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What setup for youth apprentice

bowbender73

bowbender73

Active Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Messages
178
I'm in the stage of life where I'm getting less solo hunt time, but being rewarded with taking my two youngest (pre & early teen) kids hunting.
I've successfully hung in a saddle behind pre-set stands, and it's worked pretty well. However, I love saddle hunting because of the mobility.

So my question is, for insight on either doubling in a tree with saddles, or a lightweight hang on with saddle? I have a aero hunter and sit drag, that I normally use SRT with. But I also have muddy sticks and two home built platforms (lone wolf & XOP). Have any of you already created this wheel......?
 
g2outdoors said:
I'm going to be crossing this bridge in the next couple years. I'm probably going to have my kiddos use my Trophyline saddles.

Sent from my Galaxy S8.
Click to expand...

I actually completely forgot that I "loaned" my TL saddle out to my brother in law a few years ago...hmmm
 
I did something similar last year when my son killed his first buck. I posted a pic called "quasi saddle" in the kill thread. At least I think that was what it was called. If we maintain power (I'm in Tampa) I'll try to post a pic in this thread. I hung my Sumitt Viper using sticks and hung off the back in my sling. My son climbed up the sticks and sat in the climber. He was 11 and I wanted him to feel safe, comfortable, have a good rest for the shot and not move around. IMO, you are asking a lot of a kid to climb sticks and sit in a saddle and make a good shot. In addition, you want them to enjoy it. My son sat there napping and playing video games till we started seeing deer. He loved it. I strapped the sticks to the Summit and carried the Summit. He carried my saddle and platform. Worked great.
 
If you search "quasi saddle" you can see it. For some reason the pic came in sideways. Also, he was 12 not 11.
 
Yeah, I agree that it's likely to much to expect them to saddle hunt effectively this young. And the added feel of safety in a climber is definitely worth something.
Congrats on getting that done with him, and I hope you guys stay safe down there!
 
I can't get mine to climb a set of lone wolf sticks so definitely try everything before you head out. I have a fed stick ladders I'm going to try him on also. I just really hope I don't have to drag ladder stands through the woods this year but that is how it is looking right now.
 
This thread also reminded me that I had loaned out a summit viper and I think we'll give that a shot :)

EricS- I've had both of mine up in a regular hang on, as well as ladder stands, just trying to figure out something mobile to hopefully up our odds ;)
 
When I was a kid my dad used to hang behind me in his anderson sling. We did this many times.
 
redsquirrel said:
When I was a kid my dad used to hang behind me in his anderson sling. We did this many times.
Click to expand...

This was one of the deciding factors in me purchasing a saddle. My oldest son is 15 and hunts mostly by himself, but everyone once in a while I like to sit with him to either video or just spend time. Before I could only do this if we had two hang-ons in the tree. With a saddle I will be able to hunt with him anytime, out of any of our preset stands. My youngest is 8 years old, so I have many years of hanging behind hang-ons left.
 
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