self climbing tree stand

[ivorytip]

i bought a revers edge self climbing tree stand, i really like it. never been a tree stand hunter but am going to try it for whitetail this fall. anyone ever use one of these? pros or cons?

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I bought a tree stand a few years ago when I thought I was going to be a archery hunt and wanted it for elk. I have never used it. My buddy has one and uses his in Mo when he whitetail hunts with a rifle. It's a pretty slick and comfortable one. He kind of lays down in it. I think I would fall asleep.

 

[packmule]

I don't have that particular brand, but have used Summit climbers since I was 12. I'd prep a bunch of trees with a machete pre-season so you've got plenty of options.

 

[Fink]

I've never been a big fan of the climbers, but I do have a bunch of River's Edge lock on stands, I like them.

Hunting out of a tree isn't as bad as some of you Western hands make it out to be

 

[muleywannabe]

Climber stands are good if you have the right trees. They are super comfortable so wear a safety harness because you could potentially nap

the largest problem I see with hunting with climbing stands is you have to find the right tree, then you have to do your home work and find the right area, then be really quiet and sneak in. Then you have to make a bunch of noise climbing up the tree and down. I used climbers this year some when I did some work for a tv show. Hauling camera equipment, bows, gear etc and then trying to use a climber was a true pain in the rear. I am a hard core lock on stand guy, so it took me a while to get used to. Depending on where you hunt, you might find an area where the trees are easy to climb...

 

[Old Hunter]

Trees are for squirrels.

 

[packer58]

I bought a tree stand a few years ago when I thought I was going to be a archery hunt and wanted it for elk. I have never used it. My buddy has one and uses his in Mo when he whitetail hunts with a rifle. It's a pretty slick and comfortable one. He kind of lays down in it. I think I would fall asleep.

Sounds like your buddy has one of the Tree Lounge tree stands, they are VERY comfortable. I have one of the originals (square tubing).

 

[Muleys 24/7]

Trees are for squirrels.

Haha, that's what I though too

 

[packmule]

I have no problem killing a squirrel while I'm hanging out in a tree.

 

[Old Hunter]

That's what guns are for. You can kill them from the ground.

 

[packmule]

That takes the fun out of it. Dress up in a be-your-own-decoy squirrel suit and lure them in. Honestly it doesn't even take that, I've gotten woken up several times from a squirrel deciding to jump on me on it's way down the tree.

 

[Old Hunter]

Lot of work for not much meat.

 

[Alabama]

Trees are for squirrels.

Y'all would see it differently if you hunted whitetails in the east. You aren't going to kill many mature bucks just still hunting. The cover is too thick and noisy and the hunting pressure is greater here. I think that climbers are a great tool for any hunter that hunts in the timber for cagey and spooky critters like whitetails. I've never wanted to invest in too many stands so I just have a couple of climbers that I use on preselected trees. I've never used a rivers edge but my summit stands are really comfortable. My best advice is prescouting and preparing a few trees ahead of the hunt. Cut off any limbs that will prevent you from smoothly ascending and especially descending the tree. Make sure to a tie the upper and lower sections together! Nothing like being 30 ft up a tree when the bottom section goes down without you. The pros are portability and comfort. The only cons I can think of is noise. They are noisy when you are setting them up and can be noisy during the climb if you are on a rough barked tree.

 

[packmule]

One of mine hangs on those tall pines down at the bend in the rd....some may call that road hunting, I would consider it taking advantage of the only place you can walk.

 

[ivorytip]

thanks for input, i liked the option of packing it in and setting up with ease. i tried it yesterday on riverbottoms just to get a feel for it. pretty cool but will deff keep fiddeling with it.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

There's 2 reasons I don't use climbers. If you hunt near bedding areas, they're too noisy while climbing. Second, because I only archery hunt, I like to hang my stands amongst limbs with foliage. Trees have been good to me for hunting more than squirrels, I've killed at least 60 deer out of them.

 

[Old Hunter]

Y'all would see it differently if you hunted whitetails in the east. You aren't going to kill many mature bucks just still hunting. The cover is too thick and noisy and the hunting pressure is greater here. I think that climbers are a great tool for any hunter that hunts in the timber for cagey and spooky critters like whitetails. I've never wanted to invest in too many stands so I just have a couple of climbers that I use on preselected trees. I've never used a rivers edge but my summit stands are really comfortable. My best advice is prescouting and preparing a few trees ahead of the hunt. Cut off any limbs that will prevent you from smoothly ascending and especially descending the tree. Make sure to a tie the upper and lower sections together! Nothing like being 30 ft up a tree when the bottom section goes down without you. The pros are portability and comfort. The only cons I can think of is noise. They are noisy when you are setting them up and can be noisy during the climb if you are on a rough barked tree.

If you mean the east as in Mass? I was born and brought up there. That's where my dad taught me to still hunt.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

How many trophy whitetail did you kill still hunting out east? Post up some pics.

 

[packmule]

To still hunt here you have to go to the pristine river bottoms where you actually have open timber. I kill a bunch of hogs that way, but because I'm picky about what bucks I shoot it's just not smart for me to do it for deer.

 

[Old Hunter]

How many trophy whitetail did you kill still hunting out east? Post up some pics.

I don't even take pictures now. I sure didn't do it 50 years ago when I was there. My dad taught me to hunt. Not be a photographer. I have nothing to prove to anybody. It's not why I hunt.

You want to brag? Be my guest. I only talk about my hunting style. I've never bragged about any kill, and I won't.