MANTIS...... WHATS UP TETHRDNATION

[Cajun Kamikaze]

Hoping this week brings me a shipping notification! The weather is finally going to break for us here in LA soon. Ive got a spot I'm saving for the Mantis.

Yes indeed. Been stomping through tunica all last week. Kill a few hogs, saw some does, gettingva nice 10pt on cam. This kestral is giving me swamp ass.

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[nicholas buck]

Order updates??

I ordered a large mantis August 1st, has anyone received any shipping confirmations yet that ordered around then? Reading all these threads about how sweet it is makes me jealous that I didn’t order one sooner.

 

[Live2huntt]

Order updates??

I ordered a large mantis August 1st, has anyone received any shipping confirmations yet that ordered around then? Reading all these threads about how sweet it is makes me jealous that I didn’t order one sooner.

I ordered a large on July 11th and have not gotten anything yet. Hopefully they get a couple good shipments in this week.

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[PJC]

I find my Molly loops just as tight and hard to fish through as those on the kestrel, and those were nearly impossible.

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[Tjraley2]

I find my Molly loops just as tight and hard to fish through as those on the kestrel, and those were nearly impossible.

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That’s a bummer. I was really hoping those would be better after hearing so many complaints about the kestrel.

 

[Tjraley2]

Order updates??

I ordered a large mantis August 1st, has anyone received any shipping confirmations yet that ordered around then? Reading all these threads about how sweet it is makes me jealous that I didn’t order one sooner.

I ordered June 25 and have not gotten my mantis yet. I’m hoping I’m in the next batch since they are supposed to be caught up through June 20 now.

 

[Tjraley2]

Yes indeed. Been stomping through tunica all last week. Kill a few hogs, saw some does, gettingva nice 10pt on cam. This kestral is giving me swamp ass.

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Thinking I’m going to tackle tunica some this post season. I’ve never scouted it, but get the impression the hunting is better than some would have you believe.

 

[DaveT1963]

If you have to put your tether at mid chest level to be comfortable something is majorly wrong with your setup.

Red - I disagree - I did not put my tether at chest high because I have to, I did it because I was playing around and it was very comfortable. A major advantage is how easy it is to pass bow over tether for offside shot. And yes I use a platform so I do NOT have to move around a tree to get a shot 360 - we don't have trees you can climb 30 foot up to try to avoid detection - and I wouldn't climb that high anyway. A lot of my set ups are from 6 foot to 20 foot high max - often in multi-trunked/branched trees that you CANNOT walk around. Platform is the best case scenario for me and how I hunt. Big bucks often bed in spots where there are very few trees, especially on heavy hunted public (they have learned to avoid trees in a lot of the MWAs I hunt) I can hunt them with a platform and shoot 360 from a small sapling not 6 foot off the ground and still get 360 shooting with minimal movement - guys that rely on a ring of steps can't and get away with the movement at these heights. As far as comfort, I typically sit all day in late Oct-Nov - that's easily over 12 hour sits down south. I could NEVER do this with a ring of steps due to foot pain and back issues. With a platform i can and do hunt all day. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[valerio024]

I find my Molly loops just as tight and hard to fish through as those on the kestrel, and those were nearly impossible.

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Yeah mine are tight as well.


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[PJC]

Yeah mine are tight as well.


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I've worked with them a bit and I'm getting them to work now. Probably couldn't be too lose or stuff would hang funny if of them. I'm anxious to get my pouches. Really anxious. Really, really anxious.


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[thenickgann]

I've worked with them a bit and I'm getting them to work now. Probably couldn't be too lose or stuff would hang funny if of them. I'm anxious to get my pouches. Really anxious. Really, really anxious.


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Ditto daddio!

 

[elk yinzer]

Red - I disagree - I did not put my tether at chest high because I have to, I did it because I was playing around and it was very comfortable. A major advantage is how easy it is to pass bow over tether for offside shot. And yes I use a platform so I do NOT have to move around a tree to get a shot 360 - we don't have trees you can climb 30 foot up to try to avoid detection - and I wouldn't climb that high anyway. A lot of my set ups are from 6 foot to 20 foot high max - often in multi-trunked/branched trees that you CANNOT walk around. Platform is the best case scenario for me and how I hunt. Big bucks often bed in spots where there are very few trees, especially on heavy hunted public (they have learned to avoid trees in a lot of the MWAs I hunt) I can hunt them with a platform and shoot 360 from a small sapling not 6 foot off the ground and still get 360 shooting with minimal movement - guys that rely on a ring of steps can't and get away with the movement at these heights. As far as comfort, I typically sit all day in late Oct-Nov - that's easily over 12 hour sits down south. I could NEVER do this with a ring of steps due to foot pain and back issues. With a platform i can and do hunt all day. Different strokes for different folks.

I agree with Dave here, my sweet spot for my tether is anywhere from my nips to my chin to be comfortable. Any higher and the saddle wants to ride up cause I am a leaner. If I want to sit I just let some rope out on the ropeman and sit. Dave and I think alike with regards to movement and shooting too. Really just something you need to experiment with and come up with a system that works. I tried the sitter style of saddle hunting but it just wasn't for me. Doesn't make it any less legitimate, just different options.

 

[redsquirrel]

Red - I disagree - I did not put my tether at chest high because I have to, I did it because I was playing around and it was very comfortable. A major advantage is how easy it is to pass bow over tether for offside shot. And yes I use a platform so I do NOT have to move around a tree to get a shot 360 - we don't have trees you can climb 30 foot up to try to avoid detection - and I wouldn't climb that high anyway. A lot of my set ups are from 6 foot to 20 foot high max - often in multi-trunked/branched trees that you CANNOT walk around. Platform is the best case scenario for me and how I hunt. Big bucks often bed in spots where there are very few trees, especially on heavy hunted public (they have learned to avoid trees in a lot of the MWAs I hunt) I can hunt them with a platform and shoot 360 from a small sapling not 6 foot off the ground and still get 360 shooting with minimal movement - guys that rely on a ring of steps can't and get away with the movement at these heights. As far as comfort, I typically sit all day in late Oct-Nov - that's easily over 12 hour sits down south. I could NEVER do this with a ring of steps due to foot pain and back issues. With a platform i can and do hunt all day. Different strokes for different folks.

Before I even got to your "different strokes for different folks" I was thinking the same words. I still stand by my statement though. I think that if you have to put your tether that low to be comfortable then something isn't right. I understand your reasons for having it low and how you hunt off a platform but you just said you didn't have to put it there which is the difference to me. I sit in my saddle and I hunt on a ring of steps and also sit all day many days during the rut.

 

[DaveT1963]

I really don't know why people find saddles uncomfortable unless they are comparing it to a tree lounge stand? Its a saddle, and I don't care what tether height you use, how great the engineering it simply will not overcome pressure points caused by gravity and angles (how high you hook up). I can hunt is any saddle I have ever tried and find it "tolerable" The only thing I ever found really uncomfortable to the point it caused me to cut hunts short was standing on steel pegs in rubber boots for hours. But since I can not sue them on the public land in the states I now hunt its not a consideration anymore. I use a low tether for ease of shooting and because I prefer to lean 90% of the time it also allows to move bow to offside much easier. A high tether to me just gets in the way, probably why you folks that walk around the tree use it. For us that prefer to minimize movement by using a platform, those tether lines can most definitely get in the way.

 

[redsquirrel]

I feel differently. I can't understand why someone would want to carry a platform with a saddle. To me a saddle is made to sit in, so I sit in it. I sit in it similar to a chair and put most of my weight in it. When most of my weight is in the saddle it doesn't matter what I'm standing on. The steps are there mostly to allow me to move around the tree. Everyone likes something different.

 

[drew]

I really don't know why people find saddles uncomfortable unless they are comparing it to a tree lounge stand? Its a saddle, and I don't care what tether height you use, how great the engineering it simply will not overcome pressure points caused by gravity and angles (how high you hook up). I can hunt is any saddle I have ever tried and find it "tolerable" The only thing I ever found really uncomfortable to the point it caused me to cut hunts short was standing on steel pegs in rubber boots for hours. But since I can not sue them on the public land in the states I now hunt its not a consideration anymore. I use a low tether for ease of shooting and because I prefer to lean 90% of the time it also allows to move bow to offside much easier. A high tether to me just gets in the way, probably why you folks that walk around the tree use it. For us that prefer to minimize movement by using a platform, those tether lines can most definitely get in the way.

I totally agree with you. Even a terrible sit in any saddle to me is way more tolerable than any hang on that I have been in.

 

[Cajunshooter]

I really don't know why people find saddles uncomfortable unless they are comparing it to a tree lounge stand? Its a saddle, and I don't care what tether height you use, how great the engineering it simply will not overcome pressure points caused by gravity and angles (how high you hook up). I can hunt is any saddle I have ever tried and find it "tolerable" The only thing I ever found really uncomfortable to the point it caused me to cut hunts short was standing on steel pegs in rubber boots for hours. But since I can not sue them on the public land in the states I now hunt its not a consideration anymore. I use a low tether for ease of shooting and because I prefer to lean 90% of the time it also allows to move bow to offside much easier. A high tether to me just gets in the way, probably why you folks that walk around the tree use it. For us that prefer to minimize movement by using a platform, those tether lines can most definitely get in the way.

Here’s something I think should be considered. I work on peoples bodies all day long, so weak links whether because of injury, daily activity (like work) or because of genetic weakness is something I pin point on people on a regular basis.

So, I know some people have no problem standing on their feet all day long, while others will constantly search for a way to get off their feet. I am one of those people who simply cannot stand on my feet for long periods of time. Even if we are just standing and talking I’m going to shortly start trying to find a way to get the load off. So in a tree I like to be able to stand for the mobility convenience but I just can’t do it for long, so then I need to sit. I will keep trying to find the most comfortable position every 15 mins or so.

Here’s what I know about the comfort of saddles. The Guido’s web is by far the most comfortable. Dave your “fleece saddle” was the next most comfortable. The Mantis is last. Now I still don’t have the micro adjusters or the recliner and I know that will help but no matter what the Mantis is simply going to the less comfortable because there’s so much less to it. That’s why I chose it though, because it makes me more mobile. For me that’s number 1, but number 2 is trying to make it as comfortable as I can. I will continue to work at that.


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[DaveT1963]

I feel differently. I can't understand why someone would want to carry a platform with a saddle. To me a saddle is made to sit in, so I sit in it. I sit in it similar to a chair and put most of my weight in it. When most of my weight is in the saddle it doesn't matter what I'm standing on. The steps are there mostly to allow me to move around the tree. Everyone likes something different.

You are making "our" point. if you are a leaner more pressure is applies to the foot. if you are a sitter, more pressure is on the "arse". That is why some complain of foot pain, back pain, hip pinch, etc.... You CAN NOT get away from pressure caused by gravity - you can dictate where it is applied and spread it out the best you can.

For newbies - if you go into saddle hunting thinking that you can sit for hours on end and not feel any discomfort then you are probably setting up unrealistic expectations. You cannot even lie in a bed for long periods of time without pressure points and discomfort (go check out ulcers from folks forced to stay in bed - extreme case). But you can adjust and learn to balance the load that works best for you. I prefer a platform and a leaning as whenever a buck walks in I am already in position for the kill (do not have to stand up or walk around the tree) and then it is just a matter of making very small movements to rotate on the platform for 360 shooting. This is just what works for me.

 

[Buckhunter]

Got Mantis, size large, was number 3965, all I can say is AWESUME, totally satisfied, worth the long wait, have owned all brand saddles, this is no doubt the best, the weight is going to blow your mind, now if these hurricanes would go away I could hunt, 2nd one in less than a month.

 

[Thill]

Got Mantis, size large, was number 3965, all I can say is AWESUME, totally satisfied, worth the long wait, have owned all brand saddles, this is no doubt the best, the weight is going to blow your mind, now if these hurricanes would go away I could hunt, 2nd one in less than a month.

I'm sooo close! I ordered June 22nd and have order #3988.