• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Windwalker Side Pressure

peteherbst

peteherbst

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,090
Location
Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Looking for input on guys who might be using a Windwalker as a saddle platform.

How are you hanging your ww for side pressure? Are you adding anything diy like a second strap to hold the bottom or bolts to the bottom V?

Any other pointers?
 
Following also, I have had to fight to urge to buy one of theses couple of times and am interested in what others have to say about it.
 
Rifle season opens in Wisconsin Saturday, so I’m planning on taking mine out regardless. Just thinking I might want to sit down once in a while during an all day sit. But also feel I could take my platform out and add a rut roost or something cheaper to that setup as a seat and it would work just the same if I wanted to sit for a bit.
 
peteherbst said:
Rifle season opens in Wisconsin Saturday, so I’m planning on taking mine out regardless. Just thinking I might want to sit down once in a while during an all day sit. But also feel I could take my platform out and add a rut roost or something cheaper to that setup as a seat and it would work just the same if I wanted to sit for a bit.
Click to expand...


I have been contemplating taking out my limit to use all of opening day. I’ve never used it yet so it could be interesting for the giant tree I want to hang in. Being that the tree is massive, I might bring an extra strap to keep the stand solid.
 
I would say that if you added something like an OCB around the bottom it would be fine with side pressure. I have been just running mine with one strap (added DIY Versa buttons) and find it locks really well to most trees. I have owned several other stands including a .5 and prefer the Windwalker. No need to toe hook it as it gets real solid. Only drawback is no offset bracket for crooked trees. Lack of leveling hasn’t been a problem for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
early on in my saddle journey I used my windwalker, needed a ratchet strap low on the post above platform after camming platform down to really stay tight under side pressure.
 
deerfly said:
early on in my saddle journey I used my windwalker, needed a ratchet strap low on the post above platform after camming platform down to really stay tight under side pressure.
Click to expand...
"Early on" makes it sound like you abandoned it later in your saddle journey. Why did you move away from it?
 
I second the ocb around the bottom area of the posts...Had mine kick out when I was first trying it out at ground level, ocb solved the issue...
 
Red Beard said:
"Early on" makes it sound like you abandoned it later in your saddle journey. Why did you move away from it?
Click to expand...

Combination of requiring the ratchet strap as mentioned, which is an extra thing to carry and an extra step to deploy, and wanting to shave weight. Still a great stand, just wasn't designed to be used the way we use saddle platforms. I have still used it a few times for all day sits, but have gotten to where I can handle being in a saddle all day if I need too. My son uses it more than I do now. I think if someone wants to be able sit down occasionally the windwalker would be a great choice tho, just secure it as discussed so it stays in place without body weight on the platform.
 
I"ll throw my 2 sense in...I"ve been hunting what everyone is now calling "hybrid" style with a RCH and windwalker for a long time. I"ve leaned off of it on my teather, and put some side pressure on it, but not a ton...never needed to. can shoot almost a full 360 just standing up and leaning slightly. I think the normal strap with an added OCB on the bottom, just around the upright and around the tree would make it rock solid...
 
Vtbow said:
I"ll throw my 2 sense in...I"ve been hunting what everyone is now calling "hybrid" style with a RCH and windwalker for a long time. I"ve leaned off of it on my teather, and put some side pressure on it, but not a ton...never needed to. can shoot almost a full 360 just standing up and leaning slightly. I think the normal strap with an added OCB on the bottom, just around the upright and around the tree would make it rock solid...
Click to expand...

I tried the cam buckle too, not as good as a ratchet in my experience. Especially on pine where the bark get's crushed initially under pressure then gradually flakes away requiring some re-snugging depending on how much you shift your weight around. Harder bark trees the cam is mostly ok, but again, if you're going to carry an extra thing a small ratchet strap checks all the boxes...
 
I’m going to run it this weekend just straight up without the bottom strap for Wisconsin’s rifle opener. I’ll report back what I experience but thinking I won’t need side pressure with the gun in the saddle. Don’t currently own an OCB, but sounds like that would be the ticket for side pressure.
 
deerfly said:
I tried the cam buckle too, not as good as a ratchet in my experience. Especially on pine where the bark get's crushed initially under pressure then gradually flakes away requiring some re-snugging depending on how much you shift your weight around. Harder bark trees the cam is mostly ok, but again, if you're going to carry an extra thing a small ratchet strap checks all the boxes...
Click to expand...
I"d go with OCB instead of a regualar cam strap, but yes, a ractchet strap will sure crank it on there!
 
This was before I started saddle hunting, but just throwing it out there as a possibility......

On my Limit, I have a length of amsteel down low on the post....I wrapped it like a rope mod and then toe hooked it

you could probably use a daisy chain and trucker's hitch method (light and quiet)

another option might be to set it as usual, toe hook, then get down and do the trucker's hitch from end of the V that touches the tree (side to side)....so, daisy chain girth hitched to one side of V, around tree, then attach to opposite side of the same V

it might move if done like that, but i can't see it kicking out if there is a strap up top and then the set V is then trucker hitched to the tree right where it touches...this would also help prevent closing the stand on yourself if you happened to put weight on that V where it touches the tree (behind pivot)

just things to ponder
 
Last edited:
peteherbst said:
I’m going to run it this weekend just straight up without the bottom strap for Wisconsin’s rifle opener. I’ll report back what I experience but thinking I won’t need side pressure with the gun in the saddle. Don’t currently own an OCB, but sounds like that would be the ticket for side pressure.
Click to expand...

I would agree using a rifle there is less need to really get out around the tree as you might with bowhunting. Just leaning out to one side or the other on the tether with one or both feet on the platform probably sufficient.
 
got this off of another windwalker thread works very well I have a few windwalkers and limits set up like this
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top