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The truth
- Thread starter Robbo
- Start date
Climbing trees with cover is the main portion of hassle. In that regard they’re the same or slightly favoring saddles because you don’t have a stand to carry or pull up
I hunt in eastern red cedars a lot and I feel like an ornament in a Christmas tree. I often use the branches to climb up on and to stand on when hanging in the saddle and cut a limb or two out for a window to shoot. We don't have many straight, limbless trees around here and the saddle is less hassle to get into these types of trees than a stand.
You're wearing your "stand" so I climb the tree, loop my tether around a limb or a trunk, trim a small window to shoot out of and start hunting.
You're wearing your "stand" so I climb the tree, loop my tether around a limb or a trunk, trim a small window to shoot out of and start hunting.
The same issue you’d have with a hang on - positioning, is the same issue you’ll have with a saddle. You just have to work around the branches, cut a few off, stand on them, etc same as with a hang on. Only difference is with a saddle you’ll already have more lines at your disposal ie tether, linemans, etc which in my mind makes things easier to maneuver around. I’ve found I actually incorporate branches and cover more now that I use a saddle whereas before didn’t
How are you getting up the tree currently? Are you tied off? Or free climbing branches and sticks?
With a throw Ball, and some rope you could safely climb the tree attached, stand on some limbs or what ever, then come back down completely tied off.
Con is having 75ish foot of rope getting tangled in all the limbs.
I should've added to my previous post that there are ways to climb up the branches without "free climbing" a double lanyard is a fall restraint system where you're basically leap frogging your tie off point as you climb.
I’ve been thinking about this too ramping up for this season. After hunting from a saddle exclusively the last 2 years, I decided to switch predominantly to a stand this year (helo).
Ignoring climbing for a second, I personally feel like you can probably get into better cover at hunting height with a hang on. With a saddle, in my opinion, it’s hard to really get into the kind of cover that you can get into with a hang on, just because limbs will be in front of you when drawn, if you can even draw your bow. (Im assuming this is probably still an issue with a crossbow but can’t speak to that). The caveat to that is that you can and should position yourself behind the tree, and possibly have the odd limb or two in front of you but being conscious of it not interfering with your shot. But then there is the fact you’ll probably have to move around the tree to get your shot.
There are numerous advantages to the saddle but for the one you are asking about specifically, I think it’s a check for the hang on box.
I’m coming to learn that the saddle vs stand thing isn’t really a hard one or the other for me. They truly are both tools to be used at your disposal in order to tag whatever your after.
Edit- I also love to hunt from multi trunk trees and I feel like I can get into more of them with a hang on than with the saddle. A lot of them are set up in a way where one of the trunks is too close to your back in the saddle, or one is too close to your shot window, or both cases at the same time.
Ignoring climbing for a second, I personally feel like you can probably get into better cover at hunting height with a hang on. With a saddle, in my opinion, it’s hard to really get into the kind of cover that you can get into with a hang on, just because limbs will be in front of you when drawn, if you can even draw your bow. (Im assuming this is probably still an issue with a crossbow but can’t speak to that). The caveat to that is that you can and should position yourself behind the tree, and possibly have the odd limb or two in front of you but being conscious of it not interfering with your shot. But then there is the fact you’ll probably have to move around the tree to get your shot.
There are numerous advantages to the saddle but for the one you are asking about specifically, I think it’s a check for the hang on box.
I’m coming to learn that the saddle vs stand thing isn’t really a hard one or the other for me. They truly are both tools to be used at your disposal in order to tag whatever your after.
Edit- I also love to hunt from multi trunk trees and I feel like I can get into more of them with a hang on than with the saddle. A lot of them are set up in a way where one of the trunks is too close to your back in the saddle, or one is too close to your shot window, or both cases at the same time.
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I agree with [mention]_Dario [/mention]
I mostly hunt where, in addition to oaks, there are cedars and maples. And when I decide to get in one, I really have to prune branches and also limit my movement. For example: 2” or more to the left and my body hits a branch and the whole branch shakes. Similar to the right.
And when I think about it. In a stand one can stay sitting. That takes about 18” less vertical clearance and only enough horizontal clearance the width of the body. To me, it is easier to get completely in cover with a stand. When people say 360 degree movement, it means no cover from head to toe completely around the tree.
That said, to me, almost everything else about the stand is not as optimal as a saddle. I have bad shoulders and hanging a 14 lb stand is much worse that strapping on a 4lb platform. I get a little uneasy in a stand without a completely taut tether. My glasses, with progressive/bifocal lens has the effect that when looking down, I am trying to look at distance (to the ground for my balance) and not close up. That makes me have to lean over even more to see clearly to the ground, which exacerbates the uneasy feeling.
I am not getting out of the saddle, but I would like some kind of hybrid system to sit facing away from the tree to get nestled into complete cover in a branchy tree when the opportunity arises. And to be able to do that with keeping my saddle setup.
I mostly hunt where, in addition to oaks, there are cedars and maples. And when I decide to get in one, I really have to prune branches and also limit my movement. For example: 2” or more to the left and my body hits a branch and the whole branch shakes. Similar to the right.
And when I think about it. In a stand one can stay sitting. That takes about 18” less vertical clearance and only enough horizontal clearance the width of the body. To me, it is easier to get completely in cover with a stand. When people say 360 degree movement, it means no cover from head to toe completely around the tree.
That said, to me, almost everything else about the stand is not as optimal as a saddle. I have bad shoulders and hanging a 14 lb stand is much worse that strapping on a 4lb platform. I get a little uneasy in a stand without a completely taut tether. My glasses, with progressive/bifocal lens has the effect that when looking down, I am trying to look at distance (to the ground for my balance) and not close up. That makes me have to lean over even more to see clearly to the ground, which exacerbates the uneasy feeling.
I am not getting out of the saddle, but I would like some kind of hybrid system to sit facing away from the tree to get nestled into complete cover in a branchy tree when the opportunity arises. And to be able to do that with keeping my saddle setup.
Any tree I can't get into and hunt from a saddle, I also would not be able to hunt with a hang on. We don't have many pines here and where we do, I always have a hardwood nearby and avoid the pines. In part because I don't want sap all over.
Some folks on other sites crap all over saddle hunting because they don't do it and can't stand the idea of being wrong about something or someone else doing something they don't that might be a good thing.
For instance, a few guys on archerytalk always tell people that once you get in a saddle you won't be able to stop compulsively moving and swinging around, as if you lose self control and awareness.
So take what you hear with a grain of salt. Most haven't tried it or if they did they bought a tethrd and tried to make it work without doing a lot of research, tinkering, or asking for help.
Some folks on other sites crap all over saddle hunting because they don't do it and can't stand the idea of being wrong about something or someone else doing something they don't that might be a good thing.
For instance, a few guys on archerytalk always tell people that once you get in a saddle you won't be able to stop compulsively moving and swinging around, as if you lose self control and awareness.
So take what you hear with a grain of salt. Most haven't tried it or if they did they bought a tethrd and tried to make it work without doing a lot of research, tinkering, or asking for help.
I only hunt trees with heavy cover. I’ve had many sits in cedar trees 7 feet off the ground, oak trees with like 6-7 trunks all together, even locust trees where you gotta watch out for thorns coming up and down. I have found that for public land where you can’t cut limbs for shooting lanes, or going in for a sit in an area you haven’t been to the saddle is much preferred. The downside is most of the time you’ll have to place your platform on the side you want to shoot the deer at and set up for a 6 o clock shot instead of the traditional saddle hunter 12 o clock shot.
Okay You are right You are gonna get different opinions I personally do not believe you can hunt treees with heavy cover as well but I find if you set up to shoot your strong side and are good with giving up 360 shooting saddles are a great tool But i will never given up my lonewolf to hunt exclusively out of a saddle even though i enjoy it and use it alot
I don't think it is necessarily based on cover, but I have definitely experienced the tree in the most ideal spot being not very conducive to saddle hunting, and this is mostly due to how the trunk branches off at different angles near hunting height. Tough to comfortably get in and hunt trees like that when in a saddle, but not bad when you can set a stand to just sit in. Still doable in a saddle, just not ideal.
But this is exactly why saddle hunting is just one tool in my tool box. Some people seem to feel compelled to try to hunt with one method exclusively. I try to use them all when needed. Saddle, ladder stands, hang-ons, ground blinds, box blinds, ghillie suit in the brush, etc. I try to use whatever is appropriate for the situation. Same goes for climbing method. I use whatever method is appropriate for that hunt and that tree, be it one-sticking, pre-set ladders or sticks, multiple climbing sticks with aiders, etc. Sometimes will still even bust out the old throwback screw in steps. Whatever works to kill those deer is what I try to do.
But this is exactly why saddle hunting is just one tool in my tool box. Some people seem to feel compelled to try to hunt with one method exclusively. I try to use them all when needed. Saddle, ladder stands, hang-ons, ground blinds, box blinds, ghillie suit in the brush, etc. I try to use whatever is appropriate for the situation. Same goes for climbing method. I use whatever method is appropriate for that hunt and that tree, be it one-sticking, pre-set ladders or sticks, multiple climbing sticks with aiders, etc. Sometimes will still even bust out the old throwback screw in steps. Whatever works to kill those deer is what I try to do.
Pick up a cheap or used saddle on here and give it a go would be the best option. Your hunting style is different to everyone else and what is comfortable. Go towards the JX3 light and kinda have both. But only you can determine what works best for you.
Each will have a positive and negative. You will blow a shot on a deer switching to the saddle because it's different. If you want to continue after that or not is up to you.
Each will have a positive and negative. You will blow a shot on a deer switching to the saddle because it's different. If you want to continue after that or not is up to you.
Saddle hunting as it’s portrayed on YouTube and forums isn’t practical in a lot of the trees I hunt. If you solely use a ros or a tiny platform you will find yourself in a tight spot when hemmed in by branches. If you get a platform big enough to turn around on you can shoot from it as you would a stand. Or just saddle hunt out of your stand.