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How many saddle hunters are out there?
- Thread starter Westfale
- Start date
I probably don't know as many hunters offline as some, I quickly counted maybe 50ish, but I only know one other that regularly saddles and he's a tree guy that migrated from that world with his work gear.
The vast majority of guys and gals are convenience hunters, embark on hunting journeys only out the back door of camp or home, use fixed stands or blinds and most immediately balk at the suggestion of any degree of mobility. I think the logistics of hunting alone is a bit of a pain in the rear for a lot of people, and what we do seems way insurmountably complicated to those folks.
That leaves around a half dozen I know that regularly go mobile, most of those in traditional treestand configurations but I believe all of that group is at least aware of saddles, most are just too set in their ways to change.
Not a statistically relevant sample size, but not tiny either. I'm in my 30's so I have a pretty good spread of ages I am acquainted with.
The internet can make it seem like our clan is larger than it is, especially with a lot of the bigger influencers lately adopting and espousing public land, mobile hunting, and saddles, but when you get in the general population we're still rare birds. A lot less rare than 5 years back, but still rare.
As for figures, I can't imagine much more than 2-3% of whitetail bowhunters (inc Xbows) are in saddles. That may even be high. I've seen ATA estimate active bowhunters at around 5 million. Cut out maybe 25% of those are western ground-type hunters, that are very marginally in the saddle/treestand market to begin with, I'm calculating ballpark 100,000-150,000. That's a tenuous calculation but it's one step beyond a wild guess.
The market is not very large and I believe we are living in the peak saddle epoch presently. Max gear choices, now is the time to try and buy. In the next five years I expect there to be significant contraction in the market.
The vast majority of guys and gals are convenience hunters, embark on hunting journeys only out the back door of camp or home, use fixed stands or blinds and most immediately balk at the suggestion of any degree of mobility. I think the logistics of hunting alone is a bit of a pain in the rear for a lot of people, and what we do seems way insurmountably complicated to those folks.
That leaves around a half dozen I know that regularly go mobile, most of those in traditional treestand configurations but I believe all of that group is at least aware of saddles, most are just too set in their ways to change.
Not a statistically relevant sample size, but not tiny either. I'm in my 30's so I have a pretty good spread of ages I am acquainted with.
The internet can make it seem like our clan is larger than it is, especially with a lot of the bigger influencers lately adopting and espousing public land, mobile hunting, and saddles, but when you get in the general population we're still rare birds. A lot less rare than 5 years back, but still rare.
As for figures, I can't imagine much more than 2-3% of whitetail bowhunters (inc Xbows) are in saddles. That may even be high. I've seen ATA estimate active bowhunters at around 5 million. Cut out maybe 25% of those are western ground-type hunters, that are very marginally in the saddle/treestand market to begin with, I'm calculating ballpark 100,000-150,000. That's a tenuous calculation but it's one step beyond a wild guess.
The market is not very large and I believe we are living in the peak saddle epoch presently. Max gear choices, now is the time to try and buy. In the next five years I expect there to be significant contraction in the market.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2019
- Messages
- 8,170
I agree with most of what @elk yinzer says about it. I’m a hunter safety instructor and even amongst that group and my classes (which are shrinking every year) just a fraction saddlehunt but I’m not sure it’s going to go through a contraction. I hope it grows for safety reasons and to increase hunter numbers overall but likely that’s a fool’s dream. Selfishly, the more people who don’t do it is fine with me……. let my competition in the woods think they have to lug heavy stands around!!!
I have never run across another saddle hunter in the woods . . . yet. Most hunters around me are still using fixed stands or climbers. I do have one buddy who I've set up with one of my old saddles and he claims he's used it but everytime they stop by camp he's got his climber. It's still a pretty niche market around here. I'm amazed a the number of guys I talk to as they drive through hunting camp every year that don't even know what a hunting saddle is.
With that said, I know there are guys around me who do hunt from saddles because I've met them at saddle hunter get togethers, even my eye doctor hunts from a saddle. I've just never run across anyone sporting their tree diaper in the woods.
With that said, I know there are guys around me who do hunt from saddles because I've met them at saddle hunter get togethers, even my eye doctor hunts from a saddle. I've just never run across anyone sporting their tree diaper in the woods.
That’s close to realistic if I had to guess maybe a little less. A lot of it really depends on where you’re at too. When I’m back home in Indiana with a Tethrd shirt I never have anyone come up to me and talk about saddle hunting. Down here in Tennessee it’s a lot higher percentage.
That's cause all those diaper users are either timber ninjas or timber pimps.
I don't think there will be a contraction in the # of saddle hunters, I am pretty positive however there will be in the sales #'s. Two different things. Just not enough potential saddle hunters out there to fuel infinite growth. I estimate most of the total addressable market has already heard of saddles and decided whether to jump over or not. That all jives with basic consumer goods lifecycles also. Typically you get a few years of early adopters leading up to a couple years of peak, the market sorts out leaders and losers, and a few years of decline where the losers go away.
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2022
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- 3,098
The economy is going hurt mobile companies, seems like anything new is over $300 these days. So say $300 each for a saddle, sticks and platform. That summit climber is looking pretty tempting. I don't get all my covid hand outs anymore either.
I will base it on the average hunter. The average hunter goes out what 5-10 days a year? He has a climber or pre set stand. It's eazy to use. It's comfortable once your in the tree. Hunting is not their main hobby. So it will never cover a big majority of the hunters.
The average fisherman isn't usually rocking an elaborate fishing pole and set up.
You have a hand full of guys like me who hunt a little more and like the saddle, but are not pounding public land.
Seems an either all in, or casual hunters. I know lots of guys who just go to "deer camp" and may not even take their gun out of the case.
The average fisherman isn't usually rocking an elaborate fishing pole and set up.
You have a hand full of guys like me who hunt a little more and like the saddle, but are not pounding public land.
Seems an either all in, or casual hunters. I know lots of guys who just go to "deer camp" and may not even take their gun out of the case.
This would be an interesting study, for sure.
Some anecdotal information from me.....
When I lived in central NC, in an anti-hunting area, my buddy and I were saddle hunters. Archery opening weekend during covids, there were 12 trucks at a public spot with about 20 people in total (including my buddy and me). We were the only 2 saddle hunters there.
I teach HunterEd as well and always ask the class what type of hunters and what equipment they use because I'm genuinely curious.
In NC I would see 250 people a year for class. Each year I would typically meet one who planned on saddle hunting, and 2 others who were interested but had not purchased any gear yet.
Here in Eastern TX, my exposure is lower since I'm a recent transplant. I have not met any saddle hunters yet, and have only taught one class so far with about 25 people.
If I had to hazard a guess on how many there are, I'd guess around 0.5% of the nation's total. That's still a big number, and certain areas will have higher concentrations than others.
Some anecdotal information from me.....
When I lived in central NC, in an anti-hunting area, my buddy and I were saddle hunters. Archery opening weekend during covids, there were 12 trucks at a public spot with about 20 people in total (including my buddy and me). We were the only 2 saddle hunters there.
I teach HunterEd as well and always ask the class what type of hunters and what equipment they use because I'm genuinely curious.
In NC I would see 250 people a year for class. Each year I would typically meet one who planned on saddle hunting, and 2 others who were interested but had not purchased any gear yet.
Here in Eastern TX, my exposure is lower since I'm a recent transplant. I have not met any saddle hunters yet, and have only taught one class so far with about 25 people.
If I had to hazard a guess on how many there are, I'd guess around 0.5% of the nation's total. That's still a big number, and certain areas will have higher concentrations than others.
The_Fit_Ness_Monster
Well-Known Member
Taking into account the number of actual hunters then how many of those are saddle hunters? I’d say we’re all here lmao I’ve never met another one.
I saw a definite increase last year. Prior I had only run into one out on public ground. Last year I ran into 5 different guys all using saddle setups.
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- Jan 3, 2022
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- 4,310
In the circle of people I know who hunt (a lot of folks), I only have heard of one saddle hunter, a son of a distant acquaintance. I doubt he is solely a saddle hunter. The rest of these guys would look at me like I had a horn growing out of my head if they saw my setup or, for that matter, knew how mobile I am and how deep I go into the woods.
Most guys are casual hunters in reality. Now, if you talk to them, they would not agree with that, but in actuality they go out and hunt maybe 5 to 10 days a year. All of the guys I know well are in clubs. Their idea of mobility is a side by side or at least a 4 wheeler. They use fixed ladder stands and have spin cast feeders watched 24/7 by cameras. They say they don't have time to scout. That isn't true, they just don't want to. That's just the truth of it. None of them use a vertical bow anymore. Once crossbows became legal for everyone, not just the disabled, they tossed the bow in the closet and adopted the crossbow. They say they don't have time to practice. The truth is they have the same 24 hours in a day I do, and I shoot 1000's of arrows a year to stay proficient. They see it as a gun, or the closest thing they can legally get to a rifle. They also maintain that they will shoot out to 125 yards at a deer with them. The moment any sort of firearm becomes legal they toss the crossbow in the closet until next fall.
My feeling is that saddle use is actually very low. Maybe .0025% of the total "hunters" out there. I'm guessing nationwide there might be 35,000 true saddle hunters.
Most guys are casual hunters in reality. Now, if you talk to them, they would not agree with that, but in actuality they go out and hunt maybe 5 to 10 days a year. All of the guys I know well are in clubs. Their idea of mobility is a side by side or at least a 4 wheeler. They use fixed ladder stands and have spin cast feeders watched 24/7 by cameras. They say they don't have time to scout. That isn't true, they just don't want to. That's just the truth of it. None of them use a vertical bow anymore. Once crossbows became legal for everyone, not just the disabled, they tossed the bow in the closet and adopted the crossbow. They say they don't have time to practice. The truth is they have the same 24 hours in a day I do, and I shoot 1000's of arrows a year to stay proficient. They see it as a gun, or the closest thing they can legally get to a rifle. They also maintain that they will shoot out to 125 yards at a deer with them. The moment any sort of firearm becomes legal they toss the crossbow in the closet until next fall.
My feeling is that saddle use is actually very low. Maybe .0025% of the total "hunters" out there. I'm guessing nationwide there might be 35,000 true saddle hunters.
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- Sep 4, 2019
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- 1,378
If we went with 12.5M hunters with 1% saddle hunting, assuming $275 per saddle, assuming the average hunter buys a brand new one every third year… that’s a 12.5M x 1% x $275 x 0.333 = $11.5M USA market for saddles only not including any of the other accessories.
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2021
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- 781
I don’t think the number of hunters using a saddle is as large as the industry makes it out to be. I also think it’s much larger in the mid west than it is in the northeast where I am. I only know 5 people including myself who saddle hunt and I know a lot of guys who hunt. I’ve had a lot of guys ask me about it and some have come over to try things out but found quickly it wasn’t for them. My best friend and long time hunting partner (who has since moved away so we only hunt a few times a year together now) refuses to even try it and we hunt deep but he still hikes in his bulky noisy climber. I tend to go deep on most hunts and have only once seen another person in a saddle and I was dumb founded when I did
Of the 50+ people that I know that hunt, 5 including myself hunt out of a saddle. We all started independently 3-4 years ago. I have shown and talked about saddle hunting with quite a few of these people however none have tried hunting from a saddle.
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- Jun 28, 2019
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See I’m thinking the economy may force more of the above average to high above average passionate hunters to forego something like a $3000 redneck or two and look at something lighter, more portable and more economical that provides a potential higher success yield to that hunter. Perhaps I’m looking at the slight overlaps of the different market segments instead of the more classically defined ones.
Excluding the people ive met off here I have run into 5 strangers running around North Florida public land sporting saddle stuff since I learned about it
Climbers are king around here
Climbers are king around here