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New saddle hunter

Wootsaddle2

Wootsaddle2

New Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2021
Messages
4
Any tips from current saddle hunters? I just got my first saddle and looking for ways to make the most of my saddle. Advice on setups would be greatly appreciated. I bought the trophyline covert. Any other hunters have this saddle? What have you done to make it work best for you?
 
When I started out in the saddle, I didn't need a Doyle's hoist, I thought. I used my own paracord pull up with a carabineer, and it was ok. Then someone got me a Doyle's hoist for my birthday (late season) and oh my god was it so much easier. One less thing to deal with!
 
131north said:
When I started out in the saddle, I didn't need a Doyle's hoist, I thought. I used my own paracord pull up with a carabineer, and it was ok. Then someone got me a Doyle's hoist for my birthday (late season) and oh my god was it so much easier. One less thing to deal with!
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Thank you! I definitely planned on getting a hoist of some kind before season.
 
Best advice I can give since I'm fairly new to saddle hunting would be to practice a lot at ground height. This will help you learn to set up faster. practice with different tether heights and bridge lengths. This will help you fine tune things so you are comfortable as well as testing how well you can move around the tree. What climbing method have you decided on and what type of platform will you be using?
 
Schemeecho said:
Best advice I can give since I'm fairly new to saddle hunting would be to practice a lot at ground height. This will help you learn to set up faster. practice with different tether heights and bridge lengths. This will help you fine tune things so you are comfortable as well as testing how well you can move around the tree. What climbing method have you decided on and what type of platform will you be using?
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I will be using climbing sticks and I got the mission platform. So far with playing with everything I’m liking the saddle and the platform as I will be learning more about it and figuring out how to set it up for my liking for sufficient hunting.
 
Wootsaddle2 said:
I will be using climbing sticks and I got the mission platform. So far with playing with everything I’m liking the saddle and the platform as I will be learning more about it and figuring out how to set it up for my liking for sufficient hunting.
Click to expand...

Im still using a fleece saddle and I like the way it supports me. I do use a rock climbing harness on my tether for safety. I play in the tree a few hours every weekend just to get everything down to muscle memory. All of my prusiks are preset and for the most part stay in the same spot. So now it only takes me a few minutes to set up once at hunting height. Just keep practicing and you will get to a point that you will know where everything needs to be set
 
If you do all day sits and like to be super comfortable with more stuff in a large pack, invest in a roll-n-lock and 25 feet of sterling oplux for a hoist. It makes life SO easy. And you can connect it straight to your tether after you're situated and ready to pull your gear up. Much better for heavy loads than Doyle's, which is definitely a good way to go for super light hunting.

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I found that having a second set of ropes, carabiners and small gear is to easy not to have. A few dollars may save a hunt and takes no room in the truck.
 
Practice, practice and then practice again. Go through all the real woods hunting set up and shoot from the saddle from what ever range your expecting to hunt from.
 
Wootsaddle2 said:
Any tips from current saddle hunters? I just got my first saddle and looking for ways to make the most of my saddle. Advice on setups would be greatly appreciated. I bought the trophyline covert. Any other hunters have this saddle? What have you done to make it work best for you?
Click to expand...
I'm new as well, but have the same saddle as you. Actually had my first hunt out of it this past weekend. I went with the Doyle's Hoist (strap option) and have it attached to the saddle. You'll need to shave the clip down a bit to get it to fit in the molle loops if you go that route. I was able to pull up my pack with my 20 gauge slug gun strapped to it without any issues. I also have a nite ize tie attached to each side of the saddle that I use to hold my sticks while setting up. For my Mission Platform, I've got a hanger from Genesis 3D Printing hooked to the back of my saddle to carry up the tree with me.
 
Schemeecho said:
Im still using a fleece saddle and I like the way it supports me. I do use a rock climbing harness on my tether for safety. I play in the tree a few hours every weekend just to get everything down to muscle memory. All of my prusiks are preset and for the most part stay in the same spot. So now it only takes me a few minutes to set up once at hunting height. Just keep practicing and you will get to a point that you will know where everything needs to be set
Click to expand...
There is nothing wrong with leaving cords and stuff on, but always check all your knots before weighting them, complacency kills.

I took a fall a few years ago when the knot slipped on a fleece saddle I was showing off at ground level. I fell straight onto my butt, and my back ached for a few days after. I only fell a foot, but compressed my back.

I figured out that the knot at the end of my fleece where the bridge was tied came a bit loose.
 
Jay_Disarray said:
There is nothing wrong with leaving cords and stuff on, but always check all your knots before weighting them, complacency kills.

I took a fall a few years ago when the knot slipped on a fleece saddle I was showing off at ground level. I fell straight onto my butt, and my back ached for a few days after. I only fell a foot, but compressed my back.

I figured out that the knot at the end of my fleece where the bridge was tied came a bit loose.
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Trust me checking all my prusiks before putting all my weight on it is always the first thing I do as well as any knot that I intend to use as my safety. Plus I even attach my Linemans rope around the tree and slowly release the tension as I sit in the saddle and i always make sure the saddle has my full weight before the Linemans rope comes off. My tether has two hook up locations. one for my rock climbing harness which I'm sure you already know is my main safety attachment. The second is just above my hook up for the tether and thats used for the saddle. I also use my Linemans rope as another double redundancy on the same carabiner as my RCH. Safety always comes first . next year I'll have a commercial saddle so some obvious safety concerns will be wont be as much as an issue
 
Wootsaddle2 said:
Any tips from current saddle hunters? I just got my first saddle and looking for ways to make the most of my saddle. Advice on setups would be greatly appreciated. I bought the trophyline covert. Any other hunters have this saddle? What have you done to make it work best for you?
Click to expand...

I recommend investing in the stick,stack,stow system and the Versa hanger from Genesis 3D Printing for your sticks. It’s the easiest way I found to be able to go up the tree and quietly take your sticks off and set them as you go.

Last year was my first season, so new here as well.


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