How To Use A Climber Tree Stand

I've been a fan of, and believer in, climbing tree stands ever since I got my first one 25 years ago or and so. (Call back the erstwhile, wooden TSS?) Climbers accept come a long style since those days. They're much safer, sturdier, lighter and more than comfortable. And I have learned a lot more about how to apply them effectively.

I must note hither that I live and practise much of my hunting in Pennsylvania. I've used climbers throughout the Northeast and in parts of the Midwest, and I can assure you the United States is not created equal when it comes to trees suitable for climbing stands. Where I can pretty much bank on finding a good climbing tree anywhere I'm hunting in Pennsylvania, Maryland or New York, that is not the example every bit you motion w – and especially southwest. In Kansas, for example, I've walked through a 30-acre patch of timber without finding a unmarried tree suitable for a climbing stand.

With a climbing stand up on your back, you tin can hunt anywhere…almost.

So I'm fortunate to alive in climbing-stand heaven. More often than not cheers to the tulip poplar. That's the tree God fabricated specifically with the climbing-stand deer hunter in mind. They're tall, they're directly and mature trees usually have no branches within lxx or eighty anxiety of the ground.

Deer hunters in Southeast states, like Georgia and South Carolina, might argue they've got the perfect climbing trees, with their longleaf pines. But I'd counter the bark of a tulip poplar gives my climbing stand a better grip. No need to beginning a fight, though. Let's say we're both in good climbing country.

The slim contour of Lone Wolf climbers make them a cinch to bear.

Go Large

My philosophy on choosing a climbing stand is to go big. I'm 6 feet tall and I weigh 200 pounds, so I'thousand somewhat on the tall side. (Be certain to check a stand's rated weight limit before buying, so yous know if it's a good fit.)

E'er employ a safe harness, from the ground upward.

Big stands are comfy. My Summit Titan has a platform that's 31 inches long past 21 broad. They too feel safer, considering you have lots of room to move effectually. Hunting up high can exist disorienting to some folks. I'd rather be on the biggest platform I can haul on my dorsum when I'chiliad 20 feet up, than worry about where my feet are the whole time I'm hunting.

Lone Wolf besides makes an incredibly rugged and quiet climbing treestand that has plenty of room on the platform.

Just comfort and security doesn't come without a cost. Big stands are heavier no question. When I strap my loaded backpack to my treestand, I could exist hauling virtually 40 pounds on my dorsum. I don't care. At that place are lots of ways to deal with that weight, and I'd rather effigy that out than go with a minor stand.

In the offseason, I run and lift weights then my back, shoulders and legs are prepared for hauling my big climber. I also allow plenty of time for hiking to my spot, and then that I tin can rest on the way if necessary.

Ane thing I've found extremely helpful is using specialty backpack straps. Let'south face information technology, the straps that come with climbing stands usually don't cutting it. They dig into your shoulders, or they don't elevator the stand up loftier enough on your dorsum to keep it from banging your legs.

The Climb

The beauty of the climbing tree stand is that it's your ladder and your stand, all in ane package. You climb trees in your stand up. Naturally, at that place tin't be any branches between the ground and your preferred hunting height. Or at to the lowest degree, no branches that you tin't safely cutting with a limb saw that should ever be within attain when you're climbing a tree for the first time.
1 of the commencement things you'll discover using a climbing stand up is trees taper every bit they go up. Y'all've got to set your stand at the bottom with the platform pitched up at just the right angle so that it volition exist level when you lot reach your hunting height. After hunting from a few unlike trees, you can get pretty good at judging how to fix your stand properly.

Ever have a limb saw handy when you climb a tree for the commencement time.

At your hunting meridian, you want the stand platform to be level or slightly pitched up. That upward pitch will force you to lean back confronting the tree torso. That'southward OK. What you don't want is for the stand to be pitched downward toward the ground. If it is, climb down and reset the stand up to account for that angle.
Most modern climbing stands have metal contact points where the stand up grips the tree. Older ones often use rubber contacts. Those can skid on moisture tree trunks and shine bark. Yous have to really pay attention to slips if y'all're using a stand with rubber contact points.

The Lone Wolf climber is one of the quietest treestands on earth.

Even stands that have metal teeth can skid, though. Some trees are rock hard – hickory, maple, ironwood – and don't allow the stand up teeth to dig in. Endeavour to avoid these copse to avoid problems with slipping.
Climbing tree stands employ two pieces – the platform and the climbing assist, which oftentimes doubles as your seat. Lash the two pieces together when you climb. If your feet slip out of the platform, you won't have to worry most information technology falling out of achieve.

We're talking almost hunting from a tree stand, then, naturally, we're going to mention total-trunk safety harnesses. Habiliment one. When using a climbing stand, attach your harness to the tree at ground level, and slide it upwards the tree as y'all brand your fashion up. If anything goes wrong, you're covered.

Hiding On a Telephone Pole

Hang-on tree stands can be tucked in amidst branches to provide cover for the hunter. Past comparison, a hunter in a climbing stand on the side of a phone-pole tree sticks out similar a sore thumb. Merely in that location are ways to observe comprehend in a tree that's suitable for a climbing stand.

Two trees continuing close together offer good encompass to hunters using climbing stands.

Mayhap my favorite way is to climb a tree that's growing correct next to another one. When I achieve the top where I desire to climb, I'll turn my stand to face the tree next to me. The two copse volition help break up my silhouette, and hide me from an budgeted buck.

Some other good bet is to climb to a height where in that location are branches. Branches growing out of the tree I'one thousand in, or branches growing from a nearby tree that extend into the area where my stand is set, will both assist me disappear from a deer's eyes. Trim what y'all must to have clear shooting lanes, and you lot're ready.
Height as well will help you hide. If yous're used to hunting 15 feet up, try going 25 or xxx. Pressured deer ofttimes know to watch the trees for signs of danger, but they don't unremarkably crane their necks to expect upwards to 25 or 30 feet.

As I already mentioned, you lot should be wearing a total-body prophylactic harness from the time you leave the ground no thing how high into a tree you lot climb. Merely understand that if you fall from xxx anxiety because you lot're non wearing a harness, expiry or serious injury are not merely probable, they're virtually guaranteed. Vesture a harness.

Also recognize that hunting from thirty feet creates steep shot angles – especially at deer nether ten yards away. Adjust your shot placement appropriately to account for that angle. From extreme heights over twenty feet, information technology's actually a good idea to take your shot at 20 or 25 yards, rather than let the deer walk in closer. You've got a amend gamble of a double-lung hit at that distance. When a deer's in tight, and you might only be able to catch one lung at a severe angle.

Climbing higher – above 20 feet – will assistance hunters "hide" from wary deer.

You lot don't have to climb that high, though. Maybe you just demand to climb up 7 or 8 anxiety to go higher up some alpine grass or shrubs. In that location are no difficult and fast rules for climbing stands. Use them to arrange your needs.
Perhaps the climbing tree stand's greatest advantage is the mobility it affords. You can hunt wherever you tin haul it and detect the correct tree. If you need to move afterwards your initial set up, you lot can – apace and quietly.

P.J. Reilly is an gorging archer and bowhunter disguised as an outdoor writer. P.J. lives in a swamp in southeast Pennsylvania, where he watches deer and tries to avoid toxicant ivy.

Source: https://www.bowhunting.com/blog/2017/10/29/properly-use-climbing-treestand/

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