Tree Stand Advice..

[Peter Arthur]

I considering purchasing my first tree stand. I've read through some of the posts here regarding which type to buy etc.. I have a couple of questions:
First, I'm an overfed person (250 lbs). Based on that information, which type works best: Climber or Strap on?
Second, how high do you guys go up? I'll be hunting Whitetails in a mix of Pines, Aspens and Birch.
Thanks for any help/advice.

[Red Boar]

The Summit Goliath and Titan are both made for larger hunters.  I've used the Goliath and it was hands-down the most comfy I've ever sat in.  I'll climb anywhere from 18 to 28 feet, depending on the situation.  Sometimes lower means better back cover from other trees.  In Florida, I encounter areas with smaller pine trees.  In that situation, I use my Equalizer stand. It is really nice and the leveling system works as advertised.  Good luck.    

[BobW]

Each type of stand has its use, so you have to decide what you need.  Depending on location and tree type, climbers, "hang" stands, and ladders each have their use.  If you can leave them, ladders have become my recent favorite.  I now have 6 of them.  Climbers are great, but you limit your "back cover" by needing pole trees.  The seat from a climber, however, can also make a sweet ground level chair.  Hang stands are my least favorite as the time to rig steps and the stand is not my favorite thing.  Depending where you hunt, screw in steps may be ilegal so you may need rails or something like that to get up the tree.  I do not consider hang stands to be portable (yeah, others will debate this, so lets not get into a peeing match - I won't dispute your style of hunting - just just my opinion).  Over time, you may build up a collection for different situations.  Think too about natural ground cover.

Just make sure, no matter what you do, USE YOUR SAFETY HARNESS.  The most dangerous time is getting into the stand from steps, ladders, etc.  Please, please use your safety equipment!

BobW

[Stone Knife]

If you can leave the stand in place for the season, it's hard to beat a ladder stand. If your forced to carry one in every time you go then it's a tossup between a climber and a hang on with sticks, another option you may want to consider is a pop up ground blind, if you go that route Double Bull gets my vote.

[Peter Arthur]

Thanks for all of the advice. I hadn't thought of a Ladder Stand, but I think that is what will work best for me.
I can leave it at my Hunting spot for the Season, so portability is not a concern.
Thanks again..

[Biggie Hoffman]

Peter, I am an advocate of ladderstands. Once you cross the 300# mark, nothing else makes sense.
Beware of the "cheapies" as they aren't made for us he-men. You'll pay a little more for a quality stand but peace of mind can be everything.

[Don Stokes]

I have a portable ladder that's 12' to the seat, and weighs about 20#. I use it when I go on hunts out of state, and if I find a hotspot on my home grounds that needs to be hunted immediately. I'm pushing 60 with bad legs, and I can carry it enough to do some good. Made by Loc-0n, I've had it for nearly 20 years. Had to replace the padded seat with treated wood a couple of years ago, and had to replace the ratchet and strap that secure it to the tree a few years back, but it has served me well.

On my home place I have ladder stands all over. I got industrious a while back and built 12 of them, based on 1X4 treated pine lumber. For someone who is "plus sized" I would use 2X4's. I'm a lightweight at only 165, and the 1X4's, reinforced by doubling at the right places, work for me. The finished stands are in the 45# range, 12' tall. I have a set of bicycle wheels on a threaded rod that make it easy to move them around. Only pressure treated wood, selected for few defects and straight grain, should be used, and only weather-resistant (galvanized) screws should be used to put one together. My design has a small foot rest that lets you stand to turn around, and makes the sitting a little more comfortable. I designed them for me, so by bigger friends are not quite as comfortable in them. I put enough of them out there so that I can hunt a different stand every time I go out, to keep 'em guessing!

[Peter Arthur]

Thanks again everyone.. I don't know why I didn't think of Ladder stands. I've tried hunting out of a hang on and didn't care for it. I've got a bow to sell to finance the deal, so I'm going to head over to the Trade forum and post it there.