Climber, Hang-on, Ladder, or Ground?

[Matty]

Just trying to get an idea of what style of equipment is most popular among us for elevated or non-elevated hunting.

 

 

Couldn't add these to the poll, but if you do hunt from a treestand, please answer these as well.

 

 

Did it take you several years of testing different gear to develop a system for treestand hunting?

 

Are you satisfied with your system, or are you constantly searching for ways to improve upon it, making it faster, quieter, lighter, etc?

 

Do you feel that you have a unique method or gear setup that allows for more efficient hunting? 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2014 by Matty

[Rusty]

On public land I hunt from the ground with minimal natural cover.  I have lost too many good spots to other hunters who have found my spots and "taken over" the area.  Now I leave no evidence that the spot is being hunted.

 

On private land I like ladder-stands.  Being old and lazy I like the ease and convenience of a ladder-stand. 

 

This video of my son shows my typical set up on public land.

 

Edited January 9, 2014 by Rusty

[boomsox24]

I mainly hunt from an elevated position. I use my climber mostly. However I do hunt from hang ons depending if I plan on hunting that same spot multiple times, to suit a particular tree, or to better came myself in above and between limbs. For equipment retrieval I use a scrapper from the mid 90s however I have customized it with a crank handle to wind it all back up faster and with ease.

[Bucksnbows]

Over the years I migrated from building wooden stands to using a climber to then adding ladder and hang on stands as well as ground blinds (both man-made pop ups and made from natural materials).  For me, geography and trees are the main driving forces behind each stand.  I finally gave up my last wooden stand on our private land in PA just this past November and replaced it with a two man ladder stand.  

 

I have come up with what I feel is an improvement for my ladder stand, but unfortunately do not have any good pix right now of it.  Basically, I took scrap 2x8 pressure treated boards of roughly 18" in length and drilled a 1" hole about halfway into each board in the center.  The square ladder ends rest in those holes to keep the ladder from kicking out.  The idea is that the ladder ends won't dig down into the ground and that it becomes much easier to slide them once the stand is up into place before climbing in and securing the stand fully.  The quickly settle into the ground, but not allowing one side to dig deep into the ground and cause leaning which can be an issue on many soils types.  I thought about hammering in large nails/spikes through the boards once on the ground and in proper placement so they wouldn't move, but so far that hasn't been necessary.  I now have a nice, level stand that does not sink into the ground or cause the ladder to "bow out".   

 

My old wood stand.  The topography and beech trees make this look very low to the ground, but it is actually 17' to the bottom platform from the ground.  I shot my biggest buck and lots of bucks from it over the years.  Potter County, PA (God's Country as they call it and part of what used to be called the Golden Triangle of deer hunting in that state).

 

 

 

My brand new ladder stand.  You can barely see my pressure treated "feet" that the ladder is sitting on in the snow. This is about 25 yards from my old stand on the edge of a hemlock forested swamp that our deer love to hang out in and travel through and next to.

[BowhunterNJ]

I pretty much always hunt from a treestand, usually hang-ons and occasionally ladders.

Always use a TMA approved safety harness and I set up life lines on any stand that I pre-set and leave.

Also haul up my bow/firearm with a pullup rope and climb with my backpack on.

[Bucksnbows]

I also use a haul line on any and all stands (except ground blinds, obviously).  I wear a HSS harness, even in ladder stands.  I'm surprised at few hunters I know use harnesses while in ladder stands but those same hunters use them with climbers and hang-ons.  All it takes is one old strap or a squirrel that has chewed through a strap where you don't notice it to cause the stand to shift enough to send you tumbling out.  Use the harness and you'll always wind up back at home at night.     

[Matty]

I noticed one member doesn't wear any kind of safety restraint and someone I know wears the old "belt" style.

 

I have full body harnesses that came with stands, I will give one to each of you if you need a harness.

 

Not as fancy and tangle free as the one I use every day, but still better than a chest strap or nothing at all.

[Bucksnbows]

You mean you don't like hanging around your waist like you've been lassoed if you fall out of your stand? 

 

 

I also have a brand new harness that came with that ladder stand (left the 2nd one up at my PA camp) in case anyone wants it.  Just shoot me a PM.  No excuses not to own one or to use one! 

[Rusty]

and someone I know wears the old "belt" style.

 

I have full body harnesses that I will give to you if you need a harness.

 

You're pretty loose with the "old" word there you whipper snapper.  Besides, some of us old farts are just more comfortable with the old belts.  I have a whole pile of those new fangled harnesses, I just can't figure out how they work.      

[Hatchet]

I always used a hang on but as I got older n body wore out after 4 hrs I needed to bail.so last year bought a field n stream xl ladder stand. can sit lot longer but still needed to move around o get comfortable. six day I realized that from my ladder I was only 130 yrds from the closest house . I had bought a hub blind bout 3yrs ago but never set it up . so 6 day I moved to the proper yards n had more deer than ever in front of me.i will keep both up but lean'n towards going to just the blind.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Hatchet

[Haskell_Hunter]

The only stand I own is a climber.  It's a Summit and nothing special.  Bought it about 10 years ago and it's held up really well.  The only thing I don't like about it is that I am usually sweating balls after I finish climbing, and that's not good when the weather peaks at around 50°F.  It's also loud, or rather, I'm loud with it.  Clinks a little walking in when it's on my back (I also lug around about 80# of gear in a backpack when I go into the woods).  Attaching it to the tree and then schleping my fat ass up 30' isn't "ninja-quiet".  But, when you're hunting public lands, you really don't have an option to set up a regular stand without the worry that someone will occupy or take it when you're not in it.

[robnj]

Lewis strapper is an awesome haul line. Can be washed in the washing machine , is tangle free , and does not hurt your hands pulling up lots of weight. I'm a tree saddle user . it's the only thing I feel safe in back in the pines were nobody knows where I am at. I do miss comfortable tree stands.

[robnj]

I feel the tree saddle is efficient for tree hopping type hunting like I do. I seen some good ways to use less climbing sticks to get higher by using rope step loops. that will lighten up the load but i will only use that in early season when my mobility is not hampered by clothes and the cold. Using the crossbow allows me to hunt out of most any tree without cutting any limbs which is very important because I move almost every sit. Still looking for the perfect backpack.

[boomsox24]

A harness is mandatory each time out. I wear the full body harness that came with my lone wolf climber. Better to have one and say it never helped you versus not living to tell about the time you didn't wear it.

[nycredneck]

In addition to a TMA harness and a haul line I also have a life line from ground to platform. My family needs me, it would be VERY selfish for me not to try and be as safe as possible while pursuing a pastime. 

My hunting style and gear has changed over time, I remember hunting with whatever fit into my pockets and that was it. I still try to keep it simple, I mostly only hunt close to home now, but still have a fanny pack with shoulder straps and a primos bow sling for when I go way back on public land. 

Edited January 10, 2014 by nycredneck