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Saddle numbers

Weldabeast

Weldabeast

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
May 23, 2019
Messages
12,479
Location
Northeast Florida
How many random people did u meet this season who saddle hunting also? The season prior to this year I met 1 other guy who had converted.......this season I met 4 random people who have adopted it.
 
Last year I ran into 4 saddle hunters, not by design, just at a traditional bow shootout. Passed 2 others in the wood while hunting. Hopefully converted one climber that I cross path with, He saw how minimal my gear was (8lbs) compared to his 30lbs setup, and was intrigued.

But this year none, this is due to busy family activities, reduced hunting opportunities, and being more selective of the time I go (which is good since I see less people in general).
 
DroptineKrazy said:
I haven't seen anyone in person here but there are very low bow hunter numbers around me. I have noticed it in advertising for hunting clothing, bows etc. etc.
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Yeah, saw Tethrd has a few whole pages of advertising in Natchez Shooting Supply monthly catalog. My father in law was super shocked, he's been telling me for a few years that this 'saddle' thing I've been crazy about is only a phase and will die soon. Can't believe it invaded his favorite catalog.
 
I actually seen a guy up in the tree....I was walking in for the afternoon down a fire road and as I turned the corner I heard a weird sounding owl....it was some guy way up in the crown of a pine tree waving....I just caught a quick glance of movement in a person shape so I about faced and moved off quickly as possible waving sorry with my back turned walking off....as I was walking away I was thinking to myself how he was positioned facing the tree "funny" as I'm used to seeing everyone in climbers way up in telephone poles.....later after sun down back at the truck I met up with him and chatted for a little. What he was doing was strapping all his gear to a regular old dolley like u would move furniture with and push/pull the dolley back in there...kinda defeating the purpose of switching over to a saddle IMO. He had xl platform and 6 sticks and I guess camera gear? I don't know but he was loaded down. I need to look up his utubes and see if he filmed me in his video...

The other guy I spoke with for more than casual hello hunts real mobile like me. He was using smaller style platform and 2 sticks with moved aider. We both targeted the same type of terrain/habitat. He is much more experience hunter than I and real successful so I got a lot of value out of our interaction...he taught me some hunting strategy and I got to show him some saddle tricks he hadent seen before
 
Weldabeast said:
How many random people did u meet this season who saddle hunting also? The season prior to this year I met 1 other guy who had converted.......this season I met 4 random people who have adopted it.
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Just converted (another) guy in the last coupla months (I’m not sure i can get my Wood saddle back from him!). As we were talking last night, and discussing DIY stuff, he said how much more fun saddle hunting is (compared to ladder stands). “I feel like im actually HUNTING now, figuring animal movements/sign out, rather than just sitting and waiting”. he’ll be at the florida get together…probably still wearing my mesh Wood HUnting Saddle
 
I’ve seen 2-4 guys hunting from saddles in prior years. This year the number was probably 3-4x that. There is still a fair amount of people hauling the trusty summit climbers but I’ve seen a ton of saddles this year. I’ve tried to talk to most of them and the major consensus is that they’re just not as good (comfortable, light, packable, etc. ) as they thought they would be. I’d say at least half said they were going back to climbers next season. Most of these people had 3-5 sticks plus a platform and I would agree that ends up being pretty heavy and bulky. Id also agree that generally speaking saddles are more cumbersome to figure out and get to be comfortable for an extended amount of time in the tree. It’s also harder to remain still in a saddle and I heard that from a few guys as well. More than 1/2 of these guys were hauling heavy crossbows as well. I bet their set ups were 30-40 lbs easy, no thank you!
 
I’ve only seen a couple of people saddle hunting. Most ask me all about it when they see me. I converted a couple people to it over the last several years. This coming year I’m giving a demonstration/seminar to an archery club I recently joined. I already know 3 people in that group are going to convert because they’re buying some of my older gear to get started. ( My wife luvs it! Says she can’t wait til I sell all that extra stuff!!! Lol :tonguewink:)
 
Have yet to run into anyone else. However I don’t see many people while hunting either.

I will still see guys putting climbers on their backs etc and it reminds me of how terrible that was. I know it’s not for everyone so I don’t judge…..too much that is
 
LtMoe66 said:
I’ve only seen a couple of people saddle hunting. Most ask me all about it when they see me. I converted a couple people to it over the last several years. This coming year I’m giving a demonstration/seminar to an archery club I recently joined. I already know 3 people in that group are going to convert because they’re buying some of my older gear to get started. ( My wife luvs it! Says she can’t wait til I sell all that extra stuff!!! Lol :tonguewink:)
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Imagine the look on her face when she realized you are just making room for newer stuff!
 
I have never seen another saddle hunter in the woods. I rarely see anyone in the woods mainly because if I think anyone is in hunting within a quarter mile of a spot, I go somewhere else, lol. I've found a lot of good spots by avoiding people.

I would say most people around here use climbers IF they are trying to be mobile and climb. I get the feeling a lot of dudes wait until rifle season and just walk and sit at the base of trees on points in open woods. They are waiting and hoping something runs by. They probably do this now with crossbows since they became legal for everyone, not just disabled folks.

My friends that hunt know I hunt out of a saddle, but I bet they think I joined a cult or something based on how far from their path I have strayed. They are really going in the opposite direction. One guy quit climbing to hunt all together several years ago after his second fall. The other guy puts up Millennium M100 stands above 20-foot ladder sticks at his spots on private. He has a climber but would rather get a root canal than tote it. If he takes it in the woods it lives at the base of that tree all season. I gave up trying to talk about saddle hunting with them long ago. I start in discussing saddles and their eyes just gloss over and I can tell they aren't interested. lol. Like one of them is fond of saying. "If it ain't easy, I ain't doing it."
 
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I didnt run into any this year. But I haven't converted any either, our hunting numbers in this area of pa is very high. I'm hunting places on public nobody else gets to in a climber or too far back for a ladder, so I'm trying to keep it on the downlow for a while.
 
I was 25 ft up had a guy walk right under my tree last year and never saw me until I stared whispering “Over here” as he was walking under the tree. He would stop. Look around. I’d whisper again and he would stop, look around. I finally said “Hey, up here!” He was pretty shocked when he looked up. Him and his friends are saddle hunting now. Almost wish I hadn’t done that lol.

Meanwhile, my best friend looks at me like I have three heads or lost my mind ha, ha. You would have to pry his climber from his cold dead fingers. I’ve converted one more here in VA and I’ve seen/spoke to a couple of other guys that were saddle hunting. I think that number will continue to grow. I think ebikes are great for everyone because they spread out the hunting pressure so everyone is not hunting in the immediate vicinity of the access point. I think saddles do the same thing.
 
gcr0003 said:
I’ve seen 2-4 guys hunting from saddles in prior years. This year the number was probably 3-4x that. There is still a fair amount of people hauling the trusty summit climbers but I’ve seen a ton of saddles this year. I’ve tried to talk to most of them and the major consensus is that they’re just not as good (comfortable, light, packable, etc. ) as they thought they would be. I’d say at least half said they were going back to climbers next season. Most of these people had 3-5 sticks plus a platform and I would agree that ends up being pretty heavy and bulky. Id also agree that generally speaking saddles are more cumbersome to figure out and get to be comfortable for an extended amount of time in the tree. It’s also harder to remain still in a saddle and I heard that from a few guys as well. More than 1/2 of these guys were hauling heavy crossbows as well. I bet their set ups were 30-40 lbs easy, no thank you!
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You just described the target demographic of JX3. If John could figure out how to get to them before they buy saddles, he’d be sittin on a pile.

If I knew the answer to that, I’d know how I convince him to let me make a Kyler edition signature hybrid with comfortable harness and belt and no extra doodads and weighs 9lbs.

I’ll keep my day job for now.
 
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