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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,728
    Had this little button come in. I eventually, after about 5 minutes, spoked him. Either smell or getting my phone out for another pic. Probably smell. As he started moving up hill in to the wind blowing from my stand he got warier and warier and finally took off about 30yds further away before stopping a minute and then high tailing it hopping off slowly.

    Don’t need a button at all, but nice to finally have a deer come near enough to my stand. And stood around in my shooting lane for a couple of minutes too!

    Right after he left the other backyard neighbor started leaf blowing! Like come on guys!!! I guess because it’s supposed to rain, plus all the leaves coming down today. But waiting till this weekend would have been nice
     

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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,728
    Yeah I gave up 10 minutes before sunset. The neighbor was obviously going to be leaf blowing until it was too dark to see and I highly doubt anything else was going to come in between the racket and him walking back and forth 90-150yds away swinging his leaf blower.

    Oh well.

    I have talked myself in to getting a ladder stand finally. I want something faster and easier to get in and out of. No, a climber isn’t really THAT much of a pain. But it is kind of everything that goes with. Needing to get up the tree while using the safety strap. Then locking it in place. Adjusting the strap to the right height. Then hauling my pack and bow up. And it sure isn’t silent. So if I don’t make it out till a few minutes before legal light, even supposing I made it to the stand quiet, the deer sure know I am there.

    So looking at a big game Hunter HD 1.5 stand is what I think I’ve decided on. I’ll grab a muddy quick connect safety strap I can leave on the tree to make snapping my harness in easy. Add a couple of hooks to the stand to hang my pack off one side and my bow or cross bow off the other if I need it out of my way. I guess I am going soft. But I think the advantages in time saved and quietness will help me out a ton. I don’t like leaving my climber just sitting on a tree unless I know it isn’t going to rain. So it is also that extra pain in the butt saved or not hauling it in and out sometimes.

    Saved time means more time hunting, more time sleeping or more time doing other things. And quieter just means more likely to have success because I didn’t scare the bedded deer 150yds away out of the woods. Or made them think twice about wandering down my path when they start moving later. It also means when I do something stupid like leave my phone in the house or my parka, it’s infinitely easier to quietly get down, go get them and get right back up.
     
    G

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,445
    SoMD
    On private land we only use ladder stands. I buy the cheapest Walmart two man stands, and .99 cent hooks for my bow. Works just fine.
     
    Archeryrob

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,088
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Climbers are a PITA in my opinion. Only useful to the spot for a one off hunt, IMO

    I use hang on's with stick ladders and some I have cannibalized ladders to add two more sticks too for height. Also have safety line and hook up from the ground all through the hunt and ameristep back rests. Quick and easy. Off season we remove extra ratchets on the stand, loosen the stand and ladder staps pn the way down. Pull the back rest and safety line until August. Fold up the hang on to drain all rain. Some ladders after years of being out get pulled for wire brushing and paint with truck bed coating.
     
    outrider58

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,999
    Archeryrob said:
    Climbers are a PITA in my opinion. Only useful to the spot for a one off hunt, IMO

    I use hang on's with stick ladders and some I have cannibalized ladders to add two more sticks too for height. Also have safety line and hook up from the ground all through the hunt and ameristep back rests. Quick and easy. Off season we remove extra ratchets on the stand, loosen the stand and ladder staps pn the way down. Pull the back rest and safety line until August. Fold up the hang on to drain all rain. Some ladders after years of being out get pulled for wire brushing and paint with truck bed coating.
    Click to expand...

    I hunt almost exclusively from my climber. I can set up and climb a tree blindfolded. I'd say a quarter of the time, I'm finding a new tree to go up in the dark. I have a 30' haul cord so I can always tell when I've reached my preferred height.

    And yes, I agree, climbers are a huge PIA. :o
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,728
    outrider58 said:
    I hunt almost exclusively from my climber. I can set up and climb a tree blindfolded. I'd say a quarter of the time, I'm finding a new tree to go up in the dark. I have a 30' haul cord so I can always tell when I've reached my preferred height.

    And yes, I agree, climbers are a huge PIA. :o
    Click to expand...

    Some of us prefer not hunting from the stratosphere...

    Then again, some of us also aren't shooting massive bucks. So I should probably take my opinions somewhere else :lol2:

    I do have a set of climbing sticks and simple hang on stand up creek. But I HATE the seat. I am not super afraid of heights in all honestly. But that little like 12x12" seat with no arms rests or bar even with my safety line pretty snug and I still get vertigo if I've gotta stand up to pee, or start drifting off a little. Some is that it is up about 22' high. If I took out one section of sticks and made it around 18' would likely help a little. But really I just need a different hang on stand. I probably will do that even though when I looked, hang-ons with arm rests are about as expensive as a basic ladder stand all on its own.

    But I'd prefer something a bit lower profile for that part of the creek if I do have a permanent stand up. But really at some point here I need to take it down and evaluate stuff next season.

    Probably what I am going to do is take it down and might not put it up. Save the sticks and get a new stand for a different property (some year) where a ladder stand won't work. But I do need a new climber. So that is just what I might do. Have the ladder stand on the one side and use the new and much nicer (looking at a summit viper) climber if I want to hunt that side of my property or just relocate for a day or something. I do intend to keep hunting public land, so a nicer climber is a must. At least until I've got a nice 12+ acre parcel. Then I just might be too fancy to hunt public land (probably not, I like challenges and switching things up. So I'll probably continue to hunt public land sometimes).
     
    outrider58

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,999
    lazarus said:
    Some of us prefer not hunting from the stratosphere...

    Then again, some of us also aren't shooting massive bucks. So I should probably take my opinions somewhere else :lol2:

    I do have a set of climbing sticks and simple hang on stand up creek. But I HATE the seat. I am not super afraid of heights in all honestly. But that little like 12x12" seat with no arms rests or bar even with my safety line pretty snug and I still get vertigo if I've gotta stand up to pee, or start drifting off a little. Some is that it is up about 22' high. If I took out one section of sticks and made it around 18' would likely help a little. But really I just need a different hang on stand. I probably will do that even though when I looked, hang-ons with arm rests are about as expensive as a basic ladder stand all on its own.

    But I'd prefer something a bit lower profile for that part of the creek if I do have a permanent stand up. But really at some point here I need to take it down and evaluate stuff next season.

    Probably what I am going to do is take it down and might not put it up. Save the sticks and get a new stand for a different property (some year) where a ladder stand won't work. But I do need a new climber. So that is just what I might do. Have the ladder stand on the one side and use the new and much nicer (looking at a summit viper) climber if I want to hunt that side of my property or just relocate for a day or something. I do intend to keep hunting public land, so a nicer climber is a must. At least until I've got a nice 12+ acre parcel. Then I just might be too fancy to hunt public land (probably not, I like challenges and switching things up. So I'll probably continue to hunt public land sometimes).
    Click to expand...

    I'll add this. You've seen a couple of my setups and even hunted from one(ladder stand), If you are wanting to use a ladder stand, it needs to be in a tree with lots of branches and vines and such to help break up your silhouette. I see people hang(or lean) them up on a tall, straight, clean trunked trees where the nearest branch is 25 feet above their head. They wonder why they don't get any deer near them. That is why, when I use a climber, I go up at least 30'. In some instances, I'll go even higher, my bow or gun dangling from my haul rope. Otherwise, you look like a big fat Tootsie Pop up there.
     
    Mini14tac

    Mini14tac

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    May 14, 2013
    2,155
    North County
    Lazarus, do yourself a favor and get a 20-21 foot ladder. 15 is too low. If you get a 15 you had better be prepared to turn into a stone statue if the deer get close. An mind you scent or they will bust you.
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,728
    outrider58 said:
    I'll add this. You've seen a couple of my setups and even hunted from one(ladder stand), If you are wanting to use a ladder stand, it needs to be in a tree with lots of branches and vines and such to help break up your silhouette. I see people hang(or lean) them up on a tall, straight, clean trunked trees where the nearest branch is 25 feet above their head. They wonder why they don't get any deer near them. That is why, when I use a climber, I go up at least 30'. In some instances, I'll go even higher, my bow or gun dangling from my haul rope. Otherwise, you look like a big fat Tootsie Pop up there.
    Click to expand...

    Lol. Very true.

    Picturing the foxes expression when it looked up and saw me way up over its head right now :lol2:

    Fortunately the tree I am in, if I got a little higher I am right with the lowest branches. I just can't quite get there from a climber easily because of a big old knot in the tree.

    But an 18' ladder stand will put me right there.

    And a couple of other trees I have my eyes on I can't use a climber at all because they are split trunk trees, but I could put a stand on it and then I'd have all those trunks and lower branches as break up.
     
    engineerbrian

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,149
    Fredneck
    My son got his first deer today for youth season. He’s anxious to get two more now. Looks like i have a busy weekend ahead
     

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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,728
    Former neighbor and friend just posted up her son just got a really nice 6-pt as his first buck ever on their new farm. He got a doe last year on an apprentice license. Good sized buck.
     
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