Saddle Hunting: A New Experience

An initial overview and opinions

I’ve hunted since I was 18 years old, I never grew up or was raised into hunting. I hunted squirrel for a few years then started hunting deer when I was around the age of 22. At the time the only person I knew that actively hunted was my future wife’s Uncle who actually leased some land bordering my grandfather’s property who gave him permission to hunt as well. I started using a few of his ladder stands scattered throughout the his lease and on my grandfather’s property; learning the motions of deer hunting, observing movements, and fighting the cold 20 feet in the air.

Fast forward a couple years and I’m now an active hunter, dedicating the time from Virginia’s Early Archery opener in October until the end of late Muzzleloader at the end of the year. So I’ve made a few investment over those years in terms of what setup I usually use deer hunting.

When hunting my property I usually always use the hunting shack that my wife’s uncle built before he stopped hunting. I won’t lie I get spoiled in that shack, with four walls a roof and little heater it’s easy to say that it’s not braving the elements while looking for the next big buck to walk by.

However I Usually only use the Hunting shack during the two weeks of Rifle season (trying to avoid the Orange Army as much as possible on Public Land) besides that I’m almost exclusively hunting the management areas and national forests around the area.

That brings us to the situation and dilemma; what type of elevated setup to use on public land while hunting? Usually when I’m using a Muzzleloader or rifle I hunt on the ground, the extra range benefits not having to use an elevated position. Not saying they don’t help I just am in the practice of taking the bare minimum of equipment in the woods when hunting. However when hunting with a bow when your effective range is much shorter you have two options to close the gap between you and your target; Elevated setup/blind or put a stalk on and sneak as close as you can to a deer without spooking it. In the big timber areas of the mountains a sneaky stalk is almost impossible (but possible given the skill and right terrain.)

So what to bring in, a Ladder Stand? If you’re hunting a dedicated position all season sure, the comfort factor is up there, they are heavy to take in and difficult by yourself to set up but defiantly worth it if you’re hunting a dedicated area all season. Mobile setups are defiantly more popular on public land, climbers and hanging stands offer great mobility but can be bulky. Over the past few years however saddles have been gaining much popularity among the hunting community and recently I bit the bullet and decided to purchase one and try it out.

After a month of trying the saddle and climbing method out (before hunting season opened) I defiantly see the benefits of the saddle system. I added a few of my own personal preferences and modifications. Getting used to the saddle and hanging by a tether is defiantly a method requiring me to get used to however you can overcome these hurdles there is many benefits of the system. Here are the stats and specs below.

The Saddle and system I use.

Tethrd Phantom XL

Weight capacity (tested) 300lbs

11mm Linemans Rope

11mm Tether Rope

Tethrd suspender system

(x2) Molle dump pouches for storage of ropes, lumbar strap, and gear strap.

Climbing Sticks

(x3) Hawk Helium 20’ (used most of hunting season)

Tethrd Predator Platform

This was the system I used for the majority of the hunting season learning from this and testing and using in the field I have made adjustments and refined my kit (as of now anyway) which will be stated in detail in a YouTube video on the Appalachian Outdoorsman Channel which will compare systems and methods among different climbing sticks and saddles.

Overall I was pleased with the saddle system. It offers extreme mobility options when hunting taking you only 7 to 15 minutes to set up and pack up. Allowing you to move into different spots for a more versatile approach to hunting. Elaboration on this method will be brought up though after longer use of the system after another season of hunting with it but until then.

If you willing to make the initial investment which many saddle companies do offer very good priced systems, it’s defiantly a method to consider and to research. Being able to climb a tree sit on a hunting spot for an hour or two and being able to move to another spot without carrying around a lot and it being so quiet for setting up really does have its advantages if that’s the kind of hunting you prefer.

From the Bush,

Andrew