Times For a Climbing Treestand
Equipment
I prefer my climber over a hang-on and sticks for all day sits. It is just a little more comfortable. I also prefer it when it is raining or extremely cold. I don't like fiddling with climbing sticks when my hands are numb, or getting my clothes wet from contact with a wet tree. I can climb a little higher with a climber but that isn't an important factor to me.
I have my sticks and hangon routine down to a science and climb the tree in one trip and don't make a peep. That takes some thought and some practice but it isn't terribly complicated.
I also use a saddle with a small platform and climbing sticks as my ultralight setup to get way in deep.
I think something new for this fall is I am going to move toward a hydrid system where I remove the seat from my hang on and use a saddle. Best of both worlds. Been toying with this setup in the backyard and really loving it so far.
Tree selection can be a big benefit of hangons. I can get in almost any tree, a lot that my climber cannot. It is a huge advantage in some areas, open hardwoods with mostly straight pole timber, not so much.
I like having all my options to choose from, a lot of guys take a hardline stance on their setup but I have different situations where I deploy each.
I don't leave anything in the woods, all my setups are optimized to carry in and out with me. I stay mobile and often scout with my gear on my back and hunt fresh sign.
"Tree selection can be a big benefit of hangons. I can get in almost any tree"
Not me. Sure, I can put a hang on in almost any tree but that doesn't mean I would hunt from it. I've been looking at the twisted timber stands, really ideal for some of those areas where you can't get the right hight, platform leveling, etc.
There isn't a tree that I've seen that I can't get into quieter and faster with a hang on than a climber. Setting up a hang on is essentially noiseless for me, but if I have to saw one single branch off what looked like a telephone pole tree, it's already noisier. And no matter how "clean" the tree looked, there's always at least one branch. I routinely hang stands at night as well. (Like every single morning hunt)
I agree with most of what you say EF Hutton, especially if you have good trees for a climber. I will be buying a LW Hand Climber some day. But currently I do use a hang on and sticks and I can do it quietly. The main reason I want a LW Climber (I have a Summit and it mostly sits in the garage) is it will be lighter to pack in and might be a little quicker to get up the tree.
AP is correct, if you don't know that than you don't have the right set of sticks and stand. Also climbers limit where you can set up and a set of sticks and a stand lets you be more selective. Hang and hunt way easier and quieter than setting up a climber and getting up to 15-20 ft on tree that is like sitting on a telephone pole. Shawn
I like my climbers but. if you are making those clanking noises with sticks and a hang on, you haven't practiced enough. Just like shooting your bow, you need to practice with your climbing equipment. Set up and tear down needs to be second nature.
Go to the hunting beast forum. Dan the owner is a pro at setting up within 50 yards of bedded mature bucks on pressured public land. There are a lot of guys that frequent that forum that are also good at it. I am decent at it, but not near as good as I want to be. I have set up in the dark within 50 to 100 yards of my kids and they haven't heard a sound from my set ups.
Definitely use what you’re good with. But I’m telling you, you would lose the $100. I’ve tested both, and let’s just say I have a climber for sale. I can’t tell you how many deer I’ve had either bedded or around my stand before I even have a thing in it. 3 LW sticks hangs so fast it’s crazy. Also easier than a climber. Less effort and sweat in cold cold mornings. I currently can’t think of a single advantage of a climber. Also, if I feel like standing and melting into the tree most climbers do not allow you to flip the seat up.
3 LW sticks might hang fast but, in an equal test, where you had identical trees that were straight and you had to get high, a Climber will smoke you bro. 3 LE sticks won't get you 18-25 feet. Not even close. That would take at least 5, probably 6. It's a hypothetical no doubt but, so was the 12-13 feet scenario you were comparing a climber too.
Funny I have had guys start climbing a tree over 100 yards away on public land and hear them every time but I have had guys set up with sticks and a stand 60-70 yards and did not know they were there. I have never seen a climber as quiet as a set of sticks with someone who new how to use them. Shawn
Climbers don't work much in my neck of the woods. The trees have branches...crazy.
Yep.
I've wanted a climber for years but there ain't 1 tree in a 100 they'll work on in this part of MN.
I have Lone Wolf Sticks with the rope mod and an extender on the bottom stick that I use with a Lone Wolf Assault and a variety of other stands. I'm very good with the setup and can usually get up the tree silently.
I also have a Lone Wolf Sit & Climb with the Hazmor mesh seat which allows me to push the seat back and "melt into the tree".
I use whatever stand is appropriate for the tree/area I'm hunting but I much prefer the Sit & Climb for ease of climbing, speed, quietness and comfort. I can use either setup very quietly but there's less chance of an accidental noise with the climber.
I would challenge anybody to a race to 20 feet on a straight tree with my LW S&C versus any set of sticks and a hang on stand, with points deducted for noise made.
EF it's prob 8:30 by the time you get back to camp cause you're using a climber. Use a hang on and some LW sticks and you'll be back for supper ;)
Technically your probably safer using a climber sans sticks. If you are setting up in the dark and coming down in the dark each time I am fast with a climber. A preset hang on is where you would see the greatest advantage for a hang on. I am typically a mile in and I am normally back to camp between 6:15 and 6:45 with a 10 to 15 minute ride back to camp. I love the room of a climber for all day sets.
I have a Summit Viper SD that I absolutely love! The reason why? Because 2 years ago my wife got me the Hazmore Trick-Your-Treestand Kit for Christmas. It came with the net style sling seat (think hammock), that is super light weight, extremely comfortable, and can be pushed back against the tree, giving you the entire platform to stand on and maneuver around. What I really like about the Hazemore seat, is packing the stand together is a breeze, since you're not fighting a bulky foam seat and bungee straps. Also, a bolt on bow holder that allows you to climb with your bow at your side, eliminating the need for a bow haul rope, and some adhesive rubber strips for warmth and grip for your feet. I can climb as high as I want, and quieter than a squirrel. When you need to move, be mobile, and be silent, there is nothing better. I'm like a freakin' tree ninja with my Summit. :-)
Here's the link....
And, I forgot to mention the stabilizer straps!! Those things will change the way you guys think about ever using a climber....when you reach your desired height, pull these suckers tight, and you have the most secure stand you'll ever hunt from. The lumbar support is nice too, for the all day sits.
This thread had potential for good discussion but some of the claims from both the climber and hangon camp are flat out ridiculous. It's turned into a ford vs. chevy debate. If you are that personally invested in your gear choices, get a life!
Why no love for Dodge, elk yinzer? LOL.
Here's a nice little video, detailing my last post a little better.
Doh! Sorry folks....that's the wrong link!
My Summit platform with a hole big enough to step through with my size 11 Muck boot if I'm not paying attention...
My Summit platform with a hole big enough to step through with my size 11 Muck boot if I'm not paying attention...
Cheesehead Mike's Link
No disrespect intended either, everybody has their favorites, different strokes for different folks.
PAbowhunter,
You say you have the entire platform to maneuver around on. Does your Summit have the big hole next to the tree that your foot can step through like mine does...?
Also, the stabilizer straps are not a secret or a new invention. They come standard with the Lone Wolf climbing stands. I added Lone Wolf stabilizer straps to my Summit (see my link). The LW straps are probably quieter and easier to use with the plastic buckles. I think the Third hand straps would be more effective if he attached them farther out away from the tree on the platform.
JTV,
I never race either, all my movements are careful and deliberate. But this thread is about the time to climb with a climber and people are talking about what's faster so I think it's a valid point.
APauls,
It all takes time weather your packing up all your gear and clothes with a climber or with a stand and sticks. It's about the same for me but the climber is more compact.
Pigsticker,
I agree, I'd much rather deal with a climber in the dark where I'm in the stand the entire time rather than reaching, attaching and hanging sticks and a stand.
EFHutton,
Been at it a long time here too with lots of experience from the older school of the 1970's...
elk yinzer,
It's a good discussion, relax man....
Lol no one on this thread is even mildly worked up so it’s all good. As I said above use whatever works for you. EF also said the same thing. No one here is saying their way is the only way. I’ve used both types of stands. I’m not the oldest and wisest man in the woods but I am telling you right now I’m not inexperienced.
EF stated that early in the morning etc there is no time for slinging straps etc. Only Point I’m trying to make is that I set up my stand each and every time I sit. I pick trees in the darkness and set up before light each and every time I go out. I do so with a LWhang on and 3 steps. As do many others. I do so, because in my experience it is easier, quieter, and infinitely more flexible as to the tree. But to tell me there isn’t time to do exactly what I do is preposterous. Especially when I’ve tried the other side of the fence. And the trees I used the climbers in are telephone pole style poplar trees about as ideal as they come. I’d rather climb those same trees with my sticks and hang on. If you have to saw one single branch, the noise argument for a climber is done. Dead in the water. I have yet to climb a tree without having to take care of a branch.
I love my Summit but hate that stupid hole! Who on earth designed that? The first season I put a Hazmore seat on, I stepped there about a dozen times until I got used to it.
My blood pressure is fine, anyone who knows me I don't take this forum stuff very seriously, but come on, some posters are so resolute in beliefs that are at best, questionable and some patently false (and some purposely provocative, no doubt). Always good for some chuckles.
APauls, I hunt with an Alpha and 4 sticks and that combo alone weighs 24 pounds. With all the gear needed, I am lugging a good 30+ pounds up some pretty big hills. I am usually wet from sweat no matter how hard I try to take my time and dress down for the walk in. A LW Hand Climber would cut 6.5 pounds off my total weight. I love the versatility of the Alpha and sticks, but it is getting heavier every year to haul around at 55 years old now. I'm strongly considering a LW Hand Climber.
elk yinzer,
I imagine the hole is there to prevent someone from stepping too close to the tree where there wouldn't be much leverage and the stand could slide down the tree.
I guess they'd rather have you step in the hole and fall rather than have the stand lose it's grip and slide down the tree...
I agree, it's bad. I've been thinking about adding a piece of aluminum tubing or wrapping some rope or cord back and forth thru the hole.
I don't use it much though because I prefer my Lone Wolf.
Here's a side by side comparison of the Lone Wolf and Summit bases. They have about the same usable surface area but the Summit is significantly bulkier.
Here's a side by side comparison of the Lone Wolf and Summit bases. They have about the same usable surface area but the Summit is significantly bulkier.
I can definitely say I'm quieter with my LW Alpha and sticks than I am with my Summit Viper. And it isn't even close.
Me too.
And every year I use my Summit a few times and vow to never use it again because it is so bulky and noisy compared to the LW S&C.
Since learning the "hang and hunt" I mostly ditched my Summit too. I used it 3 times last year out of 20-some sits. The second time I was expecting an all day sit and shot a big doe. The third time it was rainy, one situation I still prefer it and shot my buck that night. I don't hunt in a real high deer population area where we can whack and stack them. Weird coincidence probably, but I am a but supersticious. I don't know but old faithful got the job done.
Most year and almost all mature bucks will pick me out of a straight tree - The kind you need for a climbing Treestand.
I have to find a tree that forks enough I can start climbing above the fork or somewhere I can climb past a bunch of branches with leaves from other trees.
Very few people realize hunting from stand more than once or twice a year is too much for mature buck.
I also use my climbing Treestand in the exact same scenario a fixed stand works but I take it down and hide it so others cannot use it
DonV, I have shot several in plain view in extremely small trees. I assume that the ground is flatter in the part of Ohio that you hunt than where I hunt in Southeastern, Ohio. also, I hunt the piney woods of Georgia and have not had that problem. I am wondering if you are hunting urban areas and the deer could be more people smart. On the other hand the deer I hunt in Ohio will bust quick with the slightest shift of the wind.
1.Tree sawing and climbing noise isn’t near as bad as some think.
2. Leaving climbers out in between hunts or stashing is worse than you think (residual scent)
3.A climber is almost as good as a rattling sequence so pull your bow up first thing.
4.Hunt as low as possible (some terrains and geographical differences in whitetail behavior are conducive)
5.Mark your height and orientation with a bright eye on high it will keep you aligned with shooting lanes and aid you in not over climbing the next time up.
I look to climb first ......and will increase shot distance 10 yards to be able too.
Think it depends where you hunt. I hunt mostly old growth S.F. and SGL in PA with taller trees with few branches below 20'. So I can use my Summit Climber almost anywhere I am hunting.
Started with the Summit Viper and I was hooked. Most comfortable stand out there! Eventually sold it and bought an Open Shot. Now that is my favorite! Can sit in it ALL DAY, and it is very light for it's size. Maybe a few pounds heavier than a Lone Wolf, but the sling seat makes it more comfortable.
As for the "bulk"....................................what does it matter when it is on your back? And I happen to like that triangle design. My oversized fanny pack fits perfectly in there and in cold weather I can even ball up my coveralls or parka in there for those long walks in.
As for the "hole".....................I wear a size 13, so I have no issues with falling thru! ;-)
FWIW, here's a bulkiness comparison of the Summit vs. Lone Wolf. Seat is removed from the Summit and Lone Wolf has shoulder straps and hipbelt. So without the straps and belt the LW would be even thinner.
FWIW, here's a bulkiness comparison of the Summit vs. Lone Wolf. Seat is removed from the Summit and Lone Wolf has shoulder straps and hipbelt. So without the straps and belt the LW would be even thinner.
Yeah, to each their own I guess…
Bulkiness matters to me for packing my stand through the woods and brush, etc. It’s a lot quieter maneuvering through the brush with the Lone Wolf on my back versus the Summit with noisy aluminum tubing and cables catching on everything. You probably don't have much brush if you're hunting old growth forest though. Also, when I go on an out of state hunt I usually have a lot of gear, so bulkiness matters for packing it in the truck.
Regardless of which stand you prefer, one thing that works really well for keeping all your gear in place is an ATV cargo net. Here’s my LW Sit & Climb (with MOLLE shoulder straps and hipbelt) all packed up with my Timberhawk Gut Hook waist pack, Predator wool pullover, rattling antlers, etc. Sometimes I use a Badlands Stealth daypack instead of the waist pack. I really like how compact and streamlined this setup is and the cargo net works really well for bulky clothing that won’t fit in your daypack or if you prefer not to pack it in your daypack to save time.
Sometimes on long hikes in I’ll where lightweight boots and pack my Muck Boots in the cargo net.
I like the net.
I'm taking a LW hand climber elk hunting this year only because I have found a specific place that over the past three seasons I've had elk encounters and I've located some perfect trees for an afternoon ambush.
I pack my stand similar to Cheesehead for deer hunting but for the elk trip I may ditch the straps and waist belt and attach it to my Exo pack possibly between the frame and the bag.
If I'm hunting a spot that I know has good "climber trees" I'll take it but sometimes I find myself hunting a tree rather than hunting the sign so the hang-on may work better. Most of my good climber locations have a relatively limbless tree with a highly branched tree with leaves right in front of it.
Mike- you're right...........................we don't have many areas that are thick with understory and saplings in my area. And most spots are accessed via fire road or trail. usually don't have to walk more than a couple hundred yards off the trail. So no issues with the Summit "bushwhacking".
I guess if you are in an area with a lot of young growth, saplings etc........... or a lot of bush/brush, it could be a different story.
This is a good discussion. I’m learning a lot about something I’ve always been curious about. That is using climbing sticks in a non- permanent situation. I hunt public in Louisiana and pull my stand every hunt. I hunt a couple miles in and just don’t see sticks beating my 14lb lone wolf. It’s also the quietest stand I ever used. Two straps around the tree, feet in, and start climbing. How is it possible someone could set up sticks in the same amount of time, I don’t see it. No doubt the ability to get in any tree vs select trees is an advantage of sticks. But I’ve never had a problem and if I had to pick I think I’d go for my climber.
Cheesehead Mike is one of those guys that figures out how to do things the efficient way. He proved that again with the cargo net idea. Once again, i will copy it and look like a genius with my buddies. :^)
I prefer the summit. It is bulkier. Maybe heavier. But, it is load more comfortable then a open topped version of summit, API, Loggy, or Lone Wolf. I have been working over the last few years to buy the used and put then in areas I hunt that requires a long walk. I go in preseason and move them to the sign. This will be the first year I will not have to pack stand, deer, and gear in and out. I've finally got them all i. Now, I just have to climb down, chain the climber to the tree and, hump the deer out in my pack.It's going to be nice.
Dan Infalt is the exact reason why I use a lone wolf with sticks. Sure a guy can probably get up a tree quicker then me. But I doubt he will be any quieter.
They come with a set of 4 sticks. I bought a single stick to add to the set up so it’s easier to get to 20 to 23’.
I've been using my Badlands 2200 a lot lately to pack my stand and sticks. The sticks fit nicely in the batwings, the straps hold the stand securely and clothes, etc. go in the pack.
I've been using my Badlands 2200 a lot lately to pack my stand and sticks. The sticks fit nicely in the batwings, the straps hold the stand securely and clothes, etc. go in the pack.
Thanks Justin, I enjoy sharing good ideas when I can and if it helps you look smarter then that's a bonus ;^)
elvspec, I'm with you and I prefer my LW climber for the same reasons but there are many instances when a climber just won't work and then I'll use a stand with climbing sticks.
Sometimes I cut branches, sometimes I go around branches, with my LW climber. Fairly easy to do with the design of the LW, with a little practice. And no safety breach as long as you're always lashed to the tree. A 2nd lanyard adds very little to the total carry weight.
It is hard to beat a saddle with a small platform for getting way in deep. This is my setup with heavy clothes. The backpack is an MR popup.
I wish Lone Wolf, or someone, made an Assault but a few inches narrower. 16 inches wide would be about perfect. I would use that as a giant saddle platform and be set for life. My x-stand hangon is 20 inches wide and it packs way better than my Summit climber, but I still find it snags on more brush than I would like. I go through mountain laurel thickets and that stuff can be brutal.
My new preference is screw in steps (which I think are great for skinny guys like me) and my tree saddle. But if at all possible, I prefer my Summit Viper climber as it's so dang comfortable. I can sit in it all day, whereas in my hang-ons, I'm uncomfortable within an hour or two.
It really does depend on where you're at. In SoCal, much of the timber in the mountains is virgin and I have a couple areas I hunt where the trees are 3 feet in diameter minimum, so my Summit is out of the question.
In Nebraska, AZ, and Wyoming, I've not had a prob finding a straight tree that just had a few small dead branches on it. In AZ, if you can find a pine worthy of a stand, it's usually climber-friendly. I prefer to come through early afternoon when the deer are bedded and use the climber to go up, clear the branches, then I leave and hunt it two days later. And you can use the same trees year after year.
NOTHING is more fun than screwing steps into a frozen oak tree at -20 degrees at O dark thirty. Plus that inch and half of bark that you know isn't holding anything. Oh ya baby, that's what dreams are made of right there.
The only tree a climber will work on in my part of KS is a telephone pole. Period.
EF, no I hunt Big Branch since its 10 minutes from my doorstep. Also, hunt a lease in the basin when I can. Wish I had the time and energy to hunt Tensas though!
sticksender, I often go around branches too and if the tree is getting too small as I climb higher it only takes me about 10-20 seconds to reach down and adjust the belt on the platform.
EF I was in Florida last week so didn’t hear anything on that. Maybe a control burn??? They do those pretty often there.
Cheesehead I do the same thing. Go around branches, adjust on the way up, etc..
How much does your hang on set weigh with the sticks?
LOL at Apauls! No kidding. I gave up the screw in steps as my shoulders started hurting. Nothing killed my shoulders more than trying to screw in 9 or 10 steps every time into rock hard oaks in freezing temps. It is no doubt a light and quick way to hunt and I did it for years, but no more for me.
Dying laughing...
It’s blondes brunettes and red heads.
We all like what we like.
Depending on the stand manufacturers and accessories some climbers are slower and louder.... and some loc-ons and step options are louder and slower.
Run what you like.
Here is an extension that I made with rope and PVC. I only use it on the bottom stick. This a River's Edge stick that I really like but they're loud and heavy but much cheaper.
Here is an extension that I made with rope and PVC. I only use it on the bottom stick. This a River's Edge stick that I really like but they're loud and heavy but much cheaper.
Here's a crappy pic of a Lone Wolf stick with the rope conversion and webbing extender.
Here's a crappy pic of a Lone Wolf stick with the rope conversion and webbing extender.
elvspec, The Lone Wolf Assault is 11 pounds and 4 sticks are 10 pounds, so about 21 pounds. I did the rope conversion on the sticks so without the straps with buckles the sticks are a few ounces lighter. I also made some rope and webbing extensions for the sticks so I can get by with 3 sticks and save a little weight or go even higher with 4 sticks.
Mike, thanks for the info.
