Youth saddle hunting

[beenhunting]

At what age do you start your kids out saddle hunting?

 

[g2outdoors]

My 10 and 12 year olds do it with me. They don't shoot, only hang.

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[beenhunting]

I usually hunt from two man ladder stands or ground blinds with my youngest son (11 year old). I will probably get my 16 year old son a saddle this year if he likes my mantis. Is there an commercially produced saddle for kids in the 80-110 lbs range?

 

[Homebrew454]

My 10 year old asked when he is getting 1 after sitting in my sit drag. I have a ladder stand for him right now. I just have to get some camo burlap/material to mask his movements.

I am hoping the Mantis will come in some smaller sizes in the future to get him switched over. I just don't want to trust my sewing skills with his life

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[beenhunting]

I cut cedar limbs and zip tie them to the shooting rail around the two man ladder stands for a blind, works really well. I'm like you DIY will not work when it comes to my kids.

 

[Rico]

I had my 11 and 9 year old grandsons 30' in the tree with me last week. The Kite #1 had good adjustment for the 11 year old. I'd say it was a little big for the 9 year old, but it was safe for both. They've both killed deer with rifles from ground blinds. I'm going to work them with the pellet rifle this coming week and see how it goes. If it goes well, I'll have them practice with my wife's TC G2 SBR. They love shooting that little 10.5" suppressed Blackout.

 

[8talltines]

My 12 year old son will be hunting with me this year out of his kestrel.

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[elk yinzer]

I picture back to when I started at 12 and imagine mobile climbing methods being a pain. I don't preset anything and don't plan to when they start. Anyone's 12 year olds running sticks up the tree?

I started in a climber, my kids are a long way off still a decade for gear to evolve, but a climber just seems most foolproof until they get a little older.

 

[EricS]

Mine is 12 and isn’t a good climber. He will saddle hunt this year but we will be in the same tree. I will set sticks or steps and tie the lifeline at the bottom then he can just climb up and only have to manage a prussik. That’s the plan anyway. Mine still has about two years sitting with me and maybe two more within sight. Climbers are foolproof for the most part but the closest I ever came to skydiving was a seat ripping on a climber. Safety harnesses cure that but you have to attach it to do any good.

 

[Rico]

This is our first year with the saddle. The kids and grandkids started in ground blinds then graduated to preset lockons with fixed 20' ladders and lifelines. Small safety harnesses made to fit kids were key. All I had to do was attach the carabiner to the prusik and they safely climbed up and down without incident. I had them simulate falls while tied in so they would have confidence in the system. They loved it.

 

[8talltines]

Mine is 12 and isn’t a good climber. He will saddle hunt this year but we will be in the same tree. I will set sticks or steps and tie the lifeline at the bottom then he can just climb up and only have to manage a prussik. That’s the plan anyway. Mine still has about two years sitting with me and maybe two more within sight. Climbers are foolproof for the most part but the closest I ever came to skydiving was a seat ripping on a climber. Safety harnesses cure that but you have to attach it to do any good.

Same for mine, he will with me in the same tree also. I set steps and platforms then drop a safety line for him to attach to until he hooks into the tether I will set for him. He has been hunting out of a hang on with me for the last couple years, so he is fimiliar with watching me hunt out of the saddle. This is a hell of a lot better than carry that damn hang on out with us!! Lol

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