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Anybody gone back to mobile stands?

This is an interesting thread that I read while in the saddle hunting. As a brand new user of the saddle I like it. Prior I would hang fixed stands in a few keys spots. Then of course deer movement would change and would break out the climber. So far I like the saddle 100% more than he climber, which I have come to despise. The saddle is better than a hang on, but not by much and mostly due to the fact I do not enjoy hanging tree stands and I do not like full body harnesses. I do like ladder stands, but I don't own any or plan to spend the money on them. So for me I would never go mobile by packing a stand and steps. Seems like too much of a pain in the ass. Saddle works for me because I know once that rut starts I'll be all over the place and the saddle is the most efficient way to do it. The "hunt out of any tree" is in fact a bogus claim and we'll see how much I continue to like it as it gets colder and I need to add layers. I've also found that saddle hunting has really made me think more about preparation and planning due to the limitations of weak side shooting. I can't swing around like an acrobat to make those shots. In the end one isn't better than the other. It's really all what you prefer and what you're physical ability allows you to do.
 
C.J.M. said:
This is an interesting thread that I read while in the saddle hunting. As a brand new user of the saddle I like it. Prior I would hang fixed stands in a few keys spots. Then of course deer movement would change and would break out the climber. So far I like the saddle 100% more than he climber, which I have come to despise. The saddle is better than a hang on, but not by much and mostly due to the fact I do not enjoy hanging tree stands and I do not like full body harnesses. I do like ladder stands, but I don't own any or plan to spend the money on them. So for me I would never go mobile by packing a stand and steps. Seems like too much of a pain in the ass. Saddle works for me because I know once that rut starts I'll be all over the place and the saddle is the most efficient way to do it. The "hunt out of any tree" is in fact a bogus claim and we'll see how much I continue to like it as it gets colder and I need to add layers. I've also found that saddle hunting has really made me think more about preparation and planning due to the limitations of weak side shooting. I can't swing around like an acrobat to make those shots. In the end one isn't better than the other. It's really all what you prefer and what you're physical ability allows you to do.
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If you use a larger platform you can turn in place to make a weak side shot like like you would in a stand, while still having the option of moving around the tree if the situation calls for it. I’ve been dabbling in using a stand but even a larger saddle platform such as the EDP is a lot easier to carry around and set up than a stand imo.
 
I went back last year, granted, just to a LW Assault not a fancier lightweight stand. Regretted it and am back in the saddle this year. It's just too nice walking in and out with limited gear to worry about any in tree issues. Just my opinion.

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I started with a lone wolf hang on, went down the saddle rabbit hole with buying 6 of them, then went back to hang on.
I don't believe 1 is superior to the other. Hang on simply works much better for me.
What I can't stand and am seeing a lot is people deluding themselves into thinking they're a better hunter for using a saddle.
Only superior woodmanship and understanding of your quarry will do that
 
I would not say a hang on or a saddle make you a better hunter. I would say using both give you options.
I am not a great hunter but I have had the opportunity to hunt with some very good hunters. I hunted with Gene & Barry Wensel for several years. One thing I learned from them is they always picked a tree as wide or wider then there body to hang a stand. These guys are big and the trees they chose were large. The reason they gave is they always wanted to stand with their back tight to the tree when a deer approached. It is hard for a deer to pick you when you do this. This is one of the reasons why I do not like climbing tree stands.
So in my unprofessional opinion, saddles work better on smaller trees so you can keep the tree between you and the deer.
 
I’m back to wanting a small light weight climber. It would be perfect for me. There’s always tons of straight trees I could zip right up. They’re so much faster. I’m tired of all the saddle ropes and doo dads. I killed two deer off the ground last season which was fun but it cost me the biggest buck I saw. If I had even been 8-10’ up the tree I would have been able to see him and get a shot with my rifle. I want something with a small footprint and reasonably light weight.


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I've dabbled in tree saddles since I first bought an original Trophyline Ambush after watching John Eberharts DVD's back in 2007. I killed a number of deer from it over the period of a couple years, then the saddle took a back burner and was all but forgotten when I picked up a Lone Wolf Ambush and some Lone Wolf sticks. Things have gotten lighter, quieter and more comfortable in the saddle world the last few years and I exclusively hunted from a Cruzr XC last year. It's comfortable as heck, and I find I can comfortably hunt longer periods of time from it than I can a hang on stand. I enjoyed one sticking and rappelling, but am not sure the extra motion is worth the weight savings to me. One down side of the saddle I found was that I just don't shoot a stick bow from a saddle as well as I do standing on a conventional stand. In addition to that I suffer from the fiddle factor, where I find myself swaying without thinking about it causing excess motion that I'm sure has cost me deer.

This spring I picked up a Beast Stand and sticks and have been hunting from it. So far so good. It's extremely light weight, stacks well with the sticks and has made setting up quietly much easier than the heavier stands of yesteryear. I'm not planning to limit myself to the stand only. If I plan to do all day, or extended sits (think rut) I'll be using the saddle, a Tethrd platform and climbing sticks. For my couple hour evening sits I'll likely be hanging in the Beast Stand.

There is no one option that is best for everything, but there are best options for certain conditions. I hope I've found what works for me.

-Dan
 
Dumb question but for my guys that are running sticks or a one stick setup how do you sit in a lock on once you get up in the tree? Do you take the saddle off and have a harness under or just keep the saddle on?
 
K.D.P said:
Dumb question but for my guys that are running sticks or a one stick setup how do you sit in a lock on once you get up in the tree? Do you take the saddle off and have a harness under or just keep the saddle on?
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I leave my saddle on
 
K.D.P said:
How do you attach to the tree and sit down?
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I leave my saddle on, it’s more of my safety harness at this point. If I wanna turn around and sit down I just run my tether out. Then sling it over my shoulder. Or I sit down on the seat facing the tree.
 
I haven’t gone back to mobile stands, but my platform now…has a seat.
I was in the market for a new platform and with the choices in sub 10 lbs stands, it has been a nice addition to my set ups.
I mostly use my ult. platform on a stick and it’s a pretty versatile size , sometimes I add ROS or if I’m headed out for an evening where I’m scouting with no predetermined destination, I’ll just take my ROS.
The lightweight stands ; from the classifieds, aren’t much of a stretch from the new platforms I was considering. ( weight and cost)416D2FA3-E0DA-4111-B79F-5F0D18330A60.jpeg
 
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Hey there everyone! I read the first page and the last page, so my apologies if this question has already been asked and answered...

What is this .5 thing/solution you guys are talking about? Link please?

Trying not to freeload, so I'll submit the following as a possible solution for hunting with hang-ons:
I've purchased this Dryad Hammock to my Summit harness and plan on using it on the next hunt.
I plan on having the best of both worlds.
 
Center Punch said:
Hey there everyone! I read the first page and the last page, so my apologies if this question has already been asked and answered...

What is this .5 thing/solution you guys are talking about? Link please?

Trying not to freeload, so I'll submit the following as a possible solution for hunting with hang-ons:
I've purchased this Dryad Hammock to my Summit harness and plan on using it on the next hunt.
I plan on having the best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
Lone wolf custom gear is the maker and .5 is the name of one of their treestands! Look em up, your wallet will love it
 
cjr4497 said:
All the acronyms and abbreviations on forums drives me nuts as well. I think everyone typing on cell phones has mad this worse. Technical writing skills are not a strong suite of most forum goers. You are not supposed to abbreviate something before you have fully defined it.
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LMFAO! It could've mad this worse!!
 
Whats a good light weight hang on for 6’5 245lbs? I cant get right in ah flex, rch+fleece nor a jx3.


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Aeds151 said:
Whats a good light weight hang on for 6’5 245lbs? I cant get right in ah flex, rch+fleece nor a jx3.


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Click to expand...

The new LWCG .75 is popular with people that still want light but found the .5 too small for their size. Have you consider a Dryad Hammock?
 
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