Birth of a saddle hunter.
Likely like many of you, I have been intrigued by the concept of saddle hunting for several years now. I hunt in south central Virginia and have access to diverse woodland environments including mountains, rolling farm lands, marshy areas and river beds. After much research, joining online forums and countless hours of YouTubing I settled on a climbing system and saddle. I ultimately chose the Wild Edge SteppLadder system and a Aero Kestrel Flex saddle. I placed my orders for both and began the painful waiting period for delivery. My steps arrived first and I had several weeks to play with my new toys and get familiar with them. It was not as easy for me as the guys on the YouTube videos made it look. There is definitely a learning curve with this product but after several days and a total of a few hours of experimenting, I figured them out.
Seventy Two hours ago, my saddle arrived on my front porch. The mail woman obviously had no idea what she had because it was tossed at my front door like every other package. There was no music or cheers to announce its arrival, it was quite anticlimactic for something I have been waiting for over two months. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I sprinted down my steps, flung open my front door, grabbed the package and ran into my kitchen beaming with anticipation. I put the box on my stove top (yes it was off) and stared at it with excitement savoring the moment and thinking "Today is the day it all changes!" No more clunky, heavy, restrictive tree stand for me! I grabbed the closest sharp knife to me and carefully, so as to not cut the saddle, incised the packing tape along the seams of the box to revile the gloriousness secured inside! At first I was a bit overwhelmed by all the straps, ropes and buckles but within a matter of forty-five seconds I had the harness system securely attached to my waist and adjusted for comfort.
The saddle was quite comfortable in fact. A little about myself, I am not new to climbing or to wearing a harness. I am a thirty year veteran of the fire service and have fairly extensive rope rescue training to include everything from repelling to swift water rope work. However, a saddle is not our typical rescue harness, in fact is it not harness like at all, so this was new territory for me. My plan was to spend a few hours playing with the system, the steps and my platform - a Wild Edge Perch - and get smooth and comfortable with it for my first hunt with it which I planned on that upcoming Saturday.
So, it turns out, that this saddle thing also has a learning curve! While not complicated in the least, there are a few adjustments to learn; bridge length, tether height and getting comfortable with the linesman belt as well as going through range of motions with a gun or a bow. Additionally figuring out the ideal step spacing on the WE SteppLadder climbing system and attaching and "camming in" the Perch onto the WE Step. There is also a level of confidence you want to have in any system you are literally trusting your life to, so I wanted to give it the opportunity to fail in a safe environment, not twenty foot up in a tree, alone. The saddle itself seemed exceptionally made, rugged with solid buckles and straps. I placed it on a tree at ground level in my front yard and began my own personal QC check. I bounced, tried to flip, simulated falling asleep by going totally limp, and even intentionally flipped upside down which my daughter who was watching me thought was funny. This thing is SOLID as a rock! I did not slip in the saddle even in the lest amount. I honestly could not fall out even with the leg straps unbuckled. The ropes held solid, the buckles were flawless and everything passed my front yard torcher test with flying colors. My neighbors thought I was crazy, but that's a good thing in my opinion, keep'em guessing!
Saturday arrived and its gun season here in my area of VA. I grabbed my 30-30 and headed out to the farm. Three hundred acres just north of Smith Mountain Lake in some of the most beautiful country God has ever made. As I walked the three hundred yards to my tree, I had to convince myself that I WAS carrying my "stand." The light weight and lack of bulkiness was incredible! I arrived at my tree just after sunrise because I didn't want to climb as a newb in the dark. I took my time with my setup and paid extreme attention to every movement as I did not want an accident. However, at no time did I feel unsecure! From reaching the tree to arriving at hunting height with gun in hand took 30 minuets. The steps held well, although I had to adjust several during my climb because they had become loose, likely my fault because I did not pre stretch the ropes as suggested. I had a difficult time attaching the perch to the top step after the step was attached to the tree. So I took the step off, attached the Perch and then reattached the step to the tree. This left the Perch a bit loose but safely secured. The transfer off the linesmans belt to the tether went without incident but was a bit awkward as I transitioned my two-hundred and thirty pound frame into the saddle at height.
While in my spot, on the edge of a cutover in a thick stand of oaks, I saw one small four point that I enjoyed watching. The freedom of movement was incredible although the direction I was facing after I set up could have been better. I did however feel confident that I could shoot in any direction around the tree should Bullwinkle present himself - which on this cool and cloudy Saturday morning, surely it would!
One of the reasons I purchased this system was to be mobile and light, so after about two hours in my tree I decided it was time to move on. I climbed down and packed my steps as I descended. It is worthy to note, the ascent and decent were utterly silent! which is a difficult feat to achieve with my previously used climbing stands. Tree number two had me at hunting height in 20 minuets and in a tree that I could not have climbed with my climbing stand. This tree offered a view of a creek bottom with a few ridges that descend into it. After an hour in that location and wanting to move again, I tried a third tree. It is really a cool feeling walking through the woods with the ability to climb almost any tree and NOT having a heavy tree stand on your back. I found myself looking at trees and thinking "I can climb that one, and that one, and that one..." I was excited at the possibilities.
My third tree found me at hunting height in 11 minuets and I spent the final two hours of my hunt there seeing 3 does well within shooting range. I held as two of the deer were yearlings and well, I just don't do that. My personal rule. Overall I spent five hours in the saddle, it was very comfortable and I believe I could spend eight to ten hours in one easily. It was not as comfortable as my API or Summit climbing "couch" but I didn't expect it to be and it was more then comfortable enough for an all day hunt. What it lacked in comfort, it made up for in mobility and weight! For the first time in a long time, I am excited again to get into some difficult access areas and hunt from some trees that previously I could never have gotten into. Saturday, I saddle hunter was born!
Likely like many of you, I have been intrigued by the concept of saddle hunting for several years now. I hunt in south central Virginia and have access to diverse woodland environments including mountains, rolling farm lands, marshy areas and river beds. After much research, joining online forums and countless hours of YouTubing I settled on a climbing system and saddle. I ultimately chose the Wild Edge SteppLadder system and a Aero Kestrel Flex saddle. I placed my orders for both and began the painful waiting period for delivery. My steps arrived first and I had several weeks to play with my new toys and get familiar with them. It was not as easy for me as the guys on the YouTube videos made it look. There is definitely a learning curve with this product but after several days and a total of a few hours of experimenting, I figured them out.
Seventy Two hours ago, my saddle arrived on my front porch. The mail woman obviously had no idea what she had because it was tossed at my front door like every other package. There was no music or cheers to announce its arrival, it was quite anticlimactic for something I have been waiting for over two months. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I sprinted down my steps, flung open my front door, grabbed the package and ran into my kitchen beaming with anticipation. I put the box on my stove top (yes it was off) and stared at it with excitement savoring the moment and thinking "Today is the day it all changes!" No more clunky, heavy, restrictive tree stand for me! I grabbed the closest sharp knife to me and carefully, so as to not cut the saddle, incised the packing tape along the seams of the box to revile the gloriousness secured inside! At first I was a bit overwhelmed by all the straps, ropes and buckles but within a matter of forty-five seconds I had the harness system securely attached to my waist and adjusted for comfort.
The saddle was quite comfortable in fact. A little about myself, I am not new to climbing or to wearing a harness. I am a thirty year veteran of the fire service and have fairly extensive rope rescue training to include everything from repelling to swift water rope work. However, a saddle is not our typical rescue harness, in fact is it not harness like at all, so this was new territory for me. My plan was to spend a few hours playing with the system, the steps and my platform - a Wild Edge Perch - and get smooth and comfortable with it for my first hunt with it which I planned on that upcoming Saturday.
So, it turns out, that this saddle thing also has a learning curve! While not complicated in the least, there are a few adjustments to learn; bridge length, tether height and getting comfortable with the linesman belt as well as going through range of motions with a gun or a bow. Additionally figuring out the ideal step spacing on the WE SteppLadder climbing system and attaching and "camming in" the Perch onto the WE Step. There is also a level of confidence you want to have in any system you are literally trusting your life to, so I wanted to give it the opportunity to fail in a safe environment, not twenty foot up in a tree, alone. The saddle itself seemed exceptionally made, rugged with solid buckles and straps. I placed it on a tree at ground level in my front yard and began my own personal QC check. I bounced, tried to flip, simulated falling asleep by going totally limp, and even intentionally flipped upside down which my daughter who was watching me thought was funny. This thing is SOLID as a rock! I did not slip in the saddle even in the lest amount. I honestly could not fall out even with the leg straps unbuckled. The ropes held solid, the buckles were flawless and everything passed my front yard torcher test with flying colors. My neighbors thought I was crazy, but that's a good thing in my opinion, keep'em guessing!
Saturday arrived and its gun season here in my area of VA. I grabbed my 30-30 and headed out to the farm. Three hundred acres just north of Smith Mountain Lake in some of the most beautiful country God has ever made. As I walked the three hundred yards to my tree, I had to convince myself that I WAS carrying my "stand." The light weight and lack of bulkiness was incredible! I arrived at my tree just after sunrise because I didn't want to climb as a newb in the dark. I took my time with my setup and paid extreme attention to every movement as I did not want an accident. However, at no time did I feel unsecure! From reaching the tree to arriving at hunting height with gun in hand took 30 minuets. The steps held well, although I had to adjust several during my climb because they had become loose, likely my fault because I did not pre stretch the ropes as suggested. I had a difficult time attaching the perch to the top step after the step was attached to the tree. So I took the step off, attached the Perch and then reattached the step to the tree. This left the Perch a bit loose but safely secured. The transfer off the linesmans belt to the tether went without incident but was a bit awkward as I transitioned my two-hundred and thirty pound frame into the saddle at height.
While in my spot, on the edge of a cutover in a thick stand of oaks, I saw one small four point that I enjoyed watching. The freedom of movement was incredible although the direction I was facing after I set up could have been better. I did however feel confident that I could shoot in any direction around the tree should Bullwinkle present himself - which on this cool and cloudy Saturday morning, surely it would!
One of the reasons I purchased this system was to be mobile and light, so after about two hours in my tree I decided it was time to move on. I climbed down and packed my steps as I descended. It is worthy to note, the ascent and decent were utterly silent! which is a difficult feat to achieve with my previously used climbing stands. Tree number two had me at hunting height in 20 minuets and in a tree that I could not have climbed with my climbing stand. This tree offered a view of a creek bottom with a few ridges that descend into it. After an hour in that location and wanting to move again, I tried a third tree. It is really a cool feeling walking through the woods with the ability to climb almost any tree and NOT having a heavy tree stand on your back. I found myself looking at trees and thinking "I can climb that one, and that one, and that one..." I was excited at the possibilities.
My third tree found me at hunting height in 11 minuets and I spent the final two hours of my hunt there seeing 3 does well within shooting range. I held as two of the deer were yearlings and well, I just don't do that. My personal rule. Overall I spent five hours in the saddle, it was very comfortable and I believe I could spend eight to ten hours in one easily. It was not as comfortable as my API or Summit climbing "couch" but I didn't expect it to be and it was more then comfortable enough for an all day hunt. What it lacked in comfort, it made up for in mobility and weight! For the first time in a long time, I am excited again to get into some difficult access areas and hunt from some trees that previously I could never have gotten into. Saturday, I saddle hunter was born!
