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Why saddle over hang on
- Thread starter Robbo
- Start date
For me personally, it was because I could not get a hang on or hand climber back in the swamps I was seeing deer and hogs in. Too bulky, and too heavy.
Added safety and versatility was a bit of a factor, but ultimately it was a matter of physically wearing myself down with a conventional stand vs just strolling through the woods with a saddle on my hips.
Added safety and versatility was a bit of a factor, but ultimately it was a matter of physically wearing myself down with a conventional stand vs just strolling through the woods with a saddle on my hips.
Comfort - my back killed me when I tired to sit for hours in any hang on. That and saddle is lighter and better suited for scout hunting IMO
Primary factor for me is reduced bulk and the ergonomics of hauling stuff. I hunt the mountains of central PA and it is thick where the deer live. I am able to fit everything in a high quality backpack frame that even weight being close to equal is about 50x more comfortable than hauling my stand even with molle suspension. And the smaller profile does not snag brush.
I switched because I can get farther from the road without hauling in a bunch of weight. I plan to get even lighter next year by modifying my climbing method. Ditching the hang on stand did wonders. Hiking in with the weight of a stand on my back or under arm, especially in early season, wore me down enough I sometimes had to convince myself to stay to hunt after hanging it. If successful I would then have to haul even more weight out in venison.
I can also scout and hunt same day easier with a saddle. I have hunted a different location each sit this season, I have never done that before with a hang on due to the energy and effort required to get set up. I have observed deer nearly every sit and successfully harvested a buck and a doe this season from places I have never set foot on, even though I am hunting the same public areas I hunt each year.
To sum up, I feel more mobile and exert less energy by carrying less weight in gear as a result of saddle hunting.
I can also scout and hunt same day easier with a saddle. I have hunted a different location each sit this season, I have never done that before with a hang on due to the energy and effort required to get set up. I have observed deer nearly every sit and successfully harvested a buck and a doe this season from places I have never set foot on, even though I am hunting the same public areas I hunt each year.
To sum up, I feel more mobile and exert less energy by carrying less weight in gear as a result of saddle hunting.
the way i look at it, some things it don't matter if you carrying a loc on or a saddle they are required
sticks, rope, lines man, safety harness, API loc on, = 18 lbs?
sticks, rope, saddle = 10 Lbs?
really you are switching your loc on, harness, linesman for a saddle,
my saddle is like 6 lbs lighter than the lightest loc on, linesman, harness, and twice as comfortable.
the choice is clear and easy. IMHO
sticks, rope, lines man, safety harness, API loc on, = 18 lbs?
sticks, rope, saddle = 10 Lbs?
really you are switching your loc on, harness, linesman for a saddle,
my saddle is like 6 lbs lighter than the lightest loc on, linesman, harness, and twice as comfortable.
the choice is clear and easy. IMHO
Sticks aren't necessary! They're a natural fit to the bulk and form-factor of a hang-on stand - and the benefits of quick/easy use carry over if you use them for a saddle as well - but depending on situation and priority there are many more viable ways up a tree!
Mainly pound for pound comfort. The treestands that I can sit in all day would put me at 30+ pounds. I can hunt all day in the saddle.
Started out as an issue with vertigo when sitting in a loc on with nothing around me. Once I got in a saddle I realized I had been a lost soul for many years, lol. I can honestly say that if I had hopped in a saddle at any time in the past, be it one year or 40, I would’ve converted right then and there.
I’m actually a tad bit jealous of those of y’all that are finding saddle hunting at a young age simply because of the amount of time y’all have to enjoy it.
I’m actually a tad bit jealous of those of y’all that are finding saddle hunting at a young age simply because of the amount of time y’all have to enjoy it.
Substitute sticks for any climbing method you wish otherwise you sitting on the ground.
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Maneuverability
Adaptability
Lightweight
Comfortable
Packability
Efficient
Safe
Quiet
Fun
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Adaptability
Lightweight
Comfortable
Packability
Efficient
Safe
Quiet
Fun
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Amen brother @DaveT1963. The human body evolved to be upright and on our feet for hours, not sit on our butts! I can't sit in a hang on for more than a few minutes....never could. I stand almost the entire time that I'm in a tree stand always have, it's just much easier now that I discovered saddles.
Absolutely - and the ability to get rid of bulky, heavy items (like sticks) is a big appeal - with the bulk a bigger deal than the weight. It doesn't make as much impact *or isn't feasible in some cases) to use bolts, stepps, aiders, SRT, spurs, etc. when you're still hauling a 2-3 ft long foot long 1-2ft wide ~10+ pound hunk of metal that the sticks pack pretty naturally to. But after eliminating the stand you have a lot more meaningful choice available.
More ninjier. It's the Chuck Norris of elevated hunting! And, back hurts from years of shoeing. With saddle, no pains. Just bliss.
This is my first year hunting from a saddle and I think it would be easier to tell you the reasons I would choose a hang on over a saddle but I have not found any yet LOL the only downfall of choosing the saddle is paying for one.
The saddle alone isn't any more than a nice stand, and you only need one...
Climbing methods on the other hand, there's always a better way to spend $$$ checking out.
