder straps first, then chest strap, then wrap waist belt around you.
-I put the water high on the pack and use a bladder. The higher the better.

The three packs I use are simply military assault day pack with no waste strap, Medium Ruck, and Large Ruck. The assault pack has a plastic internal shield for a frame, the medium is really nice and has a unique U frame, the large has the plastic frame. Also right now I have started to walk miles with a 25 pound pack to prepare rather than going to the gym. The gym did nothing for me really. Right now I can walk three miles with a ruck and have improved times. We'll see how it goes.
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Curious where you found those pack rules. I agree with having weight close to the body and higher rather than lower. I would have to respectfully disagree with the other things.
 
dbow0603 said:
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2 things jump out to me related to the first video. Havent watched the second one yet. Most of that first one is centered around a military pack without a load bearing waist belt. It has a waist strap. I have very limited experience with military packs so I'm not really going to address that. Towards the end though he puts on a consumer pack with a padded weight bearing waist belt. What jumps out is that pack does not fit his body properly for it to function well related to how those packs are built. When he adjust the pack up to get the waist buckle riding directly over his belly button the top of the pack is still riding so low as to not have any benefit from the load lifters. If the harness on his pack was adjusted so as to position the load lifter where they would be of actual benefit, his waist belt would have been comfortably above his belly button. Packs like an an Exo, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, etc, are designed for the waist belt to come around the illiac crest. The load lifter attachment should be high enough that when engaged it takes load off the shoulders. This wont happen if they are below the top of the shoulders. May take away from that video was if you are going to use an improperly fitted pack, his methodology makes sense but it also highlighted the importance of using the right pack for the particular application and having it properly sized and fitted to your body.
 
BTaylor said:
2 things jump out to me related to the first video. Havent watched the second one yet. Most of that first one is centered around a military pack without a load bearing waist belt. It has a waist strap. I have very limited experience with military packs so I'm not really going to address that. Towards the end though he puts on a consumer pack with a padded weight bearing waist belt. What jumps out is that pack does not fit his body properly for it to function well related to how those packs are built. When he adjust the pack up to get the waist buckle riding directly over his belly button the top of the pack is still riding so low as to not have any benefit from the load lifters. If the harness on his pack was adjusted so as to position the load lifter where they would be of actual benefit, his waist belt would have been comfortably above his belly button. Packs like an an Exo, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, etc, are designed for the waist belt to come around the illiac crest. The load lifter attachment should be high enough that when engaged it takes load off the shoulders. This wont happen if they are below the top of the shoulders. May take away from that video was if you are going to use an improperly fitted pack, his methodology makes sense but it also highlighted the importance of using the right pack for the particular application and having it properly sized and fitted to your body.
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yea, I think the guy in the second vid has the load lifters in a better place.

every person is so different. I’m doing the stop solder suicide fundraiser and the task is to ruck 50 miles in may, geez if seen guys with as much as 60 pounds all straps and configurations all over the place and some that just make no sense.

Find was works for you I guess?

for me, this is the first time I can haul 30-40 pounds and the weight feels nicely distributed.
 
This will be my first year saddle hunting and I have a MR 28 with a 3L bladder so that tells you were I am…but…

When I am out scouting I typically shove 1 or 2 bottles in my cargo pockets. I typically wear Wrangler Riggs Ranger style pants and I can toss a water bottle in each pocket so I am hands free. That would keep the weight off your saddle but you have the noise of the bottle and water splashing around, though that is really only noticeable after you have opened them. Then you can drop them to the base of your tree and smash and stow them in your pocket when you leave and noise isn’t as big of an issue.
 
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