Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Climbing tree stands

Not my area of expertise or experience, but thinking I may have to go that way given my current circumstances. So what about them....the good, the bad, the ugly?

If you hunt an area with strategically growing trees that are mostly straight and about telephone pole-ish sized, they are pretty handy.

You can move your location and pack in, pack out.

If, like my area along a River bottom, the trees are all crooked and bent, they can be kind of useless.

You can quickly hurt or kill yourself in them if you don’t wear a safety harness. Even with a safety harness you can hurt (or possibly kill) yourself. Always wear a high quality harness, have a suspension relief strap available and a handy knife if you have to cut yourself loose.

The combination of poor trees to use, the fact I hunt by myself and I had a minor fall that tore my tricep a few years back keeps mine in storage. My wife is much happier for it.

Every once on a while I go on a hunt with other hunters, and I’ll use my climber because I have assistance relatively close by.

If you decide to use one, make certain the first time you climb a tre with it isn’t opening morning.

Wear a harness


They can be super comfortable to hunt from but require straight trees or acrobatics in some trees.


I like Summit stands, I have a Viper and a Goliath, for comfort the Goliath is fantastic.


They are fairly noisy while ascending and descending.


Wear a harness

cra Everything the guys above said. I want to add to it some tress are better to climb than others. Pine is my favorite. In SC you want have a shortage of those. Hickory is the worst. Going slowly it is possible to climb quietly enough not to alarm the woods. Also I use the stands that face the tree as it becomes a rest and once settled up there I don’t like turning around and shifting. Use your harness!
GreggH

I use summit vipers, There are lots of straight trees of the proper size in my area. I find the stands very comfortable, more so than a ladder or strap on and once in place i feel quite secure. Its louder than climbing a ladder, but with some practice its not to bad. As the OP is in SC I doubt it will be an issue but its much more dangerous when the trees are frozen solid, the stand gets a lot less "bite"

Been watching a LOT of hunting videos this year. FWIW, climbers almost never appear in those; hang-ons with sticks or saddles with sticks seem to be the thing for run ‘n gun hunting. I’m too old to run ‘n gun from trees, so I use semi-permanent setups put up ahead of time, or a ground seat. I used to see a lot of climbers pre-positioned on my public patch, but only found two this year. One old guy that used to hunt near my spot used a climber and I could hear him clang and bang his way up the tree in the dark. Did see a couple of hang-ons left up with no sticks as well, a pretty good idea where theft might be a problem.

😜

Ha, yeah, I've been 'that guy.'

I've used them for years. The stuff mentioned is true. Always use a safety harness and stay attached. Odds and ends thoughts....

Some are really comfortable. The Summit stands are very comfy and you can sit facing away or sit on the rail and face towards the tree. Makes it nice to have lots of comfortable shot angles.

The more comfortable a stand, usually the bigger/bulkier they are. This turns into a pain carrying them in.....especially going up a mountain or through thicker stuff. I hate extra weight but I hate extra bulk even more......

I hate having to climb with them.

The one I've used the last several years is the Lone Wolf Assault Hand Climber. It's about as small and compact as you can get in a climber.....but it's still extra bulk and weight. I've started carrying it in a Popup 28 pack and it works well....but it's still 17 extra pounds and bulk. It's not nearly as comfortable as the Summit stands and you can only sit facing away from tree. Of course you can turn and stand any direction. It is VERY quiet.

Favorite way by far is to set up lock on stands and leave them in areas I commonly hunt that are proven areas. So nice to hike in and just climb up to a stand already set up. I never hike in and then put one up to use one time.

This year I started using a saddle. I'm still learning with it and trying different things. I use the "seat" from the Lone Wolf as a platform, which is also used along with an aider to climb. Very light package with very little bulk to carry in. Pretty easy to climb with. Still working things out with it and experimenting.

Used a Summit Viper for app. 12-15 years now. The thing I like is the ability to replace the seat and cables. I replace the cables about every 5 years, even though they still look good. Gives me that extra peace of mind. I would pay special attention to the type of cable on the stand. Mine, and I thought all were like this, has a solid cable maybe 3/4 inch thick. But my friend fell this year due to his cable breaking. I looked at the stand, and instead of solid cable it has 2 small diameter cables running through metal sleeves to keep them in place. It left loose on him this year in archery, and he fell backwards out of the tree from maybe 25 feet. Fractured a few vertebrates, but nothing too terrible. So pay attention to cables, they keep you up. Also be sure to tie your 2 sections together. Have heard many stories about the foot section sliding down the tree, and have had it happen to me. Fortunately I have a 3 foot rope tied to the 2 sections. And yes, I consider a safety harness an absolute must when in a climber, esp since most times I am up 25 feet, If I am in a 15 foot ladder stand, I may or may not wear one. Last year I took the plunge and bought one of those safety harness vests. Best decision ever. Easy on and off, and more comfortable to the traditional ones.

Just as a FYI:

While it can be a hassle it's a good idea to carry climbing and even lock-on stands in and out with you on every hunt or else unfortunately you run the risk getting them stolen.

I couldn't count the number of times I've heard hunters say they either left their nice quality climbers attached at the base of a tree or lock-on stands with climbing sticks attached to tree so they wouldn't have to deal with mounting and carrying it back and forth on every hunt only to find it somehow "disappeared" the next time when they went in to hunt.

Only stands I’ve had stolen were on private land. I’ve had stands on public land since 2012, and never had an issue, but I keep them locked up pretty well. A thief would have to be pretty desperate to carry bolt cutters a mile in to steal a $100 stand. If they do, I’d just consider it part of the price of “doing business”. Also have left stools, game carts, and other equipment there. Anything of any value is locked. Even my safety ropes, which aren’t secured, have remained unmolested. Most hunters are pretty honest and thieves are looking for easy scores. My setups are too heavy for one person to carry off easily too.

This is the first year of my hunting life that I haven't used my climber[or even a ladder stand], this getting old is well, yeah.

Climber was my go-to for many years and mine is super comfortable for 15+ year old Summit.

I have used the same summit for 18 years and I am sure I have climbed at least 500 times ,the question was asked are they safe. I think so I am not suggesting this to anyone but I have never once used the safety belt and have never had a issue. Climbing a frozen tree especially a hard hickory or beach is not for beginners it can be done.

Never had an issue... YET. And it only takes once to become a cripple or dead. I truly don't understand why people don't wear a safety harness. Not wearing a safety harness doesn't make you tougher than the other guy.

The good far outweigh the bad The summit I use is the most comfortable stand I have ever sat in, on all day sits I always take a few naps . The main advantage I think is the versatility. I watched a buck chase a hot doe down a trail 60 yards upwind from me 2 other bucks soon followed on that same trail. I was able to come down and relocate and was back up a tree right next to that trail. It took me about 20 minutes. Sure enough another buck came down that trail and later all of them came back , I could have killed any one of them. I do suggest that before you climb a tree in the dark hunt that location in the evening first it’s easier to identify potential obstacles.

I say this from experience. If you are fat and almost pass out tying your shoes, don't do it. I almost stroked out trying to get those dang little straps over my boots to come down out of the tree.

I used them all the time when I was young lean and strong. Started with bakers then went to amacker. Have a lone wolf now but aren't using it. Lone wolf is quiet to set up and climb with. I have had deer walk up to me while climbing and had my bow or gun on the ground tied to a string. They aren't the most comfortable for a long sit. But are well made and thought out in their design. Strap on steps and a hang on stand is a good choice because the trees don't have to be straight or cleaned off of limbs. Probably easier to use but a little less portable. I have a lone wolf hang on and step sticks and used it more recently.

Baker elevator ride.... lol

I've used all manner - love my climbers. API and Summit.

Ive ridden the baker elevator many a time in the early 80's then finally upgraded to a loggy bayou and API. Now just a hang on with sticks. Imagine in a few years with age switch to a platform.