I was intrigued by saddle hunting but didn’t want to spend a ton to try it out. I have lots of tools at my disposal (tig, belt grinder, lathe, sewing machine etc) so I thought what the heck I can probably DIY this.
I bought a sit drag and sewed on some webbing to hang some molle pouches. Bought some 10mm rope and grabbed my BD rch, grigri and some carabiners from my rock climbing stuff and I had my saddle setup
Next up I needed a sick. I liked the EWO stuff but I wasn’t ready to spend that much. I dug through the drop bin at our local steel place and got some 1x1x0.065 6061 and some 4x0.25 and 3x0.25 6061 plate. I cut grooves for traction with the circular saw and lightened it up with some hole saws. The step on the bottom I made from 1/2 6061 plate from the scrap bin. I used my palm router with a 1/2” carbide bit to make a groove on the back side of the step to lock on to the stick. Initially I 3D printed some tree stand offs but then I cheated and had my brother water jet some for me from 1/2 plate
i ended up welding the platform to the Stick to make it more solid but I bolted the bottom step on. Initially I had a button type thing for the rope but I bought a cam cleat off eBay which was a huge upgrade. I also bought a dyneema winch cable eBay for an ATV and used that to make an aider and tie rope.
All up I’m in it for like $150. Killed my first deer off it Saturday
This website has been very helpful for figuring stuff out!
jon
I bought a sit drag and sewed on some webbing to hang some molle pouches. Bought some 10mm rope and grabbed my BD rch, grigri and some carabiners from my rock climbing stuff and I had my saddle setup
Next up I needed a sick. I liked the EWO stuff but I wasn’t ready to spend that much. I dug through the drop bin at our local steel place and got some 1x1x0.065 6061 and some 4x0.25 and 3x0.25 6061 plate. I cut grooves for traction with the circular saw and lightened it up with some hole saws. The step on the bottom I made from 1/2 6061 plate from the scrap bin. I used my palm router with a 1/2” carbide bit to make a groove on the back side of the step to lock on to the stick. Initially I 3D printed some tree stand offs but then I cheated and had my brother water jet some for me from 1/2 plate
i ended up welding the platform to the Stick to make it more solid but I bolted the bottom step on. Initially I had a button type thing for the rope but I bought a cam cleat off eBay which was a huge upgrade. I also bought a dyneema winch cable eBay for an ATV and used that to make an aider and tie rope.
All up I’m in it for like $150. Killed my first deer off it Saturday
This website has been very helpful for figuring stuff out!
jon
