Human beings are creatures of habit, and momentum is difficult to break. One of the main reasons, is that once in your comfort zone, you put blinders on to the reality of the bigger picture.
Ok - what I meant to say, is that most hunters, like all people, aren't interested in seeing the benefits of hunting from a saddle because they can't visualize why it would be any better than what they are doing. They can't do that because we are programmed to think our current situation is the best thing ever. It takes fluke events in your life (meeting someone who hunts out of a saddle), someone who's known no other way (son of a saddle hunter or someone introduced to hunting with saddles from the get-go), or someone who isn't satisfied with 'the way things are' for long enough to sniff them out.
It was a progression for me. What's funny is my first stand was a hang on from cabela's that weight about 9 pounds. And 10 AMERISTEP STRAP ON TREE STEPS. I bought the steps at a local sporting goods store because they were there lol, no thought was put into it. I had no idea how far along the lightweight/mobile spectrum that first setup was though. I bought my first and only climber a couple years later because my friends all looked at me funny with my setup. I thought I wanted to fit in (I was 16 haha).
Over those early years, I was hunting mostly private land with friends and preset stands, so neither got much use. They were always in the truck, and rarely got used because it was much more convenient to use what was already there. Plus, surely the guys in the hunting club or the landowner knew the best spots.
When some of those opportunities started drying up, and I started hunting public land, I didn't have much success. I was forced to learn how to hunt better. In that process I learned two very important things: The "deer camp" guys didn't know S&*% about hunting, and that climbers severely limited where I could hunt. Another large contributing factor is I hunt the only public land in Louisiana with some major elevation changes. To be successful there you had to be in shape and pack light.
I moved away for several years and fell into my other passion of spearfishing while living in south Florida. But the itch to chase deer never died. I made a trip home to hunt that property again to show some friends around. I went in my parents attic, and dug out that hang on and the 5 strap on steps I hadn't lost yet. They stuck their 30 pound climbers on their back, and we humped it in deep. we found a nice area to hunt loaded with sign. They spent 45 minutes tromping around their spots looking for a tree that their climber would fit on, with no branches. I got downwind of the trail I was hunting, found a magnolia tree I could sub in some branches for steps (and cover), and got about 15' up with my little hang on and those steps. I shot a nice 8 point that came cruising through while the other two both came away tired, disappointed in the effort to get in and out with their stands, and never hunted with me out there again.
A turn of events with work led to me moving back to Baton Rouge shortly after. I immediately refocused on deer hunting, and knew I needed to supplement the 5 strap on steps I had. Turns out they had a little trouble with the recipe lol, and didn't make them any more. I tried the climber again and it reminded me in short order why it wasn't suitable. I ended up picking up a set of muddy short sticks, and a lone wolf assault hang on. I relegated that old cabelas hang on to yard shooting duties.
I really started to increase deer sightings and kills with this setup and a bit of experience under my belt. One thing that I didn't care for was the difficulty in remaining safe setting up the sticks and being in the stand. I work in plants for a living, and am no stranger to safety harnesses. But I heard and saw some of the horror stories about suspension trauma. I quickly did the math and realized that those harnesses work great in an industrial setting, because you're never working alone. I wanted the ability to self rescue, and being hung from the back of the neck didn't sound so appealing. I made the switch to a climbing harness, and again, I hit another milestone in the journey. Being comfortable tied in at the waist, facing the tree, was integral in opening my mind to a saddle.
I was already using the strap on steps I had left over (on a new longer strap) on the base of trees to get a little extra height out of my climbing sticks. I also always kept one on my belt in case I could use a combo of that and branch to get extra height, or to hang my pack, etc. I still couldn't quite accept that the answer was 25 pounds of metal. in my search for a better way I found a post on the 1stick climbing method. I didn't even finish reading it before I was in the yard trying it. That was probably the biggest change besides switching to slings/saddles.
Now I could get to the spot with less weight, I needed to tackle the fact that I simply cannot get comfortable for long sits in a hang on stand. Sitting is such an unhealthy thing for humans to do on a regular basis, and my body made sure to let me know about it early and often in my hunts. I did some browsing and bought a guido's web after seeing a handful of reviews and videos on youtube. It is hands down the most comfortable "sitting" device I own, and that includes recliners and couches haha. The only problem with the web was hunting south Louisiana, its usually too hot to be comfortable.
I made the commitment at that point to hunt down a saddle - which led me here. After a quick browse, I realized I could get into a sit drag for a few bucks, and then figure the rest out along the way. I now have a single tote that holds my climbing stick/aider, SRT equipment, guido's web, kestrel, two sit drags, two homemade slings, a few climbing harnesses, and climbing hardware. for kicks, I weighed the whole thing and it came in a pound less than my climber/harness/molle straps combo.
I still have my hang on and my climber, as I have a hard time getting rid of hunting equipment (I call them hunting tools, and a man should never sell a tool, because a man can never have enough tools). But odds are they won't see the hunting woods with me for some time.
I like the saying "I reserve the right to change my point of view if the facts change." The facts have changed in my hunting world. I've kept an open mind, and paid attention to the little details of what works and doesn't. I also like to eliminate excuses. I found lots of them along the way in my hunting journey. Now, it is simply my hunting skills versus a deer's survival instincts. The tools for the hunt all fit into my backpack.
I have a couple of friends who listen to me talk about the benefits. But I also have learned the look of a person who is in their comfort zone. They have no incentive to change because what they are doing works. What they can't see is that their definition of success is far too conservative. And you know what, I like it that way. If we all saddled up, those vast expanses of public hunting property would shrink in a hurry. So, here's a toast to the climber carrying, ratchet strap clacking, brush busting guys out there pushing the deer my way!
