I have the Silent Approach stuff as well. I like the steps but like you, didn't care for the ring of steps. I'm still using the steps, replaced the ring with a Predator XL, and ordered 6x buckle straps from Silent Approach to repurpose the steps from the ring into steps to get higher up the tree, which will give me 16 total steps.
Started saddle hunting this year. Have a trophyline ambush pro and two sticks. It’s not bad. But I’m pretty uncomfortable after 2 hours. I’ve not been using a platform and have been standing on the top stick.
Well got my buck, I was wearing my saddle but not up in it lol. The wind was blowing right to the deer from my stand so I went down wind few hundred yards and sat up on the ground mixed in some baby beech trees and did some lite rattling, grunting and this guy came in 15-20 min later
this is my first year using a saddle also, i am using a kestrel flex. with my back in the shape it is in a saddle for me it is a lot more comfortable than the cheaper stands. this year i have hung 2 stands in most of my trees since connor has started hunting out of stands this year and it would cost a small fortune for me to change out all of my stands. 1 thing i hadn't thought about when i first got mine was how handy it is for hanging stands but it is 1 of the best things i have bought for hanging my stands. congrats on a great buck.
Congrats on a nice buck! Yesterday was my first sit in a saddle. Not neat as bad as I'd imagined. I will invest in one of these little platforms you guys mentioned and knee pads. Worst thing was that I had 2 nice bucks after a doe at my loc-on stand right before dark...oh well...
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