new to bowhunting and hunting in general. I'm going to be hunting public land and was wondering which tree stand would be best. a climber or hang on. i want to pack light do to shoulder and neck issues. and something affordable. any help would be great, thanks
If you have the right trees for a climber, I think they are the best. My Lone Wolf hand climber feels every bit as stable as the hang ons I've used. Sit and Climb style climbers have clearance issues for trad bows. You need to be in decent shape for a hand climber though. But you have to be in pretty good shape to put up a hang on too. I think the climbers are overall safer too, since you can easily be tethered the whole time, buy a good safety harness, the ones that come with the stand are complete crap!!!!!!!!!! You should watch some of the YouTube videos from Sean's outdoor adventures on how to set up a stand for easy carry
Climber is better but if you hunt an area with limby trees or short curvy ones a loc on would be better. Also if you hunt an area where everybody hunts in trees dont over look sitting on the ground.
If I was hunting public, I'd get a ghillie longcoat til I hunt/scouted it awhile. Then pick out a stand if you have tags left. :D
Hang on with sticks, opens up so many more trees that can be hunted from. I like to get above or beside some limbs to help with concealment. If you can get good concealment then there's no need to climb as high, that creates better shot angles.
QuoteOriginally posted by kennym:
If I was hunting public, I'd get a ghillie longcoat til I hunt/scouted it awhile. Then pick out a stand if you have tags left. :D
This is excellent advice that you should follow.
Lone wolf climber if the trees are right in your area. Hickories are bad to climb oaks, poplars, beech, maples are generally good. I can race a grey squirrel up a tree w my climber, but im not coordinated enough to try to hang a lock on. Harness is a must from the time you leave the ground until youre back on the ground. This is just what works for me.
QuoteOriginally posted by sidekick:
QuoteOriginally posted by kennym:
If I was hunting public, I'd get a ghillie longcoat til I hunt/scouted it awhile. Then pick out a stand if you have tags left. :D
This is excellent advice that you should follow. [/b]
I third this.
Lone Wolf or X-stand have my vote as far as climbers go. X-stand X1 and X1 mini are super light.
On public land in NW Iowa, people use tree stands like no trespassing signs. Put up an $80 ladder stand and act like you own 100 acres of public property. some woods have lots of trees that work with Lone wolf climbers. Around here it is the basswoods. They work on other trees, but you may need to trim a twig or two on the way up. It is very common for tree stands to get taken over or stolen. It is pretty hard for some lay claim to a climber than is either on your back or under your butt. They are safe and easy to use, but follow the directions.
I hate climbers. It never fails that the tree I want won't work. I had one for a year and every time I would go to a spot I'd have to pick the tree that was slightly less ideal and would miss an opportunity. A strap on and climbing sticks is the way to go or screw in steps if you want something more permanent.
QuoteOriginally posted by pavan:
On public land in NW Iowa, people use tree stands like no trespassing signs. Put up an $80 ladder stand and act like you own 100 acres of public property. some woods have lots of trees that work with Lone wolf climbers. Around here it is the basswoods. They work on other trees, but you may need to trim a twig or two on the way up. It is very common for tree stands to get taken over or stolen. It is pretty hard for some lay claim to a climber than is either on your back or under your butt. They are safe and easy to use, but follow the directions.
I think that's pretty much anywhere, I quit leaving stands altogether on public land for two reasons. One because I thought about it from other peoples perspective and realize that it was like sticking a claim to something that wasn't mine. Also because every time I leave a standup someone puts another one within a few yards of mine.
I think both have their good and bad points. A hang-on with a good set of climbing sticks can be bought much cheaper than a good climber. If $$$ is an obstacle, you can buy a couple decent hang-on and sticks for the price of one good climber. This will allow you to set up a couple stands and hunt different spots according to the wind or evening or morning movements. I like to pre-set hang-on stands before season as it allows me to slip in the area quietly and climb right up and be in the stand quickly with very little noise. Plus you can hike/move into your area without having a stand on your back every time. To use this technique you gotta do your homework with boots on the ground before season starts and be willing to go in and move a stand if you've found that you're out of position for the best movement of deer.
I'm afraid someone might steal it if I leave it. Makes me nervous . Do they make a hang on that locks?
I use a chain and padlock for all my hang-on stands, even on private property. And it doubles as a secondary safety precaution if the strap ever gave-way.
And on public land, I take down the last climbing stick section and carry it in-out each time. yeah sure, someone, if they wanted it bad enough, could still get the stuff, but most people are simply too lazy to work at it too hard and will just move on to an easier target.
Lone wolf climber. You can hang them on limbed trees same as you do a hang on stand, but a hang on won't climb. Wonder why people can't see that ?
I also looked at the X stand X1 mini online. Anybody have one or have any thoughts about it?
Gotta have both - we run Lone Wolf Climbers and Hang On Chippewa Wedglocs at about a 50/50 rate. Remember you pick the spot for its hunting value and shot placement advantage. So you pick trees due to their location - NOT what stand might be easiest to set up in it.
If you had to pick one Hang Ons can go on any tree - Climbers only go up a pole style - mostly pines for us but we do have palm trees also in some locations.
And we almost never leave stands in the woods set up - either style. Exception is sometimes we set up on an afternoon the day before a very serious morning hunt and we will hang a Chippewa and leave it there for next morning.
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Each has it's own benefits but for quick in and out on public land a climber would be more practical.
lotta pine in my area, climber best option. Used to hunt a different area and never failed the trees were all crooked so I'd go in with a hang on and rope steps and set up that hunt and take it all down once hunt was over.
I just use a climber these days. LW climber, light easy up down pack up and go --- but again in my area mostly straight pines?
In Iowa some of the best places to hunt deer on public land is where there is no place to hang a tree stand. Areas with cedar shrub or plumb thickets, on hill sides and heavy brush cover along creek bottoms attract deer and often have few or no trees to hang tree stands. Hunters think they can track deer patterns, but deer are experts at tracking the hunters patterns.
I sold all my stands about 10 yrs ago. I've hunted 90% on the ground for 40 plus years so I figured I might as well sell them.
Been debating on getting me another climber but honestly on the public land I hunt I seem to be able to hide better on the ground.
Around here the deer seem to look up more than they do on the ground.
If I were going to get a climber, I would get the XOP Strike Force.
My son has one and it will fit smaller trees than the climbers I've had in the past.
If I lived in an area where straight trees are scarce I'd go with a hang on for public land.
I sold all my stands about 10 yrs ago. I've hunted 90% on the ground for 40 plus years so I figured I might as well sell them.
Been debating on getting me another climber but honestly on the public land I hunt I seem to be able to hide better on the ground.
Around here the deer seem to look up more than they do on the ground.
If I were going to get a climber, I would get the XOP Strike Force.
My son has one and it will fit smaller trees than the climbers I've had in the past.
If I lived in an area where straight trees are scarce I'd go with a hang on for public land.
If I think I am even remotely within earshot of where deer are bedding I opt for the hang on as they are way quieter to creep into. These are my go to stand in areas that I have hunted before and know where the deer will be moving. Advantage of a climber if the right trees are around is that you can reposition with a lot less effort. Start with a climber if your budget is limited but try to pick up some used hang ons with sticks in good condition as soon as you can. As others have mentioned, your options for choosing the best concealed spot increase dramatically.
I almost always use a climber(summitt), rarely cant get in the right tree. I like hang ons but after just 1-2 set ups I get tendonitous in my elbows so bad that I cant shoot. Its awful to to get older & not do stuff anymore. Mike
I used a Summit climber off and on for a number of years. I can thank it for at least 5 deer. I never shot a deer from , I shot all of the deer sneaking to and from my tree stand. It was a pain to carry and I would leave it hang, but it was a comfortable place to sit while i was out there.. My son called it 'the widow maker'. One year, hunting a new area, I left it on the tree over noon, when I went into a nearby town for lunch. Someone did me a favor and stole the seat climber off of it. Years ago I had a Baker, I was standing and while watching a small buck circle me, i stepped too close to the tree. It came undone and dropped me about six feet from the twelve that I was originally at, before it re-grabbed the tree. Talk about spring action, I did a full gainer with a half twist and am proud to say I stuck the landing like a pro.
may oughta check the regulations lot of the public huntng does not allow for the use of hang on stands unless you put em up and take them down the same day
I have both but I have used a hang on all my life. I personally would use a hang on. I can use them in any tree, where you just can't find all that many in the right spot for a climber in the marshes I hunt. All that said.... I agree with the ghillie suit crowd. I think that is the next big thing for bow hunters. They work and they are generally safer.
Depends on the type of trees that predominate in your area. It's aspen and birch where I hunt, so a climber works well. For me, the climber is faster to set up and take down, but I also use hang ons.
I hunt a lot of public land. Like others, I often take the bottom step bar or two with me when I leave a hang on stand in the tree. Can put on both step bars from the ground very quickly when I return. I do chain and lock any stand I leave in the tree for a few days. Haven't had any stolen yet, but not a lot of hunters where I hunt, and I usually go in pretty far.
I use Lone Wolfs. XOP is basically the same stand, a little less costly.
I would suggest getting a climbing stand first. It is much faster/easier (and more comfortable) for me than a hang on. With that being said, I prefer to hunt out of a hang on for the versatility they offer.