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Saddle or Bust?

PJC

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2016
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Saddle only. Surprise right? :p

I can't find you post on the climbing aider from my phone, so I'll ask the question here. Is that a ropeman you are using on the RS climbing aider?


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redsquirrel

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Feb 19, 2014
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I can't find you post on the climbing aider from my phone, so I'll ask the question here. Is that a ropeman you are using on the RS climbing aider?


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I've been using the kong duck, but ropeman would work.
 
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skell

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Oct 25, 2016
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Iowa
Last year was my first with a saddle. Used a sit drag and RC harness like you. Made myself commit to only using a saddle last year. Glad I did...first couple of sits were a little rough and helped work some kinks out. After that, I quickly decided I'm all in on saddles.
 

donnieballgame

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2017
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I'm all saddles all the time, I only recently started so I didn't have any treestands, was looking at getting a summit climber but didn't like the limitations, ended up with a saddle and haven't looked back, sitdrag/fleece saddle all the way!
 
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MOBIGBUCKS

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2015
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I was saddle only in 2012 and 2013. I slowly went back to my Lone Wolf due to comfort issues with my Trophyline. I ended up having it a bit too big in size. In 2016 I came back to the saddle world with the Aerohunter EVO. I hunted a bunch with it in 2016, but I just didn't like the bulk of that setup at all.

I'm now waiting for my Mantis and Predator platform setup and believe its the game changer in saddle hunting I've been looking for. The weight along with the compactness is exactly what I'm looking for for this type setup. I'd say with the platform and weight of the Mantis why would I need to go back to a traditional stand? It really does blend the best elements of saddle hunting and treestands into a more compact lighter system for us DIY guys.
 
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redsquirrel

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Which do you like better, Kong or Ropeman? I've been thinking about trying a Kong for XOP Hand climbing or ur aider climbing.
Either one will work for those. On my tether I use a duck and I have my biner wrapped in a little vet tape to keep it quiet. On my lineman's belt I use a ropeman because the duck would be too noisy with the biner rattling. On my aider I've been using a duck because I just tie the foot loop directly into the hole but a ropeman would work just as well.
 

Limbbender

Member
Oct 25, 2017
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I'm all saddles all the time, I only recently started so I didn't have any treestands, was looking at getting a summit climber but didn't like the limitations, ended up with a saddle and haven't looked back, sitdrag/fleece saddle all the way!
As I mentioned ins the original post I pickednup a sitdrag and RCH. I recently purchased 2 yds of fleece to try my hand at a DIY. Any pictures and suggestions on the fleece? Thanks

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Swampfox

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Oct 31, 2016
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Bottom of the boot
While saddle hunting is pretty new to me (3 years in) and the cool thing to do, I still see it as just a tool. And like tools there’s always the correct one for the task at hand. Saddle hunting is a great tool in most all circumstances but I still use a lock-on and a climber when the need arises.
Last year was statistically interesting, I hunted well over the majority times out the saddle and killed plenty of hogs and had shot opportunities at deer, but the two bucks I killed came from a lock-on and a climber. It just worked out where those stands were needed and I’m glad they were there to be utilized.



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donnieballgame

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May 31, 2017
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As I mentioned ins the original post I pickednup a sitdrag and RCH. I recently purchased 2 yds of fleece to try my hand at a DIY. Any pictures and suggestions on the fleece? Thanks

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I'll try to get some photos of a the fleece saddle I made, I've got a small one that I didn't really like. Need to make s bigger one.

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brydan

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Oct 15, 2015
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3 - Option 3 is trusty old Summit Climber. In the very crappiest of weather is when it gets called into the game. I find climbing sticks to be rather miserable when it is raining sideways and 33 degrees out, that kinda stuff. I am not a fair weather hunter. I’ve also spent a bunch of all day sits in this thing, and I’m not yet sure how a saddle is going to handle 12 hours, 5 days in a row. The climber is a comfort zone when things go to crap. I think as the years pass I will eventually sell it, but for now it still has that niche carved out in my lineup.

Not to say a saddle can't be used in crappy weather as well but when there's a lot of nasty weather and rain I'll get my climber up tight underneath an umbrella and use a pistol chest holster underneath the rain gear to keep everything dry. Once you get set-up it's surprising how relatively comfortable inclement weather can be.
 
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swampsnyper

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Mar 10, 2015
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Not to say a saddle can't be used in crappy weather as well but when there's a lot of nasty weather and rain I'll get my climber up tight underneath an umbrella and use a pistol chest holster underneath the rain gear to keep everything dry. Once you get set-up it's surprising how relatively comfortable inclement weather can be.

Tree umbrellas are nice. Hadn’t used it in the saddle yet. Hawk makes a huge one. I feel it may be too big but I bet you stay dry.
 
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donnieballgame

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May 31, 2017
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I've been thinking about adding on of these to my gear for the bad weather. I found that when there was a canopy I did alright, without the canopy and colder weather I didn't do all that good. I also don't have any rain gear, lol.
 

IkemanTX

Well-Known Member
Oct 16, 2015
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I rather enjoy the rain. As long as there’s not a lot of lightning with it, the deer in our area tend to move fairly well in it. All you have to do is make sure your phone is waterproof and enjoy the soak, no umbrella needed :)


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swampsnyper

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Mar 10, 2015
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I rather enjoy the rain. As long as there’s not a lot of lightning with it, the deer in our area tend to move fairly well in it. All you have to do is make sure your phone is waterproof and enjoy the soak, no umbrella needed :)


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Thats usually the case because i always forget my umbrella or think it won't rain.