Why do you saddle hunt?

[redsquirrel]

Does anyone know why it took 30+years for the saddle to become "popular"? I vaguely remember seeing a Trophyline in Bass Pro a few years back, but I've never heard about a saddle /tree sling until last year. I'm a hunting fanatic, and I've never read about it in any online articles or magazines. I know a lot of people,several veteran hunters at that, and they have never heard about it.

I wouldn't exactly say that the saddle style became "popular". I bet there as many people who have given it a try and given up and sold there saddle than people who actually stuck with it. Thats not even counting the people who look at us like we're crazy.

I also think that back in the 80's the anderson tree sling had a decent market from what I know about it, maybe even comparable to the tree saddle. I'm only basing this off of the amount of hunters I know in their 50s/60s that know about it or had one at one point.

 

[Stykbow1]

Does anyone know why it took 30+years for the saddle to become "popular"? I vaguely remember seeing a Trophyline in Bass Pro a few years back, but I've never heard about a saddle /tree sling until last year. I'm a hunting fanatic, and I've never read about it in any online articles or magazines. I know a lot of people,several veteran hunters at that, and they have never heard about it.

I wouldn't exactly say that the saddle style became "popular". I bet there as many people who have given it a try and given up and sold there saddle than people who actually stuck with it. Thats not even counting the people who look at us like we're crazy.

I also think that back in the 80's the anderson tree sling had a decent market from what I know about it, maybe even comparable to the tree saddle. I'm only basing this off of the amount of hunters I know in their 50s/60s that know about it or had one at one point.

Red I tried the Anderson tree sling back in the 80's and didn't have much luck with it, not because it didn't work but because it didn't know how to use it properly, and had a hard time shooting my recurve out of it. It was really cool though hanging there 20' feet above the ground like a Ninja, even if everyone else thought it was silly, but had I stuck with it I think I may have been pretty successful hunting with it. Many of the areas I hunted in the pines had trees that were crooked, leaning, small, or just to many branches to easily get a stand in. Perfect spots for a saddle type system.

If we had forums like this back then I would have been able to figure out that I was attaching the rope too high and that put the bridge in the way of my drawing the bow and put more than two tree steps to stand on, I basically straddled he tree with a step on each side and planned or set the saddle up for deer coming from my left to shoot. I got it for hunting this one area because you couldn't get a traditional style tree stand in this patch of woods and the deer must have known it because they were going thru this spot like a highway.

Unfortunately I listened to my peers and stopped wasting my time with the strap and moved onto fixed position setups and when I went back at the end of the season to get my Sling, don't ask me why I left it hanging in the tree you do dumb things like that sometimes when your young, it was gone along with my steps. The joys of hunting public land!

My guess why the Anderson sling wasn't more popular is the same reason why the saddle isn't as popular today people are unwilling to try something new and different and don't like their peers making fun of them. I showed two of my buddies the Aero Hunter this Sunday one told me it looked like a big diaper and laughed, then he busted on me the whole time saying I could set my Summit up quicker than that, etc.etc.etc.... My older and albeit a little wiser friend was more reserved I think because in his lifetime he'd seen many new hunting devices that people at first laughed at but now use everyday, and wasn't going to bust on me.

It's probably been over 25 years since I tried that Anderson tree sling, although the design is different the concept is still the same for the Aero Hunter, yet some people still aren't able to see outside of the box or willing to try something new just because it is different than what they're used to. However some of us can look at something and see the potential and aren't afraid to give it a try. Like the first caveman that climbed a tree and waited for his prey to come by when his buddies were waiting on the ground, sometimes you have to leave the pack behind to in order to adapt and survive, and in this case I think that's what makes saddle hunters different we are only concerned with results not following the crowd.

Roger

 

[swampsnyper]

Can't say why I use it because I haven't got it yet but the reason I want it is flexibility. I use to use climbers until I discovered the lone wolf assault and sticks. I sold my climbers after finding the lonewolf setup. The saddle system seems like it will replace my lockons if I can get use to it. I don't know, I might not even like it but it has the potential in my mind to give even more huntable trees. And one thing that I didn't hear anyone say probably because not many people hunt in the water, but this system will be a lot easier to set up in water than a lockon and tree steps.

 

[Stykbow1]

Can't say why I use it because I haven't got it yet but the reason I want it is flexibility. I use to use climbers until I discovered the lone wolf assault and sticks. I sold my climbers after finding the lonewolf setup. The saddle system seems like it will replace my lockons if I can get use to it. I don't know, I might not even like it but it has the potential in my mind to give even more huntable trees. And one thing that I didn't hear anyone say probably because not many people hunt in the water, but this system will be a lot easier to set up in water than a lockon and tree steps.

Swampsnyper,

I was watching a couple of your videos on YouTube just this afternoon I really enjoyed them and I could identify with the one where you missed the buck with the recurve been there done that! Anyway I wanted to let you know my buddy Mike and I went out last week and he drilled out two stand locations with the drill and peg system and it worked flawlessly and we are both pumped with the system. What really amazed me was the way Mike was able to go through the thickest cover following deer trails and yet had everything he need to setup a stand with him. Also once he was finished and climbed down there was nothing to tip off another hunter that Mike was in the area and yet he could come back and hunt the spot anytime he wanted to with just a handful of pegs and his Ameristep platform. I could easily see you sneaking through the swamp and setting up on a piece of high ground with the saddle no problem, heck you could even wear it and paddle in with a canoe if you wanted or needed to. Once you start using it I think you'll find it is an amazing system with tons of possibilities. Good luck and good hunting...>>>------->

Roger

 

[swampsnyper]

Didn't think about weight in the pirogue. Hey that's another DIY project I need to post for y'all. I built one a couple summers ago. Anyway, what I meant about hunting in water was actually hunting a tree flooded in water, although getting there without a stand dragging and grabbing anything is another plus. But I was thinking of not having a wet stand once I got it up. Imagine being in knee deep water with a stand on your back with sticks strapped to it and a back pack. Now what do you do to take all that apart and get it in the tree. You have to set it in the water or hang on a branch or something while you take it all apart. Another reason I quit using a compound. I've used my stick bow as a walking stick, push pole, snake beater...
That buck I missed was following a doe and the waterline of a swamp. Those does when being chased will hit the water to try and lose a buck like they would a pack of dogs. A couple days before that video I was hunting about 50 yards away on the edge of the water and watched 3 bucks harassing a group of does. They were back and forth in the water running mad! A doe took the biggest buck deep into the swamp. I watched them swim away. That was one of my most exciting hunts last year and I didn't bring the camera because it rained on and off all day.
Water is a safe haven for them especially on public land. They will bed on stumps and logs. They are survivors that's for sure.

 

[Stykbow1]

Didn't think about weight in the pirogue. Hey that's another DIY project I need to post for y'all. I built one a couple summers ago. Anyway, what I meant about hunting in water was actually hunting a tree flooded in water, although getting there without a stand dragging and grabbing anything is another plus. But I was thinking of not having a wet stand once I got it up. Imagine being in knee deep water with a stand on your back with sticks strapped to it and a back pack. Now what do you do to take all that apart and get it in the tree. You have to set it in the water or hang on a branch or something while you take it all apart. Another reason I quit using a compound. I've used my stick bow as a walking stick, push pole, snake beater...
That buck I missed was following a doe and the waterline of a swamp. Those does when being chased will hit the water to try and lose a buck like they would a pack of dogs. A couple days before that video I was hunting about 50 yards away on the edge of the water and watched 3 bucks harassing a group of does. They were back and forth in the water running mad! A doe took the biggest buck deep into the swamp. I watched them swim away. That was one of my most exciting hunts last year and I didn't bring the camera because it rained on and off all day.
Water is a safe haven for them especially on public land. They will bed on stumps and logs. They are survivors that's for sure.

Well it seems to me whatever your doing keep doing it because it's working! I've never personally hunted in water but I have walked through some water to get to a piece of high ground surround by water and have talked to guys in other states that hunt around or near water. You're 100 percent right deer are survivors and wether it's in someone's backyard in their garden or a flooded swamp they adapt and survive. I think they like water so much because it's a deterrent to us but not them. I still remember the first time I saw a whitetail swim across the Delaware river like it was nothing and have talked to many Baymen in my area who have watched them swim from the mainland to an island on many occasions.

As for the traditional equipment I loved shooting and hunting with my longbows and recurves but my shoulder won't allow me to shoot enough to be proficient and being over 50 I have trouble picking a spot like I used to past 15 yards. I had more fun hunting and stump shooting with my traditional equipment than I do with the compound or crossbow nothing wrong with them just the mystic of the stick and string just lends itself to that kind of stuff. If your able to accurately shoot traditional equipment I think there is no better challenge and enjoyment than hunting with a longbow or recurve and very little can go wrong unless the string breaks or the bow delamenates but that is very rare anyway.

Back to the saddle though I think you will find it's light, secure, safe, simple, and versatile. Plus as you've probably read here very customizable to meet your specific needs and hunting style. If you look on Boswell's YouTube page he has a couple of videos where he's shooting his longbow from the saddle very cool stuff. In your hunting area you could carry the saddle in a waterproof bag or pack until you get to the tree and then put it on and no more wet seat. The one thing about the saddle is the possibilities are endless and there are very few constraints on where it can be used, which, is what got me interested in it in the first place.

By the way thanks for your videos I really liked them and hope to see some new ones with you in the saddle hunting.

Roger

 

[swampsnyper]

That might not happen. Last season while trailing my sons deer I let him hold the camera while I searched for his deer. He got to playing in the ice and put the camera down somewhere in the woods and forgot about it. It's still out there somewhere but we couldn't find it. Guess I shouldn't have camoed it! Lol I have a gopro but it's not the best thing for hunting because you have to keep it off until you are ready to film because the battery life sucks. I never take it.
Kinda looking forward to carrying a lighter load with out that heavy tree arm and just concentrate on shooting with a bow and not a camera and a bow.

 

[fawnzy]

Hi guys. Great stories. My boys lost my radios. Twice. I now put a strip of blaze duct tape on my stuff.


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[swampsnyper]

Hi guys. Great stories. My boys lost my radios. Twice. I now put a strip of blaze duct tape on my stuff.


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good idea!

 

[Stykbow1]

Hi guys. Great stories. My boys lost my radios. Twice. I now put a strip of blaze duct tape on my stuff.


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Fawnzy being a died in the wool bowhunter it kills me to do anything like that even though i know the chances of a deer seeing the orange are slim to none, it still bothers me! :lol: I have a blue Ropeman on my tree rope and lineman's belt and I can't wait to camouflage them that's for sure, heck I would have paid an extra twenty bucks if they offered camo instead of blue, we hunters are a funny bunch!

Roger

 

[redsquirrel]

Not to mention, camo is a way cooler fashion statement

 

[swampsnyper]

LOL Yep, I camo everything. It bothers me too. Especially black webbing. I hate it. Tree steps going up a tree with black webbing is the worse! Bothers me way more than the deer! lol

 

[fawnzy]

In ontario, we have a minimum amount of orange that must be worn during gun season. And when the Orange army hits the forest its best to wear as much as possible.
I will gain more time in a couple of years to start bow hunting, then I'll stock up on the camo.
Oh, I live in the most red neck neighbourhood in my area. If your male and over the age of 12 you must wear camo while driving your quad down the road while drinking your beer


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[redsquirrel]

In ontario, we have a minimum amount of orange that must be worn during gun season. And when the Orange army hits the forest its best to wear as much as possible.
I will gain more time in a couple of years to start bow hunting, then I'll stock up on the camo.
Oh, I live in the most red neck neighbourhood in my area. If your male and over the age of 12 you must wear camo while driving your quad down the road while drinking your beer


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LOL.

We have a minimum amount of orange that you need to wear during gun season as well. If I am gun hunting I also try to get in the tree in the dark and stay until after dark unless I shoot something to avoid the crowds.