Sorry for the rambling narrative on this but I think it will be helpful for new saddle users. Over the last month or two I have built out a saddle hunting kit with the help of the classifieds here. I got a Tethyrd Mantis, Sys haulers, 8 WE stepps, ropes from @DanO, and carabiners from Backcountry. The goal was to do this relatively cheaply, and I didn't buy gear I probably should have (see below). I made my own tether and linesman's ropes, practiced out in the backyard, climbing pretty easily and feeling relatively secure. I had planned on using an adapted Cain method for climbing, but instead of clipping into a stepp I would use my linesman's around the tree just for a little more security. 5 stepps for the climb 2-3 for a makeshift ring of stepps. The following is what I learned after going for a morning hunt.
-Oh **** moments do happen, and you want to know what you are doing. 15ft up, just pulled up to my next step resulting in 3 ft of slack on my tether, linesman' wasn't very tight yet, and the stepp I was on slipped 3 inches down and ended at a 45 degree angle. Now I can't put weight on my right foot or it'll slide more, so balancing on one foot, have to fully untie my tether in order to get it past the linesman's which is the only thing holding me to the tree. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Don't rush it.
-Backyard trees are different than forest trees, Forest trees do not go straight up and do have limbs
- Do not pick a tree with smooth/slippery bark with WE stepps
-sideways pressure is not great on WE stepps, and when they slip you don't trust them anymore
- you probably need to get a true platform, as WE stepps theoretically work great, until they don't and you are 18ft up and your stepps have no grip on the smooth bark tree you picked at 4:15am in the dark.
- you can never have too many climbing rated carabiners.
- I would also advise a gear hauler, so when you are slipping on a tree you don't have a heavy backpack and your bow strapped to you pulling you backwards. If I had fallen, my bow would be in pieces. Much more expensive than an extra rope (or rappel rope that could double as both)
- learn how tree angle effects rope swings. When I'd let go it would swing me to the right despite doing everything I could think of to offset this. Its really hard to climb when the step you placed is now a foot to your left and you are lifting your whole body weight + pack.
- You can use your linesman rope as a second tether if you set both ropes up the same (figure 8 on a bite at both ends). As I didn't trust my stepps, i was solely trusting ropes so I figured i'd secure myself with 2 instead of one.
- Do not hook up your bow/pack to your gear hanger until you are in a FINAL position. Once you do you can't move them up without a lot effort. Only reason i tried was my first "hunting height" step completely lost purchase and I had to retroactively attach 2 more a little higher on the tree. This resulted in my bow and pack around my knees.
- Rappel, Rappel, Rappel. Just do it. Fork over the money, get a descender thingy-majig and a long rope. I had to slowly rappel, alternating between my converted linesman and my tether bc I couldn't put any weight on the stepps I used to get up. It would have been a cinch if I'd been able to rappel using 1 long rope, instead I fought with my friction hitches and the tree the whole way down.
-its hard to truly hunt when you are constantly concerned about falling out of the tree.
- shortcutting gear is great for the wallet, until you are up a tree and would pay 3x as much to have the stuff right then.
- PICK A GOOD TREE, despite knowing the private land I was hunting, scouting a specific tree would've been helpful for a first time saddle attempt.
- YOU WILL BE SORE AS HELL - my entire body is worn out from fighting a tree, and I'm 27 and in pretty good shape. My calves, hamstrings, hands, and shoulders are crushed.
Things to buy for next time:
real bow hanger
long rope for tether/rappel/gear hauler
quicklink carabiner
mechanical descender for rappel
potentially a platform or true ring of steps.
I'm proud I got up there, didn't quit despite the tree struggles, got to hunting height, sat it out for 5 hours and made it down safe. Saw some deer, didn't get a shot. This isn't as easy as the people who have been doing it for years make it look, but after some time and experience I think it could be.
-Oh **** moments do happen, and you want to know what you are doing. 15ft up, just pulled up to my next step resulting in 3 ft of slack on my tether, linesman' wasn't very tight yet, and the stepp I was on slipped 3 inches down and ended at a 45 degree angle. Now I can't put weight on my right foot or it'll slide more, so balancing on one foot, have to fully untie my tether in order to get it past the linesman's which is the only thing holding me to the tree. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Don't rush it.
-Backyard trees are different than forest trees, Forest trees do not go straight up and do have limbs
- Do not pick a tree with smooth/slippery bark with WE stepps
-sideways pressure is not great on WE stepps, and when they slip you don't trust them anymore
- you probably need to get a true platform, as WE stepps theoretically work great, until they don't and you are 18ft up and your stepps have no grip on the smooth bark tree you picked at 4:15am in the dark.
- you can never have too many climbing rated carabiners.
- I would also advise a gear hauler, so when you are slipping on a tree you don't have a heavy backpack and your bow strapped to you pulling you backwards. If I had fallen, my bow would be in pieces. Much more expensive than an extra rope (or rappel rope that could double as both)
- learn how tree angle effects rope swings. When I'd let go it would swing me to the right despite doing everything I could think of to offset this. Its really hard to climb when the step you placed is now a foot to your left and you are lifting your whole body weight + pack.
- You can use your linesman rope as a second tether if you set both ropes up the same (figure 8 on a bite at both ends). As I didn't trust my stepps, i was solely trusting ropes so I figured i'd secure myself with 2 instead of one.
- Do not hook up your bow/pack to your gear hanger until you are in a FINAL position. Once you do you can't move them up without a lot effort. Only reason i tried was my first "hunting height" step completely lost purchase and I had to retroactively attach 2 more a little higher on the tree. This resulted in my bow and pack around my knees.
- Rappel, Rappel, Rappel. Just do it. Fork over the money, get a descender thingy-majig and a long rope. I had to slowly rappel, alternating between my converted linesman and my tether bc I couldn't put any weight on the stepps I used to get up. It would have been a cinch if I'd been able to rappel using 1 long rope, instead I fought with my friction hitches and the tree the whole way down.
-its hard to truly hunt when you are constantly concerned about falling out of the tree.
- shortcutting gear is great for the wallet, until you are up a tree and would pay 3x as much to have the stuff right then.
- PICK A GOOD TREE, despite knowing the private land I was hunting, scouting a specific tree would've been helpful for a first time saddle attempt.
- YOU WILL BE SORE AS HELL - my entire body is worn out from fighting a tree, and I'm 27 and in pretty good shape. My calves, hamstrings, hands, and shoulders are crushed.
Things to buy for next time:
real bow hanger
long rope for tether/rappel/gear hauler
quicklink carabiner
mechanical descender for rappel
potentially a platform or true ring of steps.
I'm proud I got up there, didn't quit despite the tree struggles, got to hunting height, sat it out for 5 hours and made it down safe. Saw some deer, didn't get a shot. This isn't as easy as the people who have been doing it for years make it look, but after some time and experience I think it could be.