• 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

Hunting with your kids from the saddle.

MattMan81

MattMan81

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
4,986
Location
The Mitten
My daughter is 11. Dosent really want to shoot a deer. But likes walking in the woods and climbing trees. I'm thinking about getting a saddle for her to come along so we can do it together. Anyone have any advice or tips for this? Set up?
I'm thinking gonna have to find split trees. So we can be close. Probably have her slightly higher so I can shoot around her if needed.
Any input. Thanks
 
My son is 11 and started hunting from a saddle this past season. I sat right beside him in the same tree just set up 90 degrees to his weak side and it worked out perfect. In this video I was set at the same level as him just off the backside of the tree. The biggest issue is climbing so I would recommend preset ladder sticks with a lifeline at first.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Paging @T.Clarke , he's got like 15 kids and hunts with each one every day of the season I think. :laughing:
I've hunted with my daughter out of a multi-trunk tree. We were each on a different trunk facing opposite ways - right next to each other. It was cool. Like @flinginairos said, you have to adjust your climbing method. I used stock API sticks so she could climb easily instead of my 24" sticks. I also climbed first and hung the lifeline so she could clip in and climb without a lineman. She's used to the lifeline from presets on my property with ladder stands so that worked well.
 
Great advice from guys above.

I haven’t hunted with my 9 year old daughter yet but made her a saddle a year ago and we have practiced climbing together in the yard a bunch of times. I highly recommend practicing your climbs and set ups so you will have a solid plan before heading out to the woods. Not only makes it safer but more enjoyable as you both know what to expect and what gear to bring. You don’t want to get frustrated and upset and make the whole thing not fun!

I, like Dan and Flinginairos, always climb up first and set a lifeline that your kid is clipped into the whole time. Easier and safer. I’ve practiced in single trunks with my daughter and feel confident that you can make it work. Multi trunk are even better.
 
Last edited:
Plan on getting my son in a tree with me this next fall. He just turned 9 at the end of December, and he’s been fun hunting for several years.

Planning to buy another saddle and let him use my Mantis. Going to practice all summer and get him used to shooting his bow from an elevated position as well as just getting used to climbing and hanging.

I bought him a Hoyt Klash last summer so he could start shooting and build up to Legal draw weight. Tipped the scales at 3 lbs over legal just last week.

Anyway, I agree that hanging in multi-trunk trees will be ideal. Keeps you close to them for assistance as needed, and it will also help conceal what is inevitably going to be more movement. I also plan to climb first and set up a lifeline, just to be safe. I want to get into DRT some this year as well, but I’m not sure how that will work with him along. Haven’t really thought through that too much, so I’ll probably use my full-length Hawk Helium’s with him to make the steps more manageable.

If you come up with any tips/tricks not already on this thread be sure and revisit to pass on the knowledge to those learning at the same time! I’m always looking to better ways of doing anything.

I think getting our youngens involved in this as early as safely possible is awesome! Even if they don’t have interest in killing, some of my most enjoyable times in the woods are more around the experiences without a kill. Heck, let the kids ‘shoot em’ with a camera if nothing else! Then the experience and memory can live on!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Reviving an old thread with an update:

2852d668e1ac4acdd53693e965127728.jpg


Getting some practice in now so maybe he’ll be ready this fall. I agree with @flinginairos that the climbing is the toughest part. Gonna try the lifeline strategy to see if that helps.

He’s loving it so far! This is going to be awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Any luck finding a kids size saddle? I bought a size Medium Mantis hoping it would work for my now 10 year old daughter, no dice. My phantom arrives tomorrow, maybe I’ll have better luck with that one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Maybe just get a rock climbing harness with the sit drag might be a better option and cheaper option for them? You know the harness would fit right. Or if there not hunting and just watching. Maybe use the saddle, but back it up with a youth safety harness. They don't need the mobility and you have the full harness as a safety precaution.
 
Excuse my ignorance, but how does the lifeline work? Is it just basically a long tether with a ropeman or some kind of ascender device?
 
CamoMan said:
Excuse my ignorance, but how does the lifeline work? Is it just basically a long tether with a ropeman or some kind of ascender device?
Click to expand...
Pretty much. You can buy them to use with pre set stands. I think muddy and some other brands make them. Or make your own with your devices.
 
Muddy Safeline. Comes with 2 prussiks and no carabiners. It’s only rated to 3 hundo so both of you probably should not be on it at the same time.
Lifeline is another company, HSS maybe.
 
I used the Gorilla lifelines on a few preset trees this fall for my son. As for kids saddles my son (10) ended up hunting out of a tactisaddle. Tried modded sit drag/RC Harness then h2 and Mantis but all were uncomfortable and hard to maneuver for him. I ordered a custom sized tactisaddle as a last ditch effort and wow. The major advantage is mobility walking in and climbing. He made several 6+/- sits in it this season. I cant recall the owners name now but he gave me a killer deal on the youth sized saddle. I would be happy to send it out for test rides between now and August. Shoot me a PM if your interested.
 
weekender21 said:
Any luck finding a kids size saddle? I bought a size Medium Mantis hoping it would work for my now 10 year old daughter, no dice. My phantom arrives tomorrow, maybe I’ll have better luck with that one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Asked on fb where to find a kids saddle for my grandson, a fellow said talk to a Matthew Tompkins.
 
smshuntr said:
I used the Gorilla lifelines on a few preset trees this fall for my son. As for kids saddles my son (10) ended up hunting out of a tactisaddle. Tried modded sit drag/RC Harness then h2 and Mantis but all were uncomfortable and hard to maneuver for him. I ordered a custom sized tactisaddle as a last ditch effort and wow. The major advantage is mobility walking in and climbing. He made several 6+/- sits in it this season. I cant recall the owners name now but he gave me a killer deal on the youth sized saddle. I would be happy to send it out for test rides between now and August. Shoot me a PM if your interested.
Click to expand...

Might take you up on that, thanks for the offer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Bump. Update. Climbed a tree yesterday with my daughter. She used a regular safety harness I purchased for a tree stand. I was gonna get a sit drag to use up in the tree with the harness. With out putting my hands on the site drag. Will these be a secure way for her to sit with me? Does the sit drag have a secure enough feeling? Or should I consider a rock harness?
 
MattMan81 said:
Bump. Update. Climbed a tree yesterday with my daughter. She used a regular safety harness I purchased for a tree stand. I was gonna get a sit drag to use up in the tree with the harness. With out putting my hands on the site drag. Will these be a secure way for her to sit with me? Does the sit drag have a secure enough feeling? Or should I consider a rock harness?
Click to expand...

I, personally, would not put my daughter 20’ up a tree in just a sit-drag which is not climb rated and doesn’t have leg straps. I want 110% safe when it comes to her. I wouldn’t forgive myself if she got hurt in a fall because I chose unsafe equipment or methods.
 
I would get her a rock climbing harness, preferably with linemans loops or have them added to it. When I used a Sit-drag:rch I used two prussics on my tether. One to the bridge and one connected to my rch.
 
Bdwilliams said:
I would get her a rock climbing harness, preferably with linemans loops or have them added to it. When I used a Sit-drag:rch I used two prussics on my tether. One to the bridge and one connected to my rch.
Click to expand...

You can get by without the second prusik. It is very easy to tie an alpine butterfly and hook that to your belay loop via carabiner.

www.animatedknots.com

Alpine Butterfly Loop

The Alpine Butterfly Loop provides a secure loop in the middle of a piece of rope. Load can be safely applied: from the loop to either end of the rope; between the two ends with the loop hanging free; or to the loop with the load spread between the two ends.
www.animatedknots.com www.animatedknots.com


Or go old school and tie a figure 8 follow through right to belay loop.

www.animatedknots.com

Figure 8 Follow Through Loop

Allows the simple and reliable Figure 8 loop to be tied to a ring, a carabiner, or your own harness. It is reasonably easy to remember, tie, and check.
www.animatedknots.com www.animatedknots.com
 
Watching. My 6 yo daughter wants to do a couple afternoon hunts this year in the pop up blind. Probably going to be rifle season Lots of snacks, and kid sized electric earmuffs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top