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Tradbows and Saddles - your preferred set up.

DanielB89

DanielB89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
1,381
Location
Monroe, LA
To all those who are hunting from a saddle and shooting a trad bow, what are the details to your set up?

Tether height? Ideal Shot location?



I am not believing that a saddle is the best option for me with my longbow. I have string clearance issues on closer shots. Say 10 yards and in. If a deer were 10 yards(where I love to get them to) and right behind the tree, it would be a nearly impossible shot for me. When I draw back my string contacts the bridge. I am wondering what you guys do.
 
DanielB89 said:
To all those who are hunting from a saddle and shooting a trad bow, what are the details to your set up?

Tether height? Ideal Shot location?



I am not believing that a saddle is the best option for me with my longbow. I have string clearance issues on closer shots. Say 10 yards and in. If a deer were 10 yards(where I love to get them to) and right behind the tree, it would be a nearly impossible shot for me. When I draw back my string contacts the bridge. I am wondering what you guys do.
Click to expand...
I've been running the stock Mantis bridge and this year is my first with a 66" recurve. I've been practicing in the backyard and had first hunt with the recurve over the weekend. After all the practice and taking a couple warm up shots during the hunt, I've been thinking and I'm pretty sure I'm going to shorten my bridge to 24ish" and lower tether to below chin level. I think that will be the answer for me with the recurve. Hope that helps you and I'll let you know how it works for me...

Also forgot to mention that I'm also using the predator platform.
 
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This will be year one for me with a recurve. I can shoot well behind me and to my strong side. I’m practicing with the predator platform some this week also. On close shots I have to watch my legs for clearance also. My bow is 66”. I may experiment with a shorter bridge and lower tether as well with the platform. I prefer a ring of steps but think the platform may be easier to shoot from. I’ve got five days to make my mind up. So far my traditional only setups are setup to where an Ideal shot is on my strong side to straight back.
 
Newbie also to saddle use. My longbow is 68". I have not practiced with it due to potentisl issues so i am back to 62" recurve and getting comfortable. I will try those suggestions and bring back the longbow. I have 2-3 weeks before season opens in Illinois.
 
I have gone back to stands with my trad bow. I just can't bet on the deer coming from exactly where I want them to. That's one of the things I love about using my RCH and sit drag combo.. with them, you can easily just not bring the saddle on days you don't need it. On days I'm hunting with the compound, I just bring the saddle instead of a stand. Makes it super easy to swap back and forth.
 
68 inch long bow teafher at forehead an a 22 inch bridge

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
60" recurve, or 64" flatbow. 24" bridge, tether at just below chin height.
 
I struggled with the same problem with longbows and recurves. But now I can shoot way easier in any direction than I ever could from a stand. I tied a Kong Duck ascender to my right bridge and I use that as my linesman’s belt AND my bridge when Tethered in. My tether is daisy chain amsteel. I have a carabiner in the end of the daisy chain and I just run it through a loop that matched the tree diameter and them attach my bridge to that. This way I can put my tether low and adjust my bridge on my right side on the fly while holding my bow in my left hand. I also use a predator platform and put a squirrel step on each side at 3 and 9 o’clock to step out on for shots all around the tree. The low tether also is way more comfortable. I could never get that with a fixed bridge and the ropeman on girth hitched rope.
 

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Short bridge and low tether helps elbow clearance for draw arm.
Learn to shoot with a vertical bow. Canting the bow is not conducive to limb clearance in any type of tree hunting set up.
Otherwise, you will find that saddles offer better bow clearance than any other type of stand that you have ever hunted.
Bow hanger goes on strong side, normally very slightly around the tree.

I leave my quiver on the bow but some guys take them off. That just means 1 more piece of gear to hang and manage, plus more movement to reach for another arrow if you need it. If you find yourself around the back side of the tree from the position that your quiver is hanging, and you need a 2nd arrow, how the heck do you quickly reach that quiver without getting busted?
 
Great advice from all - low tether, short bridge and you should not have a problem. I know some trad shooters really cant their bow to the extreme, and those folks may have a problem with tree clearance in the saddle due to being close to the tree but bridge or tether contact should still not be a problem...I cant my trad bows some, and have never had a problem in the saddle....
 
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Longbowwally said:
Great advice from all - low tether, short bridge and you should not have a problem. I know some trad shooters really cant their bow to the extreme, and those folks may have a problem with tree clearance in the saddle due to being close to the tree but bridge or tether contact should still not be a problem...I can't my trad bows some, and have never had a problem in the saddle....
Click to expand...
Let me amend my advice about shooting a vertical bow.
The great thing about shooting a trad bow off the shelf is that the bow can be shot in almost any position. I used to belong to a DART system archery league and we had to shoot bows in every position. We shot while laying down with the shelf facing the ceiling and we also shot with the shelf down using our finger to support the arrow. It was difficult, but the point is...trad bows shot off the shelf (as opposed to an elevated rest) can be shot in any position. I still prefer a vertical bow when I'm shooting from trees but there are times when a slight cant, or an extreme cant could be the difference between getting the shot off or watching the animal walk away.
 
Trophy line with original bridge. Tether at about eye level or just above.
Tribute riser with Border hex 7.5 limbs
makes for a semi compact rig to haul up in the trees.
 
I’m shooting a dozen arrows every night from height this week getting ready for the opener this weekend. @Rod in SC I tried your bridge with a ropeman this evening. I’ve used that setup before to play with bridge lengths. Shortened it to 20” this evening. I don’t think I would like to hang with it that short all day but the option to go that short was nice. I could make any shot with it shortened that I could make with my 30” compound. About the only clearance I really had to watch for was my knee. I’ve hit it a couple times this week with the bottom limb. I feel pretty confident for this weekend with exception of this tropical wave coming in that may bring rain and a southeast wind that will only work with one of my traditional presets.
 
For me a head high tether and roughly 31 inch bridge combined with a ROS works flawless for a trad bow. I can easily shoot 360 by pushing myself away from the tree. I do shoot a relatively short trad bow so that probably helps.
 
Yep. Agree with low tether and short bridge too. Shooting everything from 52” Kmag to 64” Omega Original.

Emrah


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Agreed with the low tether and short bridge comments. I find that it’s also more comfortable for me, but certainly helps with clearance.

As for that 12 o’clock shot. I don’t think you can take it like you might with a compound. I’ve seen compound guys leaning back and more or less just peeking around the tree.

I find I need to swing out around the tree more for a comfortable shot with my recurve.
 
@Tartan I can shoot to 12:00 and a little past by peeking around my weak side but I have to be really careful about short drawing my bow.
 
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