Tree saddles seem to be all the rage. You can hardly look at a hunting website or forum that doesn’t have a section devoted to saddle hunting. There is even a website dedicated to all things saddle hunting, which helps get you up to speed on saddle hunting 101.
Saddle Hunting 101- A Beginners Guide
The godfather of saddle hunting is John Eberhart of Michigan. Taking the vast majority of his 34 record-class bucks from a saddle, Eberhart began saddle hunting in 1981and uses a saddle exclusively. What does a tree saddle do that other tree stands or blinds can’t? According to Eberhart, tree saddles bring mobility to the hunt. They are lightweight. You can stuff it in your backpack or wear it into your hunting tree without lugging a bunch of garb.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Advantages of a Saddle – Mobility
“One of the biggest advantages of using a saddle is being able to move 360 degrees around the tree not only to be able to shoot but also using the tree to hide behind. This keeps the tree between you and the deer – especially the ones you do not want to shoot. This keeps you from spooking them and alerting any other deer in the area. Or when the deer you do want to shoot presents itself, you can lean out from the tree and take the shot. With a platform in a tree 12-14 inches in diameter, you might have 180 to 210 degrees to be able to take the shot, “ says Eberhart.
Most of his hunting occurs during the rut, when there’s little foliage, and being spotted by a deer is much easier, as there’s nowhere to hide. To combat this, Eberhart usually hunts from 25-28 feet up the tree to get out of the deer’s peripheral vision. But the situation will dictate the height Eberhart uses. If he has cover in the tree, he will hunt at a lower height.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Security
No one can hunt your stand or steal it because you are wearing it. Both of which strike a chord with me as I hunt mostly public hunting areas.
Packability
When hunting public hunting areas, which Eberhart hunts almost exclusively, he goes off the beaten path into thick security cover with a tree saddle either in his backpack or wearing it.
“There’s no problem bucking the thick stuff, unlike trying to lug a tree stand in the same area. Lugging a tree stand is cumbersome and not very mobile,” says Eberhart.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Safety
According to Eberhart, “You are facing the abyss in front of you in a tree stand, whereas in a saddle you are facing the tree and tethered to it with a 6,000 lbs. test rope.” I would have to agree. I have always been leery of a tree stand.
Tree Selection is Better
“I’ve taken deer from a saddle that was four inches in diameter and taken deer in the saddle from trees that were 36 inches in diameter. You can’t put a tree stand in a tree that big or that small. I hunt from leaning trees. With most tree stands, it’s nearly impossible to hunt from a leaning tree. It’s no problem with a saddle. I’ve hunted from trees that were leaning 20 degrees,” said Eberhart.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Other Elements
The saddle isn’t the only element you need. You must have a way to climb the tree. Once you reach the height you want, then you need to have some sort of foothold to rest your feet on.
Climbing the Tree
For climbing the tree, many options are available. Most hunters choose a step of some sort to climb. Where legal (on private ground), screw in steps are an option, but for public areas, a strap-on type step, which does not injure the tree, must be used. Eberhart prefers the One Step by Tethrd. These steps are very lightweight, weighing in at just 1 lb.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
WHY OUR ARTICLES/REVIEWS DO NOT HAVE AFFILIATE LINKS
Affiliate links create a financial incentive for writers to promote certain products, which can lead to biased recommendations. This blurs the line between genuine advice and marketing, reducing trust in the content.
For more information, visit Tethrd
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
For more information, visit Bullman Outdoors