TETHRD TEN
The Tethrd Ten is a celebration of the ten best saddle bucks taken during the past hunting season.
The “BEST” is pretty hard to define. What makes it the best for one hunter could be wildly different than another. While a hunter in the Midwest might value the P&Y score more than anything, a DIY public land hunter in the deep South might value the amount of sweat equity expended more than the size of the rack. The self-filmer might value the creativity that went into the imagery or the documentation of the story. Maybe it was a hunter’s first buck, or a Veteran battling his demons who found an escape into the whitetail woods. None of those judgments are wrong. There is no definition of the “best” for the Tethrd Ten.
The Tethrd Ten serialized commemorative coin is only presented to those voted as the best.
You can’t buy it.
You can’t grow it.
You can’t build it.
You must earn it.
The Ten is voted on by saddle hunters and published at the beginning of each new hunting season.
2022 TETHRD TEN
2022 #1 – David Powell
NAME: David Powell SADDLE GEAR: Phantom, Predator Platform, Tethrd One Sticks AGE: LOCATION: Kansas I will begin by apologizing in advance for my lack of brevity in recounting the following events. I first saw this deer in the summer of 2017. It had a very unusual...
2022 #2 – Bransen Shelton
NAME: Bransen Shelton SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom, Predator Platform AGE: 31 LOCATION: Oklahoma The hunt for the buck that would turn out to be my largest ever officially started in February 2021 during a quail/shed hunt on a large swathe of public land. I was...
2022 #3 – Joshua Trolinger
NAME: Joshua Trolinger SADDLE GEAR: Phantom XL, One Sticks, Predator AGE: 39 LOCATION: Kansas “Pops’ Final Season” This year has been a roller coaster of life for me. Lots of changes within our family, work demanding some extensive travel & very little opportunity...
2022 #4 – Austin Cole
NAME: Austin Cole SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle kit, Predator Platform AGE: 30 LOCATION: Illinois I started the year 2022 off by not only preparing for my 1st big Illinois trip but also trying for a baby with my wife. We secured our 300-acre lease in Calhoun County, IL...
2022 #5 – Kiley Harpster
NAME: Kiley Harpster SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom saddle, Tethrd Skeletor sticks, Latitude X-wing platform AGE: 39 LOCATION: Missouri, Iowa Deer season 2022, like all of them, starts in the Spring/Early Summer time for most of us hardcore hunters. Coming off of a...
2022 #6 – Dane Driscoll
NAME: Dane Driscoll SADDLE GEAR: Phantom, ONE sticks, LWCG .5 platform AGE: 39 LOCATION: Kentucky We got our first picture of this deer in January of 2021. My friend Andy and myself spent that winter/spring scouting and looking for his sheds. Honestly we didn't find...
2022 #7 – James R. Cornelius IV (J.R.)
NAME: James R. Cornelius IV (J.R.) SADDLE GEAR: Phantom saddle, Predator XL platform, Gen 1 One sticks AGE: 52 LOCATION: Kentucky This story really starts on July 7, 2022, with me placing a cell camera in a small field on the top of a hill in the middle of an 800-acre...
2022 #8 – Mike Haydo
NAME: Mike Haydo SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom, Predator Platform AGE: 35 LOCATION: Michigan Every year I travel from Wisconsin to go hunt in lower Michigan, for a 7-9 day hunt during the rut. This year I was on my 7th day of the hunt when I spotted this giant....
2022 #9 – Justin Reineke
NAME: Justin Reineke SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Mantis, predator, muddy sticks AGE: 31 LOCATION: South Dakota Rutcation 2022 brought me back to SD for the 2nd year in a row chasing public land whitetails in hill country. On the 5th day of our trip, November 9th, I...
2022 #10 – Nolan Taylor
NAME: Nolan Taylor SADDLE GEAR: Mantis Saddle, Predator Platform AGE: 28 LOCATION: Montana This story starts in a coffee shop, over 2000 miles away from the tree I would arrow this buck from. In the slow winter months of 2021, my plans for the next season were already...
2021 TETHRD TEN
2021 #10 – Eric Loso
ERIC LOSO, 41 - MICHIGAN SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom, Predator, Shikar mini 1 stick Just wanted to share my MI public land buck I got Sunday night. Have been hunting a big block of public for 2 weeks, seen multiple shooters but no shot on any, had a group of guys move...
2021 #9 – Graham Helwig
GRAHAM HELWIG, 40 - PENNSYLVANIA SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle This was my first season saddle hunting, and it's my favorite way to hunt now. I first saw him in mid-October walking out of the woods. Hunting the Laurel Highlands mountains in SW PA. He was on the edge of...
2021 #8 – Derick Carlisle
DERICK CARLISLE, 21 - OHIO SADDLE GEAR: Menace Saddle, Predator Platform, Hawk Heliums As September hit I was ready to hit the woods just to be out there. Between trade school and work it was hard to find time to get out and scout. I had very little expectations for...
2021 #7 – Preston Bagley
PRESTON BAGLEY, 22 - WISCONSIN SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom with Predator XL platform and muddy sticks So my buddy Dylan Hazen started his brand in season and had gotten his buck in mid-September, so I reached out and said “hey care if I come to hunt some public over...
2021 #6 – Daniel Vines
DANIEL VINES, 33 - OHIO SADDLE GEAR: Phantom saddle, Predator platform, muddy pro sticks So, my brother-in-law Zack Davis makes the trip up to Ohio annually to hunt, and he graciously invited me to come along this year. I had never gone hunting anywhere other than...
2021 #5 – Nathan Hicks
NATHAN HICKS, 26 - MICHIGAN SADDLE GEAR: Phantom saddle, Predator Platform My grandpa was the person in my life who introduced me to hunting. I shot my first deer with him when I was 12 years old. He had forty acres in mid-Michigan, and I can so clearly remember...
2021 #4 – Rendell Erik Rhoderick
RENDELL ERIK RHODERICK, 38 - IOWA SADDLE GEAR: Phantom, Predator Platform, XOP Mini Sticks, Predator Pack During the post season of 2021 I got a call from a buddy of mine asking me if I would take him shed hunting. Like any good friend would do, I agreed to it. I...
2021 #3 – Trevor Snyder
TREVOR SNYDER, 31 - WISCONSIN SADDLE GEAR: Menace saddle, Predator Platform This is the story of not one, but two bucks and the 19 year journey to fill my first WI gun tag. I, like many other kids, grew up with my Dad as a hunter. He mainly hunted on a 40 acre lease...
2021 #2 – Mike Walters
MIKE WALTER, 48 - OKLAHOMA/ARKANSAS SADDLE GEAR: Phantom, Predator, lone wolf sticks, EWO double steps Everyone that knows me well, knows that fall is one of my favorite times to be in the woods. This fall has been bittersweet though. Yes, I have had amazing success...
2021 #1 – Kiley Harpster
KILEY HARPSTER, 38 - MISSOURI SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle As the MO archery season soon crept up on me, beginning Sept 15th, I was confident that I would wrap my tag around a solid 160" 11 point within 2 weeks. I had been getting this deer pretty regularly on my cams,...
2020 TETHRD TEN
2020 #10 – Josh Morgan
JOSH MORGAN, 40 - WYOMING SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle I started the research on saddle hunting about the same time I picked up my first stickbow. The attributes of the tree saddle seemed to reflect the traditional form of archery. The recurve I was shooting made me...
2020 #9 – William Harvey
WILLIAM HARVEY, 24 - OKLAHOMA SADDLE GEAR: Eberhart Signature Saddle, Hawk Helium sticks The 2020 deer season is one that will be tough to beat. I was fortunate enough to tag out for the first time ever with two bucks that were both bigger than anything I had ever...
2020 #8 – Jared McBride
JARED MCBRIDE, 25 - MISSOURI SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle, Predator Platform, Lone Wolf Climbing Sticks It was a 90 degree day on October 10th. It was my first day back in Missouri from my honeymoon. So I thought it would be a great idea to take my new wife to the...
2020 #7 – Ross Lexvold
ROSS LEXVOLD, 42 - MINNESOTA SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle, Predator Platform, Lone Wolf Climbing Sticks It was nearing 8am on Monday, Nov. 2nd in southeast MN and I was just about to get down and begin my normal workday. I had been sitting near the top of a ridge in my...
2020 #6 – Cullen Downing
CULLEN DOWNING, 25 - NEW HAMPSHIRE SADDLE GEAR: Mantis Saddle, Bullman Ring of Steps, LoneWolf Sticks It was the late summer of 2020 when I purchased my mantis saddle, and with the season fast approaching I was ambitious to get in it and start shooting. I practiced...
2020 #5 – Justin Ramsdorfer
JUSTIN RAMSDORFER, 28 - PENNSYLVANIA SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle, Squirrel Steps Ring of Steps This story begins from a mapping standpoint, I am a huge public access/public land archery hunting fanatic around the Johnstown Pennsylvania area (WMU’s 2C & 2E)...
2020 #4 – Chris Coon
CHRIS COON, 37 - MISSOURI SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle, Predator Platform Man, where do I start? I am from Michigan. Shot my first buck at 14 with a compound bow and have been hooked ever since. Hunting in Michigan is very, very challenging. I have never really had...
2020 #3 – Dustin Moll
DUSTIN MOLL, 33 - MONTANA SADDLE GEAR: Phantom, Predator platform, lwcg minis It was October 13th and I was driving west to Montana, head-on into a monster of a low-pressure system forecasted to last 4-5 days. This system was hauling snow and temperature drops of 40+...
2020 #2 – Ryan Cady
RYAN CADY, 34 - OHIO SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Mantis & Predator Platform As October came to a close in New York State, myself and my buddies made our annual trip west to Ohio in search of dream public land bucks. We towed our camper for 9 hours and set up camp in a...
2020 #1 – Rendell Erik Rhoderick
RENDELL ERIK RHODERICK, 37 - IOWA SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom, Predator Platform, XOP Mini Sticks My rookie saddle season in 2020 will forever live in my memory. It started back in 2019 when I was tired of carrying heavy mobile tree stands every year. I watch The...
Thanks to everyone who hunted and submitted your stories for 2020. What an incredible year.
The voting was incredibly close as well. There were some incredible bucks that unfortunately didn’t get selected.
2019 TETHRD TEN
2019 #10 – Jackson Ellis
JACKSON ELLIS SADDLE GEAR: OG Trophyline Saddle, Tethrd Predator Platform, Hawk Helium sticks LOCATION: Nebraska I got hooked by the saddle bug in the summer of 2019, and quickly assembled the gear necessary. I went in for the first hunt of 2019 on October 3rd. On...
2019 #9 – Croft Griffin
CROFT GRIFFIN SADDLE GEAR: H2 saddle, Tethrd Predator Platform, WE steps. LOCATION: Kentucky 11/14/2019 is a day I will never forget. I left on 11/13/2019 for Kentucky, planning to hunt until Sunday. This was my 4th consecutive year hunting the rut in Kentucky, but...
2019 #8 – Derek Hadley
DEREK HADLEY SADDLE GEAR: Mantis saddle, ring of steps (Cranford T screw-in steps) all covered with Stealth Strips LOCATION: Manitoba, Canada I’m from south east Manitoba. I have always been told that we don’t have big deer around here, and if ya want one, you gotta...
2019 #7 – Adrian Wilson
ADRIAN WILSON SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Phantom, Predator Platform, Leverage sticks. LOCATION: Mississippi I tagged out in my home state of Tennessee early in December, so I was really looking forward to a late season Mississippi hunt. Aaron Warbritton, and the THP guys...
2019 #6 – Dustin Erlewine
DUSTIN ERLEWINE SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Mantis, Predator Platform, Muddy Pro sticks. LOCATION: Missouri What’s luck have to do with it? This story starts with bad luck, premonition, a cat, and a good buck. Seriously. Needless to say my 2019 hunting season was hindered by...
2019 #5 – Jonathan Boyer
JONATHAN BOYER SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Mantis, Predator Platform, Hawk Helium sticks. LOCATION: Pennsylvania I have to start by saying that I considered a saddle for a long time and just didn’t get one until I saw the Mantis saddle. I’ve used every type of tree stand that...
2019 #4 – Tyler Tutterow
TYLER TUTTEROW SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Mantis, LWCG Ambush, LWCG Compact Sticks LOCATION: Indiana Like many whitetail addicts in the Midwest, the first two weeks of November tends to be one of my favorite times of the year. The past several years I have been fortunate...
2019 #3 – Paul Coughlin
PAUL COUGHLIN SADDLE GEAR: Mantis saddle, Predator platform, 3 LW sticks with daisy chains, 3 ez-aiders LOCATION: Maryland One of my best bucks to date and 2 days before Jesus’s birthday!! It only takes minutes for your hunt to change I went out for an evening hunt...
2019 #2 – Ricky Kohler
RICKY KOHLER SADDLE GEAR: Mantis Saddle, Predator Platform, Hawk Helium Sticks w/amsteel daisychains LOCATION: Minnesota The story of my buck actually started almost 1 year ago to the date. I was hunting in the same area and passed him 15 minutes before I arrowed my...
2019 #1 – Bret Pearsall
BRET PEARSALL SADDLE GEAR: Tethrd Mantis, 4 lone wolf sticks with aider, WE Perch LOCATION: Ohio First I would like to thank you for making excellent products and excellent customer service. I purchased my Mantis in 2018 and had great success hunting in archery and...
2018 TETHRD TEN
2018 #10 – John Dolan
JOHN DOLAN SADDLE: Tethrd Mantis LOCATION: Georgia On December 1, 2018 I left my house in North Georgia to go on a quota hunt in Rome, Georgia at Berry college! Weather man called for rain but after waiting all week to be off work I was going regardless. The previous...
2018 #9 – Grant Lemon
2018 #8 – Zachary Rau
ZACHARY RAU SADDLE: Tethrd Mantis LOCATION: Michigan It was a few days into the season and the high hunting pressure of northern Michigan's public land was besting most of the hunters in the woods. Deer sign started to disappear in the weeks leading up to the season....
2018 #7 – Rock Bortell
2018 #6 – David Terry
2018 #5 – John Zeigler
2018 #4 – Clayton Bahn
2018 #3 – Justin Oosterbaan
2018 #2 – Mark Udelhofen
