Leaning trees

[Jimmy Wallhanger]

I switch between my beast stand and dray drey/ predator platform.

I have not yet figured out saddle hunting, leaning trees and prefer my stand as I like to be able to lean back in a stand.

Any tips?






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[casts_by_fly]

depends on the lean. 6" over 4' is pretty mild and I don't think about it too much. Any more than that and you have to think about it. Being on top of the lean and having an adjustable platform works for me. Also depends a little of you're a sitter or leaner in the saddle. I prefer to sit and if I'm in a leaner that's more than about 6" in 4' that's just enough to take my knees off the tree as I sit. I'm effectively hanging at that point and I don't prefer it. if I have to be in that tree then I'll shorten my tether and lean (practically stand).

 

[raisins]

A heavy leaner is saddle hunting kryptonite for me.

It is easiest to climb the high side (side of the obtuse angle between tree and ground) but easier to hunt the low side. Too much of a lean and you have to hunt and climb the high side and mostly stand and treat the platform like a small tree stand. A hang on stand with angle adjust and on the high side is better than a saddle on a heavy leaner.

 

[elk yinzer]

I think the whole "you can hunt any tree in a saddle" was thoroughly debunked as a selling point many years ago.

 

[Bigterp]

Leaners suck period, it’s tough out of whatever you’re in. If it’s not a big lean then it doesn’t matter but too much & you’re giving up safety & cover so I’d find another option. There’s a few ways to physically get up to that spot to hunt, but is it really worth it. I see some pictures of setups & think why?????

 

[raisins]

Leaners suck period, it’s tough out of whatever you’re in. If it’s not a big lean then it doesn’t matter but too much & you’re giving up safety & cover so I’d find another option. There’s a few ways to physically get up to that spot to hunt, but is it really worth it. I see some pictures of setups & think why?????

I've got a tree in a good spot that leans pretty hard in one spot and then straightens out at hunting height. At least once, I've swung around the tree in an unplanned way while climbing the high side in the leaning area. Thankfully, I always had my tether and lineman's lanyard in use.

If I didn't have my tether on, then I'm not sure how this would have turned out. Also, if it was too much of a lean then it would be difficult to even reach the tree, let alone get back to the high side and start again.

So, there's safety in play, as usual.

 

[John 35]

I killed one of my bucks this year out of a leaning tree. I was using an edp which I had set up on the high side. I ended up standing the whole time with my back to the tree leaning into to it. Eventually the deer came by and I shot him the same way I would have out of a stand. Unfortunately it was the only tree in the right spot so I had to deal with it or hunt from the ground.

 

[Weldabeast]

The times I've been forced to use heavy leaning trees I stayed on the gravity side and used my linesman to keep me snugged up... That limited movement big time and couldn't hardly rotate the hip from a shot in an unexpected area.....a buck squeeze would eliminate that problem. Any time I stayed on the high side I had just as limited shot options in fear of gravity taking over and swinging me crazy if I was maneuvering for awkward shot....this was a good reminder to me that i need to build a buck squeeze and bury it somewhere in/on my hunt vest

 

[CooterBrown]

The times I've been forced to use heavy leaning trees I stayed on the gravity side and used my linesman to keep me snugged up... That limited movement big time and couldn't hardly rotate the hip from a shot in an unexpected area.....a buck squeeze would eliminate that problem. Any time I stayed on the high side I had just as limited shot options in fear of gravity taking over and swinging me crazy if I was maneuvering for awkward shot....this was a good reminder to me that i need to build a buck squeeze and bury it somewhere in/on my hunt vest

Buck Squeeze?

 

[raisins]

Buck Squeeze?

lineman's lanyard that when you fall grabs the tree and keeps you from possibly sliding down

BuckSqueeze™ for Distribution - 483D

The BuckSqueeze™ is a Wood Pole Fall Restriction Device that provides continual Wood Pole Fall Protection during ascent and descent. It is easy to adjust to accommodate the size of the pole and model 483D is for distribution poles up to 50" in circumference. Distributors stocking this...

buckinghammfg.com

 

[Weldabeast]

There's a thread about them going right now

DIY Tree Squeeze/Choke.

Hi all, I've been watching some of the cool DIY projects on here and thought I would throw in one that I'm using, as a long time rock and ice climber, safety is always first and foremost in my methods of climbing trees. This is a simple way to protect oneself if and when you may gaff out of...

saddlehunter.com

 

[1simplemann]

NY Saddle Hunter has a video of what he calls a re-direct for hunting leaners. 2 tether essentially.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Redirect helps to an extent. It’s counter balancing by moving your girth hitch to the opposite direction of your lean. But it doesn’t allow you to effectively maneuver the entire tree, only a short piece of the high side. A super long bridge through a tree squeeze or using your lineman’s rope with a tree squeeze is a much better option of keeping you upright against gravity. It won’t be as comfortable as staying on the high side of the tree but you can move around almost as easily without worrying about gravity taking its course while on a squeeze.

 

[Seekbigger]

On learners I like a platform on the high side with a ring of steps, try to keep the steps level as possible with the ground, screw ins work best for this kind of tree. Then as you walk around the tree gravity doesn’t pull you so hard. I don’t mind them leaning at all this way.

 

[CooterBrown]

I think JX3 has something for this as well

 

[Iron_llama]

NY Saddle Hunter has a video of what he calls a re-direct for hunting leaners. 2 tether essentially.

I was about to suggest this. Not a perfect solution for every problem, but one tool to keep in mind should that particular tree call for it.

 

[kyler1945]

I think JX3 has something for this as well View attachment 80949

It works fantastic too. I use same concept on really big trees that aren’t necessarily leaners.

It would work well with any saddle. Shame on john for not patenting it!

 

[Weldabeast]

Maybe it's simple as taking the unused portion of ur rappel rope and having 2 extra biners....throw a bite of rappel tail end around the trunk and make a loop and put the biner into the loop put the side of ur bridge into that biner and then tie another loop in the right position on the other side of the trunk and insert 2nd biner into that loop and then clip other side of linesman into that biner esentually creating a buck squeeze holding ur body in position but still able to rotate the hips/bridge and the linesman belt in conjunction with ur tether will allow hip rotation...or add a prusik to the 2nd side for easy adjustment instead of a 2nd knot. That is working in my imagination....carry 2 extra biners/prusik vs carrying a separate dedicated squeeze with leaning trees specifically in mind... I need to play with this idea

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

On learners I like a platform on the high side with a ring of steps, try to keep the steps level as possible with the ground, screw ins work best for this kind of tree. Then as you walk around the tree gravity doesn’t pull you so hard. I don’t mind them leaning at all this way.

I’m kind of the opposite. I like my ROS on the high side and my adjustable pitch angle platform on the low side. It’s bigger when standing and the angle makes it easier to get closer to vertical. The high side on ROS is pretty comfy and the lager surface area of the platform makes it easier to defy gravity. Used in conjunction with the tree squeeze concept and it makes leaning trees easy enough to hunt although still never as easy as a straight or good split crotch tree

 

[Seekbigger]

I’m kind of the opposite. I like my ROS on the high side and my adjustable pitch angle platform on the low side. It’s bigger when standing and the angle makes it easier to get closer to vertical. The high side on ROS is pretty comfy and the lager surface area of the platform makes it easier to defy gravity. Used in conjunction with the tree squeeze concept and it makes leaning trees easy enough to hunt although still never as easy as a straight or good split crotch tree

I have done it both ways and both will work, learners don’t bother me at all!