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First Hunt from Saddle

PJC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
2,539
Admittedly I'm not an experienced saddle hunter to begin with. I've been reading up on this forum and gearing up as well. I've tried my gear on the ground and today I decided to give it a hunting debut.
I have the Kestrel size 2, an XOP platform, knee pads and Lone Wolf climbing sticks with rope mods.
I wore the saddle to the place I wanted to hunt (a new place on public land I had never hunted before because I didn't wasn't to make a mess of the area where my top hit lister resides) picked a tree and started putting up the sticks. I got to the 3rd stick and realized I would have to go back down for my bow, forgot to string it up. When I got to the top I was feeling warm already. Took off the backpack and screwed in a holder to hold the pack. Took the XOP off the pack and tried and tried and tried to get it to cinch up. I finally got it to cam over but it still came lose so then I spent ten minutes trying to get the Jim Knot to loosen up. By now I'm sweating and getting tired. I'm on uneven steps because, well, you know, LW sticks. My legs are getting tired.
I finally get the knot lose and chuck the XOP to the ground.
At this point I attach the tree strap and climb back down to get my bow forgetting the lift rope in my pack hanging in the tree. So I reach up and hang my bow by the cam on the steps of the LW sticks as high as I can reach and climb up to it and do that two more times until I can reach it to the bow holder I had installed.
My bridge is hanging behind me so I have to step through it. It keeps catching on my boots. I finally get it in front of me and connect it to the tether. I try to find a way to control where my body is hanging. I have no platform. My legs are beat from standing on uneven steps while screwing with the XOP platform which is now laying on the ground. My saddle is riding up on me and I feel like I'm goi g to slide through the front of it. I can't turn anywhere. I'm right up against the tree. I can tell I'm not going to be able to hunt like this. I have my bow in my hand but instead of 360 degrees of opportunity, I have 1 degree.
I hear a snort in the woods behind where I'm attempting to face. My knee pads are down around my shins and catch on the LW steps as I try to maneuver myself to turn.
It starts to rain. A lot. I knew there was a 30% chance of rain but I didn't know it was 100% where I was.
My first time out in a saddle wasn't so good. But I'm going to keep trying. Starting with a new way to connect my platform. Even if I have to use a ratchet strap.


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Dude. This is the post of the year.

I'm sorry to admit that I laughed but your attitude about sticking with it even after all that is awesome. It is only going to get better and better as you refine your system. Way to stick with it, man. Next time WILL be better!!!


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Hang in there. Practice practice practice practice practice. ........when you try it again, get there early early and take your time, think through every step. It will become natural before you know it.
 
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Admittedly I'm not an experienced saddle hunter to begin with. I've been reading up on this forum and gearing up as well. I've tried my gear on the ground and today I decided to give it a hunting debut.
I have the Kestrel size 2, an XOP platform, knee pads and Lone Wolf climbing sticks with rope mods.
I wore the saddle to the place I wanted to hunt (a new place on public land I had never hunted before because I didn't wasn't to make a mess of the area where my top hit lister resides) picked a tree and started putting up the sticks. I got to the 3rd stick and realized I would have to go back down for my bow, forgot to string it up. When I got to the top I was feeling warm already. Took off the backpack and screwed in a holder to hold the pack. Took the XOP off the pack and tried and tried and tried to get it to cinch up. I finally got it to cam over but it still came lose so then I spent ten minutes trying to get the Jim Knot to loosen up. By now I'm sweating and getting tired. I'm on uneven steps because, well, you know, LW sticks. My legs are getting tired.
I finally get the knot lose and chuck the XOP to the ground.
At this point I attach the tree strap and climb back down to get my bow forgetting the lift rope in my pack hanging in the tree. So I reach up and hang my bow by the cam on the steps of the LW sticks as high as I can reach and climb up to it and do that two more times until I can reach it to the bow holder I had installed.
My bridge is hanging behind me so I have to step through it. It keeps catching on my boots. I finally get it in front of me and connect it to the tether. I try to find a way to control where my body is hanging. I have no platform. My legs are beat from standing on uneven steps while screwing with the XOP platform which is now laying on the ground. My saddle is riding up on me and I feel like I'm goi g to slide through the front of it. I can't turn anywhere. I'm right up against the tree. I can tell I'm not going to be able to hunt like this. I have my bow in my hand but instead of 360 degrees of opportunity, I have 1 degree.
I hear a snort in the woods behind where I'm attempting to face. My knee pads are down around my shins and catch on the LW steps as I try to maneuver myself to turn.
It starts to rain. A lot. I knew there was a 30% chance of rain but I didn't know it was 100% where I was.
My first time out in a saddle wasn't so good. But I'm going to keep trying. Starting with a new way to connect my platform. Even if I have to use a ratchet strap.


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It happens. It will get better and a great idea to try on a secondary spot first. I hunted put of a saddle all last year but this year I am climbing with an aider only and rapelling down. This morning these are the things that went wrong:

1. Light went out due to low battery. Had to climb the aider with only 5-10 seconds of light at a time.

2. Had to tie the stepp knot on my platform in the dark. That was fun.

3. Rapelled down. Couldn't get my rope to pull down from the tree. Climbed up again to get it. Pulled it enough to be loose thinking I could get it the rest of the way. Climbed down. Couldn't. Broke my pull rope trying. Climbed back up to get my rope.

Everything today sucked. I think a lot of us have days like that. But you learn stuff Everytime you have one of those days and typically you don't make those mistakes twice.

It will get better and the more comfortable you get the smoother things will go.



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Also, when you see how many more deer you see it will make it worth it. At lest that has been my experience.

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Is there a thread on here somewhere about using LW straps on the XOP platforms?


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I don't think there is one of us who didn't have a hunt like this early on, I know my first hunt in a tree saddle was a change of pace from my stand, my stand had a bow holder on it, I didn't bring one with me the first time in a saddle....

Practice the whole set up over and over in a tree around your home, you don't necessarily need to use all your sticks during practice but have them with you and all the rest your gear as you would for a hunt.
 
PJC, I feel for you man! It has been stated several times throughout this forum and I've reinforced the statement. It cannot be expressed enough how important it is to practice first shooting your bow from the tree 5 or 6 times before you go out to hunt. I would suggest doing it with a buddy down at the bottom to help make it a little easier as you figure out the best ways for you.

I am very thankful I was able to start practicing before the season started and didn't go out for the first time to try to do this on a hunt.


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What's the trick to finding threads on topics you want to read on this forum? Specifically, how guys are using the LW straps on the XOP platforms and also, how guys are using the seat part of the LW climber.
 
Thanks Ricky. I just need a better climbing method and a better way to get the platform attached to the tree. Not a fan of the Jim Stepp knot with the rope.
 
One thing I have learned recently... hang from a tether whenever you have something that will take a while. It is much easier on your feet/legs when most of your weight is supported by the saddle, rather that doing it with muscles at awkward angles.


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Sounds like a complete cluster......I've had those type of days! it just takes practice. Once you have a system down you'll fly up a tree and have a routine that you do every time the same way. I've saddle hunted for four years and still have hunts where nothing goes right. Those aren't often tho and it's usually smooth and easy. You'll get there!


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Sounds like a complete cluster......I've had those type of days! it just takes practice. Once you have a system down you'll fly up a tree and have a routine that you do every time the same way. I've saddle hunted for four years and still have hunts where nothing goes right. Those aren't often tho and it's usually smooth and easy. You'll get there!


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Good to hear from all you guys. I'm not disheartened, just humbled. Lol.


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Sent from my Galaxy S8.

That's what I was looking for. So, is the other end just wrapped around the platform and hooked on that ear? You're not having to Stepp knot it, are you?


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That's what I was looking for. So, is the other end just wrapped around the platform and hooked on that ear? You're not having to Stepp knot it, are you?


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Yup. 2 loops around the platform and hooked over the ear. No Stepp knot.

Sent from my Galaxy S8.
 
Yup. 2 loops around the platform and hooked over the ear.

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Awesome. I was thinking of all you guys as I was bumbling around the tree tonight. lol thanks for the help.



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Awesome. I was thinking of all you guys as I was bumbling around the tree tonight. lol thanks for the help.



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We all bumble. It happens. That's how you learn.

I bet you don't make those same mistakes again.

Sent from my Galaxy S8.
 
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Practice practice practice. It will get better, but you have to stick with it!

For searching... are you on the web or tapatalk? On the web there is a search bar at the top right. If you back out to the main page you search will search the entire site. On tapatalk there is a search button that works pretty well.
 
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