Why you bought your Saddle

[d_rek]

So another bow opener came and went for me in Michigan (unsuccessful, if you must know).

While i'm still getting familiar with my saddle (just bought it this past sunday), I must say I acclimated quickly to the entire concept. Since it was initially presented to me in Eberhart's Hunting Pressured Whitetails I have been very keen to own a saddle, ruing the day that I would not longer have to lug my climber into the woods, or sit on those god awful tree stand metal seats.

So when I saw one for sale, at a price I couldn't pass on, I picked it up. Now i've been fortunate enough to get in a few hours of shooting practice from ground level with my saddle, but I haven't been able to get high in a tree yet. Still, it was good to identify the different shooting positions and understand just how important form is when your feet aren't squarely planted on a flat surface. Regardless, within a few short hours I was comfortable shooting broadheads out to 35 yrds inside of my saddle, confident I could make a killing shot.

Now today being bow opener, and since it was the first time i've been able to take it off in a few years, I had to get out in the woods no matter what. Well, I ended up lugging my climber out there (summit viper classic) at 5:30 am this morning because the property I hunted didn't have any servicable hang on tree stands. I regretted almost every step of hauling that thing out there. About 100yrds from my vehicle, between the weight of my climber, daypack, and bow, I had already broken out into a heavy sweat. By the time I got to my tree i was damn near drenched. Regardless, I had already committed myself to hunting for the day, so I proceeded to setup my climber and scale the tree I had marked.

Now, my climber is plenty comfy and secure. And once I was up in the tree I was fine. But man, that long hike (probably 800-900 yard, maybe more) from my vehicle to the tree was dreadful. And I was damp with sweat all morning, and a bit chilly. The rest of my hunt was uneventful. I saw one deer after first light, although it was too far out at 60 yards, moving through some brush for me to do anything about. And then the call of nature hit. Well, being in a climber I had to scale back down, a 5 minute ordeal, and secure it. Well I ended up leaving it out in the woods (private land, and i surely hope anyone wouldn't think about trespassing on this particular piece of property), much relived that I only had to haul my bow and pack in.

But you better believe I wasn't wishing I had my sling and a set of climbing sticks the entire time I was out there! Or better yet, was able to come and prep a tree with pegs! But it is what it is.

I've since ordered a set of Lone Wolf climbing sticks (floor models going for $150 on ebay, $20 shipping - still way cheaper than buying new and having them shipped - but unfortunately it looks like the seller got hip and raised the price upto $189.99). So now I have options. And I have much, much more mobility. I'm very excited about the rest of the season with my saddle and sticks. Words cannot express how relived I am to only have to haul less than half the weight I was previously hauling around with my climber, bow, and daypack!

Anyway, i'd love to hear why everyone else bought their saddle. I'd imagine mobility is going to be a primary theme. Let's hear it!

regards,
d_rek

 

[redsquirrel]

I learnt about the tree saddle when I first ready one of John Eberhart's books. Growing up my father used an Anderson tree sling fairly frequently and as I got older I would borrow it from him occasionally. As soon as I found out about the tree saddle I bought one and there was no going back.

My original reasons were for the ability to shoot in any direction and to help blend in to the tree. I've really come to appreciate the mobility it offers me though. I would have 4-5 hang on stands that I would hunt in addition to our old permanent stands previously. Now I have 40 trees prepped to hunt out of my saddle and with my lone wolf sticks I can be ready to go in any tree in about 20 minutes.

 

[Matty]

I began saddle hunting for reasons very similar to yours.

For years I carried loggy bayou climbing stands on my back because it's what I was taught growing up.

As I started getting more serious about trying to kill bigger bucks, I realized a climbing stand was really limiting me. Loggys are very lightweight in the world of climbers, but still a pain to carry in and setup every time. Not to mention the noise involved and the severe limitation in tree selection.

So I started a somewhat gradual switch over to hang-on stands, but being that almost all of my hunting is done on heavily pressured public land, I was losing stands and people were being tipped off to where I hunted. I can't afford to continually replace stands. So this wasn't going to work either.

So for a number of years I hunted almost exclusively from the ground, with no blinds. It was the best "ghost method" I could come up with for avoiding detection by other hunters. But that grows frustrating because being eye-level with big bucks and a bow is not easy. Don't get me wrong, I have taken a number of deer that way too, but if I had a nickle for every big buck encounter at close range that went his way instead of mine, I could easily take a date to McDonalds and let her order anything she wanted off the value menu. lol Seriously though, a lot of close encounters that ended in pure frustration.

Eventually though (and thank God) I too read Mr. Eberharts books (couple of them) and that's when I got a saddle.

I can't say I use it exclusively, because there are times I will use hang-ons and even ladder stands still when the situation fits and yes I even torture myself with no blind ground hunting on occasion when there is no other option.


Why anyone uses a climbing stand these days is actually beyond me. I still own several (but they are now used as hang-ons).

Just for poops and giggles I took a climber out last year or the year before just to make sure I wasn't missing something. I'm not....complete and utter waste of time. There's nothing I can do with a climber that can't be done with quality sticks, steps and a saddle or quality hang-on. Which always leaves me wondering why people still use them.

 

[redsquirrel]

There's nothing I can do with a climber that can't be done with quality sticks, steps and a saddle or quality hang-on. Which always leaves me wondering why people still use them.

I think the idea of using a climber goes back to before light weight climbing sticks were really available. They have really just gained in popularity recently. If I were using hang on's I would also rather use a set of sticks and light weight lone wolf over my lone wolf hand climber. Similar to you Matty, I made that purchase because I thought I was missing something and thought it would be useful in certain situations. I guess it is for some, but not for me.

 

[Boudreaux]

The story of how I got started is in the Blog here at saddle hunter. http://saddlehunter.com/began/

The short version, went to college and 2 dudes that liked to hunt in a single dorm room that was 20x20 with 2 beds, desk, tvs and refrigerators. We didn't have much room to spare so I wanted something with less bulk. Sent me in the saddle direction.

Thanks,
Boswell

 

[Rg176bnc]

Carrying the climber killed my back. Some trees you just couldn't get in with any stand.

With a saddle its much lighter and I would say theres only about 1-2% of trees that are large enough to hold a man that I cant hunt now.

The 360 shooting was just a bonus for me. Only way I will quit using one is when Im physically unable to climb.