Show me your hang and hunt systems...
Whitetail Deer
I took my hawk helium stand and sticks for a test drive on my place over the weekend. Let's just say it was not perfect. Getting up the tree and all was fine, it was the transporting the stuff 1/2 mile or so that sucked. So, how are you guys transporting your sticks, stand and pack? Are you minimizing on the pack or using a belt type pack? Curious... and thanks!
I'm working on a new ultralight system now, Rick.
Three lone wolf sticks and an alpha on a military Molley system
Works real nice
This is how I haul my LW setup. I'd love to know how many miles I've lugged this thing over the last 10 years.
Similar setup to 12 yards. I use a ratchet strap for a duel purpose of an extra strap on the stand when in use and to hold the sticks on stand firmly.
12yds
Try laying the sticks flat.. I find it works much better and help keeps weight closer to your back
How are you guys hauling all of your gear too? That's my main question. The stand/sticks are easy. Are you attaching your pack, jacket or other things to the back of your stand/sticks?
I used/use the stand as a pack frame and attached my back pack to the stand in whatever fashion that made sense depending on the back pack used. You may want to consider purchasing quality back pack straps for the stand. You may also want to consider using some foam pipe covers in strategic places to pad your back.
I use a Beard Buster back pack to haul my ground binds and attach my back pack to the blind/pack in a similar fashion. These are very roomy and should be able to accommodate a stand, sticks, and a modest amount of gear instead of a blind. I got mine through amazon at a cost of $50.
Fat crippled needs a ground blind
Embry. The full name is Beard Buster Blind Hog.
I'm packing now for my late season. Using a kifaru light frame with a fulcrum bag. The bag is way over kill but it's what I have as well as I do not have to worry about what I bring. I definitely could bring the kitchen sink and still have room to spare. I used this same set up last month during the rut with no problems. I used to use a eberlistock X2 and thought it was the bees knees until I got my kifaru. I love the way the X2 holds everything but that pack was brutal if you put any weight in it. The fulcrum is set up real similar to the X2 only way larger.
I have tried several different ways to carry to include the molly straps and I always come back to a good pack with stand and sticks attached for transport.
The more you play with it the easier it gets and one day you'll say to yourself why haven't I been doing this all along.
Congrats on that awesome trad buck as well.
On a Kuiu Icon Pro with 5200 bag
One of my Kifaru packs, stand on the back, steps on the bottom (muddy sticks with the rope)
The best way I’ve found yet. Get to tree, take sticks off, put the first two on the tree, put two behind my neck wedged between my pack and stand, put the 3rd on the tree as I go up sliding my lineman belt up, and taking sticks as needed. I carry a EZ hanger in my pocket, when I get up to my desired height, screw in the EZ hanger, hang the pack on it, take the stand off and put it on the tree, pull up the bow.
One time up and hunting, plus I can pack out the deer in one shot as well.
My WE Steps and everything else goes into my backpack. I wear my saddle. Pete
I don't have a picture but I really like the badland 2200. The batwings hold stand and lonewolf sticks. Plenty of room for other stuff. Works good during turkey and antelope for a double bull blind and chair as well.
Exo Mt 2200 pack. I start the season with the lone wolf assault strapped to the frame, I use the meat shelf straps and a couple of zip ties. Bag separates and is pulled up into stand with pull rope. When I get a deer down I leave stand and sticks behind for the night and pack out the deer. Then return the next day to get my stand and sticks. In rifle season I usually hunt from the ground. I carry it in the meat shelf for the days I want to get up in the trees.
I carry a shoulder bag with my gear and bungee cord jacket or coveralls to stand.
Peterk1234........It looks to me that your teal colored rope is frayed somewhat where it’s going through the carabiner. Maybe just looks that way in your pic?
Very similar to LTG and scoot’s setup. I just strap my pack onto the stand as best I can. None of my hang and hunt setups are more than 1/4 of a mile, though, plus I have a bunch of prehung/permanent stands in place, as I own the land that I hunt.
One thing I do to make them way easier to see is, I paint the tops of the steps on my Lone Wolf sticks white. Makes them really stand out on the climb down.
I bought a Tree Stand transportation System from Xop, I love that for hauling my stuff
Same Lone wolf set up at t-roy but with only three sticks with 3 screw ins for many years.
Now it seems I use my climber more just for safety reasons because I don’t bounce as good as I use too.
Thank you all. A couple observations... I do think some new back pack straps (as suggested) for the stand and another ratchet strap to squash everything (pack and jacket) down on the stand and sticks should work. I could also lighten up without carrying 3 frikin knives, might lighten the load a bit. Also thinking of getting one more length of sticks, because I only have three sections. This would get me a bit higher during the late months when getting higher is beneficial due to lack of cover. I might just carry another treestep to get me another two or three feet, that could work.
Guess I also need to invest in a lifeline as I maneuver up while setting stand/sticks up.
Thanks, Scrappy! Appreciate it.
T-Roy, it just looks that way. It is the bury from the splice that pokes through. Pete
It really depends how far you need to walk to the tree you plan on climbing. And the biggest...what kind of shape your in!!!
@jtv...”I always allow time to walk in, and time to set up/settle in.” HA...feels like I spend more time walking in and walking out in the dark than I do hunting in daylight!!
Outside... I'm in good enough shape to go anywhere on the 1200 acres I currently hunt. It just seemed the stand and all were cumbersome. It was poor planning on my part. I'll be much better prepared for the next go around. Got a 4/5 day hunt coming up and I'll be ready to roam. Hopefully catch up to a late season buck.
t-roy, is that how your steps are set to get into your stand? I have my steps swung the other way. In other words, my top step is away from my stand. Trying to figure out why you'd do it that way.
I have found bat winged style packs like a BL 2200 work very well with pack in setups. You can open the wings, and place your bibs, jackets, harness etc on the outside of the pack. Then place the stand on top of that strapped in with the two cross straps on the pack. It will hold everything in place. You can throw all your odds and ends inside the pack.
If I had 1200 acres to hunt to myself, I'd put a bunch of stands up early and call it a day! I can hang stands in the evening, but I will freeze out doing so in the AM, and I'm not a guy that sweats.
12yards.......hard to say on that particular setup. Might be any number of things. Could be just how they were staggered when I hung the stand without going back down after hanging it. The top step is a little above the stand. I may not have even used it getting into the stand. I seem to usually set my bottom step to the right starting out (habit). There might have been a branch somewhat higher than the stand that I could have used to get into the stand easier. I’ve slept since I took that pic, so who knows. I get what you’re saying, though.
Caz... there's A LOT of stands in place, trust me. There are places that are out of the way which are quite remote that hang/hunt is beneficial late in the season. Also a major tributary runs through and many times this time of the season, it's low enough to cross and use this system. I've got a BL 2200, I'll have to try that as well. It's just sitting in my garage.
I only use three sticks as well as loops hanging from the bottom of each stick. I also have four screw in steps in my pack for really large tree trunks to get up high enough to use my sticks. I have never in the ten years I have been doing hang and hunts wished for a fourth stick.
I have a 2200 also and wonder what the heck you do with that big pack up in the tree! I'm amazed at the size of packs some of you guys use to hunt whitetails. I guess I'm a minimalist when it comes to my whitetail hunting. I only use a fanny pack and don't even fill that up. I just wear it under my stand. Works great.
Kevin... That's most likely the route I'll go as well. If I can get to the 15 -18 foot range, I'm good with that. Two steps and three sticks should be fine.
12 yds, it is a decent sized pack, and I too have thought the same. After all its a WT hunt but if you're packing in stands, sticks, clothes etc, its about right. That bat wings will hold everything in place.
At the risk of sounding like a wimp, I've even brought in a second pair of boots and take them off and jam them inside.
I think a hang and hunt stand will always require more stuff in the long run, that's why I try to avoid it if possible.
Badlands 2200 carries everything very nicely for longer hikes...
[img]https://i.imgur.com/Q6vElnK.jpg[/img]
Spent 19 seasons lugging around a climber.
Then 1 season in a hang-on doing the hang and hunt....
Then made the switch to a saddle. Once you learn the whole hang and hunt process it makes no sense not to go to a saddle.
Sticks and platform go in the load shelf of a MR Popup 28. Clothes and other stuff go in the pack. It's the cat's tits. My days of snagging on brush are over. This is sleeker than a swimmers nuts.
You guys' profile in the tree is going to start blacking out the sun! LOL!
Elk yinzer do you do dark to dark sits in a saddle? That is the reason I haven't really given it a thought. I just can't imagine a guy hanging in a saddle for 10 to 12 hours.
I didn't do any all day sits in the saddle this year. Almost...I did multiple days where I stayed from well before sunrise until 2 PM, then got down, moved, and sat until dark.
I wouldn't say sitting in anything all day is comfortable. But I wouldn't say the saddle is any more or less comfortable than any other treestand if that makes sense.
There is definitely an adjustment period to comfort in the saddle. There's no way you can pick one up, play with it a couple times, and assess anything about them accurately. It took me until about halfway through the season before I felt comfortable with the many intricate comfort adjustments, but spend enough time in them and you start to get dialed in.
Lone Wolf Alpha with 4 sticks is my standard. I have Molle shoulder straps...I removed the sternum strap as it made noise, and opted for no belt, as that also made noise with the plastic squeaking and knocking into things.
I have a small pack that I bungee right in between the sticks with any additional clothing. Makes for a nice compact kit that all sits very close to my back.
Sorry no pictures but, I use a lone wolf alpha with the stick quiver that holds four LW sticks. I can wear my back pack on my chest and carry my bow in my hand fairly easily.
Dang,I'm just like everyone else.Have my Lones wolf sticks/stand strapped to my Badlands 2200 .
No wonder whitetails pattern us so easy ha!
+1 on stealth strips. I attribute them as my biggest asset to getting close to mature deer on public land
So some suede tape that traps more scent than the actual metal itself is your biggest asset?
I find that interesting .Not trying to pull your chain is just the various philosophies us bowhunters emphasize.
I don’t mind a little clang or click or two but cringe at leaving residual scent in/on my set
You know....I’ve always wondered how much scent the suede tape, para cord wrapped on stand edge, 20’ of life line, etc...all that kind of stuff would capture and emit. I just use the life line and linesman’s belt but always give them a spray of no scent. Sorry for the thread hijack.
