Any saddle hunters in the group

jonfishun@gmail.

jonfishun@gmail.

Spike
I was wondering if there is any fellow saddle hunters in the group, and if so what setup are you running.
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jonfishun@gmail.

jonfishun@gmail.

Spike
This is my first year hunting out of a kestrel, and I absolutely love it especially for public land.
I'm running the kestrel with modded helium sticks , and a xop seat platform.
I've heard several people talk about how the mantis is uncomfortable, and I would have never expected that.

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justhunt

justhunt

Six Pointer
Contributor
I have 3, modified sit drag, Kite and a Guidos Web. I'm also on the list for a new Hybrid. I have pre-set trees with climbing sticks and I also use tree spurs to climb. I rappel down with a Gri Gri when I climb with spurs. With my web, I usually just keep my spurs on as my platform, and on my pre-sets I use screw ins or a ring of ameristeps.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
i would suggest all of you find Chris and John Eberhart's books/vids/articles for a comprehensive look at the saddles. they got all the details worked out for you. no need to experiment.

Justhunt I really hope you stay safe with the spurs. You may climb for a living and be great with them but i know people that have had miserable' dangerous' life threatening fails using them for deer stuff.

I wouldnt feel right not mentioning it to you. Forgive my intrusion.
 

PewPewPew

Button Buck
justhunt said:
I have 3, modified sit drag, Kite and a Guidos Web. I'm also on the list for a new Hybrid. I have pre-set trees with climbing sticks and I also use tree spurs to climb. I rappel down with a Gri Gri when I climb with spurs. With my web, I usually just keep my spurs on as my platform, and on my pre-sets I use screw ins or a ring of ameristeps.
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If you had to choose between the sit drag and the kite, what would you keep?
 
justhunt

justhunt

Six Pointer
Contributor
PewPewPew said:
justhunt said:
I have 3, modified sit drag, Kite and a Guidos Web. I'm also on the list for a new Hybrid. I have pre-set trees with climbing sticks and I also use tree spurs to climb. I rappel down with a Gri Gri when I climb with spurs. With my web, I usually just keep my spurs on as my platform, and on my pre-sets I use screw ins or a ring of ameristeps.
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If you had to choose between the sit drag and the kite, what would you keep?
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Definitely the kite. I modified the sit drag the best I could but the kite is still way more comfortable. It does cost quite a bit more, but it’s worth it.


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PewPewPew

Button Buck
justhunt said:
Definitely the kite. I modified the sit drag the best I could but the kite is still way more comfortable. It does cost quite a bit more, but it’s worth it.


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Did you buy the whole kit from aero hunter? If so, was it worth it?
 
Teamclark

Teamclark

Spike
So I don’t hunt with a saddle but the idea is intriguing. What were the reasons you guys switched from a standard stick/hang on or climber to a saddle setup?
 

PewPewPew

Button Buck
Teamclark said:
So I don’t hunt with a saddle but the idea is intriguing. What were the reasons you guys switched from a standard stick/hang on or climber to a saddle setup?
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I haven’t made the switch yet, but I will. Solely because I’m getting really sick of hauling a tree stand on my back. It grinds on you. Climbers are out of the question. I will hunt out of a cloth diaper if it saves me 10 lbs of carrying weight.

I can’t fathom why someone would use one in easily accessible terrain.
 
justhunt

justhunt

Six Pointer
Contributor
PewPewPew said:
justhunt said:
Definitely the kite. I modified the sit drag the best I could but the kite is still way more comfortable. It does cost quite a bit more, but it’s worth it.


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Did you buy the whole kit from aero hunter? If so, was it worth it?
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I didn’t get the kit because I already have a tether system I like and use. I did get a bridge and a back band.


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justhunt

justhunt

Six Pointer
Contributor
Teamclark said:
So I don’t hunt with a saddle but the idea is intriguing. What were the reasons you guys switched from a standard stick/hang on or climber to a saddle setup?
Click to expand...

I’m not a 100% saddle hunter, I have a few millenniums hanging at spots that have produced year after year and gun hunt out of blinds some. I use a saddle for my mobile set ups so I like to compare them to climbers. I have tried several climbers and am not a big fan. Saddles are way lighter, more comfortable if you get your set up right, 360 degree shooting, less noisy, able to hunt with out of almost any tree in the woods and I have found that deer do not spot you near as much as in a climber or hang on because you use the tree trunk as cover.


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joelovesfishin

Button Buck
Teamclark said:
So I don’t hunt with a saddle but the idea is intriguing. What were the reasons you guys switched from a standard stick/hang on or climber to a saddle setup?
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I switched because of the weight savings. I went from a climber, sticks/stand to saddle. Dropped 10-15 lbs of weight.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
slickheadslayer said:
Care to elaborate? Always interested in experienced input and as I remember you climb trees for a living.

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No need to poke holes in the tree to get up it. As resilient as they are, it can open it up to pests and pathogens it otherwise may not get. There are as many ways to get up a tree that don’t harm as you can shake a stick at.

Can call me a tree hugger, but it’s the arborist in me. Spikes are the least comfortable of the options anyway.
 
justhunt

justhunt

Six Pointer
Contributor
Justin said:
justhunt said:
Of course.


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far too many better ways for the conservation minded hunter than spikes. Much more comfortable too.
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Lol, I guess I can be scratched off the conservative minded hunter list because I hunt with spikes and if there are saplings in my shooting lane, I’m cutting the crap out of them.

I have heard the tree hole argument, but a lot of the methods us non conservative minded hunters use put holes in trees. Screw in steps, bow hangers, tree bolts, securing lock boxes for trail cameras or feeders with lags, shooting bullets or shotgun shells at game in the woods that can hit trees, nailing up posted signs, etc. It all boils down to they are my trees and I can put holes in them if I like.

As far as comfort, I would have totally agreed when I bought my first set of spikes years ago. I had researched the crap out of how to climb, proper climbing techniques and what was the cheapest set of Buckingham spurs I could find (tight budget at the time) and I placed the order. I was excited when they came in. For a week I was climbing trees in my yard getting the feel for them. I went up and down those trees 100 times, they are still living by the way with no sign they have ever been climbed.

Woke up one morning and my feet absolutely killed me when I stepped out of bed, yep plantar fasciitis in both feet. I had been climbing in tennis shoes, hiking boots and anything else I had on that day. I couldn’t get those things on eBay fast enough. Swore I’d never put on another set again.

After a few years my feet were all healed up, I started thinking about spurs again and decided to give it another try but with the proper foot ware. I bought a set of carbon Geckos and a pair of 16” Wesco boots with a steel shank. What a world of difference that made. No more leg pain or foot pain at all.

I understand the argument of spurs being uncomfortable from people who climb for a living and are on theirs all day for hours and hours. But as a hunter, I am on mine for 3 minutes tops, just to get to hunting height, then they come off when I get my tether set. And I stated early in the thread, when I’m finished hunting, I rappel down so I don’t even put them back on.


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topsnipe

topsnipe

Button Buck
I agree with the spikes. I use them as an easy way to get up a tree i have not already set up or if we are dog hunting and I need to be able to move alot. Aerohunter Kestrel, Predator platform, and a set of spikes slightly modified to make them quieter (buckles and straps, stealth strips and spray on bed liner) Have rappelled down and spiked down. When we are running dogs i dont even take them off. For all day or 1/2 day sits i remove the spikes once I am at height and tethered in. Picked up the gear to do presets and SRT this year. NY Saddle Hunter has a bunch of good youtubes on it. The other thing i like is the safety aspect. I could fall asleep in my saddle and still not fall out of the tree even if fell off my platform.
Used to use a climber but got tired of it hanging up on every twig and branch or making noised. plus i missed two good bucks because i could not shoot behind me. WIth the saddle i can get 360 with almost no noise. I carry my whole setup in my backpack. easy and quiet.
 
berryman26

berryman26

Six Pointer
This was my first season using a saddle. Running Helium climbing sticks with an aider and rope mod, and the Cruzr saddle on a Predator platform. It was awesome.
 
ncscrubmaster

ncscrubmaster

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I will be hanging up my big summit this coming season. Looks like the saddle world for me. I was hunting out of state this year. Some places I wanted to hunt there wasn't trees to climb with climbers. Also the weight between the climber and my pack was just crazy. Looking for light weight and packing in for the day. Im not young by any means but we shall see.
 
berryman26

berryman26

Six Pointer
ncscrubmaster said:
I will be hanging up my big summit this coming season. Looks like the saddle world for me. I was hunting out of state this year. Some places I wanted to hunt there wasn't trees to climb with climbers. Also the weight between the climber and my pack was just crazy. Looking for light weight and packing in for the day. Im not young by any means but we shall see.
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The ability to climb more trees and be lighter walking in is significant. As long as you're flexible a saddle is a game changer and well worth it.
 
ncscrubmaster

ncscrubmaster

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
berryman26 said:
The ability to climb more trees and be lighter walking in is significant. As long as you're flexible a saddle is a game changer and well worth it.
Click to expand...
When you say flexible 😁. Im willing to try new things. Im very active and in pretty good shape so don't see any of that holding me back. Just need to decide on one and go for it.
 
jakeller27

jakeller27

Four Pointer
This past year was my first year saddle hunting. I initially bought the Trophyline Ambush Lite and the Mission platform. I'm using 3 x 20" Hawk Helium sticks with 20" rope aiders attached to the bottom steps. In terms of weight, I love the saddle and I feel like I've got a lot more options than with the sticks and stand that I was using (Lone Wolf Alpha with Lone Wolf sticks). For next season I'm downsizing my stand to an XOP Vanish, and I am changing to a Tethrd Phantom saddle and probably their small Predator platform. I have figured out that I can get lighter and more compact with my saddle stuff and still be comfortable with it, but there are times when I like to go out and pre-set a stand to sit in. I am also dabbling in one sticking for next year and I have bought a Mad Rock Safeguard and 45' of rope to rappel with. If I can make that work, weight will definitely be a non-issue and my hike distances will definitely increase.
 
Wirehead

Wirehead

Eight Pointer
This was my first year using a saddle... it was fantastic. I am running three 3-step Hawk Heliums with a step aider. I did not buy a platform this year - just stood on the top step of the Heliums. This was my biggest comfort complaint (the pressure on my feet) and will be adding a platform to the mix next year, probably the Trophyline Mission. I'm also very intrigued by the 1-stick method...

@jakeller27 - what has been your experience, thus far? Any concerns with noise when removing the climbing stick to raise it for the next climb section?
 
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