SADDLE HUNTING MISTAKES
Over the last several years, hunting deer from a saddle has become more popular than ever. It is easy to see why hunting from a saddle has become so popular. Saddle hunting makes a bowhunter extremely mobile. A saddle is lightweight so hunters can easily hunt deep in the woods without having to worry about lugging a big treestand around. Hunting from a saddle allows the hunter to be more concealed than if they were in a treestand because a saddle hunter can hide the majority of their body behind the trunk of a tree. The bottom line: it is easy to see why deer hunters like hunting from saddles.
I recently interviewed Nate Sellers, the host of Average Jack Archery on Youtube about saddle hunting. We discussed some of the in’s and outs of saddle hunting and even some of the mistakes hunters make when hunting from a saddle. “Many hunters are new to saddle hunting and are learning as they go,” Sellers said. “We can all learn from the mistakes we make and the mistakes of others. Below are a few mistakes I have made and the mistakes other hunters have made as they have tried to master saddle hunting.”
Sellers says one mistake many hunters make is assuming they have to hike miles off the road to deer hunt. “Don’t forget that just because you are now super mobile as a saddle hunter doesn’t mean you have to go five miles deep. It also means you can get in a very inaccessible tree just 100 yards off the road in a spot that no one would ever hunt.” Several trees can’t accommodate a treestand, but they can be used for a saddle. When looking for places to hunt from a saddle, realize places with small trees, trees with crazy branches, and skinny trees with almost no branches can be a perfect spot if a hunter is hunting from a saddle. These types of trees might be five miles off the road but they may also be a few hundred yards from the truck.
Another mistake many new saddle hunters make is thinking they have to be 25 feet in a tree, which is not the case at all. “Saddle hunting allows you to hide from the deer much easier being on the other side of the tree. This means you don’t have to get nearly as high as you would with a traditional stand,” Sellers said. Relax and realize that being 15 feet off the ground (or even less in some cases) is fine.
Hunters on a budget need to realize that saddle hunting isn’t cheap. It can be very expensive. When selecting gear, Sellers says to spend as much as you can afford and get good equipment. “Saddle hunting is all about being lightweight and super quiet. It is definitely not cheap so don’t skimp out on good rope attachment methods like the HFAS system from the free company for your sticks and platform,” Sellers noted.
Saddle hunters also need to realize if they kill a deer miles from the road they need to be prepared to pack it out. When I elk hunt out west, I never shoot a bull miles from the road unless I am prepared to get it off the mountain. Deer hunters need to think the same way. If a hunter hikes 5 miles off the road and kills a deer, they need to be prepared to pack it out. The animal may need to be quartered or deboned. This may require a large backpack, game bags, and other backcountry gear most deer hunters don’t typically bring on a hunt. If you are hunting miles off the road, bring the necessary gear.
For those who plan on hunting miles from the road, safety is also something to think about. Bring a little extra food, a backup GPS, and extra water in case you end up being in the woods longer than you anticipate. I even bring Wilderness Athlete Hydrate and Recover for the hike out of the woods.
Saddle hunting can certainly increase the odds of bowhunters filling a tag. Avoiding the mistakes above can help bowhunters increase their odds of success even more.
