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Newbie Woman here!

Yes im only 5'7" and i even put a aider on the bottom stick. Going to try avaider on the second stick today. Will see how that goes. Lol yes a lines man belt gives me more confidence and hands free to hang sticks. Good luck
 
Sambow300 said:
Hello, total newbie woman here, and looking to learn as much as I can! I recently started bowhunting public land for the first time ever this year (didn't renew our previous lease). I don't have the strength or body type to (in my opinion) safely hang a hang on stand by myself, so I've been hunting off the ground. But I've been looking more and more into saddles, and found this website, and saddles don't seem quite so scary. I do need a stick that has shorter distances between steps because I'm only 5'3" short legged lol, so any advice for that would be appreciated!

I also know hip pinch sounds like a common issue for women, so I'm trying to research the best option for a saddle. Looking forward to getting into this style!
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Hit up this thread, there's some good info about hip pinch from a female perspective:

New member

Hi I'm a new member from southern Illinois and a female hunter. Just started hunting out of my saddle and have been 2 times. I'm not very comfortable setting in it yet and i know its a learning curve. Not sure im going to like it. Interested if there are other lady hunters out there using...
saddlehunter.com
 
Welcome from WI. I also recommend hawk helium sticks. With 3 sets of double steps on every stick, the reach is about as short as you will find from a commercial stick. 3 of them weigh about 9 lbs so they are also not too heavy to carry in. Linesman belt is a must when climbing and does help you get some extra reach while staying safe and always connected to the tree.
 
Welcome from coastal NC!! And if you don't like the hawks then try muddy pros or bolts if you can use them where you hunt!! If not I just got 11 cranford rope steps and I absolutely LOVE them!!!!! And they are legal everywhere!
 
Welcome from Iowa. Give the hawk sticks a second go and definitely use a linesman rope. Makes a big difference.
 
Welcome from New York and like others have said, welcome to the addiction! I ground hunted before I could afford anything but ever since getting a saddle I've seen more deer this season than ever before. I'm sure you'll find what suits you best after trying out a couple of things.
 
longbowwoman said:
I am a woman and a short one at that. lol. I use muddy sticks. Only 18" apart, step to step. Very fast and easy to hang each step.
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Longbowwoman I'm so glad there are a few women on here! Most men don't understand some of the struggles we have, even though there seems to be so many helpful men on here! I'm very glad I found this place!
 
Not sure what has been suggested already. Didn’t read it all. Buy a size larger than the manufacture’s recommended size. Larger saddles feel a lot better in the pinch areas. Longer bridge and tie your tether off around the tree higher helps with the pinch as well. You won’t have any problem climbing any manufactures sticks. Hawk helium’s are great and it’s nice to have a step you can stand on with your feet side by side (double steps instead of single steps).
Welcome to the site.
 
Welcome from Ohio! I’m pretty new here too, and this is a great place with many knowledgeable, helpful folks.

Picking a saddle+climbing method is the right place to start. I’d also add knee pads to a starter list so you can experiment with different positions to be comfortable against the tree. I use cheap Amazon knee pads and they help a bunch. I’ve seen some people use a cushioned pad strapped to the tree instead, but same idea.

Certainly not necessary to start, but check out a platform as well - Ridge Runner and Predator are two popular ones. I just started using a Ridge Runner and it made a big difference in comfort for long sits and being able to move around the tree. They are not cheap, so if budget conscious I recommend seeing if you are comfortable with the climb and hanging from a saddle before investing. If so, a platform will make your experience even better IMO. There are other options for support at hunting height - ask away if interested.
 
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