• 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

Hanging your gun while saddle hunting

C

CBB1

New Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
10
I set up for my first gun hunt with the saddle this morning and quickly realized that my normal position for hanging my bow wasn’t going to work to well. When the rifle is hanging on my strong side I have to lift the gun way in the air to get the butt to clear my bridge and tether before shouldering. I settled on hanging it on my weak side, barrel up and rotating the barrel high across my tether while shouldering the gun. Not sure if that makes sense but how do y’all set up your tree for gun hunting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'll tell you after this weekend. Right now, the plan is to hang it exactly the same as I would my bow but it'll probably take a little experimenting once in the tree.
 
I set it on my bow side which for me is on my left of the tree. I use the bow hanger clip kit from Tethrd attached to my HYS strap. Seems to work fine. The bow hanger didn't want to let go of my gun shoulder strap when I was about to shoot a doe. This would just some experience of using it more to get the feel of it, since I have only gun hunt out of the saddle twice.
 
Weldabeast said:
I set up just like my bow....I'm right handed and set the gun off the left side of the trunk, barrel down. Reach across ur body and grab with ur right hand bringing the butt into the shoulder
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I am a relative newcomer to gun hunting as I have bowhunted exclusively for years. That being written, most folks I know do not use a sling optimally, it is not just something to carry your rifle with. I shot on the range in the Corps with a parade sling that is basically a length of heavy nylon webbing for a long, long time so when I bought my Henry rifle, I put a length of nylon webbing as a sling so it is easy to hang on my bow hook the same way Weldabeast does.

*Everyone needs to know (or learn) how to use a sling when shooting a rifle; everyone needs to USE a sling when they are shooting their rifle.
 
Scott F said:
Agreed.

I am a relative newcomer to gun hunting as I have bowhunted exclusively for years. That being written, most folks I know do not use a sling optimally, it is not just something to carry your rifle with. I shot on the range in the Corps with a parade sling that is basically a length of heavy nylon webbing for a long, long time so when I bought my Henry rifle, I put a length of nylon webbing as a sling so it is easy to hang on my bow hook the same way Weldabeast does.

*Everyone needs to know (or learn) how to use a sling when shooting a rifle; everyone needs to USE a sling when they are shooting their rifle.
Click to expand...
Bonus points because it was a Henry!
 
Scott F said:
Agreed.

I am a relative newcomer to gun hunting as I have bowhunted exclusively for years. That being written, most folks I know do not use a sling optimally, it is not just something to carry your rifle with. I shot on the range in the Corps with a parade sling that is basically a length of heavy nylon webbing for a long, long time so when I bought my Henry rifle, I put a length of nylon webbing as a sling so it is easy to hang on my bow hook the same way Weldabeast does.

*Everyone needs to know (or learn) how to use a sling when shooting a rifle; everyone needs to USE a sling when they are shooting their rifle.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I am way more accurate when I use my sling to steady the shot.
 
Scott F said:
Agreed.

I am a relative newcomer to gun hunting as I have bowhunted exclusively for years. That being written, most folks I know do not use a sling optimally, it is not just something to carry your rifle with. I shot on the range in the Corps with a parade sling that is basically a length of heavy nylon webbing for a long, long time so when I bought my Henry rifle, I put a length of nylon webbing as a sling so it is easy to hang on my bow hook the same way Weldabeast does.

*Everyone needs to know (or learn) how to use a sling when shooting a rifle; everyone needs to USE a sling when they are shooting their rifle.
Click to expand...
Could you suggest a link to educate me on the proper way to use your rifle sling?
I just use mine for carrying it.
 
I need to add a ROS to my platform for next year. I found out the hard way that simply pushing off your platform while using the trunk as a resting point doesn't make for a steady shot.
 
farmlegend said:
Could you suggest a link to educate me on the proper way to use your rifle sling?
I just use mine for carrying it.
Click to expand...

BuffaloBill's video explains it pretty well, although I use a much shorter sling personally. Shooting at multiple hundred yards without shooting sticks or another type of aid to stabilize your position all-but demands a really tight sling. I don't go to that extreme, but then again I am shooting a levergun at MUCH shorter distances! You can actually use a sling for pistols as well, but I intend to keep those shots at bow range so it shouldn't be necessary.

Now that I think about it, I wish that guy in the video was my primary marksmanship instructor way back when as he doesn't seem to yell quite as much as I remember mine...

If you aren't afraid to dry fire your weapon - AFTER ENSURING THERE IS NO AMMUNITION IN YOUR WEAPON, INCLUDING THE DADGUM CHAMBER, AND YOU ARE POINTED IN A CONFIRMED SAFE DIRECTION (whew), you can put a small dot on a sheet of paper and tape it to a wall. Snap off a couple in the manner you are familiar with, then practice a couple with your sling and see if you notice the difference. You may not until your next trip to the range, but it will be significant in any unsupported position.

Good luck and do not point it at any 24 year old lady behind a camera like other idiots have done recently.
 
I tend to keep my rifle on me while I’m in the tree, using a single or two point Magpul sling.
 
I found for me that I switched my setup and moved my rifle to my right hand side, pack to the left. This gave me the ability to use the pack as a rest for longer shots if I set up correctly with anticipated deer travel in that direction. The last couple of hunts I did lay my rifle across my bridge, especially during that last hour in case of any movement. That works great but I wouldn’t want to do it the whole hunt.
 
MNFarmHunter said:
I need to add a ROS to my platform for next year. I found out the hard way that simply pushing off your platform while using the trunk as a resting point doesn't make for a steady shot.
Click to expand...
Using the bridge helped make a steady shot when my knees are on the tree.
 
Jonathan Simmons said:
Using the bridge helped make a steady shot when my knees are on the tree.
Click to expand...
The shot I took was at my 12:30 which meant I had to swing around the tree to my left. I could've moved my rifle to the right side of the tree if they were fixed there but these two were playing peek-a-boo with the trees between my 11:00 and 1:00 so didn't have many options.

The one positive takeaway though was this was the 2nd I've been spotted by deer and the 2nd they weren't spooked. They knew something wasn't right but never feared me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top