• 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

Broke in the new aero hunter today!

Im grabbing the popcorn. Story time!!! Great Buck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks everyone! This site is awesome and full of info. This buck I had pictures of all throughout the season traveling through a small urban property I have permission on. The property is only 2.5 acres in New Jersey with limited trees and shooting opportunities so I had to be mobile. While awaiting my kestrel to be delivered I hunted it once with a hang on stand but was not happy about where I had set up. That hunt was unsuccessful. The day of this hunt we had a cold front and snow moving in and best of all my saddle had came in. This was the third time I'd been out hunting with the new saddle. I went in to a tree that I had picked out from last time only to find that my climbing stick straps were too short to reach around the tree. This was when I realized that when picking a tree for using a saddle you have to take everything into consideration and take your time. I looked around only to find one other climbable tree where I wanted to set up. I finally got set up in the tree after a 45 minute scramble. This particular tree was leaning hard and would have never been able to be hunted with a hang on stand. Deer movement was slow until later that evening. Saw lots of does crossing the property 2 houses down but heading away from me. I figured if anything it was a good observation sit. About 40 minutes before last light the deer started coming down wind my way. I waited patiently as a large group of does worked by at less than 20 yards. Then I saw the buck and instantly recognized him from the pictures. He came in following a doe and grunting in January which was cool. Unfortunately as I was drawing back to shoot,the doe had spotted me. It jumped up and ran and the buck jumped up and ran to about 25 yards. I was able to stop him and had a small hole to shoot through the tree limbs. I had only practiced in the saddle a couple times but felt like it was second nature. It was very comfortable to get a shot off at this buck. He did not go more than 10 yards because of how thick of brush he was in and fell over. I was ecstatic to have shot my first deer from the saddle and it was a buck at that. Wish I could've gotten it sooner this season and I am excited for many more successful hunts to come.
 
Congratulations. Saddle hunting is the way to go. The Kestrel is a great saddle.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top