What Kind Of Stand Do You Prefer?

[Mike DBH]

Simply puts it's like learning to ride a bike.  The first couple times is unnerving and your body naturally resists the movements.  Watching someone use a climber that has done it before will NOT expose this (because they are comfortable with it) until you try it yourself.  Like I said in my post I'm 53 yo and I taught a 30 yo how to use one this past weekend.  I can scurry up a tree pretty quickly with a climber but I've been doing it for years.  As for the 30 yo . . . he was sweating profusely after only going up about 8 feet.  Practice makes it easy. . . All I can tell you is that I love using my climber due to the portability but it's certainly something you need to get used to.  There is a knack to it (but it's learned quickly). 

Exactly, I have used my API for 15 years dont plan on ever changing, I can chain it to a tree, climb, and be sitting securely with my bow hanging next to me in 10-15min, its like 2nd nature to me, noise is not even an issue, if I owned thousands of acres i would still hunt from it. I feel climbers are safer than hang ons because you eliminate the motions of stepping on and off the platform from tiny steps. hanging hang ons is even scarier if you dont have 3 arms. and ladders?? I wont even go there.

 

The only downside is finding thick, straight and soft trees to climb but in the rare occasion I find myself in a hot spot with no trees I just find a good place to sit on the ground and brush up.

[newhunter14]

Put up the F&S Outpost 2X ladder treestand. So far I like it, it's sturdy, 18ft. up and comes with a blind to use once all of the leaves & cover are gone. My Dad is coming to hunt with me for gun season and it will be great to have him up there with me if we decide to get up in the trees.

[fender1]

I like my summit climber for archery season.I like to get up nice and high 20plus feet and move around from spot to spot..For gun season I like my ladder stands.I eat my cookies,drink my coffee and kick back.Ladder stands are nice and easy to use but they feel to low for archery.

[DirtTime]

Going to put up the BC on private land up north early Nov.. Leave it up for a few weeks.

Next year I will probably pic up either a climber, or a lightweight easier to set alone stand and some light climbing sticks for the public land I hunt.

I am really not liking hunting from the ground with a bow. But, better to be on the ground for now and hunting then staring at the TV.

[nyslowhand]

Like everyone else has mentioned, depends on your hunting situation. IE; habitat, private or state land, size of area hunted, budget, etc. Age has a lot to do with your choice of stands. The older you get, the less invincible you feel and security/safety become more important than convenience!

[DirtTime]

Like everyone else has mentioned, depends on your hunting situation. IE; habitat, private or state land, size of area hunted, budget, etc. Age has a lot to do with your choice of stands. The older you get, the less invincible you feel and security/safety become more important than convenience!

 

I already developed a pretty severe fear of heights over the past few years. I feel pretty safe in my current stand, when I am able to use it. But, I also use two added ratchet straps to really secure it to the tree. I also generally don't go above appx. 15 feet.

Big issue will be hunting public land. SZ, I need to get back into contact with land I used to have permission to hunt. After the season, I plan to send a lot of homemade banana bread and jelly out for X-Mas, not just the usual card.

[RyanVT]

I prefer my summit climber. It is very comfy I can back pack it in and hunt diffrent spots very quickly. Being from vt and this being my first time hunting ny state land its nice to be able to move stand locations without alot of hassle.