I've never tried a saddle. Been a mobile stand guy since before it was cool. I am an ally to the saddle community, though.

I just wanted to tell you I love the name of your thread.

 

I never quit carrying 4 helium 3 step sticks and a hang on. I can hang my set up in 6-8 minutes and be comfortable with my feet up.

 

I made the switch 5 years ago. I did it because it was the best lightest mobile set up for me. I do not care how someone else hunts, but I will say that if you are a public land hunter, you better use some sort of mobile hunting device.

 

i got a saddle and and m7. I swap back and forth and utilize both. There and positives and negatives to both

 

Double post

 

I went all in saddle for 5 seasons then sat my climber one day out of a whim and now only use saddle when I’m hunting with longbow. If I have compound I’m either in summit or xop loc on with mesh seat. Saddles really are comfortable if you get the right one for your body shape. Hard on knees though but I just don’t shoot as well at distance from it. So I use it where my limit is 20 anyway.

 

My Summit has been sitting on the shelf for about 5 seasons as well, but sometimes I do wonder if in many situations I’m kidding myself. Climbers are simpler once you get to the tree, IMO way more comfortable, and can be made safer pretty quickly (treestand wingman). Anywhoo yeah climbers have become underrated and maybe it’s time I blow the dust off mine as well.

 

I went from hunting with a climber since Bessy was a calf to a hangon long enough for half a cup of coffee and then spent almost 3 years in a saddle. This year went back to a hangon for half a day and back to a saddle. I was never uncomfortable in a saddle just couldn't shoot out of one. My previous sticks and platform didn't gel well with me either. I also previously (my ignorance) got frustrated with all the ropes, but now I have a kit that fits me well and better ropes and I can shoot out of one.

I love my climber but now that I understand a true "method" of getting up the tree, setting up and positioning myself to shoot I can definitely see the value in saddle hunting and to be honest can be up a tree and setup faster than my climber. Part of that may have been spending 3 seasons learning what NOT to do.

To me a saddle is almost as comfortable as a climber but not getting picked off and being able to draw my bow from behind the tree or drawing my bow in a tree surrounded by cover has really meant a lot this season, in two weekends I got two down. I don't think I've got my saw out of my pack ever when using a saddle.

 

I just got into saddle hunting this year. I had my first two sits on the 2nd day of the season and killed a doe in the morning and my biggest buck ever in the evening. These were also my first archery kills in my 4 years of archery hunting. That being said, I was not exactly uncomfortable in my latitude method, but it was the lazyboy in a tree I was led to believe. I felt like I ended up moving around a lot more than I normally would in a hang on. And as necessary as they might be, I hate fiddling around with all the different ropes. I originally liked the idea of saddle hunting because I hunt private land but all the current stands are setup for gun and I thought it might be easier than putting up my lone wolf climber. It might just be the fact that I am unexperienced in the saddle, but unless I'm going to a place where I haven't scouted well or know of good trees to setup in I'll probably go back to my climber. Less parts, more comfortable, faster setup.

I did like the ability to easily shoot from the saddle and feeling totally secure vs in my climber and having to stand up, admittedly I don't always use a safety harness in the climber so it can feel a little unsecure when standing on the platform at full draw 20' in the air. I thought the shcoting experience would be more difficult but was very surprised that it was actually easier for me.

 

I went to a saddle a couple years ago then sold all my gear and bought a LW .5 which was an absolute torture device for me. So uncomfortable and hated it so sold it.
Bought another saddle set up this year and it is more comfortable to me than any hangon I’ve been in. Only problem to me being the weak side shot. I have a smaller platform and on some trees it difficult to get around for that shot especially with my recurve.

 

I thought about getting a .5 and using it as a saddle platform but also being able to sit if I wanted to. Whats so bad about it?

 

It's really about weight for me. The closest private land I can hunt is almost 2 hours away. Public is just up the road. With public, you've gotta be willing to hike. Plus I'm most often getting set up an hour and a half
to sunrise/sunset so only sitting for 2-3 hours, especially on weekdays.

If I had my own land I'd probably have ladder stands and everything else.

As with anything, it's a toolbox. Unless you only ever hunt one area, one way, I like options.

 

I still do them all, ladder stands , hang on stands, climbers, saddle, etc. Started to saddle hunt (not exclusively) in 2021 with a Cruzr XC.

The biggest problem I have with the saddle is that ur backside is totally exposed, and it’s VERY easy to fidget. Yes, you set up to where the tree is between you and where you think the deer will come from, but in big timber deer are somewhat nomadic so that’s an educated guess.
You can fidget in a stand obviously, but you’re hidden from behind - that’s always in the back of my mind, how I feel less exposed when it’s “idle time” in a treestand.

I did shoot a buck out of a saddle in 2022. And if it weren’t for the ability to hide behind the tree as a handful of does had me surrounded before then buck came in, I probably wouldn’t have shot that buck.

I do find it to be easier to set up than a hang on (I do hunt with that too). But, I don’t find it as comfortable. I’ve never done an all day sit in a saddle. Not sure I could. Also, I wonder if 2 panels are more comfortable like eberhart swears by. But he is a great salesman.

2021 shot buck from stand
2022 shot buck from saddle

Not sure that’s enough data to sway me to ditch either method (saddle or stand)

they’re both useful.

 

Started saddle hunting around 2018 exclusively for 4 seasons. Cant hardly stand it now. I got sucked into the fad just before Tethrd started to turtle head and push cotton/ship dates. I just can not get comfortable in a saddle. I tried tethrd, AH, JX3, fleece/mammut rch. Im constantly moving in tree, i hate knee pads/knees pressed into tree all day (long legs/tall). Always an issue with a rope or strap caught on something. I cant shoot to the right side from jx3 for whatever reason. I just prefer to suck it up for a 30 minute hike with a climber than suck it up for 4-12 hours of a hunt sitting in discomfort. I still have the gear and use saddle/1 stick to hang cams or trim trees residentially. With every piece of gear I bought or modified to solve a problem while saddle hunting, it seemed like it created 2 more issues. I did like that saddle hunting kept me tied to tree (when using tether not LB) at all times. I hunted with saddle gear the same as a climber in the same places of public land. I cant point to one example of how it improved my hunting/odds over 5 years as it is easy to find climber conducive trees here and Im in shape enough I can hike a steep with 45lbs (mandatory for my work) . Also, it often felt like i was carrying the same weight as a climber except it was just more individual pieces of gear to maintain and more work to climb tree. Connecting my big climber is a little sketchy with noise but so is 1-sticking up a tree and moving tether up every move, or separating 3 sticks etc but im in bed once in the climber. Anyway, use what ya got and can afford. Have fun and be safe. BTW Saddle hunting is so awesome now that even the AT classifieds are full of the gear haha

 

This*
Also started saddle hunting. Fun for a bit then body starts talking. My opinion is it’s a young man’s gam and for in shape folks with no prior injuries. Climber for me from here on out. I feel the safest and most comfortable in my summit titan.

 

I find a saddle extremely comfortable but I am also a very fit guy. I find sitting in any kind of stand whether a climber or a permanent to be uncomfortable in very short order. It seems no matter what type of cushion I use the lack of fat on my butt makes it hurt within 2 hours and then I get all fidgety. I do not have that issue in a saddle. I do Pre-Set all my ropes though so I can walk to my tree, ascend/tether and start hunting in 4 or 5 minutes.

 

I feel like I do see a trend with saddles working much better for thinner folks. I also converted to a saddle and will not look back, at least for public land. You can wear in all day scouting or shove it in your pack if you don't want to wear it. They do take some getting used to, but once you figure out how to wrap the rope around your shoulder for off side or behind you shots its pretty slick in my opinion. I also feel much more secure/safer with tension on the rope at all times, so that helps me mentally when moving around in the stand to get a different angle for a shot. I will say though, I've gun hunted out of my saddle and have not figured that out yet. It feels clunky. Hard to move the gun, hard to get steady, didn't like my method for hanging the gun and certainly didn't want a chambered .270 falling butt first out of the tree with the danger end pointing straight up at me. I set up SLOW, and I can be 3 sticks up ready to shoot in about 10 minutes. Early season with less clothing and bulk I think it is a little less, but I am less worried about sweating my butt off when I'm not wrapped up in jackets.

 

I did one hunt in a saddle a few years ago and went right back to Lone Wolf.

 

Me too. Except I never actually tired a saddle.

 

I'm saddle curious. I'd like it as an additional tool to my mobile stand.

 

Anything else you're curious about? 😏

 

Saddle for recon/trying a new spot. Tree stand for tried and true spots or places I will revisit and for all day sits. Not a fan of the saddle for more than 3-4 hours.

 

For mobile I wouldnt go back to a hang on. I cheaped out this year and got a boat load of screw in steps and set up 8 trees on my property this way I just take the saddle and platform and scurry on up.

 

You just gave me a great idea. How I never thought of that idk but thanks

 

I looked at saddles as somewhat of a fad when they got popular, but realized that hunting with an RC harness is closer than I once thought. As friends have tried the saddle method and shared their learning curve, I started to slowly entertain the idea of giving it a try. Especially on some local municipal property where stands cannot be left up overnight. My climber has gotten used there more than any other above-the-ground method, but I am slowly picking up the gear for a real test for myself. Some spots are perfect for a climber and others are not....I want the capacity to utilze both to my advantage.

As a matter of fact, a barely used Trophyline EDP platform I bought off the AT classifieds just arrived this afternoon. I have a pack that is going to work with the sticks and platform, so once I get a saddle and the rigging, I will start testing it out and give it a real go in '24. I don't see giving up hunting from the ground at times, from ladder stands at my friend's farm, my Cougar Claw climber or various fixed stands on our private property.....but every sharp tool is valuable for it's own purpose.

 

I have only been saddle hunting for one season starting last year. Currently I see myself alternating back & forth from saddle to hang on, though I am of the opinion each have their advantages in different situations. Both are good options to have, though the saddle is more often than not my first choice these days.

I only wish I would have started much earlier with the saddle. If I had I would have likely taken my nicest deer to date with the bow, as opposed to the rifle.

 

This is my first season of saddle hunting but have been mobile with a lone wolf / sticks for about 10 years prior to this. The saddle for me so far is more comfortable overall , quieter and lighter. I have no fixed stand locations so every time I hunt it is hang n hunt. I think the biggest challenge for me is shooting out of the saddle properly. I practiced but clearly not enough as I shot right over the back of (2) does this am. I will continue practicing out of it and will use the rest of the season before I come to a full conclusion .

 

I gave it an honest shot for a season. I couldn’t sit still. Went back to a stand and haven’t looked back.

 

I think sitting still would be the hardest, especially with your knees against the tree. The people I see in the woods are always moving around I saddles.

 

I bought my first saddle about 8 years ago, well before any platforms were manufactured. Your options were ring of steps or diy platform usually from a lone wolf seat. I had a ring of steps and hated it, so I sold everything.
About 5 years later, the craze hit, and I tried it again with a couple of different platforms. I liked it much better than the ring of steps, and I used it for 1 season.
I decided I moved to much and I royally hated trying to pull off an offside shot without getting busted. So I went back to a hang on, again.
Now, here I am 2 years later with a cruzr platform I picked up cheap, and an eye out for a dryad drey to go with my killdeer to try again.

I feel like I get picked off more in a saddle but my opinion is that's because I hunt lower than most people and I can't sit as still as I can in my hang on. BUT I have a few spots that I can hunt high enough that I think it would work good and I enjoy carrying in my mystery ranch pack better than my treestand.

 

I don't see myself ever going back to a stand.

 

I affirm you.

 

I’m on my 5th season in a saddle. I have converted all my friends.

I think they’re all just different tools in the tool shed, but I love my saddle and for a mobile set up no way I’d go back to a mobile lock on.

For bow hunting public land, I can’t imagine going back to a climbing stand. Way too much bulk and getting hung on every vine as you walk. Less shot options. Louder. More movement to shoot. Stick out like a sore thumb.

For gun hunting some private, I could see sitting in a Summit and napping on a cold morning, but that’s just not my preferred style of hunting.

Mobile style lock ons (and cheap ladderstands) are the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever sat on. I used to last 1.5-2hrs and then I’m up-down-up-down trying to make it till the end.

I can sit all day in my saddle. I do get to changing between sitting and leaning but that is a very slight and subtle movement compared to full out standing up.

 

I went to a saddle 4 years ago and haven't touched my climber since. I am not going back and not giving up rope climbing. I love the safety of being tied in before I leave the ground and the rappel in the dark.
No regrets here for making the change.