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Saddle legality.

This is a simple thought for guys that are needing a "full body restraint" use your linemans belt. From one loop up over your shoulders and clip into on the other loop. This creates suspenders.
 
One reason I got a saddle was to hunt management areas in bama and now yall have broke my heart saying it ain't legal, I'll have to call the game warden tomorrow to see what he has to say about it
 
I would argue that TMA is an industry trade group that could be seeking either an unfair advantage (treestand manufacturing association sees the danger of saddle hunting to its base, or a failure by not having the language vetted by those who would be adversely affected(either by lack of openness in the process or participation by those adversely affected. Garbage in garbage out , as it where. Openness and lack of participation is the issue...you know that messy democracy thing.. I have no issue in requiring a fall safety device be worn, I had one save my life when I was ejected by my stand shifting as I was getting down, I do object to a specific device. The second part of that is the tether with Prussic that went from above the stand to the ground. Is that required to? What if I don’t like the prussic knot?
 
lawrence said:
I would argue that TMA is an industry trade group that could be seeking either an unfair advantage (treestand manufacturing association sees the danger of saddle hunting to its base, or a failure by not having the language vetted by those who would be adversely affected(either by lack of openness in the process or participation by those adversely affected. Garbage in garbage out , as it where. Openness and lack of participation is the issue...you know that messy democracy thing.. I have no issue in requiring a fall safety device be worn, I had one save my life when I was ejected by my stand shifting as I was getting down, I do object to a specific device. The second part of that is the tether with Prussic that went from above the stand to the ground. Is that required to? What if I don’t like the prussic knot?
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I don’t think running a lifeline will ever be required or suggested on public land. Most land your supposed to remove your stand. Are you going to climb, set your stand, attach the lifeline and then climb back down so you can use it going up?
 
I can’t EVEN with this required harness as a law thing. What a blue-ass law, regardless of the actual implications. I think dumbasses should be 100% allowed to hunt without safety harnesses. It’s called personal freedom. It’s called adult prerogative. I don’t want anything bad to happen to idiots who don’t hook up, but you can’t fix stupid; you can just start a thread about it and hope it doesn’t take more death to fix it.
 
EricS said:
I don’t think running a lifeline will ever be required or suggested on public land. Most land your supposed to remove your stand. Are you going to climb, set your stand, attach the lifeline and then climb back down so you can use it going up?
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Your kind of making my point. Wearing a full body harness and using a full body harnesss are two different things. Saddlhunters always have to hook to a tree, stand hunters don’t.

And tonight’s winner of the Darwin Award for not using a safety device is:
 
Unfortunately, it's expensive to defend yourself in court, and it is always a toss up as to whether a judge (or a jury) buys even a well-crafted argument. You may need to go to trial with evidence-grade videos showing how it is virtually impossible to fall. In saying that, are there any bowhunter/saddle hunting orgs that would financially assist the first one of these to go to trial or Is the industry too young?
 
The real question we should be asking is who has been championing these rules? The answer to that question begs a a follow up question, is there a tree stand company that sees Saddles as major competition that they want to prevent? It would likely be a company that has resources and also has no plans to enter the saddle hunting market.
 
swampsnyper said:
Just don’t raise attention to it and continue hunting with the saddle. If you are questioned. Put it on and hang upside down from the tree. If they still write you a ticket, they were gonna find something to write you a ticket for anyway.
If attention is drawn, they will require saddles to be made with shoulder straps and be TMA approved. Saddle prices will go up even more and we will be stuck wearing saddles with shoulder straps. Then decide to cut them off and be back to square one but with a more expensive saddle.
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Good point my friend.
 
Howdy to all the Alabama folk. Anyone else from North Alabama?

I'm new to Saddle Hunter, from Alabama. I do not own a saddle yet. I do hunt public land however (both WMA and National Wildlife Refuges), so I'll be following this discussion as it progresses.

It seems like the two schools of thought right now are:
It isn't a treestand so the law doesnt apply.
It isn't a full body harness and is therefore illegal.

Regardless, it seems like most users will air on the side of ignorance and continue to use their gear. If it becomes a bigger issue, I am interested to see what kind of impact this community will have in adapting and changing Alabama law to accept this hunting method.
 
well then the supposed defense is "I am not a deer hunter I am a deer monitor. "

and TMA IMO became a political org years ago, and I personally believe had a hidden agenda of discouraging new manufacturers through litigations and requirements. If a saddle is completely accepted and insured for tree arborist tell me how someone hunting in a saddle is taking more risk.
 
gcr0003 said:
Howdy to all the Alabama folk. Anyone else from North Alabama?

I'm new to Saddle Hunter, from Alabama. I do not own a saddle yet. I do hunt public land however (both WMA and National Wildlife Refuges), so I'll be following this discussion as it progresses.

It seems like the two schools of thought right now are:
It isn't a treestand so the law doesnt apply.
It isn't a full body harness and is therefore illegal.

Regardless, it seems like most users will air on the side of ignorance and continue to use their gear. If it becomes a bigger issue, I am interested to see what kind of impact this community will have in adapting and changing Alabama law to accept this hunting method.
Click to expand...

Hey I know you from ALDeer! I'm going with "hunt with it till someone in a position of authority tells me otherwise".
 
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