Interested in saddle hunting? Here are some options

Just a few years ago you’d only find a few companies making saddles for hunting, but in 2024 there are more than a dozen companies trying to cash in on the mobile hunting craze.

As saddles have grown in popularity, thanks in part to their weight and comfort, so have the accessories that aid them – namely super lightweight sticks and saddle platforms.

Ben Foerster, of Slinger, Wis., has been hunting out of his saddle before the trend became popular, even though he owns land and has ample access to treestands.

“The reason I use saddles is because they are so lightweight, so easy to set up, and so comfortable,” he said. “I have given up using most fixed stands. In fact, my wife and kids use saddles, too, even though we could have permanent sets all over. It gives me peace of mind that I know there’s no way my kids can fall when using a saddle since you’re connected to the tree all the time.”

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Foerster also loves hunting public land. The lightness and quietness of the saddle allows him to get in deep on public lands where most people with heavier hang-ons or climbers won’t go.

“Plus, I can get into trees when hunters with conventional stands can’t,” he said.

Randy Smith owns Pappas Trading Post in Arena, Wis., and he has seen the saddle market grow the past few years.

“It’s mostly younger hunters in the 25- to 35-age range,” Smith said. “Mostly men, but saddles are great for women, too, because they are so light.”

Smith said that while the market segment is growing, he doesn’t sell nearly as many saddles as he does conventional stands.

“A lot of the manufacturers don’t try to sell via retail and instead sell direct to the consumer,” Smith said. “Still, we keep a few on hand in a variety of sizes and can order in almost any brand.”

Gearhead Archery is a brand of compact compound bows and a retail shop in Madison. Owner Skip Peterson said that the market keeps growing and that there are even mobile hunting expos devoted strictly to the saddle style of hunting.

“I attended these expos because my Gearhead bows fit that style of hunting great,” Peterson said. “We have models with as low as 18 inches axle-to-axle, although our 24-inch models are probably the most popular. For saddle hunters our bows complement them perfectly for the ultimate in a mobile hunting package.”

XOP

The XOP MONDO features adjustable shoulder straps, chest strap, leg straps, and waist belt.

Aluminum quick-connect buckles are life safety rated and slide together with ease while Molle loops around the waistline provide amazing storage and transport configurations.

Also included are three fall-rated forged aluminum twist-lock carabineers and sewn friction hitch climbing ropes. Ropes that are included create the bridge, tether and lineman’s rope.

The entire system weighs 4.2 pounds.

XOPoutdoors.com

Tethrd

The Tethrd Ultralock Hunting Saddle uses their Ultralock, Comfort Channels, and integrated lineman loops and adds an expandable saddle body with Ultralock Link construction to create a super comfy saddle that expands and contracts with you during the hunt.

New oversized Ultralock Haulers with an integrated skeleton frame make getting at gear super user-friendly. Also unique, Tethrd’s new bomb proof yoke system means you can load up your Ultralock and keep it tightly in place.

Tethrdnation.com

Lone Wolf Custom Gear

The new Ranger is a unique “hybrid” saddle stand that also works as a conventional stand.

If a saddle hunter uses it, all that’s needed is to flip the seat up and out of the way or use the seat as a place to rest a knee and brace for a steady shot. The seat also helps saddle hunters if fatigue sets in, and the hunter wants to adjust positions or even sit for a spell.

It weighs just 6 pounds.

The Ranger complements their Doubles Sticks that are cut from a single sheet of billet aluminum for superior durability and equipped with fully independent standoffs replacing a traditional “fixed bracket.” It offers more standing room, has a stud alignment system for easy stacking and weighs just 1.5 pounds.

Lonewolfcustomgear.com

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HUNTING BEAST GEAR

The Raptor 12-inch mini platforms provide a compact stick platform option for saddle hunters and can be added to any square aluminum climbing stick tube with their patent pending locking technology.

The Raptor can be assembled as a top or bottom step/platform and  Antler Bracket Stand-Off design grips a tree like a rock. An integrated 45-degree angled platform edge reduces boot fatigue, and the model comes in at only 12 ounces.

The 20-inch Beast Gear climbing stick weighs just 1.7 pounds and can be non-staggered to allow for tight in-line stacking. With no moving parts, there is no noise to be heard and the 9-inch doubled-sided step allows the hunter plenty of room for even big hunting boots.

They can be used in conjunction with the Raptor mini-platform for the ultimate mobile hunting package.

Huntingbeastgear.com