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Why hasn't saddlehunting become more mainstream?

Pats1512

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Messages
67
Location
Brookfield, NH
Hey guys,

I've been looking at this forum for information for a while and haven't posted much but the more I saddle hunt the more this bothers me. For a long time I worked in marketing at Thompson Center (at that time the masters of marketing) and have been around the hunting industry a long time. There is too much that makes sense about where the industry has gone with companies like Sitka and Kuiu that the modern day hunter who is often more athletic and looking for the best way to hunt would not quickly jump on this. So I've come up with two theories:

1. I think a big pocket marketing company has not told the story of saddle hunting benefits to this point that make people interested.

2. With Tv cameras in play and often not so Professional Pro hunters they are not willing to get into a saddle.

3. Saddles don't have exposure with Big Box (Cabelas, Bass Pro)

It frustrates me because I do feel this industry is one campaign away from being the next big thing. But I believe it will take someone creating a Sitka like campaign and not throwing Michael Waddell in a tree saddle. Glad I got that off my chest, hopefully in the next few years someone sees the opportunity here and saddle hunting becomes the next big thing.
 
Trophy line had a road trips saddle and it was sold at the big box stores. Still didn’t take off.
Saddle hunting takes work and practice.
 
A few thoughts:

I'll bet the closest most guys get to harnesses is that rock climbing team builder at work that felt like slamming thier prized fleshy possessions in a kitchen drawer. That's the look I get when I share what I'm trying to do.

John Eberhart is right that hunting shows don't film in high pressure areas. Deer there are stupid. Famous guys can use big comfy sponsored climbers, hang-ons or shooting houses, so they stick to what works.

Bass Pro and Cabela's have existing relationships with the Lone Wolf, Muddy and Summit companies and big metal stands are money makers. It's part inertia.

Tree climbing isn't a thing they do. They climb "safe" ladders, or use climbing stands, shooting houses or heated pop up blinds. The average camo'd obese guy I saw at the Outdoorama show didn't stop at John's booth or seminar and would rather spend harder on a guided trophy hunt and new bow, or ATV mounted land management (food plots) for results than work harder, or get in shape.

Hunting is a sport in market decline. It was once a necessary food source, then a family tradition, now going against the mainstream flow of anti gun, anti cruelty, anti masculinity pop culture. It has high start up costs and low success rates. Land ability will decrease. It'll stay strong in rural areas, but population shifts to city centers will continue to pressure it.

In my experience, gun season is way more popular with other hunters than bow season. Even we here are mostly bow- or both- hunters, but saddle hunting is still hitting mostly with the bow crowd, and it's smaller.

I expect to see most of this change. This forum is one example of the growth it'll experience. As the market shrinks, companies will respond. They'll see the success of aerohunter and ape the product. Some up and coming tv hunter will differentiate using unconventional methods. We'll actually see footage of them climbing using different methods. Sponsorship and marketing will follow.

I just hope it happens a bit after I get to use early season dedication, difficult area focus, unconventional tree climbing options and saddle hunting as an advantage over stand hunters to harvest the deer they're not for a couple seasons first. I think equilibrium is already approaching, at least in my pressured area (southern Michigan), because success is already so hard here.

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1st it would have to be easily available and cheap to purchase to get more to try for it to grow in popularity. You have to really want to saddle hunt to take the risk to buy the only commercially available saddle. People spend lots of money on high dollar stands but it’s because they have already tried cheaper ones to have an idea what to expect. They have no idea what to expect from a saddle and don’t want to drop $300 on one to to try. And with no guidance from saddlehunter.com to walk them through it and help them get comfortable, a lot of those who have the money to take the chance, give up after the 1st try, then bad mouth saddles online, scaring more away from taking a chance.
There would be more people giving it a chance if there was a cheaper, commercially available option, ready to hunt, complete package out there.
Say something like a rigged out sitdrag and rock harness, small platform, and 3 climbing sticks all attached or in a backpack. One package, all together ready to just put on your back and head to the tree lighter than 20lbs. That’s what it would take to get people interested and willing to try. Then they could fine tune from there. People like easy package deals. It takes a lot of research coming into this new the way the market is now. We need a cheap starter kit.
 
Big stores don’t want to sell saddles they are a one and done kind of thing. You can have 1 saddle and some kind of climbing method and that’s all that’s needed. They would rather sell someone 10 tree stands and 10 sticks. That’s my opinion.
 
Big stores don’t want to sell saddles they are a one and done kind of thing. You can have 1 saddle and some kind of climbing method and that’s all that’s needed. They would rather sell someone 10 tree stands and 10 sticks. That’s my opinion.

I don’t know anyone here that has bought one and done! Lol. It was a good excuse to take the plunge at the beginning.
 
Yes I agree I stated with a sit drag last year and now have a kestrel to. But what I am saying is you really don’t need multiple it’s not like lock ons
 
I think most hunters are in the rut of I always did it this way.
As an older guy who started hunting recently. I had no fixed ingrained ways of doing things. Most hunters are not willing to change Imo. Guys I show a saddle to who are my age think.... crazy and I am not changing


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Last edited:
Yes I agree I stated with a sit drag last year and now have a kestrel to. But what I am saying is you really don’t need multiple it’s not like lock ons

I know what you are saying. I agree. It’s nice to just walk to a tree and everything is there and ready. Lots of people hunt that way. But there are the run and gun guys that use locons. That’s where I was before a saddle. LoneWolf assault and lone wolf sticks. Take it out the tree after every hunt unless I was coming back on the next hunt. There are many locons designed for this type of hunting and that could also be a buy one and done situation. Those are the type of people who could be persuaded to try a saddle if the complete set up was in a light and cheaper. Or at least just a set minus the sticks because they usually already have that.
It could also be advertised to catch the attention of the preset hunters who like to have stands set out. Sell stick and platform packages. And all you need is your saddle system just like bringing your safety harness to a preset locon.
 
Also the "professional" hunters get sponsored by tree stand companies, so as far as hunting they way they want, depends on which company offers the best deal for them. Which New Tribe being the only active company is not going to compete with for many reasons.
As far as the one and done .... I have bought and sold 8 this past year alone! LOL I still have 3 Trophylines that I will not part with so I should be done. But I had to buy a couple to first figure out the size that I needed, then try each material lol. Then order the kestrel cause all the cool kids were doing it. This is an addiction for sure
 
A few thoughts:

I'll bet the closest most guys get to harnesses is that rock climbing team builder at work that felt like slamming thier prized fleshy possessions in a kitchen drawer. That's the look I get when I share what I'm trying to do.

John Eberhart is right that hunting shows don't film in high pressure areas. Deer there are stupid. Famous guys can use big comfy sponsored climbers, hang-ons or shooting houses, so they stick to what works.

Bass Pro and Cabela's have existing relationships with the Lone Wolf, Muddy and Summit companies and big metal stands are money makers. It's part inertia.

Tree climbing isn't a thing they do. They climb "safe" ladders, or use climbing stands, shooting houses or heated pop up blinds. The average camo'd obese guy I saw at the Outdoorama show didn't stop at John's booth or seminar and would rather spend harder on a guided trophy hunt and new bow, or ATV mounted land management (food plots) for results than work harder, or get in shape.

Hunting is a sport in market decline. It was once a necessary food source, then a family tradition, now going against the mainstream flow of anti gun, anti cruelty, anti masculinity pop culture. It has high start up costs and low success rates. Land ability will decrease. It'll stay strong in rural areas, but population shifts to city centers will continue to pressure it.

In my experience, gun season is way more popular with other hunters than bow season. Even we here are mostly bow- or both- hunters, but saddle hunting is still hitting mostly with the bow crowd, and it's smaller.

I expect to see most of this change. This forum is one example of the growth it'll experience. As the market shrinks, companies will respond. They'll see the success of aerohunter and ape the product. Some up and coming tv hunter will differentiate using unconventional methods. We'll actually see footage of them climbing using different methods. Sponsorship and marketing will follow.

I just hope it happens a bit after I get to use early season dedication, difficult area focus, unconventional tree climbing options and saddle hunting as an advantage over stand hunters to harvest the deer they're not for a couple seasons first. I think equilibrium is already approaching, at least in my pressured area (southern Michigan), because success is already so hard here.

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I agree with everything your saying buy if you told me 10 years ago cabelas would be selling $500 Sitka jackets I would have said no way. Working in this industry a while the market is in a decline, but to me the athlete hunter who is your Sitka, Kuiu, First Lite guy is growing. When I first got in the hunting industry it was hard for me watching our sponsored pro hunters walk around in bedazzled skinny jeans and saying they were the hardcore hunters of the industry. I feel like that tide is turning and these small companies that are turning out quality products and marketing to the passionate hunters is growing. So yes you will never get the treestand guy at Wal mart but I don't think you need to. There is a growing future of passionate hunters like all the guys on here who aren't the masses but the numbers are growing. I think one big company with some marketing spend gets behind saddle hunting and that all could change quick
 
I see guys all the time spend $2000 on a gun/ scope combo then stop by Walmart for a $49 ladder stand. I think most guys don’t put a lot of thought in how they get in a tree. I really never did until they told us we couldn’t leave our stands on public land any more. As private land leases continue to rise in price and guys are forced on to public land the interest in saddle hunting will grow. IMHO


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I see guys all the time spend $2000 on a gun/ scope combo then stop by Walmart for a $49 ladder stand. I think most guys don’t put a lot of thought in how they get in a tree. I really never did until they told us we couldn’t leave our stands on public land any more. As private land leases continue to rise in price and guys are forced on to public land the interest in saddle hunting will grow. IMHO


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Agreed. I hunt in other states but mostly in NH where I live. We have right to trespass here meaning you can hunt private land as long as it isn't posted. This gives us a pretty big landscape you are allowed to hunt including state lands. My hunting buddies I got into saddle hunting it was a quick explanation of why are you hauling your stand all over the place not knowing if you have the right spot? And with as many guys that travel around here you have to take it down or lock it and hope people don't screw with it. I leave a marked tree and nothing else after every sit. And I don't need to take down 30 tree stands every year (which at least this state requires after the season on public land). It is the most versatile way to hunt. I got hooked 3 years ago and never understood why people still clang around 20 foot ladders after I tried it
 
I feel like it is 2 things.
1. If New Tribe sponsored a major hunting show it would bring a lot of people in to saddle hunting. The normal hunter just has not seen it and so it is daunting and not the cool thing. We as humans love cool stuff. Case in point how many guys on here were envious of the asat Kestrel? Why? Mainly it looked good. And confession time, I wanted it also... :)
2. There is a definite learning curve to saddle hunting. Along with that a lack of a good commercially produced platform. The average guy just doesn't want to put that much effort in to gathering the "mundane" equipment to get into saddle hunting. Right now takes a bit of a Diy guy to really enjoy the process.

This is JMO.

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I agree with all these comments, in my experience most hunters today are just too lazy to be a Saddle hunter, most of the guys around my area talk about "my stupid sling",they want and expect the easy kill by watching all the hunting shows with the host hunting in Iowa and Kansas, which as someone put it, is full of big dumb bucks, they had rather sit in a box on the edge of a baited field or stand beside there truck and use dogs to push the deer out to take a pop shot, and they may have success, but to me that's just not hunting, I think most saddlehunters love the adventure and challange, me personally , I don' care if it ever does become mainstream, I love getting on this site and reading about and trying new ideas and trying to come up with my own, I've been saddlehunting for almost 10 years and I have enjoyed every minute of it just the way it is.
 
I agree with all these comments, in my experience most hunters today are just too lazy to be a Saddle hunter, most of the guys around my area talk about "my stupid sling",they want and expect the easy kill by watching all the hunting shows with the host hunting in Iowa and Kansas, which as someone put it, is full of big dumb bucks, they had rather sit in a box on the edge of a baited field or stand beside there truck and use dogs to push the deer out to take a pop shot, and they may have success, but to me that's just not hunting, I think most saddlehunters love the adventure and challange, me personally , I don' care if it ever does become mainstream, I love getting on this site and reading about and trying new ideas and trying to come up with my own, I've been saddlehunting for almost 10 years and I have enjoyed every minute of it just the way it is.

You nailed it man. I honestly in a way hope it never does become mainstream. I like that it’s not attractive to “wal mart hunters” as someone put it earlier. I spent 13 years hunting mobile out of a summit climber. I knew about the saddle, but wasn’t open minded at the time. The planets lined up and every single piece of property I hunt (5 parcels) all got logged in the same year. All the sudden my nice climbing trees were all but gone and tree cover is minimal. At the same time I got into listening to podcasts. Heard Eberhart on wired to hunt, thought ok I got to investigate the saddle. Now I feel so new and green to serious mature buck hunting. I thought I knew plenty. Now I’m constantly learning. Listening to Eberhart, dan infalt, guys like that and reading forums has opened a whole new world. I love that saddle hunting is mostly a small group of serious, passionate, open minded hunters that literally live and breathe hunting. Plus this forum has the right kind of people that always are willing to help and people on here are just so creative. This saddle hunting is addicting, it’s awesome. It’s small and I think that’s why it’s awesome. So like I said, I kind of hope it never goes “main stream”. I love introducing people to it that love hunting, but I also like the advantage amongst the other hunters around me. But I also understand why people want everyone to know about it. They just want people to see what they’re missing out on and take their hunting to the next level and hopefully enjoy more success. So I see both sides.


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I have spent a long time hunting mobile. Most of my hunting career. Our Dad always hunted mobile. Yes I belong to a hunt club and enjoy the comradery as much as the next guy. I do dog hunt when the gun season comes in. But my luv is bow hunting.

I would tell you the majority of the deer killed at our hunt club is during bow and muzzle loader season. This takes a hunter to go the job done. Once dogs are introduced into the equation any deer that you have patterned changes.

I have only killed 2 deer during dog hunts and have belonged to a hunt club for the last 10 years. My attitude is you have to get it done in the first 6 weeks once bow season comes in.
 
Trophy line had a road trips saddle and it was sold at the big box stores. Still didn’t take off.
Saddle hunting takes work and practice.
I agree Cabela's used to carry tree saddles actually that is where I bought my tree saddle but it never did catch on. Saddle hunting has come a long way since I first started with companies like New Tribe coming up with their tree saddles which are way better than they were years ago. Some hunters are lazy and it takes practice and dedication to be able to saddle hunt. I'm sure most all of us practice with are equipment over and over again some. Some hunters are not willing to do that.
 
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