Thoughts on hang ons vs. climbers

[rappstar]

i hear what you are saying about finding the right tree for a climber vs. hunting in the right spot with a hang on.  i've done both quite a bit.  I feel a heck of a lot safer in my climber than scaling the side of a tree with steps or strap-on ladders.  I can go above 20 ft with my climber and forget the wind....

but, i will tell you, i've passed on hunting the "right spot" and elected to find the right which probably isn't the most productive thing to do...

[dnovo]

I have 2 climbers and 4 hang ons. Several of the hang ons stay up the whole season on my property with ladders to them. I haven't used the climbers in 3 years. I can get in any tree with my LOc on and rapid rails. But now i'm using a tree saddle a lot and don't even carry the stands. There are trees that the saddle won't work in however and then the locon goes up.

[longbowben]

Rappstar you said forget the wind, It doesnt matter how high you go your wind will get you every time when hunting mature bucks.

[Carver1tob]

I've had both a hang on and now a Lone Wolf climber. I do like the climber, even with it's limitations. I can see your point of needing just the right tree to use a climber. To save a few $$, why not get a set of sticks (or whatever type of steps you use) and use the climber in the same manner as the hangon? It would seem you could have the best of both worlds, and if you currently have a climber, at less than half the cost. Does this sound reasonable?

[longbowben]

Yes it does.I do use climber to check out new areas, but most of my stands are put in in july.

[SOS]

Climber for public land or checkout new areas on the go (Summit).  Lock-ons (or ladder stands)with sticks for private land.  Only thing I add to a lot of loc-ons is a foot rest (bought or made) to aid in comfort.  A lot of loc-ons are small and the extra leg room makes a lot of difference.

[Jake]

Lone Wolf hang on...  Smoked chicken...  Cloverdale '08....  Randall Knives...    Campfire educations... Good Friends... Good Times...Nuff said.  

[indianalongbowshooter]

I hunted out of climbers exclusively until this year,hung up 3 hang ons and hunted them a few times, cannot sit all day due to a sore butt or back etc. Ive never had much trouble getting picked off by deer in a climber, not saying never but just not often. Have seen a ton of big bucks and shot a couple, with a climber you have to get at least 18 ft. or higher, which alot of guys dont like, as far as being harder to hit the killzone never been a problem with getting passthroughs or doublelung shots. Like anything else you have to practice the shots, really close shots under 5 yds are very hard at this height but I just wait till they walk a little farther out or pass the shot.For me a climber is a better option as the woods I hunt have alot of tall straight poplar trees in good areas.

[Curveman]

Cajuntec,
You might try one of those retractable safety lines that go all the way to the ground so you are safely hooked the whole time you climb up. I hook in to a loop with a carbiner. I don't unhook it until I have gone from the seat to the climbing sticks. That is the time you are most likely to make a mistake and fall.

[DeerSpotter]

I have both, Lone Wolf Alpha, Lone Wolf sit & climb.

I haven't taken the climber out of the box yet, I do have six Lone Wolf climbing sticks, I will only keep 4, and the other two, a Trad ganger has spoken for them.  I am leading towards keeping only the climbing sticks and the Alpha hang on.

I guess I really have to take it out of the box if I want to try out the climber, but I know the hassle of one of my friends having to pick out a tree, and settling for less then the best in one spot that he used his climber.

I probably won't take the climber back to the store, because I got it at a reasonable price I would probably offer it on the classifieds here for $285, but I guess I should try it out, because quite a few of you said " you feel safer in the climber, and you are more comfortable on long hunting times.  But I have hunted in the hang-on's,. stayed in the hang-on's for five hours and didn't have trouble.

I have a lineman's belt & HSS, the trouble is I have been spoiled, for the last six weeks I've been hunting private land of a friend, it's 47 acres dedicated to deer, and has 17 stands with connecting climbing sticks.  He takes me to a tree and says that your stand, I hunt for five hours, and we go home, I've passed up on some nice deer (maybe a mistake) but it's been fun.  And now I can hunt the private land next to his.  So, I have 130 acres to hunt, that's why I have the Alpha hang on and climbing sticks, and the Alpha sit in the climb, I gotta make a decision and get this over with.

But I keep reading these threads, and getting confused about what's best and what's not.  So I'm just going to make a decision.  And now let you guys know.


Pastor Carl

[hoebow]

My best advice. Don't fall out

[DeerSpotter]

Never hear of someone doing that ? in a climber !

[varmint]

I have quite a few stands,3 LW Alphas,1 LW Assault,2 Loggy Bayou Monarch Prostaff,and 3 Big Game Boss XLs,and a few no name hang ons,along with about a dozen LW sticks,2 sets of Rapid Rails,and about 4 other sets of cheaper ladder type sticks.I also have a ladder stand I keep for youngsters.I also have both of the LW climber models,Sit and Climb and Hand Climber.I keep at least 8 stands set all season,moving and tweaking placement here and there.

I rarely use the climbers anymore,maybe for Public land,but I bought the Assault and sticks to take the place of the climbers on public land.Sometimes I'll use a climber to try and trick the deer,especially a mature doe,by climbing a tree close to one of my hang-ons if she happens to have picked me off in the hang-on..........works like a champ.

Overall I really prefer the hang-ons over the climbers,but like the others have said,there is a time and need for them,even hunting mainly private land where I can leave my stands up indefinately.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Otto - I think you are right on in your thinking.  I wouldn't use a climbing stand if they gave them to me.  I can't imagine being that handicapped in tree choice.  I had this discussion with a friend a couple years ago and went over my stand sites....as I recall you could have gotten a clibing stand into 2 out of around 30 trees I either had a stand in or had cleared out and could hang in quickly.  I've looked on and off for an alternative to screw in steps--climbing sticks, ladders, strap on steps, rails etc. and I keep coming back to high quality single fold steps (Ezy climb) and a good hang on stand (Climax stand is my favorite...you can hang on ANY tree with these).

R

[Rich LaBombard]

Earlier it was stated "I don't know now climbers ever became popular"   I agree!

I switched to a LW hang-on this season, and I sure love it.  ANY tree is a possibility, and I noticed the tree next to me had a backwards tilt to it, and changed my stand in minutes, as that backwards tilt made that stand into a recliner!

This LW hang-on is the best thing that's happened to my hunting in a long time.

Like most, I hate carrying that stuff in the woods, etc.
I did all my pre-season scouting, hung my stand, put a cable lock on it, and left it.  I leave two climbing sticks up high, take two with me.  

I walk in before first light, carrying just two climbing sticks, and I'm in my seat within minutes.  (my area is lightly hunted, theft isn't much of an issue)

Secure and steady?  I could dance a jig on that stand, it doesn't bend, flex, or wiggle.

Over the last two years, I started posts about "what's the best stand?"  For me, it's a LW hang-on.  Good luck.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

They both have their place. The vast majority of the time I prefer hang-on stands and either screw-in steps or sticks. But one of the properties I hunt is perfect for a climber, and today's hot trail is tomorrow's runway for tumbleweeds. So for that place, I like a climber.

[Bill Kissner]

I think it all depends what kind and how old the timber is. For my own use, I prefer a climber. I hunt my own property and climb the same trees year after year. Most of them are in a cluster of 3 to 5  which gives plenty of cover. A hunter will be definitely be spotted by mature deer without that cover. Also had 3 stands stolen before using the climber which was a part of the reason for buying it to start with. The other was I'm getting too old and too fat to hang on the side while screwing pegs in trees.  

[DeerSpotter]

Well I think that I made my decision, for me it's for other reasons, I think it's more of justifying having a climber and hang on, and lone wolf climbing sticks.  I think I have the best of both options with the hang on, and the lone wolf climbing sticks.

So if you look on the classifieds, under tree stands, you will find a brand-new lone wolf sit & climb, it is a $349.99 climber, that I got a discount on so you will find it on the classifieds for $285.00, I think it will take $10 or $15 to ship it.  You can PM if you are interested.  Thanks for all the advice and the replies.

Pastor Carl

[DeerSpotter]

I have to agree, there are areas in the property that I hunt that I could use a climber.  But since I have also the double bull blind I have that option also, I have the T 5 & T 2.  I will be hunting Saturday with the T2.


Carl

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Carl

I think of it as justifying buying MORE hang ons  

At last count I had something like 23  :eek:  !