If you’re not selling saddle hunting kits and accessories to whitetail deer hunters this year, you’re missing out. That’s about as plainly as it gets. Hunters haven’t given up on climbing stands, ladder stands, lock-ons and sticks or ground blinds. Sales ebb and flow with those. But for the last few years with saddle kits, the acute spike in interest has been akin to a sherpa scaling Mt. Everest.
Saddle hunting is the hottest thing in the whitetail world at the moment. It’s been around for years, like other methods of hunting from trees. But in the last few years, it has become more refined, thanks to better saddle designs and gear. Location doesn’t matter; if a lopsided, crooked or limb-covered tree can be climbed, saddle hunters can climb it. Age doesn’t matter; younger and older hunters are using them. Bowhunters make up the majority of saddle hunters, but they can be used with crossbows and firearms, too.
“We started selling the Tethrd models last year and absolutely blew it out of the water. They sold like gangbusters,” said Mark Smith, archery manager at Mark’s Outdoors in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. “We sell a ton of the big $3,000 shooting houses, compared to a lot of places, and always have. We also sell some of the portable ground blinds, the pop-up models, but honestly not a ton of those. And we sell lock-ons and ladder stands.
“But the saddles have just gone crazy for us. We’re selling Tethrd, Latitude … Cruzr may start doing retail, and there are all the other mom-n-pop companies with saddles or gear. It’s amazing how it’s taken off.”
Jody Smith is seeing the same interest at Mack’s Prairie Wings in Stuttgart, Arkansas. He’s the archery department manager and buyer for Mack’s, as it’s known by millions of duck hunters. Mack’s began about 90 years ago in a hardware store after duck hunting took off on flooded greentree reservoirs. Local hunters and visiting sports needed gear; Mack’s sold it and eventually became a standalone outdoors store. Waterfowl hunting was its lynchpin, but deer hunters, small-game hunters and trappers also found a home there.
Today, Smith’s archery department caters to whitetail deer hunters seeking a Natural State buck. Hardwood forests dot the landscape around Stuttgart, about an hour east of Little Rock. Saddle hunting has been the big hit.
“It’s pretty clear that although treestands haven’t gone away, everything right now seems to be going toward saddles,” Smith said. “I spent more on saddles this year than on climbers and lock-ons. It’s been dominant and rising. I don’t know how long it’s going to last, but we’re going to ride it as long as it’s going.”
Smith said the appeal for saddle hunting is easy to understand.
“There’s about no tree you can’t climb,” he said. “You can climb just about any tree and get set up. You can get into just about any area with them, take less weight (than a climber), and customize them a million different ways. I think a lot of people really appreciate that. The comfort, to me, isn’t as good as a lock-on or ladder, but the upside is they’re lightweight and mobile. There’s always a trade-off, right?”
What Are You Selling?
Yes, you’re selling a physical product: ladder stands, hard-shell or pop-up hub blinds, climbing stands, lock-ons and sticks, or saddle kits. Safety harnesses, too, of course. If you’re selling anything that helps hunters get off the ground, you’re doing a disservice to them by not selling safety harnesses.
But the main thing you’re selling to hunters is access and concealment. Most deer hunters want to get to a spot and then get up in a tree. This helps them see further, scan, decide, get ready and shoot. Being on the ground limits that. Ground blinds are great hunting tools and one of my favorite ways to hunt. They’re safe, quiet and comfortable, although not a fortress of solitude protecting a hunter from being seen, smelled or heard. Blinds can be tossed up quickly or planned ahead before the season.
Several years ago, in Kansas, we were riding around our hunting area at midday, enjoying the scenery and killing time. A monstrous rub on a fencepost got my attention. Then another, and another, and then one on a power line pole. That got our attention. We stopped and checked the small block of woods on the boundary of our hunting land. The trees were torn apart, so we threw up a ground blind and added cover. A small deer came in that evening. The next day, a wary buck came close enough that its tarsal musk could be easily detected, and then it vanished. Bummer. But the ground blind experience was, and is, quite cool.
Being elevated, though — in a ladder stand, climber, lock-on or saddle — is vastly different. For hunters who prefer to climb, it puts them above the deer or other game. Scent is, or can be, mitigated. Sightlines are vastly improved. Shot lanes are, often, much better. Twitchy Toms who can’t stay still may get busted easier, but that’s part of it. These hunters want access to 15 or 20 feet off the ground. That’s what you’re selling: access to get up the trees.
“We’re seeing different age groups, but yeah, a lot of them are younger who are buying the saddle kits,” said Smith at Mark’s Outdoors. “A lot of younger guys just getting started don’t have $2,000 to join a hunting club, so they’re hunting on public land. If you’re walking a mile or more with a 25-pound climber on your back and your bow, crossbow or gun, that just sucks. It does. We’ve done it for years and still do it, but it’s not enjoyable, right? You’re also not likely to get back into the woods as far as you probably want.
“But with a saddle on your butt and a few sticks, you can get further back into the woods with less hassle and all your gear is not as cumbersome. I think that’s one thing that’s pushed it, along with saddles being so doggone customizable. You can add different pockets and the MOLLE stuff. With a climber or lock-on or ladder stand, it is what it is.”
Don’t Ignore Other Stands
Saddles are hot, yes, but don’t overlook or forget about the other stands hunters want. Ladder stands, climbers and lock-ons still have their place and always will. Many hunters will, rightly or wrongly, see these traditional methods of getting up into to trees as safer or better. Opinions vary, of course, and so you’ll have to know your customer base to make the right decisions.
Smith, at Mack’s in Arkansas, said hunters there often seek ground blinds but don’t necessarily want the expensive ones. Winters can be tough in Arkansas. A ground blind left in the woods or on the edge of a cut agriculture field will battle not only cold temperatures and possibly freezing rains, but also usually several strong windstorms. It’s easier for many hunters to go with the less expensive blinds, Smith said.
“The ground blind (sales) have kind of leveled off,” he said. “We’re selling some but not as many. The three-man hub-style blinds still have some interest. Hard-core blind hunters seem to like the see-through ones and are planning to leave it there for as long as it will last. Others are interested in whatever is $99 or so and might buy several.
“The saddles have hurt the climbers (sales). Lock-ons, we still sell the Millennium M-7 MicroLite pretty well. But the bigger lock-ons and climbing stands, those have started to go downhill, and I think that’s because of the saddle hunters. We still sell a few ladder stands, of course, but I’ve seen a few older hunters switching from ladders to ground blinds.”
Over in Alabama, Smith at Mark’s Outdoors said their sales of ladder stands and blinds also have taken a pinch from saddles.
“Let’s say that I’m in a club and have invested in that for a year or more, or I have leased my own few thousand acres,” he said. “Now, think about the blinds and ladder stands you might want to put up and the cost of all those. Think about the anchoring or safety systems for those. And the time involved getting them put together, to the location on the property and then properly secured or set up.
“Then, depending on your situation, you might have to move them if you lose the lease or the timber company calls. We had that happen to a guy who works with us, at Christmas. The timber company called, and he had to scramble to go get a stand out of that block of woods. He ended up in the hospital for a week. Or, you can buy some saddles and sticks, and be mobile enough to hunt pretty much anywhere on the property. That’s one of the great things about them.”
Blinds and Stands to Consider
Rutted-Up Gladiator Blind – This blind is 7 feet wide by 7 feet long and has a ceiling height of 7 feet, as well, giving hunters more than enough room to move around comfortably. Eleven windows have locks and are smoked but still offer clear views in various lighting conditions. It has an airtight roof, several inches of insulation throughout, and sound-deadening carpet. rutted-up.com
Summit Dual Threat Pro SD – The new Dual Threat adjustable front bar offers multiple possibilities for bow or gun hunters. It can be positioned straight down for a sit-stand climbing method, down and under the seat for bowhunting, up as a gun rest, or removed for hand-climbing and open-front bowhunting. The seat is more adjustable, and the stand has a higher weight rating (to 350 pounds). summitstands.com
Millennium L-224 Pro-Lite – The new L-224 Pro-Lite two-man ladder stand has a roomy platform, ComfortMax seat and platform size of 39.75 inches wide and 22 inches long, with a height of 18 feet. It weighs 78 pounds and is built with powder-coated, rigid oval steel. Weight capacity is 500 pounds. For two hunters, or one seeking more space, this is a roomy stand. millenniumstands.com
Redneck Hunting Cabin – This new blind is built for hunters interested in the long haul. The fully sealed, 7x8-foot Hunting Cabin comes with 110-volt outlets and other accessories such as a bed frame, lights and storage spots. It has closed-cell foam insulation in the walls, ceiling and floor, insulated metal doors, magnetic window curtains, and a door awning. RedneckBlinds.com
Primos Double Bull Surroundview Double Wide – Along with the very cool 180-degree see-through capability, the spacious blind has zipper and bungee closures for the door and a full front window with silent slide closures. It has a height of 67 incyes and floor space of 56x56 inches. primos.com
Cushions and Chairs That Work
Tripod chairs are not comfortable. One of the three legs is going to be poking in a tender area. They’re usually small in design, meaning your hips are lower than your knees. That means blood circulation is impacted, resulting in cold and/or numb feet and legs. Tripod chairs cost maybe $30 or so, and there’s a reason for that: they’re cheap.
Instead of selling cheap stuff, sell premium products hunters will enjoy using.
Double Bull Swivel Hunting Blind Chair – This chair allows for a 360-degree range of motion and has an adjustable height. This allows users to get set to see and shoot through window openings. The chair is comfortable for long sits. primos.com
Redneck Blinds Portable Hunting Chair I’ve used one of these for years. They’re comfortable and portable. They’re great for ground blinds or setting up in quick brush blinds for a long sit. It has a padded back and seat that swivels a bit. Add a cushion for added comfort. The chair folds easily for portability. Add the Platinum 360° Chair that rotates 360 degrees for hunters who want to spend a little more. redneckblinds.com
Millennium Chairs G100 – The G100 has adjustable tripod legs, a folding design and full- back ComfortMax seat. The seat swivels to 360 degrees. The height adjustment can be made from 13 to 18 inches. It’s also pre-drilled to hold the optional G101 shooting stick, and can match up with the optional M600 bow holder. millenniumstands.com
Therma Seat D-Wedge – For customers who want more cushioning, or have blind seats and need something durable, offer the D-Wedge. This double-wedge design puts the thick part behind the lower back and under the thighs. Once settled in and everything’s copacetic, it’s the best ergonomic position for long sits. Easily portable and made with military-grade hardware. thermaseat.com
