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Standing/ leaning

Penn_Native

Penn_Native

New Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
7
Location
Pennsylvania
As I have been looking more and more at this saddle hunting I have noticed guys sometimes lean a good bit and other stand more upright. There a benefit to one over the other?
I would think for myself I would rather stand more upright.

This may be a dumb question but just something I've noticed.

Another question I seen a guy have the triangle shaped carabiner on his teher where it attaches to the tree. Now I know the manufacturer tethers can come with a loop or a tied loop. Or they can made as well.
But, Now why would this guy have a connection like that? That would just add more weight I would think?
 
Penn_Native said:
As I have been looking more and more at this saddle hunting I have noticed guys sometimes lean a good bit and other stand more upright. There a benefit to one over the other?
I would think for myself I would rather stand more upright.

This may be a dumb question but just something I've noticed.

Another question I seen a guy have the triangle shaped carabiner on his teher where it attaches to the tree. Now I know the manufacturer tethers can come with a loop or a tied loop. Or they can made as well.
But, Now why would this guy have a connection like that? That would just add more weight I would think?
Click to expand...

I use a steel screw link because I climb the tree while advancing my tether to back up my lineman's belt. The screw link allows me to easily disconnect to go around branches. Others seem to use it for rappelling convenience, but someone will chime in on that I'm sure.

I am mostly a leaner because I am nursing a bum back disc and leaning/standing is more comfortable than sitting (unless I am able sit in the perfect position, which requires a good chair at home). I do sit though for a change of pace. I probably lean 75%. I would rather lean at a somewhat of an angle because it gets me away from the tree for a shot and lets me move around the tree and rotate for a weak side shot (because there is slack in the line (and you can move closer to the tree during rotation) compared to standing and having the line tight while standing). Try it a few feet off the ground while practicing shooting all angles and see what works for you.
 
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I think you’ll find that once you’re in the saddle you’ll see benefits to leaning and standing. They both feel different. You’ll probably find that leaning is a little more relaxing long term compared to standing. But I honestly do both and switch off positions when running a saddle. I do tend to fidget more in a saddle compared to a stand.

The triangle biner people usually use to hold their tether on the tree without having to run the entire length of the rope through the loop. Also guys use it when they use a long rope to rappel out of the tree. Makes it a lot easier to pull their rappel rope out of the tree once they’re on the ground.


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Standing doesn't really happen for long. You can lean or sit, i am a leaner but my legs are an angle and at my waist I'm verticle. Then you have folks like @Weldabeast who are dang near horizontal in the tree. Then you have folks who like to sit, they usually have kneepads or a pad that hang on their tree as a cushion for their knees.

Its something you'll figure out pretty quickly once you start messing around.

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I initially leaned about 30% and sat with knees against the tree 70%. Now I’m about 80% lean and 20% sit. As you experiment with different equipment and different bridge lengths and different tether heights, etc, you find your comfort will be found in unexpected places.

With that said, I did spend an entire evening hunt standing on my XOP seat platform because a) it’s big enough to allow it and b) I was in a multi-trunk tree and the trunks were close.
 
The only real difference I can see between a more vertical stance and a more extreme lean is that with a nose/chin height tether u will have more available rope to maneuver around the tree with a more leaning stance...in a more vertical stance u need more standing surface to do baby steps on the platform to get turned around for shots behind or on the weak side since ur tether to bridge distance is closer. Hopefully that makes sense....

In the end it will boil down just to personal preference

As far as using a quick link on the tether....with a 30-40 foot tether u intend to rappel on if u just have a loop knot u will have to pull the entire rope thru the loop if u encounter limbs vs just unscrew the link, position over the limb and tighten the nut back down
 
I find that I’m pretty much about 50/50 leaning versus sitting and a lot of it depends on the tree and the time of day. I will switch it up from time to time just to change pressures and positions. Being able to adjust really helps you stay in the tree longer. For me kneepads are a must for sitting. I’ve tried straddling the tree and it’s not comfortable at all unless perhaps it was a very small tree.

As to the screw link, most of the people using them are using it with a rappelling rope that they also are using as the tether while climbing. Trying to feed 30-40’ of rope through the sewn/tied/spliced eye of the rope every time you went to pass a branch would get old very quickly. The screw link makes it much easier. It also makes it easier to pull down that rappel rope at the end of the hunt as well compared to the rope eye.
 
I was originally a 70%/30% lean/sit. Since I made a saddle change I am now an 80%/20% sit/lean. I find I generally sit more still than I lean. I also think, being a large framed guy, that I am a little better off profile wise if I stay closer to the tree. However, as @Bigterp has stated above, its not a hard and fast rule. I set up in a tree on New Years Eve morning that I was more comfortable leaning in. It was a double trunk leaner and the lean just worked better. Sometimes the tree dictates your position. FWIW I almost always switch to a leaning position if I feel there's a shot opportunity about to happen. IMO it is easier to shift around the tree and get in shot position from a lean.
 
Penn_Native said:
As I have been looking more and more at this saddle hunting I have noticed guys sometimes lean a good bit and other stand more upright. There a benefit to one over the other?
I would think for myself I would rather stand more upright.

This may be a dumb question but just something I've noticed.

Another question I seen a guy have the triangle shaped carabiner on his teher where it attaches to the tree. Now I know the manufacturer tethers can come with a loop or a tied loop. Or they can made as well.
But, Now why would this guy have a connection like that? That would just add more weight I would think?
Click to expand...

Adds VERY minimal weight
Too many people get caught up in the “shaving ounces” portion of this saddle hunting sport

I go between standing and leaning. Kinda nice to adjust pressure points
Especially on all day sits


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What some others have said, it seems like the tree often makes a difference. First year saddle hunting for me and I could not figure out why I was comfortable sometimes and not others even though I was not changing anything, and finally figured out the tree made a difference. So I started adjusting bridge length, tether height and stand/lean/sit ratio to better match the tree.
 
I'm using a platform and only wear size 9 boots, so I can pretty easily stand. It seems like I usually stand when deer are nearby. All other times, I'm leaning. Sitting in the saddle is uncomfortable for me. I've tried pads on the tree and kneepads (cheap ones). It's just terrible. I just don't know how you guys are sitting for more than a few minutes. Lol.
 
Gotta put into the context how long your typical hunt is.
If its just a short 2 or 3 hours then leaning should suffice. But if you do dawn till dusk, you'll probably need to take a load off occasionally.
And its amazing how 2 different trees that seem identical often require different positions for comfort.
I did start hunting with the strap around the knee trick and it sure did help with comfort while sitting.
 
Penn_Native said:
As I have been looking more and more at this saddle hunting I have noticed guys sometimes lean a good bit and other stand more upright. There a benefit to one over the other?
I would think for myself I would rather stand more upright.

This may be a dumb question but just something I've noticed.

Another question I seen a guy have the triangle shaped carabiner on his teher where it attaches to the tree. Now I know the manufacturer tethers can come with a loop or a tied loop. Or they can made as well.
But, Now why would this guy have a connection like that? That would just add more weight I would think?
Click to expand...
Only dumb question is one that goes unasked. If you wonder, someone else does. Leaning vs. standing. Simple really. Your feet or someone you know ever get tired of standing in a tree stand? Leaning, a significant amount of your weight comes off your feet onto your saddle. It's more comfortable than standing for an extended period. It's also safer as you can't fall as your leaning on your equipment. Often it is alternated with sitting in your saddle with your knees in the tree which for most requires a pad on the tree or knee pads.
Carabiner on the end of the tether, why? Every saddle hunter has to connect their bridge to their tether. Rather than tie a knot the carabiner if faster. They don't weigh much as they come in aluminum. The carabiner is also a smooth surface for the bridge to slide on if a hunter needs to maneuver for a shot. You observed them using the carabiner against the tree to complete the circle for tree attachment. Better to girth hitch to the tree as side loads on a carabiner can cause failure. They are made for end to end tension and not side loading, bending or twisting tension. They come with ratings for side loading and cautions against it. As another member stated above, you really need a biner to complete the loop if you are going to rappel down. Pulling 40' of rope through a girth hitch is not practical...and even less so if multiplied x times by limbs encountered on the way up. If you have to complete the circle with a biner, a heavy steel screw gate biner rated for climbing is best. Also shorter end to end is better to alleviate bending pressure in a smaller tree. Smaller oval the better as long as it's climbing rated.
I hope that helps. God bless.
 
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I prefer to sit and probably do so 80-90% of the time. However if I am hunting in an area where shots opportunities arise quickly Or if it’s the last half hour of light, I will lean because it’s less movement to get a shot off.


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