Long time poster, reader and fan… This year I embark on a new (to me) bow hunting challenge. I have only hunted public land twice in my life - Kentucky as a non-res so don’t judge me. I got drawn in Indiana on a local - new property only 15 tags for 500 acres. Thing hasn’t been hunted legally anyway in 50+ years. No permanent stands allowed. I am leaning climber because it’s all I know in this situation… But my gut tells me to invest the time/money/energy into a saddle. I’m lost. I have no idea what to do. l need to be as lightweight - quite as possible - most of the stand locations I have in mind on this property will be quite the hike (easily pushing a mile +) as the property has a lot of crp before you reach timber. Go with what I know Openshot Summit climber or invest in the saddle program?! Convince me because I am absolutely at a loss on what to do.
Saddle! But you'll need to practice with it before the season. If you don't want to invest a lot into that, just go with the lightest hang-on you can afford. I would suggest the XOP Vanish and a set of Hawk sticks. That'll get you in the lightweight game fairly cheap. Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
I would say do what you will be comfortable with. My personal choice is a small lock on that is sub 10 lbs. And 3 sticks with aiders. This will get you to about 15 lbs and will pretty much be able to hunt any tree up to about 18 feet or lower. The lightest climbers are around 15 lbs so it's a wash in that department and the limiting factor with climber is you cant climb all trees. The lightest will be a saddle setup, but you still need to practice with it and it's not alway the easiest to be able to get a 360 degree shot. Some people are natural with it others, like me struggle with it. I have to have my feet directly under me to make a good shot. My fourm goes to crap when I shoot out of a saddle. If your use to shooting from a lock on, then that would be my vote. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Gotta agree with Holt on this one. I would bet you'll be hard pressed to find a straight tree in Indiana in spots you want to hunt. Lock ons are definitely an easier transition opposed to saddle and you don't have to cut every limb on the way up like a climber requires. Well that's my .02. Best of luck! New spots are always fun and a bit frustrating.
Never thought about trying to make a shot from a sling. Not that I’ve ever considered a saddle, but I sure don’t think it’s for me. I’ve hunted the last 25 years in illinois from a climber. Never had any issues with finding a tree to climb. That being said, this year I’ve added a hang on and 4 sticks. I can hang it in certain areas on private and hunt. It’s whatever is most comfortable for you. Not just butt comfort, safety also.
I have hang on stands on all my private pieces. The rules say no permanent stands - meaning I’d have to take the hang on down after every sit. That’s just way too much work.
I'd have to ask what permanent means. MO had that same rule on public but it just meant they had to come out at the end of season. Either way, I wouldn't trust my LW out on public even overnight. Either way, sounds to me like a saddle may be in your future, bruh.
I have owned 12 different tree saddles from various manufacturers. The only one I kept is the JX3 Hybrid. I hunt with it when I need to however in my opinion climber is King. I hunt public land and to me you are still better off in a climbing Treestand in most spots. Even if you can only get seven or 8 feet off the ground. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
It's what I do and it's become second nature. I hang and and tare down for every hunt, no matter were I am. I do 40 - 60 hunts a year. If you really think about it, you do the same thing with a climber, just a different process. Confidence is key and works with what ever stand you use. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I agree with holt, same amount of work different process. Get sticks and a adjustable hang on and you’ll be set. I prefer 4 sticks and hang on over using my climber for pack in, setup and breakdown each hunt.
Never told anyone this before in person of in print but I will now. I started doing this maybe 25 years ago. A cordless drill 8with a 5/8 bit and a bunch of 7"x 1/2" carnage bolts. Pre drill your holes and stash your bolts (steps) at the base of the tree. Did it for years. Works great.
I would absolutely recommend and say the saddle is the way to go for ultimate mobility and flexibility. However, I will warn you, there is quite the learning curve and adjustment needed to use them efficiently. Maybe you will learn faster and become "one" with the saddle faster than I did, am. Its definitely a different "feel" that you hav eto get used to and something that takes a bit of practice and hanging out in the trees to get used to. That said, I'd say go for it with the saddle and if nothing else, use your climber if you can't get "on" to the saddle as quickly as you hoped. Now if you want to stay with a stand, I'd go with sticks and a hang on. If you have the cash, look at the Beast sticks and stand or the LW custom gear stuff. They're stupid lightweight, small and package setups.
They say you can't leave a stand can you leave steps? The stand I have has a bracket that straps to the tee, that is not a stand and it can be left.
If I were going to invest time and money into one mobile-hunting setup, it would be saddle. Simply put, they are lighter and more versatile than a hang-on. I much prefer a hang-on for long sits, and I don't think I could pull an all-dayer in a saddle, but for running in and out, hanging in different trees of varying sizes and straightness, it's tough to beat a saddle setup. IMO the learning curve isn't nearly as steep as some people make it out to be. Hanging the sticks and platform is identical to a hang-on stand. The only difference is figuring out how to maneuver around the tree and where to set your tether height and bridge length. I hung in a saddle exactly one time before I took it in the woods to go hunting and didn't have any issues to speak of.
I'm 64, a very healthy/in shape 64 !! ..... been using a LW Alpha II and LW sticks since 2013, now using Skeletor sticks .... where I hunt (state/public land) no stands can be left and must be removed every hunt, that way no one hogs up an area by hanging multiple stands (I love this idea of no stands being left up ) ... during an average season, I hunt over 20 days, some times more, and sometimes less if I tag out early ... I set at least once and many times twice a day thru the season if I change locations ...I am going in from 1/4 mile to over 1 mile depending on stand location, I have 45 stand locations now I can go to and backpack in my gear EVERY HUNT .... I purchased the stand/sticks because of our State Park herd reduction hunts and now use the combo all the time, I have two climbers and 30 portables that now set in the attic ... I can go up waaaay more trees than anyone with a climber can using my system... as for saddles, they are not for me, I'm not going to hang by my ass for 10+ hours on my all day sits, and when I see guys using them, all those ropes look to be a huge bother, plus my knee's wouldnt take it... I am more comfortable out of my LW Alpha II .... of course if one is fat/out of shape, neither system may be right for a certain person .....
If the state allows that on public, its a nice option. MI and WI do not allow a hunter to pierce the bark-so screw in steps not allowed.
