Saddle Hunting in Texas

[Phorizt]

Got this email today! There are soooo many small detail features in the original that are worth it…. All overshadowed by odd packaging and weight. This one might be the perfect platform

Probably get one and if it’s not will be another permanent set

Oh man this definitely has my attention. I’m in the market for a new lightweight platform to replace my XOP and this looks like it may be the one. I made some modifications to my XOP and shaved off 1 pound but still not sure it is what I want. I’m curious if this new Cruzr is stronger than the Tethrd Predator.


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[Low Fence]

300 pounds rated. The original is very well built. I don’t think strength will be an issue

[Krautzy]

About the daisy chain amsteel for platform- I've been using that with my hawk apex platform. At first I too struggled with the slack when one of the loops doesnt line up just right.

Then I saw this video on youtube: https://youtu.be/IPj_6hNzI-s?t=621

Basically you rotate the platform 90-deg to the tree to make the shorter/tighter loop fit, set the loop, then rotated back 90-deg to the right position. Once I pull down on the platform to engage the bottom set of teeth, it is totally stable, even hard to remove. Once I figured that out, its been more secure and quieter than I could get with the buckle.

Wow thank you, i needed to see this

[SRK14]

I got into saddle hunting this year and I took a cheap route. I basically made my own. I bought an “xben” rock climbing harness from Amazon. I wear it during the whole hunt, but really as a “safety net”. I bought a sit drag and cut off the webbing and made my own bridge from tubular webbing and that is my main saddle. My tether has two prussic knots. I put some slack in the rock harness and let the sit drag bear the weight. If the sit drag fails for any reason the rock harness will catch me. I’m running 3 30 inch hawk helium sticks and can get up around 20 ft with my homemade aiders

[Low Fence]

Got another obstacle to tackle….. what in the world to do with my hands? I hate gloves, but wore today…. CAUSE I CANT USE ANY POCKETS! hoodie won’t work, or jacket

Guess I’ll try my hand muffs this evening…

What y’all doing with hands

[cohenascopy]

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[Archer4Life]

Got another obstacle to tackle….. what in the world to do with my hands? I hate gloves, but wore today…. CAUSE I CANT USE ANY POCKETS! hoodie won’t work, or jacket

Guess I’ll try my hand muffs this evening…

What y’all doing with hands

Lol. I use a hand muff when I remember to carry it in. Left it at the truck yesterday evening and prob won’t make that mistake again.


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[MnM]

I wear gloves while hanging, and shed them when an animal comes out.

[Low Fence]

The muff works perfect!

Just one more thing to remember

[ctom87]

Low Fence diving right into the muff.

[Low Fence]

Low Fence diving right into the muff.

Both hands…

[Low Fence]

Tip/ reminder:

1. Always pull your rope up if not using a hoist. I got sloppy and didn’t roll mine up. Got lucky it was hung 15’ up in that cedar and the nubbin buck eating bark on my tree didn’t smell it

2. Also that bottom step…. If you can get it out of their view and sniffer it helps. My bottom stick is usually 6-7’ and I just walk the tree to it. Very difficult to do with hawks. They pull off terrible. Lone wolf and Novix long and short just bite in harder

3. Today was also a prime example of wrong wind-right thermals. These deer came dead downwind….but thermals were still rising and my milk weed went 40’ over their heads. I could do no wrong

[Kirby86]

Saddle Hunting in Texas

Got another obstacle to tackle….. what in the world to do with my hands? I hate gloves, but wore today…. CAUSE I CANT USE ANY POCKETS! hoodie won’t work, or jacket

Guess I’ll try my hand muffs this evening…

What y’all doing with hands

Fingerless wool gloves. Milsurp kind, $4 each. Take a handwarmer and drop it on the backside.

Then in the muff (or pockets) I put a single hand warmer in each as well.

I’ve bought and sold about a dozen different ones over the years from the stupid $80 ones down to the cheapo fleece ones and there is one HUGE thing I’ve come to realize. Make **** sure you can get your hand out of it, one handed, with your release on!

I’m guilty of hunting crooked trees and I get the “plumb Bob” when I do, so I have to grab my tether to stabilize. In one instance, my right hand and release got caught in the hand muff, and as I’m pulling to get it out, the crappy belt clip to the muff started loosening.

So I have a deer coming in and I’m playing flappy bird with my right hand trying to figure out how to pinch the stupid muff to get my release unstuck. I finally just pulled my face mask down and bit the muff with my teeth and pulled it off. The deer never saw me, but I threw the **** thing away after that.

I guess some folks put theirs on the tether? I never could make that one work personally.

[Michael]

I'm REALLY tempted to jump into saddle hunting. This has been good information.

[ctom87]

Got to my spot at Hagerman today and set up my saddle. For the first time to do all four sticks, plus the platform, the sys hauler, it took an hour lol. I know it can be done much quicker, and it certainly is not a complaint. I somehow found a tree wider than me and since I am a sissy with heights, I wanted to make sure that I picked a biggun Actually its more a fear of falling than heights. I must say I felt VERY comfortable with the system and climbing it. I don't find it intimidating at all, I think it is perfect. Can't wait to get up tomorrow and kill something. I have a really great spot with lots of shooting lanes. I am on a dry on the side of a creek Bank, high enough to see clearly for a very long distance, but not so high that angles are awkward. I am less than 20 yards away from a mock scrape I set up in October that has been getting hit. All is good!!!really like the set up so far.