Thanks for making this video! I had a very similar experience with this past year being my first try at saddle hunting. It was a disaster for several reasons, and I like you tried to get away without a platform at all. I also got the Ambush Lite and really dislike it. Glad this stuff is being talked about.
Interesting video. Never climbed a tree in a saddle to date...so my comments are from that perspective. Like everyone else I have watched a ton of videos on all the various climbing methods and spent a lot of time reading posts on various sites like Saddle Hunter. From all of that, I think the most valuable thing that I have learned is: No method is perfect, it’s up to you to perfect the method. I think you can perfect any method if you practice enough....in your yard before you hunt. Trying to perfect the method while hunting is a recipe for frustration and deciding that the method as unsatisfactory. If you can do it blindfolded in the dark and still don’t like it, then its probably time to move on to something else. After looking at DRT/SRT, sticks, one stick and two girth hitches, I landed on one stick for next season. I like to go deep and high and that method is the lightest, all in one package that let’s you go as high as the length of rope you are carrying. Thumbs up for you!
I use the SRT method. Yes you have to have presets. But I put all mine up Feb, March. You can put up 5-10 a day and have a lot of options when season comes in. Saddle hunting definitely put me on more deer this past year.
Totally agreed on a ton of this. I should do a similar video as I'm a year into saddle hunting as well. I use the Lone Wolf Climber as well. I found it pretty awesome and fast for me. My issue with the climber is that it really limits the trees that I can climb because it is really limiting as to the width of the tree that it can reach around and going around branches is a pain in the @#$. I've tried the Wilde Edge Steps which I like for portability but dislike for everything else including how much they tear up a tree with the cam over. I've tried screw in steps but wow what a workout and you really need to preset all your spots and it's only private land. I'm looking at other climbing methods such as a two tether with a foot rope thatight be able to go around branches easier and as big a tree as I can get a tether around. I'm also looking at sticks but dislike the bulk, noise and amount of setup once you get to the tree. Season is over for us in WA so I've got time to play around with other methods. I'm planning on using the saddle to do some wildlife photography this spring though.
The rope you use for aiders is the rope I use to attachy sticks. Fast and light. No kickout. I run the hawk helium and fastened a piece of "T" stock aluminum. "double sided angle" mounted it to where my top two steps were. Works amazing. 3 sticks and 3rd one has platform.
Thanks I also went with the Lone Wolf climber seat.+strap. Made my own copy of the ess that i love. Muddy two steps with cam cleats + one step amsteel. And i don't care for climbing down in the dark. Went for a rappel descent with a figuer 9 and Sampson rope. It's a definite learning curve. That requires practice.
Been saddle hunting for awhile. I'm using xop mini sticks with cable aiders. Michigan company makes them steel coated cable. Quiet and keeps open. Running a predator platform. Now quite a few companies are making them. Having foam type knee pads is a must. I have some from Lowes that cost about $20. Having a pack that enables you to pack in your sticks and platform is also important. Definitely going to play with and practice your setup.
Thanks for sharing all of that, I just got my first saddle kit today and I am so excited to use it. I am a bow hunter who has always used lock on stands, which are great, but I like the idea of getting mobile. I have used my climber in the past, but honestly it is such a PITA to climb a tree like that and get all sweaty. Looking forward to how this works out and honestly I am kind of excited about the DIY part (I love that kind of stuff)
I've thought of Trophylines becuz of size. It's a cut-off lw. The new novix/ lw small fixed stand to me is way to go. It's 9lbs...and u get 2 fo1. Reg hang on then can use as saddle platform. Can carry 3 lw sticks and one screw in step to get 17-18'. Aiders are tricky in the dark. My opinion. Thx for your ideas and thoughts
The xop renegade saddle kit comes with the edge platform is a pretty economical and perfectly functional. $200 for that and $100 for 4 hawk helium sticks and I'm exclusively saddle hunting when it comes to tree hunting. Nobody really talks about the xop kit but it's an awesome starter
i would say practice more using the hand climber as climbing method. my first time was a nightmare but after about 3 or 4 tries it is extremely easy and rappelling down is fast and fun. and for srt and drt you preset paracord in off season so all you have to do is attach climbing rope to the paracord to get it in the tree. and as far as the daisy chain on sticks I've never had a kick out issue with my full length hawk heliums.
Thanks for the plug brother. SRT or DRT are a great method when used with preset loops . Got a new ultralight system coming out soon . Works in tandem with the preset loops . Keep an eye out , let me know what you think .
My first year of saddle hunting this past season. All positives for me. Just keep at it for another season. Looks like your not too good at it yet 🤷🏼♂️. You’ll have to find what you like for a climbing system and platform or ring of steps. I use SRT for areas I frequent and 1 stick or lone wolf hand climber for run and gun.
Funny we are a lot alike. I have diy'd a bunch since starting into this style of hunting lol. I bought that same saddle from trophyline and it was just too much material. I then got a cruzr S model very similar to the Mantis. Liked much of your insights. I will consider them as I keep advancing into the saddle world. And there is a winch rope on Amazon 50ft for 20 bucks. It will work better than the rope you have attached as an aider just a thought, happy hunting!
Agreed with most of this. Big platforms are comfortable but heavy. The tethered predator is so much easier to pack and hang than the trophy ridge one is. I have both. SRT is my favorite method but it take a lot of time to really become proficient at it. Like you I’ve spent a lot of time and money on this saddle thing and feel like I still have a long way to go.
Third year saddle hunting and I love it. First year was mantis and it hurt my kidneys. Last two were with a phantom and so much better. I use pretty much everything by tetherd.
Hello fellow Missourian, i am also one season into saddle hunting, although I heavily researched it and saved up money for another year. I like it a lot and killed 4 deer out of the saddle this season. I agree with you on the long sticks being a little unstable at the bottom. I used a versa strap to secure 3 full length Hawk Heliums and used a moveable DIY aider cinched to my foot so it could never fall off and i would never miss a step coming down. I had no problem climbing the Hawks they were solid, but if i reached up and grabbed the bottom step it would pull away or sideways. One day i was climbing up and in a hurry(bad idea, never get in a hurry) i grabbed the bottom step of the next stick which was about mid head height. The stick pulled loose and kicked left hard, it went straight into my nose. Next thing i know I’m in serious pain, pretty sure i broke my nose and blood going all over. I collected my wits and climbed the rest of the way up. It hurt the rest of the hunt, but i killed a doe at 15 yards a few hours later. I hunt with Aero Hunter Kestrel Flex saddle and Predator platform with two squirrel steps, one on each side.
Were you using the 3 step hawk sticks? I had daisy webbing on mine and they did not get very solid. I went back to the pull straps but they are still not as solid and a little noisy sometimes.
@@trashpanda2396 yes i was using 3 step Hawks last year. This year I an using the Novix Mini Doublesteps sticks with a rope mod. I like them much better. You can see videos of them on my channel.
I have to do one of these videos as well. I use the hand climber seat, never climbed with it. I get it pretty rock solid. I use sticks for the same reason you do but do it a little different as well. That knee pad is still too noisy as far as I am concerned. Mine is dead quiet. I also didn’t like the other options for climbing for the same reasons you had but I didn’t even bother trying them out, just said no thanks. Thanks for the video, enjoyed and subscribed.
The saddle does replace the tree stand which saves a lot of weight which is good but there is no good climbing system that is quiet safe or light weight to use with it.
in my opinion, 4 sticks is the quickest, easiest method. I am going to one stick with rappel line now for one reason only. I need light weight . my choice is either take an hour walking and sweating with 4 sticks over a mile or travel as light as possible and do the work when I get there. I take my time getting to and in my tree. Im almost 62 now and have been saddle hunting for over thirty years now. I hunt 80 percent saddle and 10 hang on and 10 from the ground. but If I were close like within half a mile it would be 4 sticks for me. edit: buckle straps for me too !
Good video. Luckily i listened to John Eberhart and started off in a way that works perfect for me. Trophyline Covert Lite saddle, Trophyline EDP platform PLUS a ring of steps so I can move around the tree like a saddle is designed for. I get 24 feet up with a combo of Beast sticks and strap on Bullman Pioneer steps. And end of hunt I rappel down and take my stuff off the tree as i go down. Took me a while to get the hang of the weak side saddle hunting part though...... I'm left handed so now i setup my platform a little to the left of where I actually want it, which allows me to have my left foot planted outside far enough I can make that shot with ease. All the rest is going around the right side of tree using ring of steps. I tried the one sticking stuff and for me it was slow, noisy and i sweated like a pig, finally settled for the sticks/steps combo. If I only need 16 feet I don't use any strap on steps, just sticks only.
Im 65. Bowkilled 361 whitetails Mostly public Southeast Tennessee Alabama Southern Illinois. Saddles have been around forever. UA-cam made them popular. NOBODY can beat me up a tree with arrow nocked and ready using a saddle. And in these Southern States, there's a straight tree behind every tree. my Summit climber weighs 16 pounds.
You can't purchase lo e wolf climber (hand) anymore unless you go on Ebay, then it's used. And the notched straps are 100 bucks a piece,if you can find them. Love to have one but can't find one.
I had the problem of coming down and couldn't get my foot into the aider step. It kept pushing off my boot toe and going to the tree. I ended up jumping down 5 feet. I was also coming down and my Tethrd bridge got caught on a stick foot step. It was a bad day.
I'm too old for this kind of hunting. I'm spending more time on the ground and sharpening my ground hunting skills. Good video though very informative.
The SRT cheater method is you use a "daca stick" a 7 to 30ft extension stick with a hook attachment and you simply just take the weighted throw ball and place it over limbs 30 feet or less in the air to set SRT presets. It is 1000% better than tossing a throwball with rope over a limbs. You run a lot of presets and scouting to pick your preset locations.
Still nervous about trying the saddle. Been stuck on a climber forever. Love to get way up high in the tree (when possible and makes sense). Yea sometimes ya can’t get turned around for a shot but idk
As a person wanting to try saddle hunting, this is what I want to hear. You need to know the negatives as well as the positives. Could I use a summit open shot seat as my platform like you did with your Lone Wolf?
I’m disabled and have to many ailments to list , I made my own diy saddle out of fleece camo fabric like sitdrag and I bought a cheap nice lineman’s belt and I got muddy sticks and Bullman outdoors ring of steps the old original ones before they were improved, and it’s ok but it’s not very comfortable or efficient and truly I think the JX3 hybrid saddle would be my best option and would be all I need to go with my sticks and ring of step’s because I don’t need a platform with the JX3 saddle ! It’s about 500$ but I think it may be worth the investment … your thoughts ? I am 44 and have been broken up due to severe car accident and motorcycle wrecks etc. so I try to keep up with the rest but it’s taking a role and I just want to be efficient and effective as possible while being Mobile !
Thanks for the heads-up. Im looking at a tree climbing or saddle rig. Trying to figure out how it works with rifle. All I see is bow. You do any rifle hunting in that thing
You earned a sub from me cause you're a normal fuckin dude like me seems like. I have a summit viper climber right now. Super comfortable but heavy as hell. Seriously thinking about saddle hunting for sure
You make alot valid points . From watching your video doesn't appear you didn't do a lot of research on saddle hunting. You picked the 2 worst tree saddles on the market. If go UA-cam and type tree saddles reviews find alot of good information. If you buy a cheap tree saddle your most likely your going get crappie tree saddle. The same is true for tree stands and cars. The way were going DIY YOUR platform to your climbing stick looks absolutely crazy to me your lucky didn't get hurt. Last year I spent over 20hrs on different methods you have practice. My advice is don't DIY tree saddle because your going to injured yourself I fell from a tree not worth it seriously. Do research (and practice)on tree saddle hunting otherwise your waisting time and money which is what you're doing now.
I did hours of research before trying. None of the tree saddles were bad I just said I didn't like one over the other. Saddle hunt was born out of diy thats why I said that. Everything I did was tried and I was always tied into a tree or only 2 feet off the ground before going out in the woods. I do appreciate the criticism
The throw line isn’t bad, if you’ve played baseball or football at all it’s not bad, I stuff the throw line in a pocket on my backpack you don’t need the cube thing. DRT is legit🤘
Who wants to carry all that shit around? I’ll stick to just my Lone Wolf hand climber. Super quiet when climbing and weighs only 12 pounds. I can be up a tree in less that 2 minutes.
I have been researching saddle hunting and thought I might try it. I was never in the circus so I'm not a flying Wilenda hanging on a rope just seems ridiculous to me give me my lone wolf climbing tree stand at 14 pounds. I can hunt with it on my back no problem and I have a nice sturdy platform and a seat to sit on when I get up the tree too many ropes and endless crap in that form of hunting. I have tried every climbing tree stand on the market and none of them are even close to a Lonewolf when you get that thing in position it's like standing on the sidewalk with any direction shoot ability
Nice. I actually use a hunting beast stand and love it. I think tree saddles are nice for some people but I like my hang on way more. If you like your climber I say stick with it no need to change
I don't even usually use a platform or ros. 2TC is the best way bar none and eliminates all the stick and srt nonsense. Weighs 3.5 lbs total including saddle and is dead quiet. I have absolutely none of the problems you're experiencing.
Same dude. All this fucking work, waiting, and freezing just to have the big one show you he is still alive, and then run off for no reason at all. Shit is demoralizing.
No knock on you but I don't understand people on the net saying they mod their longer sticks to avoid stick kick out, yet they add the aider ropes to make them long again. Doesn't the the aider rope kick the sticks out too, or am I missing something in my geometry? I somewhat get the part to make them shorter to make them easier to carry in the woods ( I partially buy that). Not trying to be a smart arse but what makes the cheater rope not make the stick kick out?
Interesting video. A little advice: never hang your aider on your versa button. Also, if you're only going up 10 feet, there's not much point in climbing. Hunting from the ground would give you more cover. And, the Lone Wolf seat climber is a good platform. However, it doesn't take much side load. You should probably add a couple of strap type steps to better get around the tree. Squirrel steps are good. Well, good luck.
I live on the east coast and I can get into probably 80% of all trees so a climber is for me. Saddle and fixed position stand hunting is way too much work!
That looks like it would be for someone who likes to sit probably not good for leaning. And for the price I would go with another option but I have no personal hands on experience with it
@@Bulletarrow93 yeah its not gonna be good for leaning , im really not sure why anyome would rather stand/lean half a day to all day , when sitting is much more comfortable l ,lower profile and what not , im new to saddle hunting but i tried a bunch before i bought and that leaning really sucks after about 3 hours , the jx3 is super comfy amd you can adjust to lean if you really want to but again not sure why anyome would choose to lean amd need a platform and need knee protection , jx3 gets rid of all that . If you get a chance , try one . Good video .
@@nonetheless01 I will try it. If you like it I say rock it. The best part about saddle hunting is you fit it to you. It does look like the best one to sit in
It is a way to climb a tree with a rope like an arborist. I switched to it this year, high learning curve but worth it. Getting to 25 feet in any tree that has a live limb the width of my forearm opens up a lot of trees
Um, for those of us who've never used a saddle and are maybe interested in trying one, it's really hard to relate to what you're saying because you never demonstrate it in a tree.
Do what you want but, you clearly didn’t practice. Too many people buy a saddle and just expect to go out and use it. Its something that requires some practice.
This is 100% true with me. That's why I didn't my use my recently acquired saddle equipment this season. Now that the deer seasons are closed where I am, I can go practice all I want without worrying about making too much noise. Hone my skills, and figure out what is the quietest climbing system for me. It's going to be practice, practice, and more practice with what I'm very certain will be LOTS of trial and error for the next nine months until our deer season opens again.
Dude…..just get a climber. This saddle thing is just not worth all the headache. A ridiculous amount of deer have been shot from a good ole fashioned climber. They are cheap, not really that heavy (and if you spend a little more you can get some pretty fancy, lighter models), and they are SIMPLE. I know this is supposed to be this slick, super lightweight hunting method but in my opinion if you are not fit enough to haul a 20 pound stand into the woods you oughta just stay home.
Once you figure out your technique it is way easier than a self climber. Those are loud and you have to have a tree with no branches. With a saddle you can go up trees with branches. Once you get used to saddles they are a piece of cake! Self climbers are pretty dangerous really.
@@gregbowen9546 in the year since I wrote that comment I’ve changed my mind about saddles. Their great. Love ‘em. Way safer than any tree stand other than maybe a shoot house. For public land they are a must in my opinion. If you aren’t saddle hunting on public land you are behind the curve. As a former skeptic I highly recommend you try it.
You have to be very careful saddle hunting. It is not easy. I use a fixed tree deer stand. I know I am safe. When I am drawing back 60 pounds. In a tree .have to be stable.
My brother and i have hunted out of a saddle for over 20 yrs. And everyone does it wrong. Except a select few. For one. The saddle was meant to move around the tree. Like in 360 degrees. If you are going to stay in one spot. Then you are better to use a tree stand. Now i use a ring of steps. You could use a ring of steps with little platform. Which the platform is over priced. My brother and i see the way people hunt these saddles are a joke. We go out with our bow. Pouches on our saddles. and a fany pack. And that is it. With the atleast amount of stuff. Go up our tree.
20:36 is the start of this rant. 8:25 You basically made Hawk Helium 20's. Double ratchet them down ($3 ratchet from Wally World). If you are not 25 to 35 feet in the air, you are not committed enough. You should be the Predator in the trees out there. Death from Above on those deer. Once you are high enough, you are invisible and it also adds range to your arrows. You should have tried a padded rock climbing harness also or sewed 2 sit and drags together man. DIY
I feel the same way. He definitely sounds like a very logical dude, especially in the comments, So I don't want to hate on the guy. But this is definitely just laziness and whining about uncomfortable situations that mostly come from poor decisions on quality gear, in my opinion. Im thinking he just may not be very coordinated and what not, who knows, But we're all different and that's okay. Hell, atleast he's getting out there , and honestly there are tons of men just like him out there, So this video is perfect for them and I'm sure extremely helpful. He's not wrong about things, there's definitely going to be a bunch of tinkering and DIY-ing to perfect ones method of saddle hunting. I watched the whole video and I'll give him his thumbs up, it's deserved. We can all spit out our assumptions and theories, But hopefully we all try to remain respectful to one another while we're doing so.
It’s pretty tough to get in and not sweat carrying sticks etc. I just preset 20 trees with cranford T screw in steps and I just carry in my bow/gun with a ring of steps. But at the end of the day when it gets cold I have 3 redneck blinds I could just climb into. Comfort and convenience trumps mobility.
I used to like only being 10-12 feet high. But I got sick n tired of eating tag soup on account of all the deer that I worked hard scouting would come out and look right up at me and scare away all their friends too. Sometimes they’d even spot me from some pretty good distances. It was almost insulting. 20ft is where it’s at. This year I’m already tagged out. And I started a week late LOL
that's y u use a mobile hang on set up and find a tree with cover i mean not every spot u are gonna be able to find cover so u might have to hunt higher but i got my buck this year hunting 13ft
It's about where you hunt. On pressured land I've watched deer walk and look up at trees every yards. I've also hunted some areas where deer don't look up at all unless they see movement.
And btw don’t be cutting and drilling and changing shit. You’re not on the engineering team for that equipment. You have no idea exactly what metals are being used or what the heat treatment process was. You’re asking to be paralyzed from the neck down is all yer doin. Get a eBay account and sell the shit you don’t like. Get what works. And spend some time doing drills with it in the off season. I managed to sneak my XOP setup into the woods, set it up in the dark and wait for big bucky to come in for a nap. I didn’t have to modify nothin. I just tested it out first
![Saddle Hunting [For the Big Boy's]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RpgJe8-UxPU/mqdefault.jpg)
![Saddle Hunting [For the Big Boy's]](/img/tr.png)
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Good luck this season!
Thanks you too
Thanks for making this video! I had a very similar experience with this past year being my first try at saddle hunting. It was a disaster for several reasons, and I like you tried to get away without a platform at all. I also got the Ambush Lite and really dislike it. Glad this stuff is being talked about.
Interesting video. Never climbed a tree in a saddle to date...so my comments are from that perspective. Like everyone else I have watched a ton of videos on all the various climbing methods and spent a lot of time reading posts on various sites like Saddle Hunter. From all of that, I think the most valuable thing that I have learned is: No method is perfect, it’s up to you to perfect the method. I think you can perfect any method if you practice enough....in your yard before you hunt. Trying to perfect the method while hunting is a recipe for frustration and deciding that the method as unsatisfactory. If you can do it blindfolded in the dark and still don’t like it, then its probably time to move on to something else. After looking at DRT/SRT, sticks, one stick and two girth hitches, I landed on one stick for next season. I like to go deep and high and that method is the lightest, all in one package that let’s you go as high as the length of rope you are carrying. Thumbs up for you!
I use the SRT method. Yes you have to have presets. But I put all mine up Feb, March. You can put up 5-10 a day and have a lot of options when season comes in.
Saddle hunting definitely put me on more deer this past year.
Interested in saddle hunting but wanting to hear the good, the bad and the ugly. Thank you for being candid and objective.
Totally agreed on a ton of this. I should do a similar video as I'm a year into saddle hunting as well. I use the Lone Wolf Climber as well. I found it pretty awesome and fast for me. My issue with the climber is that it really limits the trees that I can climb because it is really limiting as to the width of the tree that it can reach around and going around branches is a pain in the @#$. I've tried the Wilde Edge Steps which I like for portability but dislike for everything else including how much they tear up a tree with the cam over. I've tried screw in steps but wow what a workout and you really need to preset all your spots and it's only private land. I'm looking at other climbing methods such as a two tether with a foot rope thatight be able to go around branches easier and as big a tree as I can get a tether around. I'm also looking at sticks but dislike the bulk, noise and amount of setup once you get to the tree. Season is over for us in WA so I've got time to play around with other methods. I'm planning on using the saddle to do some wildlife photography this spring though.
The rope you use for aiders is the rope I use to attachy sticks. Fast and light. No kickout. I run the hawk helium and fastened a piece of "T" stock aluminum. "double sided angle" mounted it to where my top two steps were. Works amazing. 3 sticks and 3rd one has platform.
Thanks
I also went with the Lone Wolf climber seat.+strap.
Made my own copy of the ess that i love.
Muddy two steps with cam cleats + one step amsteel.
And i don't care for climbing down in the dark.
Went for a rappel descent with a figuer 9 and Sampson rope.
It's a definite learning curve. That requires practice.
Been saddle hunting for awhile. I'm using xop mini sticks with cable aiders. Michigan company makes them steel coated cable. Quiet and keeps open. Running a predator platform. Now quite a few companies are making them. Having foam type knee pads is a must. I have some from Lowes that cost about $20. Having a pack that enables you to pack in your sticks and platform is also important. Definitely going to play with and practice your setup.
Thanks for sharing all of that, I just got my first saddle kit today and I am so excited to use it. I am a bow hunter who has always used lock on stands, which are great, but I like the idea of getting mobile. I have used my climber in the past, but honestly it is such a PITA to climb a tree like that and get all sweaty. Looking forward to how this works out and honestly I am kind of excited about the DIY part (I love that kind of stuff)
Have fun man. I have gone the hang on route. It's just simpler for me
Not to mention carrying a climber in and out of the woods is a lot of extra weight
I've thought of Trophylines becuz of size. It's a cut-off lw. The new novix/ lw small fixed stand to me is way to go. It's 9lbs...and u get 2 fo1. Reg hang on then can use as saddle platform. Can carry 3 lw sticks and one screw in step to get 17-18'. Aiders are tricky in the dark. My opinion. Thx for your ideas and thoughts
Single stick climbing is what I'm starting with. 1 stick, 1 platform, 1 40' rope with some hardware. No presets and some practice is working out well.
The xop renegade saddle kit comes with the edge platform is a pretty economical and perfectly functional. $200 for that and $100 for 4 hawk helium sticks and I'm exclusively saddle hunting when it comes to tree hunting. Nobody really talks about the xop kit but it's an awesome starter
That came out after the video was made. I agree with you on that
Good review. I got lucky, I bought the Trophline first. I've been enjoying the experience. I went with silent approach steps and it's been good.
I actually have switched to a beast stand and haven't looked back. Thank you
Thanks for this man!
i would say practice more using the hand climber as climbing method. my first time was a nightmare but after about 3 or 4 tries it is extremely easy and rappelling down is fast and fun. and for srt and drt you preset paracord in off season so all you have to do is attach climbing rope to the paracord to get it in the tree. and as far as the daisy chain on sticks I've never had a kick out issue with my full length hawk heliums.
Thanks for the plug brother. SRT or DRT are a great method when used with preset loops . Got a new ultralight system coming out soon . Works in tandem with the preset loops . Keep an eye out , let me know what you think .
Will do man
Try arborist rock climbing harness. Some have small bridges and lineman loops...$60 on Amazon. And comfy!
My first year of saddle hunting this past season. All positives for me. Just keep at it for another season. Looks like your not too good at it yet 🤷🏼♂️. You’ll have to find what you like for a climbing system and platform or ring of steps. I use SRT for areas I frequent and 1 stick or lone wolf hand climber for run and gun.
Funny we are a lot alike. I have diy'd a bunch since starting into this style of hunting lol. I bought that same saddle from trophyline and it was just too much material. I then got a cruzr S model very similar to the Mantis.
Liked much of your insights. I will consider them as I keep advancing into the saddle world.
And there is a winch rope on Amazon 50ft for 20 bucks. It will work better than the rope you have attached as an aider just a thought, happy hunting!
Thanks man
Agreed with most of this. Big platforms are comfortable but heavy. The tethered predator is so much easier to pack and hang than the trophy ridge one is. I have both. SRT is my favorite method but it take a lot of time to really become proficient at it. Like you I’ve spent a lot of time and money on this saddle thing and feel like I still have a long way to go.
Thanks for sharing this 👍
Third year saddle hunting and I love it. First year was mantis and it hurt my kidneys. Last two were with a phantom and so much better. I use pretty much everything by tetherd.
Sounds good keep it up
The #1 thing about saddle hunting is that you can do it any however urass likes to...awesome video...lotsa info...lotsa funny stuff too...Peace
Great video.
Hello fellow Missourian, i am also one season
into saddle hunting, although I heavily researched it and saved up money for another year. I like it a lot and killed 4 deer out of the saddle this season. I agree with you on the long sticks being a little unstable at the bottom. I used a versa strap to secure 3 full length Hawk Heliums and used a moveable DIY aider cinched to my foot so it could never fall off and i would never miss a step coming down. I had no problem climbing the Hawks they were solid, but if i reached up and grabbed the bottom step it would pull away or sideways. One day i was climbing up and in a hurry(bad idea, never get in a hurry) i grabbed the bottom step of the next stick which was about mid head height. The stick pulled loose and kicked left hard, it went straight into my nose. Next thing i know I’m in serious pain, pretty sure i broke my nose and blood going all over. I collected my wits and climbed the rest of the way up. It hurt the rest of the hunt, but i killed a doe at 15 yards a few hours later.
I hunt with Aero Hunter Kestrel Flex saddle and Predator platform with two squirrel steps, one on each side.
That sounds like a cool set up
Were you using the 3 step hawk sticks? I had daisy webbing on mine and they did not get very solid. I went back to the pull straps but they are still not as solid and a little noisy sometimes.
@@trashpanda2396 yes i was using 3 step Hawks last year. This year I an using the Novix Mini Doublesteps sticks with a rope mod. I like them much better. You can see videos of them on my channel.
I have to do one of these videos as well. I use the hand climber seat, never climbed with it. I get it pretty rock solid. I use sticks for the same reason you do but do it a little different as well. That knee pad is still too noisy as far as I am concerned. Mine is dead quiet. I also didn’t like the other options for climbing for the same reasons you had but I didn’t even bother trying them out, just said no thanks. Thanks for the video, enjoyed and subscribed.
Thanks
The saddle does replace the tree stand which saves a lot of weight which is good but there is no good climbing system that is quiet safe or light weight to use with it.
in my opinion, 4 sticks is the quickest, easiest method. I am going to one stick with rappel line now for one reason only. I need light weight . my choice is either take an hour walking and sweating with 4 sticks over a mile or travel as light as possible and do the work when I get there. I take my time getting to and in my tree. Im almost 62 now and have been saddle hunting for over thirty years now. I hunt 80 percent saddle and 10 hang on and 10 from the ground. but If I were close like within half a mile it would be 4 sticks for me. edit: buckle straps for me too !
I put a piece of garden house on my aiders, keeps the bottom loop of the aider open for foot Placement.
Good video. Luckily i listened to John Eberhart and started off in a way that works perfect for me. Trophyline Covert Lite saddle, Trophyline EDP platform PLUS a ring of steps so I can move around the tree like a saddle is designed for. I get 24 feet up with a combo of Beast sticks and strap on Bullman Pioneer steps. And end of hunt I rappel down and take my stuff off the tree as i go down. Took me a while to get the hang of the weak side saddle hunting part though...... I'm left handed so now i setup my platform a little to the left of where I actually want it, which allows me to have my left foot planted outside far enough I can make that shot with ease. All the rest is going around the right side of tree using ring of steps. I tried the one sticking stuff and for me it was slow, noisy and i sweated like a pig, finally settled for the sticks/steps combo. If I only need 16 feet I don't use any strap on steps, just sticks only.
Sounds like a great set up. I personally just love my beast stand so I am done with the saddle game. But it is a very valid way of hunting
@@Bulletarrow93 yeah I went to Deerfest and saw Dan and the gang last year, Beast stand is awesome !!!!
Im 65.
Bowkilled 361 whitetails
Mostly public
Southeast Tennessee
Alabama
Southern Illinois.
Saddles have been around forever.
UA-cam made them popular.
NOBODY can beat me up a tree with arrow nocked and ready using a saddle.
And in these Southern States, there's a straight tree behind every tree.
my Summit climber weighs 16 pounds.
You can't purchase lo e wolf climber (hand) anymore unless you go on Ebay, then it's used. And the notched straps are 100 bucks a piece,if you can find them. Love to have one but can't find one.
I had the problem of coming down and couldn't get my foot into the aider step. It kept pushing off my boot toe and going to the tree. I ended up jumping down 5 feet. I was also coming down and my Tethrd bridge got caught on a stick foot step. It was a bad day.
If you spend the money and get good equipment saddle hunting is awesome if your strapped for cash and go cheap it will be less fun and way more work
I'm too old for this kind of hunting. I'm spending more time on the ground and sharpening my ground hunting skills. Good video though very informative.
The SRT cheater method is you use a "daca stick" a 7 to 30ft extension stick with a hook attachment and you simply just take the weighted throw ball and place it over limbs 30 feet or less in the air to set SRT presets. It is 1000% better than tossing a throwball with rope over a limbs. You run a lot of presets and scouting to pick your preset locations.
I'm the same way. 10-20 ft high is high enough for me.
Still nervous about trying the saddle. Been stuck on a climber forever. Love to get way up high in the tree (when possible and makes sense). Yea sometimes ya can’t get turned around for a shot but idk
After doing it I feel way safer and now it's the only moble setup I run
As a person wanting to try saddle hunting, this is what I want to hear. You need to know the negatives as well as the positives. Could I use a summit open shot seat as my platform like you did with your Lone Wolf?
I believe you could. If you already own it I would try it
Thanks
I’m disabled and have to many ailments to list , I made my own diy saddle out of fleece camo fabric like sitdrag and I bought a cheap nice lineman’s belt and I got muddy sticks and Bullman outdoors ring of steps the old original ones before they were improved, and it’s ok but it’s not very comfortable or efficient and truly I think the JX3 hybrid saddle would be my best option and would be all I need to go with my sticks and ring of step’s because I don’t need a platform with the JX3 saddle ! It’s about 500$ but I think it may be worth the investment … your thoughts ? I am 44 and have been broken up due to severe car accident and motorcycle wrecks etc. so I try to keep up with the rest but it’s taking a role and I just want to be efficient and effective as possible while being Mobile !
Thanks for the heads-up. Im looking at a tree climbing or saddle rig. Trying to figure out how it works with rifle. All I see is bow. You do any rifle hunting in that thing
I did. It was very easy to adjust to. Hardest part is were to rest the gun when nothing was around.
Hey cool video and that looked like a lone wolf alpha climber platform. i have one of those climbers. How did you secure the platform from moving
I had a another strap I connected around the bottom of the platform. It worked ok but this year I upgraded to a trophyline mission
Thank you for video. Could you tell me who makes the knee pad?
It was just some hard work knee pads from Amazon. Thanks
You earned a sub from me cause you're a normal fuckin dude like me seems like. I have a summit viper climber right now. Super comfortable but heavy as hell. Seriously thinking about saddle hunting for sure
You make alot valid points . From watching your video doesn't appear you didn't do a lot of research on saddle hunting. You picked the 2 worst tree saddles on the market. If go UA-cam and type tree saddles reviews find alot of good information. If you buy a cheap tree saddle your most likely your going get crappie tree saddle. The same is true for tree stands and cars. The way were going DIY YOUR platform to your climbing stick looks absolutely crazy to me your lucky didn't get hurt. Last year I spent over 20hrs on different methods you have practice. My advice is don't DIY tree saddle because your going to injured yourself I fell from a tree not worth it seriously. Do research (and practice)on tree saddle hunting otherwise your waisting time and money which is what you're doing now.
I did hours of research before trying. None of the tree saddles were bad I just said I didn't like one over the other. Saddle hunt was born out of diy thats why I said that. Everything I did was tried and I was always tied into a tree or only 2 feet off the ground before going out in the woods. I do appreciate the criticism
@@Bulletarrow93 saddle hunting was based of rock climbing harness and tree arborist saddle it was a hybrid of those 2 ideas.
@@Bulletarrow93 awesome answer...dude I loved ur video...can save a lot of people a lot of time and effort by watching this video...great job!
The throw line isn’t bad, if you’ve played baseball or football at all it’s not bad, I stuff the throw line in a pocket on my backpack you don’t need the cube thing. DRT is legit🤘
Hey if you like it rock it
Who wants to carry all that shit around? I’ll stick to just my Lone Wolf hand climber. Super quiet when climbing and weighs only 12 pounds. I can be up a tree in less that 2 minutes.
If you like it and it works then keep running it
I have been researching saddle hunting and thought I might try it. I was never in the circus so I'm not a flying Wilenda hanging on a rope just seems ridiculous to me give me my lone wolf climbing tree stand at 14 pounds. I can hunt with it on my back no problem and I have a nice sturdy platform and a seat to sit on when I get up the tree too many ropes and endless crap in that form of hunting. I have tried every climbing tree stand on the market and none of them are even close to a Lonewolf when you get that thing in position it's like standing on the sidewalk with any direction shoot ability
Nice. I actually use a hunting beast stand and love it. I think tree saddles are nice for some people but I like my hang on way more. If you like your climber I say stick with it no need to change
I don't even usually use a platform or ros. 2TC is the best way bar none and eliminates all the stick and srt nonsense. Weighs 3.5 lbs total including saddle and is dead quiet. I have absolutely none of the problems you're experiencing.
Watching this makes me want to quit hunting for some reason
Same dude. All this fucking work, waiting, and freezing just to have the big one show you he is still alive, and then run off for no reason at all. Shit is demoralizing.
No knock on you but I don't understand people on the net saying they mod their longer sticks to avoid stick kick out, yet they add the aider ropes to make them long again. Doesn't the the aider rope kick the sticks out too, or am I missing something in my geometry? I somewhat get the part to make them shorter to make them easier to carry in the woods ( I partially buy that). Not trying to be a smart arse but what makes the cheater rope not make the stick kick out?
When the bracket is closet to gether kick out happens less. The rope adier doesn't move the bracket. It really works better.
Interesting video. A little advice: never hang your aider on your versa button. Also, if you're only going up 10 feet, there's not much point in climbing. Hunting from the ground would give you more cover. And, the Lone Wolf seat climber is a good platform. However, it doesn't take much side load. You should probably add a couple of strap type steps to better get around the tree. Squirrel steps are good. Well, good luck.
I live on the east coast and I can get into probably 80% of all trees so a climber is for me. Saddle and fixed position stand hunting is way too much work!
Could u do another bow giveaway my bow not enough draw weight for me. Plz🙏
Check out the jx3 and let us know what you think.
That looks like it would be for someone who likes to sit probably not good for leaning. And for the price I would go with another option but I have no personal hands on experience with it
@@Bulletarrow93 yeah its not gonna be good for leaning , im really not sure why anyome would rather stand/lean half a day to all day , when sitting is much more comfortable l
,lower profile and what not , im new to saddle hunting but i tried a bunch before i bought and that leaning really sucks after about 3 hours , the jx3 is super comfy amd you can adjust to lean if you really want to but again not sure why anyome would choose to lean amd need a platform and need knee protection , jx3 gets rid of all that . If you get a chance , try one . Good video .
@@nonetheless01 I will try it. If you like it I say rock it. The best part about saddle hunting is you fit it to you. It does look like the best one to sit in
What is DRT. SRT. ???
It's a rope tree climbing method that arborist use
What is Drt / set????
It is a way to climb a tree with a rope like an arborist. I switched to it this year, high learning curve but worth it. Getting to 25 feet in any tree that has a live limb the width of my forearm opens up a lot of trees
Um, for those of us who've never used a saddle and are maybe interested in trying one, it's really hard to relate to what you're saying because you never demonstrate it in a tree.
Do what you want but, you clearly didn’t practice. Too many people buy a saddle and just expect to go out and use it. Its something that requires some practice.
This is 100% true with me. That's why I didn't my use my recently acquired saddle equipment this season. Now that the deer seasons are closed where I am, I can go practice all I want without worrying about making too much noise. Hone my skills, and figure out what is the quietest climbing system for me. It's going to be practice, practice, and more practice with what I'm very certain will be LOTS of trial and error for the next nine months until our deer season opens again.
There literally is science behind short sticks having less kickout lol. Shorter moment arm
Seems like more of a pain in the ass than it’s worth get a lone wolf custom gear .5 stand
Ring of steps comments?
I just never liked the ring of steps. But the people who use them love them
Never trust a branch or limb to use as a step. Sorry srt drt
Dude…..just get a climber. This saddle thing is just not worth all the headache. A ridiculous amount of deer have been shot from a good ole fashioned climber. They are cheap, not really that heavy (and if you spend a little more you can get some pretty fancy, lighter models), and they are SIMPLE. I know this is supposed to be this slick, super lightweight hunting method but in my opinion if you are not fit enough to haul a 20 pound stand into the woods you oughta just stay home.
Once you figure out your technique it is way easier than a self climber. Those are loud and you have to have a tree with no branches. With a saddle you can go up trees with branches. Once you get used to saddles they are a piece of cake! Self climbers are pretty dangerous really.
@@gregbowen9546 in the year since I wrote that comment I’ve changed my mind about saddles. Their great. Love ‘em. Way safer than any tree stand other than maybe a shoot house. For public land they are a must in my opinion. If you aren’t saddle hunting on public land you are behind the curve. As a former skeptic I highly recommend you try it.
@@jonathonsmith4170 Yes they are great on public land. If you have someone close to you there is thousands of other trees.
Did he also do the video about being a white guy at his 1st black cookout?
You have to be very careful saddle hunting. It is not easy. I use a fixed tree deer stand. I know I am safe. When I am drawing back 60 pounds. In a tree .have to be stable.
Do you tether to the tree while in your fixed stand?
@@joshholmes yes I tie on to the tree. Have to. The stand is not enough to balance all my weight.
Saddle hunting is very safe and easy once you learn your technique and equipment.
People, this guy is giving nothing but opinions. He has near no experience according to his own statements.
U better just hunt from the living room
My brother and i have hunted out of a saddle for over 20 yrs.
And everyone does it wrong. Except a select few.
For one. The saddle was meant to move around the tree. Like in 360 degrees.
If you are going to stay in one spot.
Then you are better to use a tree stand.
Now i use a ring of steps.
You could use a ring of steps with little platform.
Which the platform is over priced.
My brother and i see the way people hunt these saddles are a joke.
We go out with our bow.
Pouches on our saddles. and a fany pack. And that is it.
With the atleast amount of stuff.
Go up our tree.
I think that is the way they should be ran. If you use more equipment than that you should use a tree stand.
So what's your preferred climbing method?
@@2ndAmdDem205 mine is cranford screw in steps. Second is beast sticks
dude that's so sketchy putting that platform under the vesa button lucky it didn't kick out on u
Not for a person with a weak lower back,
20:36 is the start of this rant. 8:25 You basically made Hawk Helium 20's. Double ratchet them down ($3 ratchet from Wally World). If you are not 25 to 35 feet in the air, you are not committed enough. You should be the Predator in the trees out there. Death from Above on those deer. Once you are high enough, you are invisible and it also adds range to your arrows. You should have tried a padded rock climbing harness also or sewed 2 sit and drags together man. DIY
LOL
You seem kinda whiney about everything dude!
I feel the same way. He definitely sounds like a very logical dude, especially in the comments, So I don't want to hate on the guy. But this is definitely just laziness and whining about uncomfortable situations that mostly come from poor decisions on quality gear, in my opinion. Im thinking he just may not be very coordinated and what not, who knows, But we're all different and that's okay. Hell, atleast he's getting out there , and honestly there are tons of men just like him out there, So this video is perfect for them and I'm sure extremely helpful. He's not wrong about things, there's definitely going to be a bunch of tinkering and DIY-ing to perfect ones method of saddle hunting. I watched the whole video and I'll give him his thumbs up, it's deserved. We can all spit out our assumptions and theories, But hopefully we all try to remain respectful to one another while we're doing so.
Your an accident waiting to happen!!
It’s pretty tough to get in and not sweat carrying sticks etc. I just preset 20 trees with cranford T screw in steps and I just carry in my bow/gun with a ring of steps. But at the end of the day when it gets cold I have 3 redneck blinds I could just climb into. Comfort and convenience trumps mobility.
That is a smart move. I do something similar. Hunting mobile is great but preset stands are the best
I used to like only being 10-12 feet high. But I got sick n tired of eating tag soup on account of all the deer that I worked hard scouting would come out and look right up at me and scare away all their friends too. Sometimes they’d even spot me from some pretty good distances. It was almost insulting. 20ft is where it’s at. This year I’m already tagged out. And I started a week late LOL
that's y u use a mobile hang on set up and find a tree with cover i mean not every spot u are gonna be able to find cover so u might have to hunt higher but i got my buck this year hunting 13ft
It's about where you hunt. On pressured land I've watched deer walk and look up at trees every yards. I've also hunted some areas where deer don't look up at all unless they see movement.
And btw don’t be cutting and drilling and changing shit. You’re not on the engineering team for that equipment. You have no idea exactly what metals are being used or what the heat treatment process was. You’re asking to be paralyzed from the neck down is all yer doin. Get a eBay account and sell the shit you don’t like. Get what works. And spend some time doing drills with it in the off season. I managed to sneak my XOP setup into the woods, set it up in the dark and wait for big bucky to come in for a nap. I didn’t have to modify nothin. I just tested it out first
It sounds like you bought a bunch of cheap crap. This is user error. Don't be cheap and it will be comfortable.