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Torn between Kestrel and LW hanger/sticks

Mauidiver

Mauidiver

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2018
Messages
57
Hey crew,

I just sold some gear and now ready to buy either the Kestrel full package, or the LW hanger stand. I'm pretty sure I'm going to use the WE steps (Run & Gun 12 steps for tree base) as means to get up the tree but have always hunted on the ground and never used a tree stand and especially a saddle to hunt. I'm on public land here in Austin Tx and chasing whitetail at Lake Georgetown.

Disclaimer.....I've never been able to tie anything, or never really gave it any practice and the Kestrel with all its ropes, linesman belt and tree strap is a bit overwhelming for me.

So do y'all think learning to hang a LW tree stand or learning to use the Kestrel would be easier. I'm ready to buy now but also concerned about the length of time the Kestrel takes to deliver. I would want this as soon as possible to start practicing. I'm 47 yrs old and in pretty good shape and wanted to run my concerns by y'all first to give me your honest opinions.

Thanks much guys.

colin
 
Kestrel....! Disclaimer: I have not hunted from it yet and I'm new to saddle hunting, but I received my Kestrel this week and it is of the highest quality. I can't say it any better than what has already been posted on this site, you wont be disappointed. The advantages of the Kestrel out weigh the LW in my opinion... I've used my LW for years and I liked the hangon and hand climber stands, they are nice and solid built, but I wanted a light weight option that I could hunt just about any tree and I believe that answer is the Kestrel. I also have some lower back issues and from the reviews I've read on this site I think I've found the solution to make my hunts more enjoyable/comfortable and less wear and tear on my back. I found myself standing more out of my LW's than I did sitting due to my back and everyone on here talks about how comfortable the saddle is and if you do some reading you'll see the reviews with guys saying how the saddle was the answer to their back pain. The weight of the Kestel vs LW alone is a huge advantage. If the information about saddle hunting was as easily available years ago as it is now, I'd have switched a long time ago! I remember seeing the TrophyLine years ago and thought to myself "there's no way that's comfortable" and I dismissed it as a viable option, fast forward to present date and I'm wishing I knew then what I know now... Hope this helps, just my opinion for what it's worth?
Good luck
 
First off, I don't think a lot of folks here will recommend a hang on, lol. So you might have to take that into account when looking at the responses.

Do you have the WE steps already? I would go for something cheaper to see if you like it first. Get a rock climbing harness and a sitdrag or make a fleece one. You can get that stuff and be up and running in less than a week.

If you have reservations about knots that might make saddle hunting tough. Check out animated knots, great site. Big rules for knot tying is to make sure you leave 3x the rope diameter on the tail and for climbing always add a bite or tie off the end if you can. Also if you use a ropeman or prusik make sure you tie off the end of the rope so you don't slide off.

http://www.animatedknots.com

Although you will often hear how much safer it is being tied in all of the time. For safety I don't think you can beat it.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

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I would use sticks so you have no knots to tie You will find it easier and safer to hunt in a saddle.
Muddy pros. For sticks to start. Only three connection points We steps at least twice as many to the same height and lots of knots

The saddle will come with all the knots tied.


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Thanks for your responses guys, I just found that animated sight last week and love it. I work at Williamson County Juvenile Detention and I’m building a knot tying station teaching the youth basic knots...Little do they know I’m learning myself. Bought a couple recommended books from the kestrel site and really want to learn. Funding is tight so I’m all or nothing, if I don’t like it and can’t make it work, I’ll list it on classified. I’m still leaning at Kestrel, but the insecure side of me wants to go hang on route. Tim, thanks for your response, good luck with Kestrel, I’ll be following
 
This was my first year hunting out of a saddle and I wish I would have pulled the trigger earlier. I hunted out of hang on stands for 20 years and it took me a long time to finally pull the trigger on buying a saddle because it was so "different" but, I won't ever be going back to hang ons. I took down two hang ons I had left this weekend and there was some satisfaction knowing I won't ever have to wrestle a tree stand around in a tree again.

It seems like there is a lot of information to learn (its really not once you have a saddle and can see how it all works together) and it is "different" then what most people are used to but, at least for me it was the best hunting decision I have made.
 
Mauidiver said:
Thanks for your responses guys, I just found that animated sight last week and love it. I work at Williamson County Juvenile Detention and I’m building a knot tying station teaching the youth basic knots...Little do they know I’m learning myself. Bought a couple recommended books from the kestrel site and really want to learn. Funding is tight so I’m all or nothing, if I don’t like it and can’t make it work, I’ll list it on classified. I’m still leaning at Kestrel, but the insecure side of me wants to go hang on route. Tim, thanks for your response, good luck with Kestrel, I’ll be following
Click to expand...

Find some one friendly on this site to show you what is involved


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I love a good hang on I have 3 left. I love a good climber I have 1 left. I love a good ladder stand I have 2 left. when i look at the hang on in the back of the truck and i have my sitdrag sitting there Its no question I'm grabbing the 1 lb instead of the 10 lbs where I hunt. I'm more comfortable, its lighter. you are already carrying the sticks or steps so its deciding on how you want to spend your time in the tree either sitting on a loc on or sitting in a Kestrel. I sold approximately 20 stands after I discovered the Sitdrag 4 years ago
 
I'm in much the same situation as the op and I opted for a kestrel and one stick. I should receive middle of this month, and after giving that a good try and not liking it, I'll buy more sticks and the hangon stand then sell the kestrel.

I have high hopes though.
 
GCTerpfan said:
This was my first year hunting out of a saddle and I wish I would have pulled the trigger earlier. I hunted out of hang on stands for 20 years and it took me a long time to finally pull the trigger on buying a saddle because it was so "different" but, I won't ever be going back to hang ons. I took down two hang ons I had left this weekend and there was some satisfaction knowing I won't ever have to wrestle a tree stand around in a tree again.

It seems like there is a lot of information to learn (its really not once you have a saddle and can see how it all works together) and it is "different" then what most people are used to but, at least for me it was the best hunting decision I have made.
Click to expand...
Couldn’t agree more, I did a lot of research & the new approach seemed intimidating early on. I know now from experience it’s more comfortable! The one thing that gets left out of the hang on vs saddle comparison is total weight. Let’s just use sticks as climbing method for the sake of argument because they can be used for both setups. Then put a stand on your back, w/sticks & a pack (don’t forget your harness , my hss harness with tether is similar weight to kestrel) start packing into your setup, it all adds up. So after just a few hunts in my kestrel, I couldn’t believe how much less I was packing into the woods. ( just sticks on my pack & wear kestrel in) Plus I didn’t have to fidget sitting vs standing to stay comfortable. I know you can get really deep into methods & fine tuning setups, but a can’t see you being disappointed with a kestrel full kit right out of the box.
 
huck72412 said:
Sell your house,car,company stock,kids, wife, climbers, hang-ons. Get a Trophyline Tree Saddle and everything else will work itself out.
Click to expand...
Sell the trophyline to Huck he will pay a big buck for it and buy a Kestrel and keep your house, car, company stock kids , wife.... sell the climber, hang-on and buy the Kestrel..
 
Kestrel is the way to go. Been saddle hunting for 2 seasons and will never go back. Practice with it at ground level at first then move up the tree. Safe hunting!
 
Mauidiver said:
Hey crew,

I just sold some gear and now ready to buy either the Kestrel full package, or the LW hanger stand. I'm pretty sure I'm going to use the WE steps (Run & Gun 12 steps for tree base) as means to get up the tree but have always hunted on the ground and never used a tree stand and especially a saddle to hunt. I'm on public land here in Austin Tx and chasing whitetail at Lake Georgetown.

Disclaimer.....I've never been able to tie anything, or never really gave it any practice and the Kestrel with all its ropes, linesman belt and tree strap is a bit overwhelming for me.

So do y'all think learning to hang a LW tree stand or learning to use the Kestrel would be easier. I'm ready to buy now but also concerned about the length of time the Kestrel takes to deliver. I would want this as soon as possible to start practicing. I'm 47 yrs old and in pretty good shape and wanted to run my concerns by y'all first to give me your honest opinions.

Thanks much guys.

colin
Click to expand...
I would buy the Kestrel. It not that hard to learn how to hunt out of a saddle. Once you do it you will not want to hunt out of a treestand again. It is way lighter and you can shoot 360 around the tree. I've been saddle hunting for a longtime and highly recommended it.
 
GCTerpfan said:
This was my first year hunting out of a saddle and I wish I would have pulled the trigger earlier. I hunted out of hang on stands for 20 years and it took me a long time to finally pull the trigger on buying a saddle because it was so "different" but, I won't ever be going back to hang ons. I took down two hang ons I had left this weekend and there was some satisfaction knowing I won't ever have to wrestle a tree stand around in a tree again.

It seems like there is a lot of information to learn (its really not once you have a saddle and can see how it all works together) and it is "different" then what most people are used to but, at least for me it was the best hunting decision I have made.
Click to expand...


This is what I like to hear
 
don't worry about knots you can learn how to splice rope and trust it. I would go with the saddle and leave the rest behind. Just give your self enough time to enjoy it. Practice during the summer and kill in the fall.
 
Mauidiver said:
Just ordered the Kestrel Hunting Kit

You will definitely be hearing from me guys. Thanks for all your info and help. Really appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Congrats! We're here for you with any questions you have as you get used to it!
 
We're learning together. I've been really enjoying learning to tie knots. I don't really need it a lot with the Kestrel but knowing the names of them helps me follow some of the conversations in this forum.


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