Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

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EllieTheChubb
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Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:44 pm

I'm planning to transition from my current stands which are heavy, noisy and cumbersome when setting up. Really only suited for preseason installs or getting in much earlier than is always practical.

I know most of you rave about the lone wolf platforms and Dan is comming out with a new lightweight platform. But there is also alot of folks using saddles.

What are your pros & cons of each?
Main factors being cost, comfort, speed, and stealth.
(Not necessarily in that order)


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treeroot
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby treeroot » Tue Dec 18, 2018 4:32 pm

Going mobile for me isn't cheap regardless of how you do it. If cost is a big concern I'd do a lot of research, watch videos and find someone local to try out different gear.

Heights bother me, standing on a platform over 16' causes me to miss opportunities or set up poorly. I fought stands for almost 20 years before switching to a saddle. But I'm not sure they are for everyone.

Saddle hunting puts the tree infront of me. I feel completely comfortable at 25' if that's where I need to be. I also find it the most comfortable, I can stand or sit with 80% of my weight on the saddle. I can change my position to not only get shots off but also to see and hide. I've used it to escape the wind on really cold days by putting the tree to block it. Hunting pine trees is much easier to hide amongst the branches. I could go on and on.

Cons that I've found: there's a learning curve compared to a hang on. Because it's semi form fitting not everyone isn't built the same so you'll most likely have to tweak your setup to find comfort. Others I've had try it don't like the tree infront of them.

I've also run into people that are so used to preset stands they don't like going mobile because it's not as easy.

Climbing the tree methods are mostly the same. This is where the most noise/ problems are regardless of stand or saddle. When I switched it would take me 30+ minutes and some swear words to get up a tree. Now I'm usually 10 minutes or less quiet as a mouse on most trees.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:16 am

I'm trying to keep my budget under $250. This dosent seem possible with a saddle and platform. But if I'll be happier long term I'm okay exceeding that.

I have a few sets of WE stepps which I like alot. I plan to add single step aiders to each one to cut my install time down. Although heavy compared to modern sticks I think they are much quieter walking in and out and they are easy to pull out when ascending.

Ive seen some modded seat platforms for saddle hunting which may cut the cost down below my threshold. My worry with that is that ive never used a seat that really bites into a tree enough to not shift with alot of side pressure.

Currently I'm using a gorilla seat, it has a single rachet and two V's where it touches the tree. I may beef up the bolts and add a second rachet this winter just to see if it would work. I obviously dont want to fall off a platform so if thats a horrible idea let me know!

The other reason I'm leaning towards a saddle is I'm probably a little too comfortable with heights. A saddle would force me to be harnessed in more than I am now.

My other question is lifespan. Have you had to replace anything? I'm assuming the ropes are the weak point here.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby ODH » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:33 am

with budget in mind do yourself a favor and just start with a saddle. get comfortable using it then decide whether you prefer to "sit" or "lean". If you tend to sit more then there is def no need for a platform. In fact the WE steps you already have can serve as a great top step/platform. You can always add one in the future should you feel it necessary. good luck
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:42 am

I have read people use the WE Stepps but thought foot fatigue would be an issue considering how narrow they are. I guess with most of your weight in the saddle it wouldnt be so bad.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:56 am

Head over to saddlehunter.com and you will find everything you need to know about saddle hunting.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:38 pm

I've done a bunch of reading over there. The main reason I asked here is because I was looking for less bias. lots of great info on saddlehunter.com but everyone over there is 100% a saddle guy.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby Wlog » Wed Dec 19, 2018 1:55 pm

Both are good options IMO. It really comes down to personal preference and comfort level. Some people leave saddle hunting because they’re used to stands and they don’t give the saddle a fair chance. It takes some time to get comfortable using it and sitting or leaning in it.

One of the things I love about the saddle is I can scout with everything on my back as long as I need to without a back ache. Stand and sticks get heavy on real long walks. You did the right thing asking the question here rather than saddlehunter. I like saddlehunter but treestands will not get a fair shake there. Guys on this site are generally open minded.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Dec 19, 2018 2:00 pm

burkhart wrote:You’ll have loyalist here as well. Mainly lone wolf and Dans products and with due right but you can get a decent hang on api/locon/muddy/xop for 150 easy

You don’t have to go cast to successful get what u can afford

there is quality used stuff being sold all the time id get on the search button. before i hunted with a saddle i bed hunted with climbers and a old wind walker stand i killed plenty of deer with other gear just take your time and get the right gear the first time one piece at a time and make due with what you got. i use a saddle myself but have no problem using a stand either
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby Hoosier-13 » Wed Dec 19, 2018 2:25 pm

I made the switch to a saddle last year after using a climber as my mobile setup for 14 years. I know that's not a hang on comparison, but to me the whole climbing and hanging a stand never appealed. Now I wouldn't think I would find it too difficult. What happened to me on switching was literally every piece of private I have access to, got logged all in two years. After that I was left with good thick cover for deer, but no cover in the trees and most of the climber suitable trees were all gone. I had to change. Plus at the same time I got into listening to podcasts and heard about saddle hunting and using beast tactics.

My only experience is with the saddle and using a permanent hang on stands setups. I am only 100% for using the right gear the situation calls for, theres a place for saddles and a place for stands, blinds, ghillies, etc.

The saddle does offer a lot. Once set up right for the user, it's very comfortable. I have lower back pain and the saddle is better than the hang ons that I did use permanently. The comfort doesn't compare to the summit, but it's honestly not that bad, I can do all day sits in either.
I really like that I am not packing a cumbersome metal frame around through brush and fatiguing my shoulders. Also I dropped my packing weight in half. I was already wearing harness for my stand, now my harness is my stand.
Another thing not mentioned yet is the cheapness of presets. On private land, I use grade 8 3/8x6" bolts drilled into the tree in place of screw ins. They're much cheaper and maybe even safer. I can use 15-18 bolts on average at a price of 55 cents a bolt and have a tree preset, so it's very cost effective to have a lot of different options. I also use the cheap guide series sticks that I have for hang ons and just climb up them, set a platform, and hunt. I will use them on good trees like oaks that I don't want to risk the health of by running in bolts or screw ins.
The main things that convinced me were...the weight savings, the ability to be super quiet, climb literally almost any tree, keeping the tree between me and the deer for a lot of added cover, shooting 360 degrees, and honestly because it was different and looked cool. Plus tinkering and adding different things has been fun.
Above all, it's safer. If you do it how it's meant to be done, you're attached from the time your feet leave the ground till they touch ground again. Since you're ropes are always under weight tension, you really can't "fall". You can even hang upside down in them. A tree stand harness catches a fall, a saddle prevents it from happening.

I recommend to get your feet wet with it by getting a sitdrag and pairing it with a rc harness. If you already have the climbing method, you can be in a saddle for +-$100 or so, depending on ropes, what rc harness, biners, etc. The sky is the limit on cost as with anything. Plenty of videos on saddle hunting have been made by greg godfrey, the founder of tethrd, on his youtube page G2Outdoors. I copied his stuff and have since went head first and love it. I haven't set in a stand all year yet and have hunted a lot. I will still use a stand some in the future after accomplishing my goal of killing a buck out of a saddle lol I now use a aero hunter kestrel saddle, a tethrd predator platform, and modded hawk heliums for my climbing method. May make some changes by next season, but I am pretty happy with where it's at.

Good luck on which ever route you decide, either way, they're proven mobile methods of killing big bucks!
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Wed Dec 19, 2018 3:01 pm

I prefer a stand - but that's just me. I like some flexibility in other areas.... Like being able to add and remove clothing without having to get out of the tree. That's kind of important to me starting around mid nov here. AMs can be very chilly but midday I'm shedding layers. I don't want to have to walk out to the stand/tree site in full cold weather garb with the saddle over it as well. I would sweat like a pig. Would be hard to remove my insulated pants while in a saddle while 20+ feet up a tree. But those 20-degree AMs can turn into 50 degrees mid-day and I need to be able to adjust to the conditions. Accessing pockets in your pants can be a challenge in some instances as well. Maybe that's not such a big deal for most though.

Like a stand where some shots can be difficult, like when the deer is behind the tree, saddles aren't without that shortcoming either. They can have some tough shot angles just like a stand.

I think they're a tool in the tool belt. But nothing is really the perfect solution.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby Truth From The Stand » Wed Dec 19, 2018 3:20 pm

I started saddle hunting this year. I shot out of it 2 or 3 times before hunting out of it and killed from it in early Oct. I didn't think the learning curve was that steep..few climbs and you're good to go. I prefer to hunt out of my saddle to a stand now,. Only used my LW a handful of times this year. a few hunts before my saddle came and a pre hung set during the rut.

There are a pile of advantages, most mentioned in this thread. I did a podcast all about saddle hunting. Kinda a saddle hunting 101. You may find some good info in it.

Here's the link: http://truthfromthestand.com/deer-hunti ... g-godfrey/

Also be sure to check out saddlehunter.com ...great resource and some DIY methods to consider as well. Hope this info helps!
Truth From The Stand Deer Hunting Podcast—http://truthfromthestand.com/

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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Dec 19, 2018 3:47 pm

I have been saddle hunting the past 2 seasons probably spending 70% of my time in it and the rest split between ground hunting, LW Alpha and LW climbers. My choice is the New Tribe Aero Hunter Kestrel and Tethrd Predator platform. The more I hunt of of my Kestrel the more I like it. At this point if I have a choice I will always choose my saddle. It’s just plain fun to hunt out of. Really nice not lugging around a stand all the time. With a saddle you are basically wearing your treestand or if you prefer just throw it in a backpack because it compacts into such a small package compared to a tree stand. Great for deep hikes in nasty terrain.

You still need a way to climb the tree which adds weight but there are so many options out there right now where it’s possible to do this with minimal weight and bulk. I have Wild Edge Stepps but still prefer the stability and double step of the Beast Sticks.

As far as comfort goes my Kestrel us as good as it gets. My back is really messed up and hang on stands are pure torture for me. When I’m in my saddle it’s about the only time I have zero pain. For me that has by far been the biggest advantage for me.

Another thing I like about hunting with a saddle is I set up on the backside of trees and this really helps to stay hidden yet still extremely easy to take a shot. 360 degrees of shooting is easy in a saddle and not so much in other stands.

The biggest drawback for me with a saddle is hunting in extremely cold weather. There really isn’t a good way to hunt with a HBS or IWOM. I typically go back to my other stands when the temps drop below 30 degrees.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby Aaron1987 » Wed Dec 19, 2018 4:59 pm

This was our first year hunting with a saddle and it was slick. We’ve used most of the new models and the Tethrd Mantis is my favorite. I did however shoot all my deer this fall out of hang ons, probably just by happenstance.

I’ve been taking the stand and 4 Beast sticks when hunting locations close to access. Anytime we go deep, the saddles come out. If you take two Beast sticks with aiders, the Tethrd platform and saddle, your talking almost nothing to throw in pack and haul 2 Miles deep.

Love the direction industry is going with mobile hunting. Saddles are here to stay but a super light hang-on is still useful at times also.
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Re: Mobile hunting Saddle vs. Stand

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Wed Dec 19, 2018 5:24 pm

Thanks for all the great responses!
It answers alot of questions and gives me alot more to think about.

As far as hot/cold shifts during a sit can you take off a pullover in the tree? It seems like you could since everythings from the waist.

Is it really awkward shooting weak side? It dosent seem like there's any more movement than turning on a platform but having the tree behind your shoulder just seems unstable.


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