• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Saddle legality.

Pooh

Well-Known Member
Feb 26, 2019
357
356
63
38
Wadena MN
This is a simple thought for guys that are needing a "full body restraint" use your linemans belt. From one loop up over your shoulders and clip into on the other loop. This creates suspenders.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tr33_n1nj@

JackCrabb

New Member
Oct 9, 2019
11
3
3
39
One reason I got a saddle was to hunt management areas in bama and now yall have broke my heart saying it ain't legal, I'll have to call the game warden tomorrow to see what he has to say about it
 

lawrence

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Mar 21, 2018
445
253
63
I would argue that TMA is an industry trade group that could be seeking either an unfair advantage (treestand manufacturing association sees the danger of saddle hunting to its base, or a failure by not having the language vetted by those who would be adversely affected(either by lack of openness in the process or participation by those adversely affected. Garbage in garbage out , as it where. Openness and lack of participation is the issue...you know that messy democracy thing.. I have no issue in requiring a fall safety device be worn, I had one save my life when I was ejected by my stand shifting as I was getting down, I do object to a specific device. The second part of that is the tether with Prussic that went from above the stand to the ground. Is that required to? What if I don’t like the prussic knot?
 

EricS

Well-Known Member
Vendor Rep
SH Member
Dec 14, 2016
5,464
7,752
113
43
Georgia
I would argue that TMA is an industry trade group that could be seeking either an unfair advantage (treestand manufacturing association sees the danger of saddle hunting to its base, or a failure by not having the language vetted by those who would be adversely affected(either by lack of openness in the process or participation by those adversely affected. Garbage in garbage out , as it where. Openness and lack of participation is the issue...you know that messy democracy thing.. I have no issue in requiring a fall safety device be worn, I had one save my life when I was ejected by my stand shifting as I was getting down, I do object to a specific device. The second part of that is the tether with Prussic that went from above the stand to the ground. Is that required to? What if I don’t like the prussic knot?
I don’t think running a lifeline will ever be required or suggested on public land. Most land your supposed to remove your stand. Are you going to climb, set your stand, attach the lifeline and then climb back down so you can use it going up?
 

DelaWhere_Arrow

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jul 16, 2019
2,595
4,497
113
Delaware
I can’t EVEN with this required harness as a law thing. What a blue-ass law, regardless of the actual implications. I think dumbasses should be 100% allowed to hunt without safety harnesses. It’s called personal freedom. It’s called adult prerogative. I don’t want anything bad to happen to idiots who don’t hook up, but you can’t fix stupid; you can just start a thread about it and hope it doesn’t take more death to fix it.
 

lawrence

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Mar 21, 2018
445
253
63
I don’t think running a lifeline will ever be required or suggested on public land. Most land your supposed to remove your stand. Are you going to climb, set your stand, attach the lifeline and then climb back down so you can use it going up?
Your kind of making my point. Wearing a full body harness and using a full body harnesss are two different things. Saddlhunters always have to hook to a tree, stand hunters don’t.

And tonight’s winner of the Darwin Award for not using a safety device is:
 

J3general

Member
Oct 8, 2019
55
27
18
75
Unfortunately, it's expensive to defend yourself in court, and it is always a toss up as to whether a judge (or a jury) buys even a well-crafted argument. You may need to go to trial with evidence-grade videos showing how it is virtually impossible to fall. In saying that, are there any bowhunter/saddle hunting orgs that would financially assist the first one of these to go to trial or Is the industry too young?
 

Patriot

Well-Known Member
Feb 10, 2019
842
1,026
93
43
The real question we should be asking is who has been championing these rules? The answer to that question begs a a follow up question, is there a tree stand company that sees Saddles as major competition that they want to prevent? It would likely be a company that has resources and also has no plans to enter the saddle hunting market.
 
Jul 14, 2019
80
62
18
60
Cabot / Lonoke, Arkansas
Just don’t raise attention to it and continue hunting with the saddle. If you are questioned. Put it on and hang upside down from the tree. If they still write you a ticket, they were gonna find something to write you a ticket for anyway.
If attention is drawn, they will require saddles to be made with shoulder straps and be TMA approved. Saddle prices will go up even more and we will be stuck wearing saddles with shoulder straps. Then decide to cut them off and be back to square one but with a more expensive saddle.
Good point my friend.
 

gcr0003

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Nov 1, 2018
8,113
13,749
113
Howdy to all the Alabama folk. Anyone else from North Alabama?

I'm new to Saddle Hunter, from Alabama. I do not own a saddle yet. I do hunt public land however (both WMA and National Wildlife Refuges), so I'll be following this discussion as it progresses.

It seems like the two schools of thought right now are:
It isn't a treestand so the law doesnt apply.
It isn't a full body harness and is therefore illegal.

Regardless, it seems like most users will air on the side of ignorance and continue to use their gear. If it becomes a bigger issue, I am interested to see what kind of impact this community will have in adapting and changing Alabama law to accept this hunting method.
 

DaveT1963

Well-Known Member
Vendor Rep
Dec 2, 2014
3,511
5,467
113
well then the supposed defense is "I am not a deer hunter I am a deer monitor. "

and TMA IMO became a political org years ago, and I personally believe had a hidden agenda of discouraging new manufacturers through litigations and requirements. If a saddle is completely accepted and insured for tree arborist tell me how someone hunting in a saddle is taking more risk.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sipsey

coosa1

Active Member
Aug 6, 2019
109
89
28
33
AL
Howdy to all the Alabama folk. Anyone else from North Alabama?

I'm new to Saddle Hunter, from Alabama. I do not own a saddle yet. I do hunt public land however (both WMA and National Wildlife Refuges), so I'll be following this discussion as it progresses.

It seems like the two schools of thought right now are:
It isn't a treestand so the law doesnt apply.
It isn't a full body harness and is therefore illegal.

Regardless, it seems like most users will air on the side of ignorance and continue to use their gear. If it becomes a bigger issue, I am interested to see what kind of impact this community will have in adapting and changing Alabama law to accept this hunting method.

Hey I know you from ALDeer! I'm going with "hunt with it till someone in a position of authority tells me otherwise".