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Too Popular?

BayouBeauxhunter said:
Are people more afraid of increased injuries due to saddle hunting or climbing? There may not be a difference in how it’s reported but I think there should be distinctions. I don’t think there is much difference in saddle hunting vs hunting from a loc on. The same people using unsafe gear while saddle hunting will be the same ones using unsafe gear in treestands. I think the increased hype of the WE steps will be more of a problem than the increased hype in saddle hunting. I’m not saying the WE steps are unsafe, but WE didn’t seem to have near the excitement until the knaider and swaider/ multistep aider videos came out. There will be very few people who put in the time and practice required for the aider methods to be safe. How those WE steps are installed vary greatly from tree to tree and doing it in the dark going around limbs will create serious challenges and safety risks for people who didn’t put in the practice.
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BayouBeauxhunter said:
Are people more afraid of increased injuries due to saddle hunting or climbing? There may not be a difference in how it’s reported but I think there should be distinctions. I don’t think there is much difference in saddle hunting vs hunting from a loc on. The same people using unsafe gear while saddle hunting will be the same ones using unsafe gear in treestands. I think the increased hype of the WE steps will be more of a problem than the increased hype in saddle hunting. I’m not saying the WE steps are unsafe, but WE didn’t seem to have near the excitement until the knaider and swaider/ multistep aider videos came out. There will be very few people who put in the time and practice required for the aider methods to be safe. How those WE steps are installed vary greatly from tree to tree and doing it in the dark going around limbs will create serious challenges and safety risks for people who didn’t put in the practice.
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Honestly I do not believe anyone should be using a 5 step aider with WE steps. The WE steps were designed to be use without attachments. Adding a knaider adds some risk but is manageable with practice. I agree the accidents caused by climbing methods will be attributed to saddle hunting. I guess each individual needs to determine what is acceptable risk. The information communicated in this form will educate new saddle hunters. This is my go to place for information.
 
BigAl said:
2 yrs into saddle hunting. What I think most people forget as an advantage that I really like is No One knows my spots. I can even do presets stealthily and can keep low profile. Yes moving around is more work I guess but lugging a climbing stand isn't easier or hang on sets keep you contaminating one area with scent. That is something that is worth more than most people forget about. Maybe the bubble pops but that's ok with me.
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I agree. I'm tired of putting in the work and then find out others are hunting my stands because they know I put in the work.
 
BayouBeauxhunter said:
Are people more afraid of increased injuries due to saddle hunting or climbing? There may not be a difference in how it’s reported but I think there should be distinctions. I don’t think there is much difference in saddle hunting vs hunting from a loc on. The same people using unsafe gear while saddle hunting will be the same ones using unsafe gear in treestands. I think the increased hype of the WE steps will be more of a problem than the increased hype in saddle hunting. I’m not saying the WE steps are unsafe, but WE didn’t seem to have near the excitement until the knaider and swaider/ multistep aider videos came out. There will be very few people who put in the time and practice required for the aider methods to be safe. How those WE steps are installed vary greatly from tree to tree and doing it in the dark going around limbs will create serious challenges and safety risks for people who didn’t put in the practice.
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I think it's the climbing that will cause the most injuries.
 
So I’m out here in Oregon and literally every person I talk with about saddle hunting and my system has absolutely no clue what I’m talking about. Most folks also think I’m crazy, but that may just be a function of the style of hunting we do out here and that very few people hunt from an elevated position.
 
ThomasHemlock said:
While the increased popularity may lead to more choices and lower prices, I think @Nutterbuster is right when he says "the bubble will pop." I'm not sure we'll ever see saddles on the shelves at the big retailers. Lock-ons and sticks are popular but the big stores only carry a couple brands of sticks and most of em are steel junk I wouldn't waste my money on. So if sticks are popular but still not on the shelves, I doubt saddles will make it to the shelves.
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I believe Cabelas used to carry Trophyline saddles back in the day.
 
I got into saddle hunting recently for the weight savings. I have always been mobile, but I started hunting public ground in the Mountains over the past few years and carrying a climber up there is brutal even shorter distances. I know quite a few guys who hunt the mountains as well, and not a single one use a saddle. 90% of them hunt from the ground due to the difficulty of the terrain. I have always appreciated the much greater field of view one enjoys from an elevated position, and feel certain that saddles will catch on in the mountain hunting community as they become more publicized.

As far as safety, I gravitated to the LW Handclimber as my climbing method since I like the idea of not having to use a lineman’s belt, and appreciate being attached to a tether from the ground up. I used Klien spurs for years trimming trees so I completely comfortable with a belt, but feel being tethered to the tree 100% of the time is safer. Many of our poplars, Hickory’s and oaks are telephone pole straight with no limbs so the LW Handclimber is a great option.
 
jbogg said:
I got into saddle hunting recently for the weight savings. I have always been mobile, but I started hunting public ground in the Mountains over the past few years and carrying a climber up there is brutal even shorter distances. I know quite a few guys who hunt the mountains as well, and not a single one use a saddle. 90% of them hunt from the ground due to the difficulty of the terrain. I have always appreciated the much greater field of view one enjoys from an elevated position, and feel certain that saddles will catch on in the mountain hunting community as they become more publicized.

As far as safety, I gravitated to the LW Handclimber as my climbing method since I like the idea of not having to use a lineman’s belt, and appreciate being attached to a tether from the ground up. I used Klien spurs for years trimming trees so I completely comfortable with a belt, but feel being tethered to the tree 100% of the time is safer. Many of our poplars, Hickory’s and oaks are telephone pole straight with no limbs so the LW Handclimber is a great option.
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How much weight savings are you getting versus a LW hand climber versus your saddle setup? My experience has been close to a wash (maybe 2 or 3 pounds difference max) with lwhc and my saddle setup. I choose the saddle (or hang on) so I can get into limbed trees. Just curious.
 
If you don’t talk about mobile hunting buck beds, did you even hunt a bucks bed......... bRo ??!?!? !
 
sojourner said:
How much weight savings are you getting versus a LW hand climber versus your saddle setup? My experience has been close to a wash (maybe 2 or 3 pounds difference max) with lwhc and my saddle setup. I choose the saddle (or hang on) so I can get into limbed trees. Just curious.
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I use the JX3 hybrid with the Lonewolf hand climber. Both combined are around 13 pounds so there is a significant weight savings when compared to my summit goliath which I used for years. Over the last few years while hunting the mountains I have used one of several meat packs which I carry on every hunt and weigh 7 to 8 pounds when empty. The JX3 hybrid Will carry a substantial amount of weight, so my meat pack stays in the truck.
 
I’m 48 and have almost quit hunting from stands because mobility was a summit climber. This year I ordered a tethrd mantis an I’m more fired up than I’ve been in years. Fad or not it’s changes my outlook and it’s a way for us older guys and girls to be mobile without packing a stand. I’m an old lineman. I think this will be right up my alley. I’m used to being on a pole in the same position the saddle will put me in. The only difference is I’ll have a bow instead of working tools. I can’t wait!
 
jbogg said:
I use the JX3 hybrid with the Lonewolf hand climber. Both combined are around 13 pounds so there is a significant weight savings when compared to my summit goliath which I used for years. Over the last few years while hunting the mountains I have used one of several meat packs which I carry on every hunt and weigh 7 to 8 pounds when empty. The JX3 hybrid Will carry a substantial amount of weight, so my meat pack stays in the truck.
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Looks like it works for you. Good. The only commercial saddle I own is he Guidos web. I’ll look for a jx3 come later season if/when people are selling them used at a good deal.
 
Bumping this one cause it’s interesting to see what came to fruition over the last 4 years. Cool to see some names still active and helping new folks get started!
Wonder what folks think the future is now.
 
Still think it's a fad.

I was wrong about the overall mobile market really blowing up. Public land is also a fad right now, and that's driving mobile up.

I've come to realize most people don't like hunting, they like the aesthetic of being a hunter and buy the gear accordingly thinking it's the golden ticket. It's not. Still takes work. The outlook for the secondary market continues to look positive.

Full cycle will be when people realize how stupid overcomplicated some of these goofball climbing methods are in pole timber and 10-15 pound climbers make a big comeback. We'll be right back to where we started 35 years ago.
 
elk yinzer said:
Still think it's a fad.

I was wrong about the overall mobile market really blowing up. Public land is also a fad right now, and that's driving mobile up.

I've come to realize most people don't like hunting, they like the aesthetic of being a hunter and buy the gear accordingly thinking it's the golden ticket. It's not. Still takes work. The outlook for the secondary market continues to look positive.

Full cycle will be when people realize how stupid overcomplicated some of these goofball climbing methods are in pole timber and 10-15 pound climbers make a big comeback. We'll be right back to where we started 35 years ago.
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This right here. Most folks I know are "casual" hunters, not lunatics like myself. The problem around here is - for us die-hard morons, is not that many climbable trees. I have used a climber for 20+ years on some select places, but that's a limited option. I hunt some draw-in land pretty often that I do not know what the terrain will be until Wildlife Dept tells me. Could be ground. climber, or now, saddle. I bought the saddle setup with that in mind. I know I'm in the minority, as most guys that get drawn won't even hike 500 yards from the truck.

I think saddle hunting is gonna be a lot like kayak fishing. Folks will buy them, try them, then they'll collect dust when they realize how much effort it is.
 
Interesting to see this. Definitely more players in the saddle making game today but we also lost one of the OG makers (Aerohunter). I still have to explain to most what I am talking about with a saddle but most of my friends don't even hunt. I've seen a few celebrity hunters use them, but I have not seen the bigger box stores carry them. I must admit I thought they would take off more.
 
Chandler96 said:
I would say the majority of hunters want to sit in a big box blind. at the least the want a comfy ladder stand they dont need any ropes to sit in. it takes some dedication to hunt from a saddle and pack in and out each time. most hunters arent that dedicated.
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I am starting to think this is more true than I realized. Chances of rain tomorrow, low 40’s, n-nw wind 15-20. I am excited. Had two people tell me they aren’t likely going out in that cold and for sure won’t if it rains. I’m used to our 5 day shotgun season where you went opening day no matter how cold it was and how deep the snow was. Some of the folks I’ve met seem to take the longer archery season as a reason to pick comfortable days to hunt. I take that as good news for me though.
 
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