Saddle hunting setup?

[chef_josh]

Just curious who all is using a tree saddle to hunt from, and which brands?

I’ve been thinking more and more about the advantages of a saddle setup, and think I’m gonna purchase one soon.

I have a reasonable amount of experience running climbing ropes and rescue equipment, and it seems like a saddle would be the safest/lightest/easiest/fastest setup to hunt from, especially on WMA’s and public land.

Anyone have experience with Trophyline/Cruzr/Tethrd that could weigh in?

Thanks.

 

[Duckyou]

I have hunted from saddles. Never put one on a tree. I preferred riding horses - they are a bit more mobile

 

[Mspooney]

I am using the old school Aerohunter which they no longer make. It has been great for the last 5 years but there have been so many changes and there are so many options now that it has taken off. Any of the newer sales will be much better because of the size and comfort. I have used the Tetherd (which my 2 kids use) and will get one when I see a bargain. My kids have been using a saddle also since they were about 10 because they are so easy to carry in, set up, and very light weight. Also you can get on any tree that will hold your weight. It takes a few sits to get used to and spending a few minutes in a tree at home will get you comfortable setting up and trusting it. It is actually much safer that any Tree stand, lock-on etc.. because you are connected to the tree from the time you leave the ground. If you're in the Pensacola area I can show you the set up and you can try it out. The hardest thing bout them now is there are so many options to choose from.

 

[chef_josh]

I am using the old school Aerohunter which they no longer make. It has been great for the last 5 years but there have been so many changes and there are so many options now that it has taken off. Any of the newer sales will be much better because of the size and comfort. I have used the Tetherd (which my 2 kids use) and will get one when I see a bargain. My kids have been using a saddle also since they were about 10 because they are so easy to carry in, set up, and very light weight. Also you can get on any tree that will hold your weight. It takes a few sits to get used to and spending a few minutes in a tree at home will get you comfortable setting up and trusting it. It is actually much safer that any Tree stand, lock-on etc.. because you are connected to the tree from the time you leave the ground. If you're in the Pensacola area I can show you the set up and you can try it out. The hardest thing bout them now is there are so many options to choose from.

Thanks for the info. I ended up purchasing different pieces across manufacturers and putting together a new setup. I went with Cruzr XC saddle, Latitude lineman and tether, Tethrd roll up for rappel rope, and climbing with a tethrd one stick with 3 step aider. I got the Cruzer seeker platform. I use a 12mm arborist climbing rope to rappel with, and I go ahead and set it up when I get my platform mounted. I run a rescue 8 with a prusik above and tie off a catastrophe knot below while hunting. I’ve never felt more secure in any hunting setup, but I can also toss down my rope and be on the ground within 15 seconds if necessary ( I see some giant wasp nests out there, and I’ve worried about climbing the wrong tree in warm weather). I even flipped upside down and rappelled down head first a couple days ago. Even without a “hunting saddle”, I’ve had the rescue equipment and knowledge to hunt this way for years, and I have no idea why I waited this long to jump in. The mobility is an absolute game changer on public land. What I have enjoyed so far is the ability to climb big oak trees that I otherwise could never get a climber or even hang on stand in.

 

[DAS HUGH!]

I too used to rappel for ages. Did it for a living in fact. Never heard of this till now. I had to go Google it all out of curiosity and look at some photos. It looks like the exact way I'd do it. Some look alot what we called a bikini harness then.
I didn't see any with a secondary safety line, or gear tho. So yeah I'd deffo do like Josh mentioned and learn some basic rappel knowledge and always have a back up plan. Keeping a small bundle of paracord is a lifesaver too to make emergency ascender footholds with prusik knots when in a jam. Being able to self rescue is a must. Even if you get help most can't get up to you to help you. Even when they do, getting people down is alot harder than it looks. Having way to rappel down, separate of the positioning gear (which is what we called the seats etc) was a must have. Especially if the person has a medical emergency while up there. They're nearly impossible to get down safely, and quickly if they already aren't affixed to a way to lower them down safely.
Good to see the community finding ways to get into this hobby. Not many places around here to even practice such things other than the tall condos here.
We even made our own custom seats then as much of this stuff didn't exist. I took an old steel tractor chair then welded a steel boom made of square tubing up between where the legs would be and welded a loop there. Then attached a Petzel descender to that. Made things very comfy when having to hang on buildings a whole day vs nylon strap webbing seats etc. May be a little clanky n noisey for hunting tho. But good for construction type uses tho for sure as I could hang 5 gallon buckets of tools around its edges. When bored we'd race down so fast we'd have melted plastic from the rope in our descender lol. That or do Spiderman like swings around the bigger buildings once about 20 stories down. The ropes get like rubber bands when down far enough.
But yeah this is exactly the way I'd do it too. Fun stuff. Good luck guys

 

[chef_josh]

I too used to rappel for ages. Did it for a living in fact. Never heard of this till now. I had to go Google it all out of curiosity and look at some photos. It looks like the exact way I'd do it. Some look alot what we called a bikini harness then.
I didn't see any with a secondary safety line, or gear tho. So yeah I'd deffo do like Josh mentioned and learn some basic rappel knowledge and always have a back up plan. Keeping a small bundle of paracord is a lifesaver too to make emergency ascender footholds with prusik knots when in a jam. Being able to self rescue is a must. Even if you get help most can't get up to you to help you. Even when they do, getting people down is alot harder than it looks. Having way to rappel down, separate of the positioning gear (which is what we called the seats etc) was a must have. Especially if the person has a medical emergency while up there. They're nearly impossible to get down safely, and quickly if they already aren't affixed to a way to lower them down safely.
Good to see the community finding ways to get into this hobby. Not many places around here to even practice such things other than the tall condos here.
We even made our own custom seats then as much of this stuff didn't exist. I took an old steel tractor chair then welded a steel boom made of square tubing up between where the legs would be and welded a loop there. Then attached a Petzel descender to that. Made things very comfy when having to hang on buildings a whole day vs nylon strap webbing seats etc. May be a little clanky n noisey for hunting tho. But good for construction type uses tho for sure as I could hang 5 gallon buckets of tools around its edges. When bored we'd race down so fast we'd have melted plastic from the rope in our descender lol. That or do Spiderman like swings around the bigger buildings once about 20 stories down. The ropes get like rubber bands when down far enough.
But yeah this is exactly the way I'd do it too. Fun stuff. Good luck guys

There’s a ton of high value info in what you just posted here. I think the main 2 things I see most hunters doing on YouTube, FB, etc. that’s making me cringe is #1 only being connected to 1 rope the majority or entire time, and #2 using mechanical devices without any backup. I only use the rescue 8, and prusik or distel hitch, above it always, and the catastrophe knot in place until I’m ready to descend. I see all these guys making videos using Ropeman Ascender, Petzl Grigri, Madrock, Kuong Dong, etc. completely solo, and often hands free at times. I understand that when you back up your mechanical device with anything, it’s ultimately not a one handed operation anymore, which is why I don’t use them and just stick with the rescue 8. It takes all the convenience out of a mechanical device to back it up properly, but they ALL fail from time to time (several documented cases of multiple brands of mechanical ascenders/descenders severing the rope completely under static shock or other rare conditions). While these device failures are inherently rare and certainly less common than climbing stand failures, I prefer to stay in the 99.9% safe and alive category, and not let a freak occurrence unnecessarily drop me in the .01% death statistics.

 

[DAS HUGH!]

There’s a ton of high value info in what you just posted here. I think the main 2 things I see most hunters doing on YouTube, FB, etc. that’s making me cringe is #1 only being connected to 1 rope the majority or entire time, and #2 using mechanical devices without any backup. I only use the rescue 8, and prusik or distel hitch, above it always, and the catastrophe knot in place until I’m ready to descend. I see all these guys making videos using Ropeman Ascender, Petzl Grigri, Madrock, Kuong Dong, etc. completely solo, and often hands free at times. I understand that when you back up your mechanical device with anything, it’s ultimately not a one handed operation anymore, which is why I don’t use them and just stick with the rescue 8. It takes all the convenience out of a mechanical device to back it up properly, but they ALL fail from time to time (several documented cases of multiple brands of mechanical ascenders/descenders severing the rope completely under static shock or other rare conditions). While these device failures are inherently rare and certainly less common than climbing stand failures, I prefer to stay in the 99.9% safe and alive category, and not let a freak occurrence unnecessarily drop me in the .01% death statistics.

Yeah exactly and thanks. You seem to have a good knowledge on it all. So I hope I don't sound like I'm preaching to the choir lol. It's great stuff to know that I've found uses for it even well after I quit doing it all. But yeah fun to discuss for sure.
Next time you do some take some pics. I'd like to learn more about the tricks ya use.
I didn't use the figure 8 setups but just maybe 2 or 3 times as we mostly needed to work in one spot for longer periods. But they're alot quicker and easier to use for sure and better suited for that use I agree.
The cordage trick is of my own creation tho. The guys who trained me, also trained themselves lol. Not many climbers down her to learn from. But it's something I can see military parachute guys especially needing to be taught to use when stuck in trees after jumping. Most either just hang there till rescued or cut and drop free and break bones. Not many options if you didn't plan ahead tho.
I'll have to read about the catastrophe knot. Haven't heard of that yet. I'll check into that one thanks.
And yeah most people don't realize too once you apply a side load to beaners or even deacenders they can fail miserably. Even over bending ropes in knots can weaken ropes by as much as like 3/4s strength due to the outter radius being the only fibers under strain.
Then I see alot of fake gear being sold too. Lots of sketchy beaners on the markets now. No telling where all that and the airsoft style type recreational gear is being used as real gear too. But even the real stuff fails when not used right, you're very correct.
I cringe especially each time I see people use beaners instead of wheel pulleys to cross steel zip lines etc lol. I've seen alot, alot of bad advice online too. Again like you say with 0 redundancy.
Btw do they allow yall to put anchors of any sort into trees yall use on public land? I say that with the assumption the person removes them when done of course. But on private land it can be done for sure to help things along and provide a good secondary anchor point.

 

[chef_josh]

Yeah exactly and thanks. You seem to have a good knowledge on it all. So I hope I don't sound like I'm preaching to the choir lol. It's great stuff to know that I've found uses for it even well after I quit doing it all. But yeah fun to discuss for sure.
Next time you do some take some pics. I'd like to learn more about the tricks ya use.
I didn't use the figure 8 setups but just maybe 2 or 3 times as we mostly needed to work in one spot for longer periods. But they're alot quicker and easier to use for sure and better suited for that use I agree.
The cordage trick is of my own creation tho. The guys who trained me, also trained themselves lol. Not many climbers down her to learn from. But it's something I can see military parachute guys especially needing to be taught to use when stuck in trees after jumping. Most either just hang there till rescued or cut and drop free and break bones. Not many options if you didn't plan ahead tho.
I'll have to read about the catastrophe knot. Haven't heard of that yet. I'll check into that one thanks.
And yeah most people don't realize too once you apply a side load to beaners or even deacenders they can fail miserably. Even over bending ropes in knots can weaken ropes by as much as like 3/4s strength due to the outter radius being the only fibers under strain.
Then I see alot of fake gear being sold too. Lots of sketchy beaners on the markets now. No telling where all that and the airsoft style type recreational gear is being used as real gear too. But even the real stuff fails when not used right, you're very correct.
I cringe especially each time I see people use beaners instead of wheel pulleys to cross steel zip lines etc lol. I've seen alot, alot of bad advice online too. Again like you say with 0 redundancy.
Btw do they allow yall to put anchors of any sort into trees yall use on public land? I say that with the assumption the person removes them when done of course. But on private land it can be done for sure to help things along and provide a good secondary anchor point.

Eglin allows tree steps, must be removed by 14 days after hunting season, but I don’t think the WMA’s allow anything that screws into the tree at all.

 

[DAS HUGH!]

Eglin allows tree steps, must be removed by 14 days after hunting season, but I don’t think the WMA’s allow anything that screws into the tree at all.

Nice. What method yall use to get the rope up? Hacky sack, slingshot, or arrow?

 

[Duckyou]

I too used to rappel for ages. Did it for a living in fact. Never heard of this till now. I had to go Google it all out of curiosity and look at some photos. It looks like the exact way I'd do it. Some look alot what we called a bikini harness then.
I didn't see any with a secondary safety line, or gear tho. So yeah I'd deffo do like Josh mentioned and learn some basic rappel knowledge and always have a back up plan. Keeping a small bundle of paracord is a lifesaver too to make emergency ascender footholds with prusik knots when in a jam. Being able to self rescue is a must. Even if you get help most can't get up to you to help you. Even when they do, getting people down is alot harder than it looks. Having way to rappel down, separate of the positioning gear (which is what we called the seats etc) was a must have. Especially if the person has a medical emergency while up there. They're nearly impossible to get down safely, and quickly if they already aren't affixed to a way to lower them down safely.
Good to see the community finding ways to get into this hobby. Not many places around here to even practice such things other than the tall condos here.
We even made our own custom seats then as much of this stuff didn't exist. I took an old steel tractor chair then welded a steel boom made of square tubing up between where the legs would be and welded a loop there. Then attached a Petzel descender to that. Made things very comfy when having to hang on buildings a whole day vs nylon strap webbing seats etc. May be a little clanky n noisey for hunting tho. But good for construction type uses tho for sure as I could hang 5 gallon buckets of tools around its edges. When bored we'd race down so fast we'd have melted plastic from the rope in our descender lol. That or do Spiderman like swings around the bigger buildings once about 20 stories down. The ropes get like rubber bands when down far enough.
But yeah this is exactly the way I'd do it too. Fun stuff. Good luck guys

I carry a chain saw. No need to go up for help when you can bring them down.

 

[DAS HUGH!]

I carry a chain saw. No need to go up for help when you can bring them down.

Lol ikr. If I was stuck and hurt I'd ask them to just send a hot nurse up wimme and leave lol

 

[woodman]

To me the saddle hunts got to be the stupidest thing they've come up with thus far for deer hunting. I started hunting 40 years ago with a Remington 308 pump and 3x9x40 scope, a compass, a home-made climber and a buck knife, now we just pay to shootem out of a troth. I'm 70 now and see more deer than ever from ground pop-up blinds.
I try to imagine myself with all that climbing crap trying to get set up in the dark early morning hours. I've watched the videos and laugh at them idiots as they climb. Let's get back to real hunting and drop all the gimmicks. Good hunting gents.

 

[chef_josh]

To me the saddle hunts got to be the stupidest thing they've come up with thus far for deer hunting. I started hunting 40 years ago with a Remington 308 pump and 3x9x40 scope, a compass, a home-made climber and a buck knife, now we just pay to shootem out of a troth. I'm 70 now and see more deer than ever from ground pop-up blinds.
I try to imagine myself with all that climbing crap trying to get set up in the dark early morning hours. I've watched the videos and laugh at them idiots as they climb. Let's get back to real hunting and drop all the gimmicks. Good hunting gents.

Yeah… go ahead and post a pic of all the big, mature bucks you’ve killed from a blind

 

[woodman]

I've killed 2 nice 8 points from ground blind and I forgot to ask them how old they were. I've had em as close as 5 feet and 10 yards. Happy hunting...

 

[woodman]

I've killed 2 nice 8 points from ground blind and I forgot to ask them how old they were. I've had em as close as 5 feet and 10 yards. Happy hunting...

I tried to add the pics, but they said the file was too big to add to this reply givya some kinda ideas how big they was...

 

[datboyhieu]

I’m actually doing research myself my friend wants to do it so imma do it with him you can literally climb a tree in seconds once you get the hang of it and everything is so light weight

Watch this video it’ll help ya




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