Leaving Climbing Sticks in Trees
Contributors to this thread:Minnesota
From: Shawnster
15-Mar-22
Looking for some advice on whether it's okay to leave my climbing sticks in my trees over the entire year. I'm going to remove my stands but contemplating leaving the climbing sticks there. That way I don't need to haul them in and out of the woods each year. But I'd losen the straps so they don't get too tight if the tree expands during the summer. Then tighten them up again when I set the stands up late summer. Will the weather eventully damage the buckles and straps even though the straps are synthetic?
From: RD
15-Mar-22
If they are a one piece unit when put up, I've left them in and when I set a stand in the fall I double up on the top section with a new rachet strap that comes out after season ends. The sun will dry and rot the straps eventually.
From: Dale06
15-Mar-22
Squirrels might nibble on the straps, weather/sun is not good for the straps. And I would think as the tree grows a bit, the straps will get really tight. I wouldn’t.
From: MinKan
16-Mar-22
I would lean towards caution and remove the straps completely and leave your sticks at the base of the tree. That way you don't have to haul them out and you know the straps are still in good condition. I'm assuming this is on private property?
From: Mertyman
16-Mar-22
Done it many times without issue. Just be sure to loosen them when you take the stand down, tighten them up when putting the stand back up, and inspect them. No different than leaving a ladder stand up year round. Eventually the straps should be replaced, but it's not like they go bad after a year or two (provided critters aren't chewing on them; again....inspect)
From: TonyBear
17-Mar-22
Sun and weather will degrade the straps, springs on the buckles etc. You can bet the mfg. doesn't support this as they don't want the liabilty when the system collapses and you fall.
I take down my equipment, store them indoors, inspect often for damage and have some stands that are pushing 30 years old. I replaced straps , buckles on anything that appears slightly damaged(or per mfg. recs.). That said I still have had a step break and buckles come loose on some brands. Those are in a different storage area for bow holders only or junk pile.
