Gear items that make mobile hunting for whitetails more enjoyable – Outdoor News
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There seems to be a path taken for those who choose to go the route of being as mobile as possible in the whitetail woods.
We start out by dipping our toes in the water. You know that bulky stand that has been hanging on the same tree for years? That can be pulled down and strapped to your back. It’s loud and a pain to hang each time, but I used it, along with cumbersome sticks, for a couple of seasons.
Maybe you are the type that likes to tough it out with heavy equipment. By all means, go for it.
But bit by bit, I have chipped away at getting gear that makes me more efficient and comfortable. Below are some items that have stood out over years of trial and error as really making mobile hunting a more enjoyable experience.
Some will require spending a good chunk of cash on, while other products are little things that punch above their weight when it comes to making an impact.
Saddles
Hunting with a saddle is at the top of this list.
Think of a hunting saddle as an incredibly lightweight option for replacing your treestand. I often wear mine while I’m walking into the woods. The small platform I stand on and the rope system that safely attaches me to the tree from the second I leave the ground goes in my backpack.
There are many companies making saddles today. Most recently, I have used the Cruzr XC in a single-panel style, and a two-panel saddle from Buzzard Roost. Both have been really good saddles. I am intrigued by the comfort features in Latitude Outdoors’ new Lonestar saddle and also Latitude’s two-panel saddle — the Method 2. I plan on testing both out this season.
One of the most common questions from those thinking about trying saddle hunting is, “Are saddles comfortable?”
My answer would be that they are not as comfortable as sitting in a big hang-on or ladder stand. But saddles are not uncomfortable, and the advantages they offer far outweigh any negatives for me. The more you use them, the better you will understand how to make little adjustments that make for better comfort. There is a huge collection of YouTube videos out there to help you get started.
Saddles are lightweight, fun to hunt out of and allow you to get into a wide variety of trees. They also let you use the trunk of the tree to hide from deer as they approach.
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Sitka tool bucket
The Tool Bucket from Sitka has been my pack of choice for many years.
Hunters can find a smaller pack. I have tried them, and they always left me longing for something bigger without being bulky.
The Tool Bucket has been the perfect combination of that.
It has 17 storage compartments and well-positioned straps that allow you to haul in winter clothing, sticks or your bow on the outside of the pack. Inside, I carry anything I would want — my platform, ropes, camera gear, headlamp, optics, extra batteries, bow hoist, and my saddle when I choose not to wear it in.
The Tool Bucket helps me easily and comfortably get in and out of the woods with it all.
Latitude platform, USA attachment systems
I have hunted out of trees at some awkward angles due to the way the tree was leaning, and one of the tough parts about that can be getting your platform strapped down tight.
I avoid ratchet straps because of the noise they make. For years, I used the standard buckle strap that comes with most platforms and sticks. That created headaches when hanging sticks or a platform on a tree without the perfect lean.
I bought the X-Wing platform from Latitude and the USA Platform Attachment from theamsteelguy.com ahead of the 2023 season.
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The beveled teeth on the Latitude platforms do an incredible job of biting into the tree for a solid connection. Combine that with the ability to really cinch down the platform using the USA Platform Attachment, and you get as rock-solid of a connection as I have been able to find.
I also use the Ultimate Stick Attachment from The Amsteel Guy and love those just as much for getting a tight connection to the tree with my climbing sticks.
Latitude BITE bow hanger
I have longed for a better bow hanger for years while hunting public land where it is illegal to screw a hanger into a tree. Latitude just released the BITE bow hanger this summer, and first impressions are that this is what I was looking for.
I will know more after a full season of hunting with this, but I have been using it this summer while shooting in my backyard. Simply slip the bow hanger on your gear strap and it provides a stable connection with a rotating standoff to adjust to the angle of the tree you are in. I like the extended arm to get the bow away from the tree a little bit, too.
The bow slides on and off of this hanger easily and quietly.
Doyle’s Huntin’ Hoist
I spent many years using paracord to bring my bow up and down the tree after getting set up.
The Doyle’s Huntin’ Hoist is a self-retracting rope that pays out when climbing and reels back in when coming down the tree. There is 30 feet of rope to work with that is held inside the case. No more loose rope to deal with.
Sometimes it’s the little things that make running all over the woods after whitetails more enjoyable.
