Thoughts After 4 Days In the Saddle

[Wirrex]

I just got back from an out of state public land hunt. I hunted four days straight, setting up twice each day for a total of 8 sits in a modified sit drag. I had only hunted in a saddle twice prior to this.

I kind of threw myself into it but I knew the hunt would require a long hike in and I wanted the bennefits the sit drag offered.

My set up is a minimal climbing harness, modified sit drag with adjustable rope bridge, rope teather with two Prussiks, lone wolf stick with 3 loop aider, and strap on step platform.

I started out with all of this in a backpack but quickly learned to strap everything to the climbing stick to ditch the bag. I think it was making my profile too large in the smaller trees as I kept getting spotted. This was a reoccurring problem.

I found it hard to stay comfortable for any longer than 15 minutes in any one position. I'm 30 years old, 165 lbs, and in good shape. My hips are still sore 2 days later.

I had a good buck come in from behind then stopped on my off side at 10 yds. After 15 seconds he had me pegged. If I was in a regular stand I may have had a chance to turn and shoot but not with the huge movements required in the sit drag.

So the the biggest problems I have with the sit drag/saddle set up are:

1: lack of comfort

2: Shooting to the off side.

2: large movements required.

I probably set myself up for failure expecting too much from the saddle in trees/areas I wanted to hunt. Not enough concielment.

Anyway, I was not as impressed as I had hoped I would be. I don't think any more experience would have helped in my situation other than realizing it may not be the right tool in that situation.

 

[justsomedude]

That's a lot of consecutive hours.
The only way I can do it is to have a lot of variations in my hang.

I lean forward, lean back, lower my tether and sit with legs bent, stand up and lean back, wrap legs around the tree etc.

Consider making a back support. It makes a big difference. For hip pinch, sometimes raising or lowering your tether mid hunt changes your hip pressure enough to make you more comfortable

RE: shooting to your off side....you need a good bit of warning to get set up for that. I had a buck on my right when I was ground hunting (came in behind me) and I couldn't make the move either. Just had to enjoy the view!

 

[Wirrex]

Yeah, it's not like I won't use it but like everyone here I need to find what works and what doesn't.

I do think that a good old hang on has it's place especially when putting in the long hours.

Maybe I'll give a bigger platform a try. Something that I can just stand on for relief.

 

[d_rek]

Part of the 'learning curve' of a saddle is not just how you setup but how you manage your comfort. It took me 2 seasons to dial in how I wear my saddle and how I adjust for comfort for each and every tree. Sometimes it's a slightly higher hookup, sometimes slightly lower, sometimes I leave my linesmans belt attached, sometimes not.

Sometimes it just means shifting positon from standing to half-sit every 10-15 minutes. The way I look at it unless I had a lazy boy up in the tree with my i'm going to be fidgeting whether in a saddle or a hang-on. I just make sure to use my eyes and ears much more wisely when I am in a saddle.

I admire you jumping in head first, and I wouldn't look at it as 'failure', but now you will know what you need to work on to get the type of comfort you require to successfully saddle hunt.

I have never used a sit-drag but have hunted out of a trophyline saddle and now use an aerohunter evolution. The aerohunter is leaps and bounds improved over my comfort from the TL saddle I used. There are many reason for this, but simple adjustability is the biggest one. You have to dial in your gear for your body type and your setup. I am not sure if a sit-drag offers this type of adjustability, but you may want to consider an aerohunter or guidos web for these reasons.

Another thing, which I don't think gets mentioned enough here, is simply conditioning your body and muscles to a totally different hunting setup. The best analogy I have is that it's kind of like going from a desk job to one where you're on your feet all day. The first couple of days on your feet are bound to be rough and i'm sure you'll appreciate sitting on your a** after a long day on your feet. But after those first few days - even weeks - it'll steadily become more tolerable.

Anyway, at worst it's another tool in your hunting toolbox for certain situations. At best it can dramatically change where and how you hunt. Stick with it and I think you'll be rewarded for your efforts.

 

[MCDM]

I hope you don't intend on giving up on the saddle style. If you only hunted twice from a saddle prior to your recent trip i would bet to say your still in saddle infancy. This is kinda the one thing that plagues everyone entering into this. I applaud you on putting in some hours there. You just need more time to learn what adjustments you feel are best for you, just try different things. Offside shooting does require a great deal of practice and most times you need to spot your prey well off to get in position. As far as you looking big in the tree two things here:
1st make sure you have adequate cover not just behind you but from multiple angles. This will ensure you are being broken up.

2nd hunting height can have a great effect on success. With smaller diameter trees i find that hunting higher here proves itself. The only other suggestion would be to sit or lean side saddle so to speak with the tree which will also decrease your profile.

Keep at it it will come and best of luck to you.

 

[BCHunter]

For me a standing lean on an xop platform is much better on my hips.

A lot of guys don't like that they can't stealthily shoot 360 out of a saddle, but it's not like they would have a much better chance in a hang on if a deer showed up at 15 yards unannounced on their off side to the back. Again, a platform helps being stealthy when turning around, but being in a saddle doesn't fix situations that were stacked against you in the first place.

 

[Maustypsu]

The Sit Drag is certainly not the cadillac of saddles. I really think that the foam mod would have helped you. It relieves the hip pinch that I otherwise get when the SnD bunches up in the corners. Something to keep it stiff and in place.
Then I find I like to sit in it like a child's swing, down under my butt to thighs vs butt up to the back.

If those don't work, then I'd look into a 'fork' of some kind like the Guido's Web has. Something that keeps you off the tree. And also some way to force the saddle apart - hard seat, foam, PVC mod or something more creative.

 

[redsquirrel]

So the the biggest problems I have with the sit drag/saddle set up are:

1: lack of comfort

2: Shooting to the off side.

2: large movements required.

Welcome to the site.

Like other's said, it can take a little while to fine tune your saddle set up, everyone is different in what they like.

Here are my takes on your points:
1. I agree with you. I personally don't think the sit and drag is comfortable for long periods. So I don't use one. There are other saddle options out there that will help with this.
2. Shooting to the off side is very doable, but you have to learn how to do it and practice. Depending on the size of the tree I do it 2 ways. On smaller trees I can actually keep rotating around my shooting side to shoot back to my offside. On larger trees I will rotate on my right foot (I'm a righty) and turn as far as I can to my left, even taking my left foot off of any steps and just hanging in the air.
3. Being able to make large movements is an advantage of the saddle. When I'm hanging there, I am almost always moving a little bit. I rotate my head back and forth (head on a swivel), and I will slowly sway from side to side to scan the woods. I do this so that I can get myself into position before the deer get anywhere near me. I do the same thing if I hear a sound. I will immediately get into position for that sounds. Lots of time it is squirrels but I'm ready if its the big one. Now if you have a ton of eyes around you you can't get away with much movement. But if you have 1 deer that you are not in position for, you can make big movements to adjust when they are not looking if you keep an eye on them. The advantage of the saddle is that you can do this very quietly.

I hope this makes you rethink your position and work on finding something that will work for you.

 

[g2outdoors]

It took me several seasons to get really comfortable. D_Rek made a good analogy about desk job vs on your feet job. That's really true. In the beginning I felt a lot of hip pinch and discomfort. Years later I don't notice it at all. If I do, I just rotate or move slightly to eliminate it. But that comes with conditioning and experience. It doesn't happen overnight.

Here's what you have to consider: are the advantages you originally saw with Saddle Hunting worth working through the learning curve? That's the question you need to ask yourself.

You pointed out many of the advantages - lightweight, mobile, works in any tree, and concealment to name a few. Those are all huge advantages that will become more and more evident as you get experience in the saddle.

Just think about how you learned to minimize your setup in the tree and ditch the pack. That's a perfect example of the saddle process. It takes time, but you'll slowly work out your system.

If you don't think the advantages are worth the learning curve, there's certainly nothing wrong with hunting from a treestand. I still do it from time to time, and lots of hunters kill lots of bucks every year using them. However, if you stick with it and put in the effort, you'll learn why so many of us are life time converts. The advantages are too numerous to go back to traditional tree stands.

 

[kenn1320]

Your a tough guy to sit in a sit drag for hours, days in a row. I know some love them, but they are not for everybody. I sit at a desk 5 days a wk, but find standing/leaning into the saddle very comfortable. When I do hang, I get circulation issues in my legs, yet it doesn't feel uncomfortable. I just kinda feel my feet start tingling and stand back up. I only get this when I side saddle the tree. The more hang you use, the more tempted you are to move and swing around cause its fun, so I don't do that any longer. You can be real still, standing and focused on your phone while surfing saddlehunter. I don't walk around the tree. I use an xop platform and 1 Jim stepp to my strong side. The offside shot is easy, but getting the bow over the bridge has its issues. Lets face it, you can't always position with the tree between you and the deer on your strong side due to wind direction. In those situations I hang the bow on my offside planning that shot.
You can try the pad and see if that helps, but id try a throat high hook up and lean against the sit-drag like its a counter top or fender of a car. Short tether so your leaning back taking load off your legs, but upright enough that its almost effortless to grab your tether with one hand and pull yourself upright.

 

[Wirrex]

Thanks for everyone's input. I appreciate it. I am not going to give up on this endeavor. I'm actually going back this weekend with several modifications already in place.

I think seeing several amazing bucks and getting busted by them all put a damper on the situation.

I shoot a recurve and so prefer to be set up close. Combine that with not being able to sit still because of comfort issues and it didn't work out as I planned.

Hopefully more leaves have dropped in Iowa and I can get a jump on deer heading my way.

 

[MCDM]

I will agree with you there anytime you have a crap ton of bucks all around and get busted you will always be like "what the hell I can't believe I blew it". I try to not let the negativity of that statement or thought take over instead assess what happen, realize that at least your scouting paid off, make necessary changes, and get back out and stick one!! Glad to see you made those mods and are sticking with it.

Bucks are strange so coveted everyone likes the bone. Big or small they are smart and have senses we only wish we possessed ourselves. Believe me I have been in your shoes and it will warp your mind but it better to be in the woods and not score than be at work any day of the week.

 

[Wirrex]

Well after last weekends hunts I have spun 180 on my thoughts.

I sat Saturday morning in the sitdrag with no issues. Knee pads went a long way.

Saturday night I sat in in a relatives ladder stand on a different piece of land. I was begging for that sitdrag half way through the afternoon! I was so uncomfortable and fidgety in that stand! I don't like to sit at all. I find it difficult to shoot a recurve while physically sitting in a treestand. I feel the tree saddle gives us single stringers a much better shooting position with our longer bows.

Sunday morning I sat in the sitdrag for 5 hours straight totally comfortable.

I think the biggest thing was like you guys said, your body has to adjust to it. That conditioning is real. I am an electrician and work out heavily and so was honestly surprised that this was the reason for my discomfort.

Anyway, I am a happy camper as of right now. I'm working on a lone wolf platform this week. Hopefully, a larger platform will make this method even more enjoyable.

I wish I would have started this years ago.

 

[Erniepower]

Well after last weekends hunts I have spun 180 on my thoughts.

I sat Saturday morning in the sitdrag with no issues. Knee pads went a long way.

Saturday night I sat in in a relatives ladder stand on a different piece of land. I was begging for that sitdrag half way through the afternoon! I was so uncomfortable and fidgety in that stand! I don't like to sit at all. I find it difficult to shoot a recurve while physically sitting in a treestand. I feel the tree saddle gives us single stringers a much better shooting position with our longer bows.

Sunday morning I sat in the sitdrag for 5 hours straight totally comfortable.

I think the biggest thing was like you guys said, your body has to adjust to it. That conditioning is real. I am an electrician and work out heavily and so was honestly surprised that this was the reason for my discomfort.

Anyway, I am a happy camper as of right now. I'm working on a lone wolf platform this week. Hopefully, a larger platform will make this method even more enjoyable.

I wish I would have started this years ago.

It takes a little getting used to, but if you are willing to stick it out, it's the best method out there. Now you start tweaking. Make it your own. Eventually, you will probably want to make your own saddle with the features that are important to you.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[g2outdoors]

Well after last weekends hunts I have spun 180 on my thoughts.

I sat Saturday morning in the sitdrag with no issues. Knee pads went a long way.

Saturday night I sat in in a relatives ladder stand on a different piece of land. I was begging for that sitdrag half way through the afternoon! I was so uncomfortable and fidgety in that stand! I don't like to sit at all. I find it difficult to shoot a recurve while physically sitting in a treestand. I feel the tree saddle gives us single stringers a much better shooting position with our longer bows.

Sunday morning I sat in the sitdrag for 5 hours straight totally comfortable.

I think the biggest thing was like you guys said, your body has to adjust to it. That conditioning is real. I am an electrician and work out heavily and so was honestly surprised that this was the reason for my discomfort.

Anyway, I am a happy camper as of right now. I'm working on a lone wolf platform this week. Hopefully, a larger platform will make this method even more enjoyable.

I wish I would have started this years ago.

You are an animal!

I find the SitDrag to be incredibly comfortable. I can sit in mine forever with zero discomfort.

Wait til you get that platform... It makes a Huuuuuge difference.

 

[DIYSaddler]

If for some reason you find you can't get over the hip pinch for long sits you can always give the OneHair Tree Seat a go. It's like the poor man's guido's web.