Run and Gun Set up

[Scott85]

Sweet!!! You'll like it. Just make sure you practice shooting all your angles before you hunt. It takes some getting used to on the drop shot (leaning out away from the tree shooting behind you). What's your climbing method going to be?

I got hawk sticks. I wanted to buy wild edge step but I spent a little too much money for my Montana trip so they will have to wait.

 

[JFish]

Tree Saddle. The platform fits in my pack and I can wear my harness. The sticks for climbing get strapped to the side of my pack. With 2 sticks and a rope aider I can get about 16' off the ground with less than 8lbs of gear and very little bulk. So that's my setup.

If I have time to preset, I'll use more sticks to avoid the hassle of the aider. In the future I plan on upgrading to a ladder style aider and cutting my sticks down a bit. That will give me a nice bulk reduction, but be about the same weight. Here is a picture of the preset tree I did for my deer this year. The platform needed for a saddle is TINY.

View attachment 153966

As to comfort, I was asleep when my deer came in this year.

What saddle and aided are you using? I just bought some hawk helium sticks, but haven’t gotten the stand portion. I’m thinking about going the saddle route instead of a lock on.

 

[RG_Adult_Onset_Hunter]

What saddle and aided are you using? I just bought some hawk helium sticks, but haven’t gotten the stand portion. I’m thinking about going the saddle route instead of a lock on.

I use the Tethrd mantis with the Predator Platform. I use Hawk Heliums but I swapped the ratchet straps for the Tethrd Versa straps to save on weight and bulk (I still use a ratchet for the platform since it's more secure and you spend more time on it shifting weight). On thing I did differently this year is I kept the top of my highest stick about the same height as my platform, this gave me a place to step if I needed to move around the tree at all.

My rope aider is on like this. It works, but requires attention to ensure you keep your foot in it. It's as low weight and bulk as you can get. I'd reccomend getting a design that stays open a bit better than this if you are not VERY comfortable in a harness.
At some point I'll likely swap to something more like this. This would be less tricky to use and give me a lot more height per stick (though I'd have to modify it slightly).

 

[PAhunter]

I'm a cheap bastard tho haha. I found better straps for the stand, I'm going to try them out. Came from a backpack sprayer so it has hip straps too

Buy once, cry once.

Packing out my son's buck, my stand, and my gear on a MR Pintler. Looks kinda awkward but it works well.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Buy once, cry once.

Packing out my son's buck, my stand, and my gear on a MR Pintler. Looks kinda awkward but it works well.

View attachment 153971

I know I know. Maybe some day. For now I'll test this new strap set up, see how it buffs out

 

[peterk1234]

Saddle hunter here. My entire climbing setup and platform fits in my pack. I climb with four Wild Edge Steps that I modified with a strap and quick release hook and buckle. My fourth step has Bullman steps on them that I use for a platform that allows me to move around the entire tree. I use a system I came up with called the Swaider and the Knaider that allows to have my steps spaced five feet or so apart when I climb. Climbing system and platform probably weighs between five and six pounds.

I can climb almost any tree I please, including one with branches. The ability to climb down and move fifty feet to a better spot in fifteen minutes without making a sound is awesome. I just wish I did it twenty years ago, and not four.

 

[tzone]

Tree Saddle. The platform fits in my pack and I can wear my harness. The sticks for climbing get strapped to the side of my pack. With 2 sticks and a rope aider I can get about 16' off the ground with less than 8lbs of gear and very little bulk. So that's my setup.

If I have time to preset, I'll use more sticks to avoid the hassle of the aider. In the future I plan on upgrading to a ladder style aider and cutting my sticks down a bit. That will give me a nice bulk reduction, but be about the same weight. Here is a picture of the preset tree I did for my deer this year. The platform needed for a saddle is TINY.

View attachment 153966

As to comfort, I was asleep when my deer came in this year.

I was going to suggest the Tree Saddle. Full disclosure, I don't have one. But would certainly consider it. It sound like it was pretty much built for what you're describing.

 

[tzone]

Buy once, cry once.

Packing out my son's buck, my stand, and my gear on a MR Pintler. Looks kinda awkward but it works well.

View attachment 153971

That's a pretty sweet picture!

 

[cusecat04]

Buy once, cry once.

Packing out my son's buck, my stand, and my gear on a MR Pintler. Looks kinda awkward but it works well.

View attachment 153971

This is what I use as well.