Home Made Strap on Tree steps

[Tracker2]

Do any of y'all out there ever made your own climbing sticks?  I hunt public land and cant hunt from a tree that has anything screwed into it. So i'm trying to figure out a cheap way to get up the tree so i can leave my cheap stand in the tree and not have to worry about it.


Thanks!

[SELFBOW19953]

If your on public ground, wouldn't your stand be a "first come, first served" stand that anyone can hunt?  It's like that here in Delaware.

[Bill Carlsen]

I thought that in Wisconsin you had to remove your stand each day. I have a friend who is from Wis. and he told me stories about that.

[Tracker2]

I JUST moved to FLORIDA! so the laws are different

[macbow]

We have made strap on steps with two pieces of 2 x 4.
One flat against the tree. The other on edge down the center.
A groove is cut across the flat one so a piece of swing chain will slide through. The groove is about 1/3 from top.
Just wrap around tree and hook.

Only draw back is they are bulky.

[LB_hntr]

If you take a 4x4 and cut into 12 inch sections then split the sections corner to corner you end up with 2 steps from each section. Each step has the flat 4x4 top and the flat back goes against the tree. Then just drill a hole thru step and tie on with rope. Used to use these a lot as a cheap way to have a bunch of stand locations.
but for the cost of making them now you can almost buy a good steel climbing stick that would be much easier and safer.

[Wudstix]

^^^^^That about right.

[woodchucker]

X2 LB hntr!!! I usualy only hunt from the ground, and that would be my preferance on public land.

However... If you had a cheap stand,(or a couple!) that you didn't mind leaving in the woods. I would hang the stand, then take the climbing stick with me when I left. Also, helps eliminate finding guys in your stand when you get there!!! Not to mention... MUCH safer than home made steps!!!!!

[reddogge]

When it comes to safety I'd strongly suggest commercial sticks to something homemade. You life is worth more than $150.

[macbow]

Those hang on wooden steps are about as safe as you can get.  Our Missouri conservation Dept. Even put plans out years ago.

Some of the climbing hang on sticks can be hazard-is with a slip. Been there done that.

[LC]

Didn't the original Bow Ed class include plans for such a step? Never tried them but they made a lot of sense.

[LB_hntr]

Yep hunter safety used to show that step. I taught hunter safety and ibep many years ago and I uses those steps in demonstrations. They are a good step if made right, use the right rope and are tied so they can't slide sideways. Personally I think a climbing stick is easier, faster, safer, and can be had for 35 bucks.