Hiking into a hunting area with a tree stand strapped to my back is a labor of love that I’ve endured many, many times. It’s also one that I don’t need to endure again, thanks to saddle hunting.

Saddle systems improve every year. What once seemed like a niche piece of gear that lived in the periphery of more mainstream whitetail hunting alternatives, saddle hunting is the beneficiary of the ...

The author testing the Black Belt Ultimate. Photo by Erik Barber I’ve been hunting exclusively from a tree saddle since 2018, when I was lucky enough to kill a beautiful 8-point buck on opening day of ...