I am making the transition to a saddle with wild edge steps this season. Set it up twice and shot from it for the first time tonight with and was surprised how easy it was to learn to shoot a bow from. I have two questions. 1. For anyone using wikd edge steps, are you glad you changed? 2. What is yoir impression of now hunting from a saddle.
Saddles
- Thread starter Shim71
- Start date
ImThere
Well-Known Member
I gave up on wild edge steps long ago. I just couldn't get used to them. I've tried them every way possible.
I find saddle hunting very comfortable. I especially feel like my lower back don't hurt as much from a saddle. I love the pack ability and carrying convinces of the systems. You can hunt any tree you want.
I find saddle hunting very comfortable. I especially feel like my lower back don't hurt as much from a saddle. I love the pack ability and carrying convinces of the systems. You can hunt any tree you want.
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
I haven't used wild edge steps but I've used almost every other climbing method out there. Saddle hunting has changed my abilities as a bow hunter tremendously! For me the compactness of my profile when moving through the thickets has aloud me to get much closer to my ambush locations without making noise. To me this has been my biggest advantage with saddle hunting. Others have different reasons why they like it as Imthere posted above. I also know other guys who have used them and not liked them…give it a shot and see how it works for you!
I use my wild edge stepps a lot. You need a knaider swaider IMO. I can get about 21' with a knaider swaider and 4 stepps. They do take practice to get it down but very quick once you do. If I had to do 8 stepps, I wouldn't do it.
Shanman
Well-Known Member
Changed my world, I won't get rid of my ladder stands but will never carry a climber again. Has made hunting so much more enjoyable for me.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
I'm still in the transition. Thanks to some of the above posters I have gotten advice from, I got everything I needed. I say transition, as I still need to practice more to get everything in sync without double guessing anything. I try to climb up and down trees in the evenings when it isn't too hot. My nerves still make me sweat my butt off, but I think once I become more and more comfortable with it, along with cooler fall temps, that anxiety will go away. I also need to practice more with shot positioning, I seem to dangle up there uncontrollably quite often with a lot of movement 
I can definitely see this being a game changer. There have been numerous times I have needed to get in a specific tree and wasn't able to due to several limbs being in the way and I had a climber on my back. Once comfortable with this, you can get much more surgical on your position.
I can definitely see this being a game changer. There have been numerous times I have needed to get in a specific tree and wasn't able to due to several limbs being in the way and I had a climber on my back. Once comfortable with this, you can get much more surgical on your position.
I have the CruzrXC saddle and I love it. I have used the wild edge stepps but never really got them down good enough for my comfort but it can depend on what kind of tree you're climbing. My goal was what PickettSFhunter does with the knaider/swaider but ultimately I use mini sticks with 2 or 3 step aiders on them. Being able to climb any tree is a huge advantage. I find myself getting into some nasty trees or areas and being able to get in a tree with a ton of cover even if I'm not high off the ground.
Full disclosure, I use some novix mini sticks with cable aiders sometimes also. I also use a modded lone Wolf hand climber if I know I'm going into a straight limbless tree…climbing system and platform all in one.
I've thought about a modded Lone wolf system. I really need to spend more time with my tree stepps and a knaider/swaider combo cause ultimately that's the system I want to get use to
The stepps are pretty great when you get it down. Much easier to fit somewhere in a pack or clip to your saddle rather than strapping stuff on. The biggest mistake I made for a long time was not picking up on the stepp before camming over.
Yea I did that in the beginning. For some reason I feel as if I can't get them canned over tight enough to the tree and they would shift. I've left them on a big oak overnight to get the stretch out of the rope. I'm just going to have to spend more time with them cause they are incredibly easy tote along nestled together
EJ1
Well-Known Member
I have a CruzerXC and it's very comfortable. I use a Mission platform with 4 Beast stick minis. Using a versa aider I can get 20 feet and not stretch it out.
Well I'm fixing to purchase one. Hero or zero. Here goes a 500 dollar experiment. Lol. No telling how many times I'm out scouting and locate a prime spot. I can't be still enough to sit on the ground. So I make a note to bring stand back and hunt it. 75 per cent of time never happens. I want one so I can climb it right then.
It still takes some practice to remain still. Otherwise, you will found yourself swaying back and forth but higher off the ground. The sway felt natural when in the saddle for me. That is the only thing that I still have to be mindful of when hunting (movement) even after a year of it. We all know that movement will get you busted so fast whether on the ground or a tree.
I love it and have not looked back. Good luck to all. It is easy to surpass the $500 mark. It is a very experimental type of hunting application.
Yah I jumped right in. Pushing closer 750-800 the more you read. You think. I need that to lol. Love reading saddle hunter nation
gordonc615
Member
Ive been saddle hunting for awhile now and can't recommend it enough! I've never tried the wild edge steps cause I've heard way too many ppl hating them after 1 season of use. I've got the latitude method for saddle with sticks and I can't wait to sit in a tree all day long. Glad you made the switch man! Our wma are so crazy with terrain it just makes more sense to saddle hunt. Good luck!
bjohnson
Well-Known Member
I've been saddle hunting now for 3 seasons. There is no better way to bowhunt. However, I caution you, you will always be looking to upgrade your gear. You can start out on a tight budget but you will always find something you want to change. What works for someone else may not work for you. I'm on my 3rd saddle this year. Pretty much settled on my Timberninja C1 sticks after upgrading from heliums last year. Saddle hunter classifieds on Facebook will be your friend.
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Shanman
Well-Known Member
You'll have no regrets switching over, but it is a "rabbit hole" if you let. Good luck and practice, practice, practice.
X2. This
