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Saddle Safety

Buckeye Bowhunter

Buckeye Bowhunter

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2018
Messages
99
So this is my first year saddle hunting. Got about 15 sits or so in the Kestrel. Yesterday morning I was set up in a Beech tree. Of course it was raining pretty hard, so between the smooth bark and the rain it was pretty slippery. I got up using my silent approach steps without too much difficulty though. The problem was where I set up my ring of steps the trunk had a concave section so there was a 6" section where the strap wasn't contacting the tree. I just made sure no steps were in that spot. After 20 minutes or so I shifted my weight putting more side pressure on the steps, and of course one of them slid sideways into that section and loosened up the strap enough to actually unhook the boat buckle and hook. The amazing thing is, all it did was bring me up against the tree and all I had to do was reposition the ROS higher on the tree, readjust my tether, and I was good to go. The more I use this thing, the more safe and rock solid it feels.
 
Glad to hear your slip was just that. And you are ok. Both @Ontariofarmer and I have taken the true nest tea plunge so to speak. This is the only way I will get back into a tree. It took me a while to get the courage up to get back in a tree again. Safest way to hunt. 1 in 3 hunters fall. Most are not tied in.

I talked at length about the saddle or at least using a Rock Harness with friends at the hunt club I belong too.
 
That is a big reason why I have always argued that our use of climbing equipment doesn’t come anywhere near the stringent strength requirements that are used in the climbing world. We really never have unrestricted falls. Our system swings us into the tree instead of catches a free fall. BIG difference in stress loads there.

Glad you are okay!
 
@IkemanTX is totally correct. These modern saddles can handle anything we throw at them.

Yours is a success story @Buckeye Bowhunter - that's exactly how it's supposed to work. One other word of caution I always like to throw out...it could have ended a little differently if you had stepped on your ROS without your tether hooked up. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS secure your tether before you climb on your platform. That way, if anything goes south, you're still safe. The LB will most likely keep you from hitting the ground, but it's not as idiot proof as a tether.
 
@g2outdoors, I hadn’t really considered that angle. I usually put my ROS a couple feet above my last climbing step, stand on it, then attach my tether. I guess I should rethink my process.


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Buckeye Bowhunter said:
@g2outdoors, I hadn’t really considered that angle. I usually put my ROS a couple feet above my last climbing step, stand on it, then attach my tether. I guess I should rethink my process.


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You should. Attach your tether for the initial climb on top of the ROS. After you're and and safe, then you can adjust your tether.

Sent from my Galaxy S8.
 
I'm a new guy to saddle hunting, I was stepping on my platform while on the linesmans belt. I will definately be changing my order of ops as well. This is why this site, and community is so important.Thanks guys.
 
Kurt said:
I'm a new guy to saddle hunting, I was stepping on my platform while on the linesmans belt. I will definately be changing my order of ops as well. This is why this site, and community is so important.Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it
 
bigjoe said:
Glad to hear your slip was just that. And you are ok. Both @Ontariofarmer and I have taken the true nest tea plunge so to speak. This is the only way I will get back into a tree. It took me a while to get the courage up to get back in a tree again. Safest way to hunt. 1 in 3 hunters fall. Most are not tied in.

I talked at length about the saddle or at least using a Rock Harness with friends at the hunt club I belong too.
Click to expand...

Big Joe - I had my first TRUE fall last week climbing up to get to a lockon. I have had a few slips over the years and caught myself. I decided to put two lockons up this year along with safety lines. Saddle hunted all the other sets. Anyway, I learned via saddle hunting to be tied BEFORE that very first step. Thank God I was tied Bc I fell on my way up about 12’ off the ground. There was zero warning. I just remember foot slipping off and the next thing feeling my Muddy snap the sewn part of my harness. I’ve seen too many hunters in the ICU from needless falls. Tie in EVERY. TIME.


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