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What did you do today that’s related to saddle hunting?

Fl Canopy Stalker said:
You don’t have to isolate a branch on Ddrt anymore than you have to isolate a branch using JRB. They are both doubled ropes and you can only go as high as the lowest branch your system crosses in either. I can understand rope abrasion but I got 3 full seasons out of my Ddrt climbing rope and only bought some more because predator is so hard to keep in inventory. As far as safer, the same chance of falling from the crotch breaking on either system. The Blake’s hitch has seen third party testing for break strength and slip, your body would break before the Blake’s would. In an SRT system what would you say the failure point is? If you’re using a Madrock safeguard or a petzl gri gri, they are approved for fall arrest, meaning they have been tested to catch you in a dynamic event that as you’ve stated shouldn’t occur. I am only asking because there’s a lot of information based on speculation about the safety of a system. So at hunting height do you also run two tethers and a different prusik on each? Do you use two saddles and 2 bridges as well?
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I find you do bc you have to fight the resistance of the rope moving over the crotch, DRT is how I started, I switched to JRB bc it’s just superior in ever way imo, and with the dual rope dual hitch I leave the hitches on the rope, tie once and leave it. I’m clipped in to either 2 loops or 4 loops if I wanna use it in bridge mode, and my 2nd bridge is clipped into the clove hitch prussic cord I have on the Garda hitch that’s while climbing. Once I height most of the time I hunt the same way, use my foot loop as a platform and stay connected to my ascender hitchs. If I do break out my tether I run it around the tree where it passes through a sewn loop and a prussic cord loop of bee line as back up, my primary bridge connects to a CT RolNLoc and distal hitch and my 2nd bridge is clipped to the tight eye at the end of my tether as another back up.
 
Did some scouting and stump shooting.
Was great to get out and find a few more spots to hunt and shoot my bow.
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The_Fit_Ness_Monster said:
I find you do bc you have to fight the resistance of the rope moving over the crotch, DRT is how I started, I switched to JRB bc it’s just superior in ever way imo, and with the dual rope dual hitch I leave the hitches on the rope, tie once and leave it. I’m clipped in to either 2 loops or 4 loops if I wanna use it in bridge mode, and my 2nd bridge is clipped into the clove hitch prussic cord I have on the Garda hitch that’s while climbing. Once I height most of the time I hunt the same way, use my foot loop as a platform and stay connected to my ascender hitchs. If I do break out my tether I run it around the tree where it passes through a sewn loop and a prussic cord loop of bee line as back up, my primary bridge connects to a CT RolNLoc and distal hitch and my 2nd bridge is clipped to the tight eye at the end of my tether as another back up.
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But the friction is only on the first branch, all branches below aren’t adding to resistance at least not compared to the main crotch. Either system you’d only climb to the lowest branch without having to redirect. I believe in JRB’s he disconnects one hitch, advances it beyond the branch, reconnects, advances to the foot loop, repeats process and can then pull the line over the branch (redirections midline) I can do the same with the tail from DDrt, pull up to the branch, roll a quick monkey fist throw over the tail and retire in.. or even quicker, tether off at branch height, then disconnect, pull the tail with the Blake’s over the branch and tie back in (I use a split tail open system so no tying or retyping knots at the tree if I don’t want to.)
Now I am definitely intrigued by the staying on your rope comment…..
So you stay on the JRB rope as your hunting method meaning no tether and no platform or ROS because you use the foot loop…That’s very interesting. How are you getting shots on the back side of the tree? Your foot doesn’t get uncomfortable with that little foot loop holding weight for long periods of time? I watched his videos but I have never seen someone hunt from the system with no tether or platform. I only stay on my climbing line if I climb all the way to the branch I threw over which rarely happens. Most of the time the branch is higher than the shooting lane/preferred hunting height for me. If the rope is way over my head, then it’s not comfortable because it pulls from the bottom strap (due to angles). So if his system has rendered the need for a platform as useless then I can see wanting to use it
 
True but I avoid the friction all together, and yes if I had a branch on the way up I connect with my tether advance the hitches above and clip in and continue. And yes its only happened to me twice this way, where I found a suitable white oak but didn’t want to be against the trunk so I just JRB up to the limb and wear my backpack and just hand there feet danglin’ or in the foot loops, and the longest I’ve sat with the foot loops was about 5 hrs but no I dnt get any stress from the 1.25” strap. Now im more so hanging in the saddle not standing on my feet but I could see if I were to press them against a tree how’d that become tiresome but usually if the tree is small enough and I’m close to the trunk I’ll throw my platform up but if it’s not uncomfortable I’ll stay on my climbing line, connect at ground and stay connected you know. Most of the trees I climb are the huge oaks and I like to get in the canopy. The main reason I like saddle is bc with my climber I was tired of climbing telephone poles. I mainly use saddle and rope to get into the canopy of the larger oaks.
 
Weldabeast said:
Dang son....u did 5 hrs on 1.25 webbing stirrups and didn't get uncomfortable?....u got some beast ankles/feet
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Yeah but I don’t have a lot of pressure on my feet I’m more just hanging in my saddle. And probably a little I came from standing in a climber from dark to dark. This setup is much more comfy.
 
Disced the power line right away behind house in preparation for chicory, brassica, ryegrass, clover, and rape seed planting in hopes to provide better food than deer corn. The wife thinks all this and the chicory is just wildflowers Im planting for her. Trimmed up trees and prepped shooting lanes. Crazy to be getting ready for next season and this season archery is still open.


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Weldabeast said:
U a lot tougher and acrobatic than I am for sure
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I was thinking the same thing after 5 minutes in 2” stirrups I was ready to give up completely :sweatsmile:
Even with my weight in the saddle, adjusting and walking the back side of the tree would still be a PIA. I like that soft platform you got and of course the ridge runner I use on long sits lol
 
Scouted, scouted and scouted some more. Found a lot of terrain feature sign not big buck sign though. IMG_8288 (1).JPG
 

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The_Fit_Ness_Monster said:
Is there a particular reason for SRT? like, have you tried JRB method yet? The one thing I don’t like about SRT is you have to isolate a branch unless you do a basal anchor. I found JRB to eliminate this hassle.
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I may be a little overwhelmed with all the different ways to do things quite honestly. As far as presetting a cord, I can thread a crotch pretty good with my slingshot and spoon. I’ll probably never SRT a tree without having a cord already preset. I plan on climbing a few trees I could never get a stick attached to since they are so big! I love one sticking but dislike the tree limitations.
 
Today, I shot my bow, put in vacation for first week in November to go to KY again to deer hunt! Put in for Christmas week too! I’m pretty stoked, I get 26.14 days paid vacation. We get attendance bonus too and since I have all of my personal and sick days, it’d be way too expensive to call out at this point!
 
bfriendly said:
I may be a little overwhelmed with all the different ways to do things quite honestly. As far as presetting a cord, I can thread a crotch pretty good with my slingshot and spoon. I’ll probably never SRT a tree without having a cord already preset. I plan on climbing a few trees I could never get a stick attached to since they are so big! I love one sticking but dislike the tree limitations.
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Yeahh understandable, at first seeing JRB hitches i was like man i wanna learn to tie those and it only took about 4 tries and now i can do it from memory. But if not for his systemid still be debating on how to get in a tree. The rope system is what got me bc i dnt trust sticks nor do i like the notion of toting them around. And watching someone stick climb gives me a headache, if i wanted that much hassle id stick to my climber.
 
The_Fit_Ness_Monster said:
Yeahh understandable, at first seeing JRB hitches i was like man i wanna learn to tie those and it only took about 4 tries and now i can do it from memory. But if not for his systemid still be debating on how to get in a tree. The rope system is what got me bc i dnt trust sticks nor do i like the notion of toting them around. And watching someone stick climb gives me a headache, if i wanted that much hassle id stick to my climber.
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But sticks don’t need telephone pole trees, your climber does….. :sweatsmile:
 
The_Fit_Ness_Monster said:
Yeahh understandable, at first seeing JRB hitches i was like man i wanna learn to tie those and it only took about 4 tries and now i can do it from memory. But if not for his systemid still be debating on how to get in a tree. The rope system is what got me bc i dnt trust sticks nor do i like the notion of toting them around. And watching someone stick climb gives me a headache, if i wanted that much hassle id stick to my climber.
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What makes me crazy monster, is being able to tie a knot 2 or 3 times, then forget what I just did. I’m stoked I finally got the hunters bend down pat. My first SRT try was with the ascender hitch, but I tied a 423 instead of the 523 and it slipped. I’ll be learning it til I get it down pat too!
At almost 55 years old, there is little change in my routines and daily activities. Saddle hunting has been the greatest brain exercise to come into my life in a long time. I truly enjoy every minute and every aspect of it. I laugh at the failures because I know success is right around the corner.
Im having so much fun I’m even trying to get in shape!
 
bfriendly said:
What makes me crazy monster, is being able to tie a knot 2 or 3 times, then forget what I just did. I’m stoked I finally got the hunters bend down pat. My first SRT try was with the ascender hitch, but I tied a 423 instead of the 523 and it slipped. I’ll be learning it til I get it down pat too!
At almost 55 years old, there is little change in my routines and daily activities. Saddle hunting has been the greatest brain exercise to come into my life in a long time. I truly enjoy every minute and every aspect of it. I laugh at the failures because I know success is right around the corner.
Im having so much fun I’m even trying to get in shape!
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Yeahh i had a 523 and it was too much. Im only 160# so the 413 is what i went with now and it grabs good for me.
 
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