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Buying My First Treestand

admcd

admcd

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Hi, folks.

I'm buying myself my first treestand ever next month. I've got a budget of about $250. I've already obtained a Tree Spider Safety Line, Climbing Belt and Tree Strap. I just ordered a HSS Harness (They're way marked down on Amazon right now).

I'm torn between getting a ladder stand and having enough to maybe get two stands (Because they're cheap) or buying one moderate quality Climber or fixed stand and sticks.

The area in which I hunt is, right now, a pain in the ass to bring anything more than a backpack into. It's overgrown with Blackberries, ferns, vines and is generally hard to access until die back, which leans me towards buying a climber and learning to use it versus something more permanent . Is getting a climber as my first stand crazy? I'm not in the world's best shape right now, but intend to be more fit come hunting season.

Any advice folks might have is appreciated (Or if someone wants to volunteer to drag a ladder stand in and help me put it up, I'll buy lunch and beers!).
 
No advice, I'm more or less in the same boat. My hunting area doesn't have as much overgrown crap as yours, I think. I'll set up the occasional ground blind, but haven't tried tree stands yet. Was looking at them the end of last season, and realized I don't know what I don't know about 'em yet - so I didn't buy anything.
 
If you know you're only going to hunt one location, and that location is hard to get into, a ladder stand may not be a bad way to go. It will be easier to minimize noise/scent/etc when going in/out. If you think you may end up hunting multiple locations, a climber or hang on/sticks are probably the better choices. I have a climber and a couple hang on/ladder combos. I use the climber far more often, because I don't like broadcasting my hunting spots to others.

For the most part I only bow hunt from my climber stand, which is an XOP Strike Force. I'm actually really happy with the quality, and it's perfect for what I do. I'm in pretty good shape, so I may not be the best person to answer the fitness aspect. But it does seem to me that technique, patience, and practice are far more important than fitness.

The XOP $200 from FieldSupply.com (http://www.fieldsupply.com/gear/blinds-stands/xop-strike-force-climber-tree-stand.html). I just purchased a MOLLE II frame/straps/belt on eBay for like $30 shipped, and it's now incredibly comfortable to carry as well.
 
The advantage of a climber is if your spot sucks, you can move it, you can rotate in the tree, you can change heights. You also do not need climbing sticks, etc, and at the end of the day, its easy to take home with you, so it wont get stolen (if that is an issue). Disadvantage is you cant use a tree with branches, or at least low branches.

They have light climbers now. Get one 20lbs or less, with a suspended seat. I have a summit viper. I used it with a crossbow last two years. They aren't too hard to learn how to use, but it can be exerting doing the climb. If you dress for the weather, you may sweat your ass off, so I tie my jacket to the stand when I climb, then when i cool off a bit I can put the jacket on. The more rails and footrests and stuff, the more it weighs. Make sure you tie the two halves together before you use it.
 
I am 72 years old and I have been using ladder stands for 30 years and tripod stands for the last 15 years. Both kinds are very comfortable, but the tripod with a swivel seat has more advantages. You can get a roof for it also.

I got this tripod from Sportsman's Guide and it is easy to assemble and stand up by two men.

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...-woodsman-rotating-tripod-deer-stand?a=686916

I also buy this camo to wrap around the railing. It has no smell and will probably last you 20 years. Inexpensive too. You can get it from Walmart. It is 37" x 9 ' and reversible from gray or green. I highly recommend it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/CAMO-UNLIMITED-Tree-Stand-Ground-Cover-75325/32093177
 
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I like hang on stands with climbing sticks. I can get into them quietly. I run them about 20-25ft. I have about five sets.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I have a climber that I'll sell if your interested...

I'd say $150.00... It's very shortly used, I think he only used it a few times...

The reason I have it along with a bunch of other Archery stuff from him is I took it from him...

He hired me to work on his truck, when it came time to pay me he started crying that he was broke... It didn't help me because I had all the parts bills...

I told him that I'm going to his house and I'm choosing some of his Archery/hunting/shooting stuff or his truck is staying in my garage till he comes up with the money...

He said OK...

That's why it's fairly new, I didn't give him time to use it... [wink]

I'll try to snap a few photo's for you in the next few days...

Let me know if your interested when you see the photo's...

David


...
 
I have a summit Goliath and I'm completely happy with it. If you want to be mobile, a climber is the way to go. I can be 20 feet up and secure in less than 10 min. Only downside is you need to choose your trees wisely. They need to be pretty straight and branch free to the height you want to go. Carry a foldable saw with you so you can climb and trim if you need tk. Don't pick a tree out on opening day in the dark. I made that mistake and ended up stuck around 8 ft because I didn't see the bend in the tree I was in, couldn't get the base any farther down (piss poor adjustment of the cable on my part) I had to throw the top section down to the ground, jump down and then remove the base. I was so furious at myself and swearing up a storm I scared off three deer before daybreak. Never made that mistake again. If you do go with a climber practice with it and get used to climbing.
 
If your going to get serious you kind of need both...as sometimes youll need a climber in certain situations, but most times not.

Backpacking in a climber in and out is a PIA in a heavily overgrown area, in the dark, with a flashlight bumping into all sorts of crap. I use them only in open woods down in CT on public land where I don't want to risk a setup being stolen. I also use them when scouting new pieces, that I want to take temporary sits to see what's going down. So it's good to have one available.... however, you need to get in at least a half hour early, and stay a half hour later to takedown and pack out. Your also making way more noise than just climbing steps, and there's always some limb, crook, or something that messes you up. You end up hunting trees in the dark more than deer. If your going to use a climber you'll need to go in before season and ID some trees that are perfect otherwise it's frustrating, even more frustrating is ID ing those trees then going in the dark and not being able to find them.

If you have only one hunting area, that is private and your generally not in fear that your crap will get stolen, buy two sets of sticks and two stands for the price of the one good climber. Ladders are OK, but bulky, don't get that high, and you'll never want to take it down again. Sticks are way easier. You'll need to either hunt the area or put out cams to see where the action is. I recommend cameras first, then get a good idea what's going on then set up your stuff in the two best likely locations where you see movement during daylight hours. Where deer feed at night really doesn't help. Daylight activity is what your looking for. Don't hack the crap out of the area when you do set up either, the deer will notice, smell and avoid. Also note where deer are coming from/wind direction in the stand you'll be sitting in. Deer wind you, you will never even see them in thick woods.
 
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OK admcd decided to pass on this Tree Stand, anyone else interested???


If I don't hear from anyone I'll put it into the For Sale Section when I get a chance...

David


DavidC77 said:
OK I snapped some photo's for you...

It's made by Summit Specialties, Inc., Decatur, AL...

I don't know what Model it is though...

Here's the photo's:

View attachment 200974 View attachment 200975 View attachment 200976 View attachment 200977 View attachment 200978 View attachment 200979 View attachment 200980 View attachment 200981
Click to expand...

DavidC77 said:
I have a climber that I'll sell if your interested...

I'd say $150.00... It's very shortly used, I think he only used it a few times...

The reason I have it along with a bunch of other Archery stuff from him is I took it from him...

He hired me to work on his truck, when it came time to pay me he started crying that he was broke... It didn't help me because I had all the parts bills...

I told him that I'm going to his house and I'm choosing some of his Archery/hunting/shooting stuff or his truck is staying in my garage till he comes up with the money...

He said OK...

That's why it's fairly new, I didn't give him time to use it... [wink]

I'll try to snap a few photo's for you in the next few days...

Let me know if your interested when you see the photo's...

David


...
Click to expand...
 
DavidC77 said:
OK admcd decided to pass on this Tree Stand, anyone else interested???


If I don't hear from anyone I'll put it into the For Sale Section when I get a chance...

David
Click to expand...

Good looking stand, but I'm a bit too close to that listed weight limit, unless I want to hunt in boots and a Speedo....

...and nobody wants that.

[smile]
 
If the area is private property i would get a buddy to help drag a ladder stand or use a fixed stand and sticks. I always hide the lowest climbing stick 25 feet or so on a fixed stand just in case someone that doesn't belong there strolls by. If it is public land i would go with a climber and be sure to practice before the season starts. Fairly easy and many informative videos on youtube. I own a Summit Viper SD i bought on sale for $269 that has served me well. I agree with metalcowboy about getting a MOLLE II frame/straps that make it so comfortable to carry.
 
First thing I am going to say is that there is nothing wrong with hunting on the ground. I have killed the majority of my deer on the ground. It's harder but it will make you a better hunter.

You need to eliminate cost as a factor for your Treestand. It is a piece of equipment you are betting your life on. If it is too heavy, hard to set up, or uncomfortable to sit in the Treestand will only sit in the garage.

A hang on and sticks is your most versatile stand as you can put it in any tree of sufficient size.

https://youtu.be/e2Y12DRIy9M
https://youtu.be/e22bV2q3YOE

A climber is the most comfortable. I have a Summit Goliath and it is comfortable enough to sit in for all day rut hunts. The downside is that you need a tree with a relatively straight trunk and no big branches. It some situations this can be very limiting.

If you are height sensitive a climber with a full bar around the front can be a great stand to start with. The bar makes a great rest for a rifle/shotgun/crossbow but can be an issue for archers.

https://youtu.be/AaIc4Pn8gPo

If you decide on a climber get a set of stabilizer straps to connect the two platforms together. Nothing worse than having the bottom platform fall to the base of the tree when you are 20' up.

https://youtu.be/DVrETdPx-tQ


Ladderstands are generally put in before the season and left there for the season as they are bulky and heavy to move. They have their uses but it doesn't very long for the deer to identify them and avoid them. I don't own one. I like to be mobile.

Tree saddle stands are also an option but are a little too minimilast for me.

http://aerohunter.us/

Some other comments.

Don't skimp on the safety gear your life may depend on it.
Have a self rescue plan. If you end up hanging in your harness have a realistic plan to get to the ground safely.
Get your set up well before the season so you have plenty of time to practice with it. During the season you will be setting it up and breaking it down in the dark.

I am going to be selling my lightly used Summit Goliath if you are interested you can PM me. It is a complete set up ready to hunt.

I hope that this info helps you get started.

Bob
 
A ladder stand is meant to be left in place for the season. If you are hunting on public land a ladder stand might be stolen or destroyed by some POS. If it's your own land or private, a ladder stand works great as you won't have to carry a stand in and out with you.

Hang on stands are ok too, but I have had those cut down on me when I've left them on public land. I find them with the straps cut off.

So now I use a climber. If you have heavy brush they suck because the get snagged on everything. I used to hunt a great area that was so thick with brush you had to crawl in. I have to go in practically naked or I'll sweat like a pig. I will go in the woods before the season and look for a tree I want to use, mark it on my GPS then either find an easy path in and out or clear one.


Ground blinds can be nice too, you won't get wet if it rains, they are a little warmer because you have sides, and you can move around more without being seen.


Also a ground blind works great, you don't get wet if it rains, it's a little warmer and less windy on crappy days.

If you do buy a climber you should practice with it before you go hunting so you aren't making a lot of noise.
 
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I have a summit viper climber. I have multiple millennium hang on tree stands. I also have a Lonewolf hang on with the set of Lonewolf sticks. Last year 100% of the time I used the Lonewolf hang on. You can get in any tree a climber can and many trees a climber cannot. So it's more flexible. But admittedly not as comfortable. The millennium Tree stands are too heavy to go mobile with. They're more of a fixed position stand. They're in my basement right now. I haven't used them in a couple years. I very rarely ever hunt the same tree more than once in a season. I am at 99% mobile. So leaving them out in the woods to advertise my locations or get hunted from or stolen just does not seem like a productive endeavor. I thought about selling them but I've chosen to keep them just in case I find extra sweet spot that's deep deep deep in the woods and hiking in with the stand on my back would be too much of a pain in the ass. To date I haven't found such a spot that I couldn't get to with my hang on and sticks.

One thing I would encourage you to remember stands hung on public land are for public use. So don't be surprised if one day you come out to hunt your stand and you find someone else in it. Or someone else could be hunting out of it and you might not even know. But the end result is the area in which the stand is being overhunted. Consequently ain't nobody going to see deer there.

If you're new to hunting and this is going to be your first tree stand I would strongly recommend that you get either a climber or hang on and sticks. Your first few years hunting you're going to want to concentrate on developing as many places to hunt as possible. And developing your skills and tactics. But you're only going to have one tree stand. So rather than having a fixed position stand that requires you only hunt a single spot for the duration of your hunting season you will find that a climber or a hang on with sticks would be more valuable.

Once you have those spots discovered and your skills refine that would be the time to start thinking about perhaps getting into a fixed position stand. Because the thing about a fixed position stand is it's obviously in a fixed position. If you decide crap I want to be over 30 yards or hey this spot sucks well then you're out of luck. Once you've developed your skills and become familiar with the woods that you're hunting that would be the time to start perhaps considering the deployment of fixed position stands.
 
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Mark from MA said:
If your going to get serious you kind of need both...as sometimes youll need a climber in certain situations, but most times not.

Backpacking in a climber in and out is a PIA in a heavily overgrown area, in the dark, with a flashlight bumping into all sorts of crap. I use them only in open woods down in CT on public land where I don't want to risk a setup being stolen. I also use them when scouting new pieces, that I want to take temporary sits to see what's going down. So it's good to have one available.... however, you need to get in at least a half hour early, and stay a half hour later to takedown and pack out. Your also making way more noise than just climbing steps, and there's always some limb, crook, or something that messes you up. You end up hunting trees in the dark more than deer. If your going to use a climber you'll need to go in before season and ID some trees that are perfect otherwise it's frustrating, even more frustrating is ID ing those trees then going in the dark and not being able to find them.

If you have only one hunting area, that is private and your generally not in fear that your crap will get stolen, buy two sets of sticks and two stands for the price of the one good climber. Ladders are OK, but bulky, don't get that high, and you'll never want to take it down again. Sticks are way easier. You'll need to either hunt the area or put out cams to see where the action is. I recommend cameras first, then get a good idea what's going on then set up your stuff in the two best likely locations where you see movement during daylight hours. Where deer feed at night really doesn't help. Daylight activity is what your looking for. Don't hack the crap out of the area when you do set up either, the deer will notice, smell and avoid. Also note where deer are coming from/wind direction in the stand you'll be sitting in. Deer wind you, you will never even see them in thick woods.
Click to expand...

Pretty much. there's a lot to learn if you're new. But there are a couple of really good guys on here who are always willing to help. Listening to some podcasts can help refine your skills to. You'll pick up way more than we can type on a forum. I would recommend the following:

On YouTube:
DIYSportsman's channel
The Hunting Beast Extreme Whitetail Tactics channel

PodCasts:
The Hunting Beast Podcast
WiredToHunt podcast
Whitetail Faktor Podcast
*** these guys are more mid-west hunters. But they do have guests who hunt the NE. Tactics are different out here. So if they start getting into mid-west tactics like sitting agro or field edges, just move onto another episode.

Get The Hunting Beast Videos.. Get the entire Extreme whitetail tactics series (marsh, hill, swamp, etc.) You'll learn a lot. I'm still new myself... only been at it about 4 years now. The beast videos more than any other resource has gotten me on good deer. I went from sticking arrows in button bucks (the only deer I would see in a season) to passing does and 2.5 year old bucks with regularity.... Those videos and a lot of sweat of brow took me from point A to point B.

On second thought - don't get those videos... the fewer beasts hunting around me the better!!! [wink]

Peter Fiduccia has some kick ass books on whitetail hunting too.


............reminds me.... Damn taxidermist still hasn't called about my mount from last year...
 
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If you are mainly going to be bow hunting. Go with a climber or hang on. Or a few cheap ladders and hanging stands.

If you only use a single ladder or two. Your going to see deer passing by all around you. That are out of range. Your going to want to change spots.
 
I love my summit goliath climber. I will scout and find trees to trim up, along with shooting lanes beforehand. I do this in a few different areas and your good to go if you want to move between. A little prior planning and it's not too much of a problem.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
I had an older model summit viper that I absolutely loved. Easy and quiet to climb with and the gun rest adds a sense of security when you're climbing. That stand was stolen, and I bought a summit single pro ladder stand. I'm very unhappy with that stand, the rest is in an awkward position, the seat is small and uncomfortable, and the foot rest is too small to safely stand on if you're a bow hunter. I ended up still hunting and hoping the ladder stand gets stolen.
 
Thanks, everyone for the advice and suggestions. I've decided to save my pennies and get a GOOD climber and hangon next year (Hopefully in a new job by then, too!) rather then a ladder stand or a cheaper climber this year.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 

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