Second Sit

[ricky racer]

Okay, I gave it another go Thursday night in my TL saddle. I made some adjustments to the saddle and found it more comfortable than the first time out. I still have some issues though that I don't think I'll find an answer for. This sit was for about 3-1/2 hours. Movement is the biggest issue I experienced due to trying to find a comfortable positions for my knees and feet. I have good knee pads that are real similar to the TL pads. I could find a comfortable position for a bit then a few minutes later I'd have to move and re-position again. I had a small buck take off running from about 30 yards behind me at one point. I didn't know he was there and was making, yet again, more comfort adjustments.

On a conventional tree stand I can sit motionless for extended periods, maybe standing on occasion to stretch my legs but only after making sure that nothing was around my stand location. Now maybe if I weighed 120 lbs. I would be more comfortable in the saddle. So far I'm not really seeing an advantage using the saddle in place of a conventional stand. Years ago I purchased a Treesuit because of the hard plastic seat that eliminated the hip pinch I experienced with my Anderson Tree Sling. Also the Treesuit had an extension of the plastic seat that protruded out between your legs to contact the tree trunk to keep you away from the tree making it more comfortable to sit in than sitting with your crotch up against the tree trunk. However the Treesuit had too many drawbacks to make it a viable alternative to a conventional tree stand. I'm thinking the saddle is headed down the same path. What am I missing? There are a lot of dedicated users here but I'm not seeing any advantage over a conventional tree stand. I hunt private property so I can set up a stand and leave it for the season so I don't need to carry in a stand every time I hunt. Why am I not in love with the saddle?

 

[BCHunter]

For me personally, every time I go out in my evo it's a little more comfortable. Making a platform with the xop seat and using a low hook up was the biggest factor for me in comfort. Now I'm standing 70% of the time and the rest is a standing lean. If you like to sit the whole time you may want to use a Guido's web.

As for why they are better than a tree stand... A lot of guys like them to run and gun and some guys think they are more comfortable. For me it's all about mobility, I can climb almost any tree in the country and set up for a hunt. Going through a briar patch with a stand of any kind on your back sounds like a thousand kids shooting bb guns at a metal plate.
Even on private land there are lots of experts that say deer learn where the permanent tree stands are, so I would still want to be semi mobile. I'd probably do like others and buy the cheap steel climbing sticks and set up 8 or so of those around the property and move them around a little from year to year. Then all you have to do is bring in your small platform and be good to go.

Just my thoughts.

 

[BCHunter]

Pretty sure you're about 1:30 away from me, if you ever want to try out the xop platform let me know. Meet up in Kzoo? Also I've stopped using knee pads with the new platform, for the small amount of time I put my knee against the tree it doesn't seem worth it.

 

[Boudreaux]

Movement is the biggest issue I experienced due to trying to find a comfortable positions for my knees and feet.

I could find a comfortable position for a bit then a few minutes later I'd have to move and re-position.

What am I missing?

Why am I not in love with the saddle?

Here is my thoughts, we need to find the root of the movement. You already told us it's with your feet and knees, but more specifically what about them? To much pressure? Awkward? This will help is know how weight needs to be distributed better.
Two questions that would help us are what platform your using and at what angle are your knees?

The only thing your missing is your "sweet spot". Your only 2 sits in, that's pretty short. It takes time to find that spot, I think the tree saddle is one of the tougher of the saddles to find it in.

Thanks,
Boswell

 

[blbloomquist]

The saddles or whatever you have are far more mobile than traditional stands. With prep time, your tree options are endless. I think you have more of a chance of falling trying to set the conventional stands too. The reasons above are what sold me.

 

[redsquirrel]

[QUOTE="Boudreaux, post: 26183, member: 50"

The only thing your missing is your "sweet spot". Your only 2 sits in, that's pretty short. It takes time to find that spot, I think the tree saddle is one of the tougher of the saddles to find it in.

[/QUOTE]

I completely agree.

 

[mejer]

I started out with the tree saddle about ten years ago. And I didn't like having my knees against the tree even with knee pads ad the hip pinch I experienced. I went to the Guidos web and it has been the best thing I did. With the fork your knees are away from the tree and you have great back support with it also. I am sure part of the problem with the tree saddle was I was 49 at that time and weighed 160 pounds and now at 59 the guidos is perfect for me even doing all day sits.

 

[ImThere]

I'm going out on a limb and say if you have stands on your property there is no reason to have a saddle. As long as your willing to get in the same tree day in day out. If you want to be mobile keep trying the saddle until you find what's comfortable. I just got 40 acres I am able to hunt. I will set between 1-4 stands and probably won't use my sitdrag there.


Sent from my
Sit drag, Ernie's outdoors linesman belt,
At 20' up

 

[g2outdoors]

It took me 2 seasons to get really comfortable in my TL saddle. It seemed like every sit was incrementally better.

The SD with a longer bridge and a better rope hookup made a big difference for me.

As far as advantages...for me it's mobility and cost. If I hunted private land I'd have to hang way too many setups. Because carting around a tree stand all over the woods is a no-go.

 

[ricky racer]

Now I'm standing 70% of the time and the rest is a standing lean. If you like to sit the whole time you may want to use a Guido's web.

When I was a young man, I too stood all of the time. I always felt that sitting was a problem if something comes in quickly and I'd need to position myself for a shot. It's always quicker to maneuver quickly from a standing position. Setting seemed lazy to me. Now I'm an old man and I just can't stand very long anymore. I'm not lazy, just old.

Pretty sure you're about 1:30 away from me, if you ever want to try out the xop platform let me know. Meet up in Kzoo? Also I've stopped using knee pads with the new platform, for the small amount of time I put my knee against the tree it doesn't seem worth it.

I appreciate your offer but I guess I figured if I had to use a platform, I'd just use a tree stand. I set a new stand early this afternoon in what I feel should be a good spot. I contemplated trying to use the saddle but so far I've only used the saddle in my secondary locations but this is a primary location. I think I can kill a good buck in this spot and don't want to muff the chance by fidgeting. Once I got home I started playing with my old Anderson Tree Sling. I set it up (on the ground) to mimic using it in conjunction with the tree stand I just put up. That might be the ticket. I can attach the sling to the tree and lean back to make some of the possible shots easier. Because the Tree Sling doesn't have leg straps, I can rotate within the sling to put the "seat straps" on my belly/waist and lean out facing away from the tree to offer an easier shot in other directions. Also, with the strap in this position, I can sit on the tree stand seat, making for a comfortable sit. I can quickly make the transition from facing the tree to away from the tree is about a second or two. It will serve as a safety strap too. I'll have to give that a try.

 

[ricky racer]

Here is my thoughts, we need to find the root of the movement. You already told us it's with your feet and knees, but more specifically what about them? To much pressure? Awkward? This will help is know how weight needs to be distributed better.
Two questions that would help us are what platform your using and at what angle are your knees?

The only thing your missing is your "sweet spot". Your only 2 sits in, that's pretty short. It takes time to find that spot, I think the tree saddle is one of the tougher of the saddles to find it in.

Thanks,
Boswell

Bos, I understand what you are saying. I think that being a fat old man makes the saddle not as user friendly and it would for a skinny young man. I watched your videos over and over to glean whatever knowledge I can from them. The issue I'm having is the amount of pressure on my knees and the the awkward foot placement. I'm using my cheap and dirty platform which is pretty stable.

I've made some adjustments to my saddle/hook up and it is better than it was on the first sit but I feel that there is too much of a gap between where I'm at and the comfort I'll need to hunt effectively. Another thing is the issue of shooting a deer on the off side as discussed previously. I hunt with a recurve and need to set up for closer shots which makes things happen quicker and walking around the tree with a buck just a few yards from me isn't an option. Hunting with a recurve, for me requires me to hunt lower in the tree than I needed to with a compound bow. I may still play with the saddle some but I don't know how viable of an option it is for me at this point. I think when the weather is extremely cold, it might be a option. I don't care what you do to a conventional tree stand once the temps fall below freezing, they still creak, moan and pop. The saddle shouldn't do that.

 

[kenn1320]

I was going to swing by and see what's up, but a google search revealed your way across the state. I used to have a TL saddle and had same problems, constant fidgeting. Dont have that problem now, but Im also using low tether hook up and leaning into my minimalist saddle and not hanging from it like i did with the TL. If you can pre-hang stands, they are tough to beat. If you use lonewolf(and probably xop) , you will not have the creak and pop in December. Ive had summit and many others, LW is a whole different game.

 

[huck72412]

Been trying to figure this low hookup stuff out. I use a Trophyline and if I tie my tether to the tree at eye level then I have to slide my prussic all the way up the rope or I would literally be in a squat position. I assume this is because my bridge is really long. Have any of you modified this?

 

[ImThere]

Been trying to figure this low hookup stuff out. I use a Trophyline and if I tie my tether to the tree at eye level then I have to slide my prussic all the way up the rope or I would literally be in a squat position. I assume this is because my bridge is really long. Have any of you modified this?

How far in front of you are your bridge hook ups? Are they at your side or in front of you? can shorten your bridge. I hook up eye lever and push my prussit to the tree on my teather I plan on shortening my bridge about 6in to make my prussit farther from The tree

 

[huck72412]

I used the TL tether forever and always tied the knot directly in front of me in order to have equal length when stepping around to either side of the tree. I started using a rope last year and have been setting it in front of me also. Never to the side. Not sure how to shorten the bridge other than cutting and stitching. Not my forte' !

 

[huck72412]

My knot is a full arms length above my head to achieve a semi lean but more of a sit

 

[redsquirrel]

My knot is a full arms length above my head to achieve a semi lean but more of a sit

I'm a sitter too huck. I have been using a bit of a higher hook up. I think it puts more of a vertical component on the system and works better for sitters. If I have too low of a hook up the saddle wants to slide up, this was especially true with the tree saddle. I used to hook up about the top of my head instead of eye level, but it all depends on the diameter of the tree too.

 

[ricky racer]

It seems like the higher your hook up, longer tether, the less pressure would be put on your knees. Has that been your experience? Maybe next time out, I'll try that. I'll put the tether up as high as I can and see if that makes a difference. My hook up has been about head high on my sits. All of the video's Boswell post (thanks for the video's Boswell) I've noticed he has a really high hook up.

 

[kenn1320]

I run my ropeman right up to the tree in some cases. There's no right or wrong, experiment.

Yes rici the higher your tether the less knee pressure, but it forces you to be a sitter which is fine if Thats your thing. My TL always rode up on me and I constantly had to stand up and adjust it using a high hook up.

 

[g2outdoors]

I like to hook up at, or slightly above, the top of my head. I feel like this is the best of both worlds for sitting and leaning. I do more sitting than leaning...probably 70/30.