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Tradbow Hunting from a Saddle

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Bayoubowhunter

New Member
Mar 22, 2017
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I'm extremely interested in this saddle style of hunting. Ive been an advocate of light, mobile setups for quite a few years with great success. When researching ways to lighten my stands and increase mobility, I stumbled into this site. If I was still hunting with a compound, I would have no questions. BUT I quit hunting with a compound in 2011 and only use a recurve or longbow.

My question/concerns for you guys that hunt with tradgear are these...

Is there much string interference with a 60" bow or difficulty getting a shot because of the longer bow?
How bad does shooting from a hanging position mess up your form(if at all)? do you have issues with shooting at odd angles?
Are you able to stop completely in order to shoot? I feel like you would potentially still be swinging when trying to shoot or can you stop 100%?
Has it caused many (or any) missed opportunities because your feet were not planted solid?
Are there any videos on youtube showing someone shooting an animal with tradgear from the saddle? I'd like to see it in action.

I love the idea, however, I'm fairly apprehensive of investing in a system only to discover it wont work well with my tradgear.
Feel free to post pics of your tradkills taken from a saddle.

Thanks for any feedback.
 
justsomedude

justsomedude

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Sep 10, 2014
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I have shot 70" longbows from a saddle. It is much easier than from a tree stand as you don't have lower limb interference. Same goes for form. If you are standing on a tree stand, you have to do the 'bend at the waist' thing and it messes with your balance. If you are leaning back wearing a saddle, your body is more or less in line with bow and you can shoot normally. I had basically ZERO adjustment to my shooting.

I gap shoot, string walk, fixed, crawl and instinctive. My hunting bow now is a 17" riser with Long ILF limbs to have a 62" bow
 
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Gettin Closer

Well-Known Member
Nov 23, 2016
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Huntsville, TX
I have 0 issues with a saddle and a longbow (60" or 64"). If anything, it is easier to maintain your form from a saddle. As far as stability goes, I am much more stable from a Guido's Web than I am in the sitdrag and rock climbing system. I have not had any missed shot opportunities and have gained opportunities because of the versatility of the system to turn and or move around the tree vs a lock on or ladder stand. I do not have videos or pictures with the saddle in it with the harvested hogs yet, but I have taken a few hogs from a saddle. This will be my 1st year after deer with a saddle.
 
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kbetts

kbetts

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SH Member
Oct 13, 2015
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Delaware
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Delaware
I'll echo the above. I find it easier to shoot actually. I'll miss a few high from poor form in a standard stand. For some reason I seem to bury my anchor better and have more control of the shot in my saddle. Often I'll practice from the ground almost 180 degrees from the target and turn my upper body to simulate tougher shots.
 
Scott F

Scott F

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Feb 15, 2015
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Tampa, Florida
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Tampa, Florida
Same here, I only hunt with recurve bows, no problem from a saddle. It is easier than a fixed stand for the reasons stated.

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk
 
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DaveH

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2017
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Illinois
I'm a trad bowhunter, too. Like any other piece of hunting equipment, you have to practice with the saddle a little so you can take full advantage of its capabilities. My recurves are 60-66". No worries about hitting your lower limb like you might on a fixed stand. The saddle opens up more shot possibilities when you set up so you can move around the tree. If you buy a saddle and decide it's not for you, they are easy to resell so I'd encourage you to go for it. Good luck!
 
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ADP2413

Active Member
Jan 30, 2017
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I hunt with two recurves ... 52" Bear kodiak magnum and a 56" custom kodiak takedown. This will be my first year using a saddle but have been bowhunting from stands for 25 years. I have found that using a Dave T platform helps with the draw cycle with traditional bows. With using ameristeps ( which I prefer ) you have to trust you saddle and lean out further and that takes a little getting used to BUT is fun when you feel more comfy with it. Also I find leaning much easier to shoot than in more of a sitting position from the saddle but that could be just me. I also have dropped my shooting weight for hunting out of the saddle... the two bows I mentioned are 45 lb and 47 lb @ 28 and I have a 29" draw. You will enjoy it ! You just have to work at it a little. There is lots of good stuff on you tube , check it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Boudreaux

Boudreaux

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Feb 28, 2014
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Utah
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Utah
YOUTUBE
UCfsJLpIu20dPzWfb7JWO9gQ
I have probably harvested more animals with a Trad bow from a saddle than with a compound. I think saddle help tremendously with trad bows because it helps get your bow farther away from the tree as well as something like a conventional tree stand. I have used bows from 68" to 52" out of my saddles and have never had any kind of issues.

Thanks,
Boswell
 
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Bayoubowhunter

New Member
Mar 22, 2017
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Well I'm convinced. I purchased a saddle last night. Wish I would have done this at the beginning of the summer to practice on hogs with it. I should have enough time before our season starts to get in plenty of practice. Hopefully I'll be posting kill pics with it over the next few months. If anyone has links to videos of actually hunting/shooting animals with the saddle, please share. I'd love to watch them. I found a bunch of videos but none were videos of actual shots.
Thanks!
 
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Boudreaux

Boudreaux

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Feb 28, 2014
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UCfsJLpIu20dPzWfb7JWO9gQ
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ALwoodsman

ALwoodsman

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Sep 18, 2016
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I have not had any problems with it. I just recently got back into hunting with a saddle. It will take a little practice. Check out the links below from Joe Darnell. He makes traditional bows and hunts with them and a saddle exclusively. The video is just foam targets but if you check out the trophy room on his web page you will see several great bucks killed out of a saddle with a longbow.

http://www.tanasibows.com/

 
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Bayoubowhunter

New Member
Mar 22, 2017
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ADP2413 said:
I hunt with two recurves ... 52" Bear kodiak magnum and a 56" custom kodiak takedown. This will be my first year using a saddle but have been bowhunting from stands for 25 years. I have found that using a Dave T platform helps with the draw cycle with traditional bows. With using ameristeps ( which I prefer ) you have to trust you saddle and lean out further and that takes a little getting used to BUT is fun when you feel more comfy with it. Also I find leaning much easier to shoot than in more of a sitting position from the saddle but that could be just me. I also have dropped my shooting weight for hunting out of the saddle... the two bows I mentioned are 45 lb and 47 lb @ 28 and I have a 29" draw. You will enjoy it ! You just have to work at it a little. There is lots of good stuff on you tube , check it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
What is a Dave T platform? pics? or somewhere I can look at the specs?
 
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100rollie

100rollie

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Mar 2, 2014
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I spent my first summer practicing a lot by filling a back quiver with a little over a dozen flu flu's with judos and a half dozen golf balls. After climbing to height I tossed the golf balls out in every direction at different distances and shot at them. Would do this every weekend and it helped me to get used to just about all the situations I would encounter while hunting. You do this enough times and when the opportunity arrives at deer, your shot will just flow like second nature. Iv'e only ever shot trad. with the saddle/treesuit.,(instinctive ,60" .) Actually, I believe I have honestly shot my best from this position, better than in a hang on stand. I believe it may have to do with being more steady/stable? by this I mean between the straps around my waist, and having a hip, or knee against the tree, and kind of leaning/sitting. Not sure, cant explain it, but I like it!:grinning:;)
Just practice whenever you can, you'll get it!
 
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ADP2413

Active Member
Jan 30, 2017
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Bayoubowhunter said:
What is a Dave T platform? pics? or somewhere I can look at the specs?
Click to expand...

There is a lot of info here at saddlehunter or just search for Dave T on you tube. Huck mentioned Erin was putting a kit together for these platforms and are really nice. I made mine out of a lonewolf seat before I knew about the xop seat.

I can not find the thread again to the Erin kit. Maybe Huck or Red can post the link if they have it saved.


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