Tony
Member
I’m finally glad some one brings this up. If you mention this on the forums or Facebook, some of these fan boys lose their mind.
I got bit by the saddle bug hard about 5 years ago and I ran it hard for 3 years and then this year I went on a trip to Ohio and ran it hard for a week.
I hunt all public, rarely in the same tree ever. I climb towers for work so ropes and heights are familiar. I hunt with a crossbow now (ya ya, 3 kids and I like to fish and shoot deer, not targets). I’ve killed a pile of deer on the ground, with crossbow and mostly muzzleloaders
Some of my findings:
I get picked all the time in a saddle. I got picked by a smasher this year in Ohio, good wind and not moving. I’ve got picked every year in a saddle, not moving with good wind and thermals. Here is the thing, I think deer recognize the human form when we are standing/leaning. I don’t think deer recognize you as a human when you are sitting. Ya they know something ain’t right, but I’ve killed a deer in a life jacket from my kyack and in a leaf suit with my crossbow. They get spun up but don’t seem to freak out.
They are not comfortable. In sit in a climbing harness all day, but I’m constantly moving. In a saddle I’m constantly fidgeting. I used to run a ROS with knee pads. Then I went to a platform. That helped, But I’m almost like shoot, I’m carrying in a platform, why not just carry a tree stand.
With a crossbow they are less than ideal. Too much swinging out from the tree to avoid smashing bow limbs on tree and or bridge/tether. I’m actually looking for a LW Sit and Climb so I can have a nice shooting rail. I have brought my shooting stick with my LW hang on.
Where do they shine, lighter, can fit every thing in a bag when I go in my kyack or deep water swamps. Less medal for noise.
As far as the light weight, that is not really a problem for me. I mean ya heavy sucks, how long are you guys walking, I mean my farthest walks are 2 miles on a trail, any farther than that and I’ve walked across a road, or I’m out of the public land. Besides I’m sitting for longer than I’m walking for so I might as well prioritize comfort.
Where they really shine, I think is with a gun in the swamps or thick. I can carry two sticks, no lineman’s belt just tether, and be up overlooking the brush in five minutes for about 10 lbs of gear total. But I can do that with a RCH too and I don’t need a saddle.
Anyways, long post, but my 9 yr old (shot his first one this year on a track job in the snow) and wife are hunting with me now so I’m setting up multiple two man ladder stands (collective gasp) in my hardest too reach public spots and I’m just going to gun hunt those spots sparingly.
I got bit by the saddle bug hard about 5 years ago and I ran it hard for 3 years and then this year I went on a trip to Ohio and ran it hard for a week.
I hunt all public, rarely in the same tree ever. I climb towers for work so ropes and heights are familiar. I hunt with a crossbow now (ya ya, 3 kids and I like to fish and shoot deer, not targets). I’ve killed a pile of deer on the ground, with crossbow and mostly muzzleloaders
Some of my findings:
I get picked all the time in a saddle. I got picked by a smasher this year in Ohio, good wind and not moving. I’ve got picked every year in a saddle, not moving with good wind and thermals. Here is the thing, I think deer recognize the human form when we are standing/leaning. I don’t think deer recognize you as a human when you are sitting. Ya they know something ain’t right, but I’ve killed a deer in a life jacket from my kyack and in a leaf suit with my crossbow. They get spun up but don’t seem to freak out.
They are not comfortable. In sit in a climbing harness all day, but I’m constantly moving. In a saddle I’m constantly fidgeting. I used to run a ROS with knee pads. Then I went to a platform. That helped, But I’m almost like shoot, I’m carrying in a platform, why not just carry a tree stand.
With a crossbow they are less than ideal. Too much swinging out from the tree to avoid smashing bow limbs on tree and or bridge/tether. I’m actually looking for a LW Sit and Climb so I can have a nice shooting rail. I have brought my shooting stick with my LW hang on.
Where do they shine, lighter, can fit every thing in a bag when I go in my kyack or deep water swamps. Less medal for noise.
As far as the light weight, that is not really a problem for me. I mean ya heavy sucks, how long are you guys walking, I mean my farthest walks are 2 miles on a trail, any farther than that and I’ve walked across a road, or I’m out of the public land. Besides I’m sitting for longer than I’m walking for so I might as well prioritize comfort.
Where they really shine, I think is with a gun in the swamps or thick. I can carry two sticks, no lineman’s belt just tether, and be up overlooking the brush in five minutes for about 10 lbs of gear total. But I can do that with a RCH too and I don’t need a saddle.
Anyways, long post, but my 9 yr old (shot his first one this year on a track job in the snow) and wife are hunting with me now so I’m setting up multiple two man ladder stands (collective gasp) in my hardest too reach public spots and I’m just going to gun hunt those spots sparingly.
