Hunting from a saddle

[DWinVA]

Been doing it for about 3 years here in VA. I’ve killed 3 deer this season with my recurve out of my saddle. Two of the deer were killed from a tree that I couldn’t hunt any other way. It feels weird & and almost unstable in a regular stand since I’m accustomed to being under tension in the saddle.

God Bless

 

[coreman103]

Any further updates on how guys (with a mild fear of heights) handle the leaning-back aspect?

 

[prm]

Just go spend time in the tree. As with any method you’ll feel comfortable the more you do it. Or, if you don’t feel comfortable you’ll know it's not for you.

 

[Gun&BowSD]

Its about trusting your equipment. Practice your whole set up from one step off the ground. Or your platform, whatever you are using. Slowly lean onto your seat where you can still grab your tree if you get nervous. Sit back in it a hand full of times until you are comfortable with that transition. Then my advice, get wild doing things you wouldn't do while hunting. Put your whole weight in it. Wrap around your tree. Lean out as far as you can. Push it further than you would in a real situation to be comfortable with regular usage. Just spend time in it, thats the only way to get comfortable. Also, nothing says you have to be 20 feet up, if you are comfortable with 12, so be it. Put a young kiddo in mine recently. Had all the shaking knees. 20 minutes later he was shooting a bow from it haha. My two cents.