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Light weight saddle

I get busted by turkeys 10:1 when Im in a tree vs ground. With hawks as a primary predator to young, they seem extra keen on spotting danger from above- Good luck, sounds like a fun place to hunt.
 
Agree with Kenn. I have better luck on the ground. Its easier to conceal your movements
 
I have turkeys walking all around my tree all the time when I'm deer hunting and they never spot me. Come turkey season I don't know where those buggers go lol. Our fall turkey season is only 1 week, its during the rut, and until this year has been in limited areas so I don't usually have a tag.
 
Re: RE: Re: Light weight saddle

redsquirrel said:
I have turkeys walking all around my tree all the time when I'm deer hunting and they never spot me. Come turkey season I don't know where those buggers go lol. Our fall turkey season is only 1 week, its during the rut, and until this year has been in limited areas so I don't usually have a tag.
I know what you mean about them disappearing. I struck out last season for turkeys. Then I had a big Tom walk right through my yard while I was shooting rifles the day after season ended. I was really trying hard not to give the dang things more credit than they deserve, but I certainly felt like it was laughing At me

Shaun
 
Re: RE: Re: Light weight saddle

essdub said:
redsquirrel said:
I have turkeys walking all around my tree all the time when I'm deer hunting and they never spot me. Come turkey season I don't know where those buggers go lol. Our fall turkey season is only 1 week, its during the rut, and until this year has been in limited areas so I don't usually have a tag.
I know what you mean about them disappearing. I struck out last season for turkeys. Then I had a big Tom walk right through my yard while I was shooting rifles the day after season ended. I was really trying hard not to give the dang things more credit than they deserve, but I certainly felt like it was laughing At me

Shaun

Everyone that doesn't hunt always thinks hunting turkeys should be easy because they see these dumb birds that walk around in their yards. I tell them that once you get out into the woods turkeys are way smarter than they think and they are "survivors".
 
kenn1320 said:
redsquirrel said:
kenn1320 said:
It would if I planned on running around the tree. The point of the platform vrs the steps around the tree is the ability to lean around and shoot 360 without having to walk 360. Its not going to work on super large trees, but will work on most of them. The trick for say a right handed shooter is turning to your right and reaching over the bridge with your left arm for shots to the right. Doing that eliminates the walking around the tree. Could you shoot behind your normal tree stand if you could lean out? Same with a small platform, just need something to hold your feet while you lean out.
Gotcha. We just use a saddle completely differently :cool:

Daves method fixed everything I hated about a saddle. :cool: I saw no advantage walking around a tree over simply rotating in a normal tree stand for everyday shots. On a normal stand your limited to say 270 deg of shooting with very little movement. In a saddle your limited more than 270 unless your willing to move more. Daves technique allows you to shoot behind the tree with a little movement, and the drop shot allows you to cover the rest. All the platform is doing is allowing room for both feet in close proximity at the same time, cant do that on a single tree step.



I'm not sold on the platform yet, Ameristeps are still my #1. The reason I went to a saddle was to get away from carrying a stand and to be able to hunt more shapes of trees that are in the right place. I carry my lone wolf sticks strapped to my bag and I like it a lot for walking far and in tough terrain. I bring my set up in and out every hunt. I was impressed with Dave's video but like you said its for small trees which I rarely hunt. I just feel like I stick out on a small tree.Guess it all depends on the cover around it. And my t-rex arms can't pass a bow around a tree with any size to it. I usually have a pretty good idea how the deer will come and where my shot will be so I rarely will have to walk around the tree but its good to know I can if need be. Thats just the style that is serving me best right now, but I keep an open mind and always looking to improve.
I've made a few all day sits in my evo this year with no major problems with comfort. I hate putting it on especially in the mud or water and don't like its bulkiness in my backpack. Thats my main reason for wanting to go to a minimalist saddle. I got all year to figure it out.
 
Hey we are all different which makes sharing our techniques on this site so special. Pick and choose what works for you, try it and adapt or change. Dave showed his technique on a steel pole, it works on trees much larger than that. :D With the low tether hook up, passing a normal bow over the bridge would be easy. Its easier for us longbow/recurve guys to pass it around the tree since the bow is so long. I can pass it over the bridge, just turn it sideways, but have to reach further past than normal to clear the bottom limb. Im always tweaking and trying different things, the platform just works well for me. I havent figured out the ideal platform yet, but had my seat not bent, i would be using the LW platform. Some of the guys are able to mount it right on a LW stick, so nothing extra to carry. In the end, its about keeping it fun while being safe.
 
Back to these turkeys...

Never had them bust me in a tree. I always feel like they don't look up. I've gotten away with a lot of movement in a tree when they are close.
 
kenn1320 said:
I get busted by turkeys 10:1 when Im in a tree vs ground. With hawks as a primary predator to young, they seem extra keen on spotting danger from above- Good luck, sounds like a fun place to hunt.

Me too. I'd much rather hunt them from the ground. Rules is rules.

I'm hoping with a few decoys 25 yards away I'll be able to make it happen.
 
kenn1320 said:
Hey we are all different which makes sharing our techniques on this site so special. Pick and choose what works for you, try it and adapt or change. Dave showed his technique on a steel pole, it works on trees much larger than that. :D With the low tether hook up, passing a normal bow over the bridge would be easy. Its easier for us longbow/recurve guys to pass it around the tree since the bow is so long. I can pass it over the bridge, just turn it sideways, but have to reach further past than normal to clear the bottom limb. Im always tweaking and trying different things, the platform just works well for me. I havent figured out the ideal platform yet, but had my seat not bent, i would be using the LW platform. Some of the guys are able to mount it right on a LW stick, so nothing extra to carry. In the end, its about keeping it fun while being safe.

I was able to put in two hunts last season with the platform attached to my top LW stick. I really really really REALLY liked it. I was hunting a tree that was probably 12-14" in diameter at hunting height and the platform worked very well. As a matter of fact, I bought the aluminum and "V" brackets yesterday to make another platform. I just need to find another seat. This one will be used when hunting with the spurs I'm about to buy.

As to the passing the bow around the tree...that almost never works for me. I like to have branches around me and they would almost always be in the way.

The key to making odd shots - those in front of you and to your right, assuming you're right handed - is practice. I know, everyone knows that and it should be obvious. With practice you'll find you can contort your body using your legs, knees and feet for leverage in all kinds of ways that make for perfectly rock solid shooting positions. But doing this on the fly when a deer is in range is nearly impossible. You HAVE to get up in a tree in the off season and practice this stuff.
 
kenn1320 said:
Hey we are all different which makes sharing our techniques on this site so special. Pick and choose what works for you, try it and adapt or change.

Exactly! :D
 
Re: RE: Re: Light weight saddle

g2outdoors said:
kenn1320 said:
Hey we are all different which makes sharing our techniques on this site so special. Pick and choose what works for you, try it and adapt or change. Dave showed his technique on a steel pole, it works on trees much larger than that. :D With the low tether hook up, passing a normal bow over the bridge would be easy. Its easier for us longbow/recurve guys to pass it around the tree since the bow is so long. I can pass it over the bridge, just turn it sideways, but have to reach further past than normal to clear the bottom limb. Im always tweaking and trying different things, the platform just works well for me. I havent figured out the ideal platform yet, but had my seat not bent, i would be using the LW platform. Some of the guys are able to mount it right on a LW stick, so nothing extra to carry. In the end, its about keeping it fun while being safe.

I was able to put in two hunts last season with the platform attached to my top LW stick. I really really really REALLY liked it. I was hunting a tree that was probably 12-14" in diameter at hunting height and the platform worked very well. As a matter of fact, I bought the aluminum and "V" brackets yesterday to make another platform. I just need to find another seat. This one will be used when hunting with the spurs I'm about to buy.

As to the passing the bow around the tree...that almost never works for me. I like to have branches around me and they would almost always be in the way.

The key to making odd shots - those in front of you and to your right, assuming you're right handed - is practice. I know, everyone knows that and it should be obvious. With practice you'll find you can contort your body using your legs, knees and feet for leverage in all kinds of ways that make for perfectly rock solid shooting positions. But doing this on the fly when a deer is in range is nearly impossible. You HAVE to get up in a tree in the off season and practice this stuff.
I never tried that platform, but from Dave's video, it looks sweet. I have used no platform - only using spurs, but I prefer something to rest my feet on if nothing else. I've also used no platform and only putting my feet on tree, but that isn't comfy and you HAVE TO wait until you see a deer to prepare which could result in you being busted. I'm only comfortable doing that if I'm very high up in tree.
I agree wholeheartedly with you concerning practice in hunting conditions during off season. I missed a few shots at first while practicing and can only think that it was because I'd been practicing on the ground. Elevation makes a huge difference

Shaun
 
Re: RE: Re: Light weight saddle

essdub said:
g2outdoors said:
kenn1320 said:
Hey we are all different which makes sharing our techniques on this site so special. Pick and choose what works for you, try it and adapt or change. Dave showed his technique on a steel pole, it works on trees much larger than that. :D With the low tether hook up, passing a normal bow over the bridge would be easy. Its easier for us longbow/recurve guys to pass it around the tree since the bow is so long. I can pass it over the bridge, just turn it sideways, but have to reach further past than normal to clear the bottom limb. Im always tweaking and trying different things, the platform just works well for me. I havent figured out the ideal platform yet, but had my seat not bent, i would be using the LW platform. Some of the guys are able to mount it right on a LW stick, so nothing extra to carry. In the end, its about keeping it fun while being safe.

I was able to put in two hunts last season with the platform attached to my top LW stick. I really really really REALLY liked it. I was hunting a tree that was probably 12-14" in diameter at hunting height and the platform worked very well. As a matter of fact, I bought the aluminum and "V" brackets yesterday to make another platform. I just need to find another seat. This one will be used when hunting with the spurs I'm about to buy.

As to the passing the bow around the tree...that almost never works for me. I like to have branches around me and they would almost always be in the way.

The key to making odd shots - those in front of you and to your right, assuming you're right handed - is practice. I know, everyone knows that and it should be obvious. With practice you'll find you can contort your body using your legs, knees and feet for leverage in all kinds of ways that make for perfectly rock solid shooting positions. But doing this on the fly when a deer is in range is nearly impossible. You HAVE to get up in a tree in the off season and practice this stuff.
I never tried that platform, but from Dave's video, it looks sweet. I have used no platform - only using spurs, but I prefer something to rest my feet on if nothing else. I've also used no platform and only putting my feet on tree, but that isn't comfy and you HAVE TO wait until you see a deer to prepare which could result in you being busted. I'm only comfortable doing that if I'm very high up in tree.
I agree wholeheartedly with you concerning practice in hunting conditions during off season. I missed a few shots at first while practicing and can only think that it was because I'd been practicing on the ground. Elevation makes a huge difference

Shaun

One of the first hunts I ever had with my Web I had a real nice eight point come on behind me and stop broadside at 30 yards. he was behind me and to my right so definitely an awkward angle for never using a saddle before. Wish I could have that same chance again. I'm confident it would be a different outcome :lol: I had practiced a good bit from the web before hunting out of it, but mostly the "easy" shots. I figured out real quick I hadn't practiced enough after that encounter.
 
Re: RE: Re: Light weight saddle

flinginairos said:
One of the first hunts I ever had with my Web I had a real nice eight point come on behind me and stop broadside at 30 yards. he was behind me and to my right so definitely an awkward angle for never using a saddle before. Wish I could have that same chance again. I'm confident it would be a different outcome :lol: I had practiced a good bit from the web before hunting out of it, but mostly the "easy" shots. I figured out real quick I hadn't practiced enough after that encounter.

The same thing happened to me with my very first mule deer. He came in to my back right...just like your 8 point. Luckily he was only a 1.5 year old buck. He was curiously watching me contorting in the tree trying to figure out what I was. His daddy would have bolted and I would have been SOL. He didn't bolt and got double lunged after staring at me for too long.

After that encounter I started practicing those weird shots a little more often.
 
Good news boys, another package was delivered, this time in TX. Get ready for a review from...... :cool:
 
BassBoysLLP said:
Sweet! Can't wait for a the steel poll review!

Can't fool you. :D. Actually he said he is headed into the woods with it to prep some locations. Hope it doesn't end up being to heavy/bulky to carry. :mrgreen:
 
Re: RE: Re: Light weight saddle

BassBoysLLP said:
Sweet! Can't wait for a the steel poll review!
That's a great way to think of his stuff. I loved those videos of the minimalist saddle from the steel pole


And Ken, if this sling is ever too heavy or bulky, it's because we've regressed to the point of throwing rocks at game while running naked through the woods
Shaun
 
I made a video trying to show the saddle with me using the added loops and shooting and twisting in as many ways as I could. I'm in my spurs with no platform about six feet up in a small tree. The shadows kinda hide some of the positions I twist in on each side of tree, but it was fun to make the video anyway. You can hear my bulldog breathing through the video do at the end you can see what he's been doing.

https://youtu.be/-MO8K0ZxgAI

Shaun
 
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