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Anyone gun hunt out of there saddle?

Interesting diatribe above....

Anyhow, yes, a saddle can be used for bow or gun hunting.
 
If you have a pack with a bow/gun sling, put it there then pull your pack and bow/gun up with your rappel line all in one. I wouldnt recommend loading it prior to the climb. Guy around these parts blew is head off with a Muzzle loader last season pulling it up to his climber while loaded and apparently safety off. .50 cal under chin did a number on his domeskey.


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I don't put a primer in mine until I'm in the tree. Basically eliminates any chance of it going off.
 
Sure you can gun hunt from a saddle. If you like a saddle for hunting, I don’t know why it wouldn’t be equally effective for a gun or bow.

Although I probably shouldn’t, I’m going to comment on the anti bow or gun vs bow diatribes. I’m not sure what those had to do with the original post. He was asking for advice or tips for gun hunting from a saddle. We are fortunate to have both forms of hunting. I have done both for many years. But I prefer bow hunting. Not because of TV shows, Facebook, a Mantis saddle or some elitist mindset. I bow hunt because I prefer it. I have bow hunted for a long time. Before the bubble gum TV hunting shows, before most even heard of a saddle, before Zuckerberg was out of diapers. I have killed my share of deer with a high powered rifle. I don’t find it challenging anymore. Sure I can take my Browning A-Bolt or Tika
and drop a deer at 200 plus yards. I don’t have anything against it, and I will likely do it again when I feel like it. I find bow hunting far more challenging. For me, to get within 50 yards of a mature whitetail is exhilarating. Heart racing. For some, the kill is the most exciting part of the hunt. For me it’s the hunt. The kill is the by-product. Yes, you can go without filling a tag. I’m guilty as charged. I have gone seasons without filling tags. But it IS mostly by choice. Yes, I pass a lot of deer. I feel I can take a deer (with my bow) almost anytime I want to. Even with a gun, I seldom took more than one buck and one doe. I just don’t need that much meat.

But by all means, if shooting a deer with a gun makes you a better hunter, and proves you can provide, then blast away. I say just enjoy hunting - with a gun or a bow. We never know when we could lose these precious freedoms.
 
I plain just like shooting deer. Be it with a bow, crossbow or firearm of some kind. I also find it fun to shoot different kinds of hunting implements and I believe the saddle makes it even more interesting. In snowy environs carry the gun up on your pack or with the sling and be sure it is unloaded!!! I also tape my muzzle of all my firearms to be sure nothing gets in there. Trees and tree bark in general sheds a lot of microparticles especially when you're climbing up, keep that sucker taped for rain, snow etc. If you have to lay or lean the firearm up against your climbing tree or an adjacent tree, please make sure it is unloaded and again, if you have to lay it down in the snow or wet, please be sure that muzzle is taped or put a balloon around the muzzle or something to keep from creating a super dangerous barrel obstruction. Handguns are ideal!!!
 
There is no “anti bow” or “gun vs bow” “diatribe” going on here so move on from that nonsense.

If you ask either of the questions “can I gun hunt from a saddle?” or “how do I get my rifle up to my saddle?” It resonates a lack of experience. Open your mind and then re read the rest, it’s all about helping.

Saying that doesn’t answer the question is a slippery slope as well. For instance, if you’re going to use that angle then one of two things needs to happen; lock the thread when the first “yes” pops up or lock the thread when the first “search function.....use it” pops up. Neither of those are useful. They’re akin to walking up to someone laying in the street with their body mangled after being run over by a car and they ask you “am I hurt bad???” And you say “yep” and mosey on down the street.
 
My mind is plenty open. I think the guy was asking for help and feedback, not a lecture on your perception of his experience and how you categorically identify bowhunters. Reread your post. The op said he was considering hunting out of his saddle with the ole 7mm. And asked for pros and cons. Perhaps you were responding to one of the other responders. Anyway, I think I understand what you are trying to convey, just not sure I agree with how you went about it. Peace out.
 
Learn to shoot with either hand so you don’t have a weak side, brace the stock on your bridge, and attach your pull up rope to the rear sling attachment point so the barrel is pointed down when lifting.
Only issue I have with this is putting the barrel end in the dirt - if you attach to the front, you're looking down your barrel. I usually attach to the midway point on the sling, so the rifle is parallel to the ground
 
Okay - I want to apologize. I answered the OP question with a fair amount of sarcasm, definitely did not want to derail the thread.

I also just enjoy shooting deer, and one day maybe I'll share KYR's mindset - just not today, or this weekend more specifically.

This thread is starting to sound like a GON forum, and I am ashamed. I will discipline myself and not let it happen again. I will add more emoji's next time to properly convey my facetiousness. :)
 
Quit watching hunting videos. A saddle is just another stand so grab your damn gun and go climb a tree.

I have a feeling bow hunters are like the guys that bought the Mantis. Once the mantis guys hunted out of it a few times they realized it was awful, but that’s not what they read.....are they the defective 1 in a 1000??? Can’t have folks you don’t even know thinking you suck at saddle hunting so they joined in the fanfare online and suffered in person.

Guys new to hunting want to kill deer. If you’re new and continually not killing deer it sucks. All they’ve seen on tv and YT is bow hunting so they go that route not wanting to be out of the loop. But they don’t kill anything so they adopt phrases like “passed” and “encounter” and “target buck” and “mature” and “a buck I call ______” to justify their lack of success. Inwardly they’re not enjoying themselves.

Finally, the Mantis crowd is provided with a new model and they all pounce “because it’s the new model, gotta try it” while inwardly they’re ecstatic because they’ve been given a socially accepted way out of their suffering. They post their Mantis for sale and as soon as it’s out of their hands you start to see the truth creep in......”never could get comfortable” , “sucked”, “hip pinch”, etc......

Don’t fall into that trap. If you want to kill deer and learn HOW to kill deer in the process then take a gun. The relief of knowing you might actually kill something in itself is liberating. Go do you. If you want to kill a deer then kill a deer. Once you kill a few with a gun it will sink in that it’s not that hard so a bit of the anxiety subsided and you realize you don’t have to shoot it as soon as you see it. You have a gun in your hands, the deer is dead, it’s now just a matter of where it’s going to die. This allows you to spend more time with deer in front of you and that’s where you learn them. And learn yourself.

Now that your wife/husband has renewed faith in your ability to provide if you decide you want to go back to bow hunting then start (gun hunting) setting up with a 30 yd restriction self imposed. Not saying you can’t shoot a deer at 80 yards, but setup to kill the deer at 30 and in. When this gets to be second nature then transition back to the bow.

Even after going back to the bow, every now and then grab your gun and go climb a tree and lay the smack down just to remind the deer, and your spouse, who the damn real boss of the woods is......
You must have a degree in psychology or you've been stalking me this whole season. Because you hit the nail right on the head and I'm glad someone finally said it.
 
I have been thinking about trying the ol 7mm out. I’ve only bow hunted out of my saddle but throwing the idea around. Any pros and cons? Limited on time and need to make every minute count. Any advice are tips would be greatly appreciated. Happy hunting to you all!

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No giant, but a decent 10. 7mm REM Mag out of my saddle. It is a little more like shooting off hand but you can stabilize against the tree or on your bridge. I have even considered getting one of those stabilizing sticks and planting it on my platform.


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I would say use the screw in bow hangers that have a little length. Put a few around the tree. No matter which direction the deer comes from, you have a rest to put the rifle on.
 
I have been thinking about trying the ol 7mm out. I’ve only bow hunted out of my saddle but throwing the idea around. Any pros and cons? Limited on time and need to make every minute count. Any advice are tips would be greatly appreciated. Happy hunting to you all!
To actually answer your question:

Pros: shoot farther, use the tree/your bridge as a rest
Cons: shots at a distance at your 6

First deer I shot in a saddle came in at my 6. Shot was probably 60ish yards with my Savage 220. I was still a newb back then and it was real awkward trying to stand on my little platform with my back to the tree and get an accurate shot off. Not because I'm a bad shot, but because I had no practice doing so without a stable base (my feet not spread shoulder width). If I had that same shot now I'd be fine. There's definitely things to get used to about it that are different than using a saddle with a bow but nothing that would keep me from trying it. Set up so the deer cross in front of you and you'll have a great time.

As far as the questions about getting the gun up the tree... how did any of you do this before a saddle? How's it any different from a saddle than it is from a ladder, hang on, or climber? I've never climbed with my gun unless I forgot a rope to get it up the tree. Your gun shouldn't be loaded when you're pulling it up or climbing with it. I guess I could see it being more difficult if you don't have a sling but the same would be said for climbing the tree with it then too.
 
Guns are awesome in a saddle. I screw in a step or cranford gear hook on both sides of tree and use it as a gun rest depending on what side i shoot.
 
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As far as the questions about getting the gun up the tree... how did any of you do this before a saddle? How's it any different from a saddle than it is from a ladder, hang on, or climber? I've never climbed with my gun unless I forgot a rope to get it up the tree. Your gun shouldn't be loaded when you're pulling it up or climbing with it. I guess I could see it being more difficult if you don't have a sling but the same would be said for climbing the tree with it then too.
Exactly....
 
I’ve been bow hunting out of my saddle for 30 plus years! Killed my share of deer out of it. I had a neck surgery that restricted me from my true passion which is bow hunting! To all of the ones who judged my question about the pros and cons are exactly why I quit following this site! Thanks to the ones that took it seriously just didn’t want to get up the tree and have to learn the hard way so to speak! To all of you die hard bow hunter, don’t worry I’m back at it with my bow now so hopefully I won’t mess up anymore relationships that you all have on here! At the end of the day I just had three days at the end of season that the doctor had allowed me to be able to go and enjoy a few hunts. People really shouldn’t be so judgmental!
 
I’ve been bow hunting out of my saddle for 30 plus years! Killed my share of deer out of it. I had a neck surgery that restricted me from my true passion which is bow hunting! To all of the ones who judged my question about the pros and cons are exactly why I quit following this site! Thanks to the ones that took it seriously just didn’t want to get up the tree and have to learn the hard way so to speak! To all of you die hard bow hunter, don’t worry I’m back at it with my bow now so hopefully I won’t mess up anymore relationships that you all have on here! At the end of the day I just had three days at the end of season that the doctor had allowed me to be able to go and enjoy a few hunts. People really shouldn’t be so judgmental!
I'm curious what saddle you were using 30 plus years ago at around 15 years old?? Were the Anderson or Trophylines available?
 
I'm curious what saddle you were using 30 plus years ago at around 15 years old?? Were the Anderson or Trophylines available?
My grandpa worked in a limb trimming business and had modified one of his old harnesses. We had lock on stands but would swing out around the back of the tree to make some shots. Guess I should have made that more clean, sorry.
 
My grandpa worked in a limb trimming business and had modified one of his old harnesses. We had lock on stands but would swing out around the back of the tree to make some shots. Guess I should have made that more clean, sorry.
No that's neat! I was just curious what the guys that have been doing it for years made work for them.
 
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