Getting into the woods quietly will be a lot simpler once you've switched over to the one stick saddle platform for your mobile hunting setup. If you've spent any amount of time lugging 4 full-sized climbing stays and a large hang-on stand by means of thick brush, you understand exactly what I'm discussing. Your back hurts, you're perspiring through your bottom layers before you even find the tree, and also you tone like a hardware store falling down a flight associated with stairs.
I transitioned to saddle hunting a couple of years ago, and whilst the saddle by itself was obviously a revelation, the particular climbing method was where I actually struggled to get our groove. I tried the multi-stick approach, the "aiders upon everything" approach, and even those tiny little screw-in methods that are a nightmare to install in the dark. But once I actually merged a devoted one stick saddle platform rig, everything just clicked on. It's the nearest thing to sensation like a squirrel I've ever experienced.
Why the weight savings actually issue
We talk a lot about "lightweight" equipment in the hunting world, but sometimes we lose sight of why we're cutting ounces. For me, it isn't just about getting lazy. It's about energy management. In case I'm not tired by the time I reach my spot, I'm going to be more observant, more affected individual, and ultimately, the better hunter.
A typical one stick saddle platform setup generally weighs approximately several and 5 pounds. Compare that in order to a stack of four sticks that might weigh 10 or even 12 pounds, plus you're already earning. When that stick is hanging off your saddle as you walk in, you barely notice it's there. You don't have a giant profile growing every briar and branch within the swamp. You're streamlined.
The dual-purpose magic associated with the platform
The real elegance of this equipment is that it's doing two jobs at once. Within a traditional setup, you have your climbing method then you have your own platform where a person stand once you're at height. With a one stick saddle platform , the best of the stick is the platform.
Most of these managed with a wider, cast-aluminum or machined-steel top that gives you enough surface area to pivot around the tree. You aren't standing on a little 1-inch rung anymore. You have a solid, steady base to place excess fat on. It's a mind shift at first—standing on the very thing you used to climb up—but once you set that cam-cleat and feel it bite into the bark, the stability is impressive.
How the climbing process actually works
If you're new to the idea, you might be wondering how upon earth you get 20 feet plan only one stick. It's a process known as "one-sticking, " plus it's a rhythmic, repetitive cycle.
You start by attaching your own one stick saddle platform from chest height, then you climb up onto it (usually with the help of a multi-step aider hanging from the bottom). Once you're standing on the particular platform, you secure your tether in order to the tree above you, sit back into your saddle, reach down, pull the stick up, plus reset it higher.
It sounds tedious when you describe it, yet when you get the particular muscle memory down, it's incredibly fast. Plus, you're never "unattached" in the woods. You're either upon your lineman's belt or your tether the entire time. It's a secure, methodical way to get as high as a person want without getting restricted to the number of sticks on your own back.
Choosing the right platform size
Not all systems are created equal. Whenever you're looking intended for a one stick saddle platform , you have to find the "Goldilocks" zone. If the particular platform is too little, your feet are likely to get cramped and tired after 2 hours of standing up. If it's too large, it becomes bulky and starts to defeat the purpose of the minimalist setup.
I've found that will a platform roughly 10 to 12 inches wide will be the sweet spot. It provides you enough area to shift your weight and consider "weak side" pictures without feeling like you're balancing upon a tightrope. Several guys like the particular really tiny ones in order to save even more weight, however for the long sit in November, I'll take a few extra oz for the benefit of foot convenience every single period.
The significance of the rappel down
One thing individuals often overlook when they start using a one stick saddle platform is how they're likely to get straight down. Technically, you can climb back down the way you arrived up, reversing the process. But let's be honest: that's a hassle.
Most individuals who one-stick will also work with a rappel kit. You have a 40-foot duration of climbing string, and when the particular hunt is over, you just toss the rope, connect your descender, and glide down in order to the floor in regarding thirty seconds. It's easily the almost all fun portion of the search. It's also much quieter than clanking metal sticks together as you descend in the dark.
Will be it right for everyone?
To become reasonable, the one stick saddle platform isn't for everybody. In the event that you have a massive fear of levels or if you aren't comfortable handling ropes and hitches, there's a steeper learning curve here compared to with a step ladder stand. You have got to be careful about your gear. You should check your own ropes for use, make sure your knots are outfitted properly, and exercise within the backyard just before you try it at 4: 00 ARE in the hardwoods.
But for the mobile seeker who wants to go much deeper into public land or reach places that other predators are very tired to get to, this is actually the ultimate tool. This turns the climb up into part of the experience rather than a task you dread.
Practical tips intended for your first period
If you're just getting started with a one stick saddle platform , I'd recommend incorporating a high-quality cam cleat or perhaps a "versabutton" with a sturdy rope mod. Avoiding heavy ratchet straps is key to keeping the fat down as well as the sound at zero.
Also, pay out attention to the "bite. " You want a stick that has aggressive teeth that really grab the tree. There's nothing at all worse than getting your platform shift an inch when you're leaning out there for a shot. A good one stick saddle platform should feel such as it's area of the tree once you've cammed it as well as moved on it.
Final thoughts upon the minimalist strategy
At the end of the day, hunting is about being in the right place on the right time. A one stick saddle platform doesn't magically create deer appear, yet it does remove the excuses that keep you from moving when the blowing wind shifts or when you realize the deer are relocating 100 yards further down the ridge.
This gives you the freedom to be cellular, the silence to remain undetected, and the comfort to remain in the shrub until the last little bit of light ends. It's a specific bit of gear, certain, but once you go minimalist, it's really hard to return to the old method of doing issues. Just grab your own stick, your string, as well as your saddle, and you're ready for whatever the timber throw at you.