Thoughts on hang ons vs. climbers

[Otto]

Over my 20+ years of bow hunting, I've used pretty much an assortment of hang on stands.  My yearly ritual included scouting in the late winter and early spring.  Then on into summer if I could tolerate the heat and the skeeters.  Finally, that last bit of pre-season scouting told me where to install sky hooks or screw in steps.  Then come each hunt I would carry in a light weight (under 10 lb) hang on and hunt whatever spot I chose for that hunt.  That formula worked.  I've killed some pretty good sized bucks over the years.

The past 2 years though, I've had trouble getting close to big bucks.  I've had them within 40 yds or so, but couldn't get them close enough to seal the deal.  And I've been getting picked off by deer looking skyward.  It was also at this time that I went from using hang ons, to using a climber.  Now I'm not blaming the climber for not being able to get closer, but let me explain.

With Hang ons, I didn't worry about how straight the tree was.  If there was a straight enough spot on the trunk to hang one, and it was the right tree in the right spot, I put a stand in it.  It seems as though with the climber, I'm not trying to find the best spot to ambush a buck.  Instead I seem to be looking for a straight tree, no matter if it's in the best spot or not.  And looking for straight trees doesn't lead to good scouting.  All you find are straight trees.  I think the climber turned me into a lazy hunter.  My climber has a much bigger footprint against the background and is much easier for a deer to pick up visually vs. the smaller print of a hang on.  I'm sure that led to me being picked off by a couple of deer this year.  That didn't happen with a hang on hidden between the branches.

Yesterday I took a walk in the woods and I came to a big ole ash tree that I used to hang a stand in and I killed one of my biggest bucks out of that tree.  I looked 10 yds north of that stand and there remained the buck trail that I saw bucks on almost every hunt this past year.  Except when I saw them, I was in the wrong spot.  I either got winded or spotted.  But I was in the only spot on that trail where I could use my climber.  So I stood there next to that tree and vowed that next year I would return to hunting the best spot for an ambush and to hell with how straight the tree is.

Anyone else have thoughts on this???

[longbowben]

Otto i have a climber to, and you answered your own question. the problem with climbers is that thier is no cover ,and you stick out.Now early season is diffrent lots of leaves.I believe in using hang ons for most of my hunting.And pick the right tree not the straight limbless tree.

[rg176bnc]

Ive hunted from both for years.  I think w/ a compound the climber was a better choice for me because your stand placement could be a little less critical. This coming season will be my first tradtional one, I believe I will go back to hunting from some ground blinds and my hang on stand.  I probabley did get busted a little more in the climber. I did make an effort to always try to get about 20 feet.  I bet you could use the climber early and switch when the leaves are mostly off.

[VTer]

I absolutely could never figure out how climbers became so popular. I own a climber but never use it. Hang-ons are the way to go for my style of hunting.

[SlowBowinMO]

The one thing I like about climbers is it's fairly easy to get really high up if you need to.  Otherwise I totally agree with you, you end up in trees that are less than optimum, either they're not where you need them or you stick out like a sore thumb.

I put a lot of hang ons in trees with "junk" and splits and I think it helps tremendously, a climber's not even an option for those.

[Dave Lay]

I am with VTer, I own 8 hangons and 1 climber and havent used the climber in 4 years, then only a couple of times, I guess some places such as the south east that have alot of straight pines then a climber is just as good if not better than a hang on since ya can get higher if needed and a climbers seat is fully heigth adjustable, but around here, a hang on is the way to go. I always try and set up with cover and that is usually from limbs and limbs and climbers dont go together. Plus a climber is usually a little noiser setting up.

[George D. Stout]

I would sooner have cover than height.  The higher you get the more problems you encounter with shot angles; not to mention the more difficult the landing if you fall     :confused:  

I rarely use any stands, but I would opt for a hang-on in a cluster of trees where you can blend in better....and no more than 15 feet high.

[Steve O]

I think climbers are so popular because sitting in one is as comfy as being on your couch.  I'd much rather sit in my Summit climber than any hang on.  With that said, I only use the climber if I can put it in the best spot.

[pintail_drake2004]

i like the climbers vs. hang-on's because of the more options available to relocate quickly if the deer patterns change. To solve that lack of cover problem, a 3'x8' piece of camo netting will ziptie easily to the stand. to make it more convient dont use the ties the normal way, put the tail through the lock backwards. this allows you to remove them easily so you can roll up the camo. Of the 2 climbers i have had, i prefer the old summits with the metal arm that went around the tree. I have had problems with the newer ones (cables) because they do not "bite" into the tree and are DANGEROUS on ice covered tree.

[George D. Stout]

pintail....in the open, even a camoflauge cover will stick-out like a shark in a punch bowl.. *^).

[Bone lake]

I have both hangon and climber, the climber is for hunting public land,you canot use a stand that will harm a tree in Wi.and you have to remove them at the end of the day. I know what your talking about being in one tree and looking at the one you should be in.

[doug77]

get a Lone Wolf hang on of you chioce and some lone wolf climbing stick's hunt whare you want and put them up in the dark with VERY LITTLE noise made.

doug77

[JC]

Personally, I like both in my arsenal:

I usually hunt out of a lock on, especially if I'm leaving a stand up and for tree selection reasons stated:you can put it in any tree that'll hold you. I've got a few different lock on models: may favorites so far are the Gorilla expedition (formerly the ol man terra), Loggy bayou Predator, and lone wolf alpha (after using the other 2, not sure I'd buy another one of these....$$$$!!). Most of the time I use rapid rails, sometimes sky hook treesteps when leaving the stand stationary for long periods of time on public land.

But a bit over a month ago I hunted out of Don Wilson's Summit Viper climber. Dad gummit that's an easy, quiet stand. I was shocked at how quickly I could get to height, climb without sound etc. Much better than my old climber I might use 1 time per year. I just bought one here on tradgang and will get rid of my old one. There are times when I prefer it to a lock on: I literally can sit all day long in it, comfortably and safely...yet still shoot effectively.

Time and a place for both, for me.

[JL]

I agree with JC. I think being able to use both is a big plus. I did own the LW hangon with the sticks and sold it. Wish I had kept it now. I currently have 2 climbers (API grand slam deluxe and Summit bullet backpacker) and like them both but will sell one and replace it with a good hangon with sticks/rapid rails. The climbers, in my opinion, are faster to set up and offer more comfort (got a bad disc in the L5 and sitting for long periods kills me). But lets face it, sometimes you need a hangon/sticks depending on the situation/surrounding cover. I know with the hangon, I'm only good for a few hours and I have to get down and move around or pay hell. If you can't sit still and pay attention, your odds of being successful drop ten fold. The seat/platform on the climber can be adjusted to take some pressure off the lower back. I will take a climber over the hangon but will keep all options open.

I would add that if your considering climbing any tree with a climber that is covered with ice, you are asking for trouble. Sometimes you have to weigh the risk vs reward properly. If I decide to hunt in icy conditions, I would tend to stay on the ground and use a blind. My family needs comes before my hunting and I don't take unnecessary risks.

JL

[Longbowwally]

I primarily use a climber(Lone Wolf). When using a climber, you need to pick a tree with cover next to/around you. I also usually hunt between 20 - 25 feet and don't have problems with deer seeing me.
I will use a hang on from time to time.
To me, the climber is the safest stand. I use my safety belt from the ground up with the climber. As I get older I find this is safer than using a hang on.
JMHO

[cajuntec]

I hate heights.  My wife jokes me about climbing trees because she knows I hate heights.  15 feet is my limit - period.  You aren't going to get me up any higher.  That said, I feel most comfortable in my Summit Viper or Grand Ol' Man climbers.  Next are my two ladder stands.  I don't own a hang on, but my friends own several.  I've been told on more than one occasion that I was welcome to hunt in any of their spots, but I just can't get myself into the hang-on.  I climb the steps (very carefully and fearfully), and when I get to the "transition" of swinging myself from the steps to the stand, I'm done.  Climbing down.  My greatest fear is getting in one and not being able to swing myself back OUT of it to climb down - especially in the dark.  One of the biggest issues though, is they both are taller than me, so they place their steps further apart, and I have to "reach" to get from one to another.  Sucks being short.
All the best,
Glenn

[Str8Shooter]

I bought a climber several years ago thinking the ease of use would be worth the expense. When I found a nice straight tree it worked well. But as others have alluded I spent a lot of time walking past really nice spots because I couldn't get my climber into any of the trees. Heck, one of my best spots has got only got one tree I can get a climber into with marginal shooting lanes. With a lock on I could get into more than a dozen trees that are better for the wind, cover, and shooting lanes.

Personally, I feel a good lock on with some climbing sticks gives the most versatility to the hunter. I'd rather spend an extra 10 minutes setting up than watch deer get past me because I couldn't set up where they are.

Chris

[Jeff Strubberg]

I just (last week) sold my Lone Wolf sit and climb climber.  That stand made it to the woods three tiems.  I got tired of sticking out like a sore thumb.  Someone who sits more still than I might have great luck with that stand.  It was quiet and fast to put up.

I bought a Lone Wolf alpha and Lone Wolf climbing sticks to replace it.  After maybe five uses, I can put that stand and sticks up every bit as quick as I could get the climber up a tree.  the weight is almost identical.  Both were very quiet.  The only disadvantage I can find with the hang on and sticks is that there are more pieces.  You have to be a bit more careful at the base of the tree to avoid making noise.

Of course, the huge advantage is that you can go up literally ANY tree.  This year I climbed a 20" oak, cut the top out of the cedar growing next to it and buried the hang on stand right in the top of the cedar.  Totally invisible unless I stood up and waved.  Shot a nice buck and a turkey out of that stand this year.

I will eventually order one more set of hang on and sticks, just to give myself more options on nights where I am running late getting to the woods.

[Orion]

Otto:  You did pretty much answer your own questions.  As others have said, no need to limit yourself to one or the other.  Use whichever is appropriate for the location.  Regardless of the type stand I use, I try to use it in clumps of trees or in a popple backed up into an evergreen, etc.  In a single tree with nothing around you, you're skylined very easily.  Also, over the years, you and other hunters in the area just might have educated the deer to look up a little more.

[rybohunter]

I used a climber from the get go, mostly because I always hunted areas where leaving a stand in the woods meant that would be the last time you saw it. Back then there were no easy to hang hang ons. Now I use both. I have a climber that I still use often, but added a easy hanging loggy hangon, and a set of LW stix. I still hate carrying everything in and out. Boy do I envy people who can hang a stand and leave it. Consider yourselves so fortunate.