Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

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mauser06
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:26 pm

For several years, I thought my climber was the best thing ever.


A few years ago, I bought a lone wolf and sticks.



I too thought I could "always" find a tree I could climb. I too thought the climber was quiet.


I didn't know what I was missing. Honestly. It's a game changer.

The hang on stands and sticks most of us use aren't your regular ole hang on stand either. Lone wolfs and XOPs are popular. Most of us modify them pretty heavily to carry better and to be even more quiet. If I was in the market, I'd wait for someone to release his new setup.

I've been at the top of my setup about to hang the stand and had a coyote 30yds away. I was "stuck". But was able to get down and execute the shot. I've had 2 mature buck encounters I remember (because they haunt me) that were within 25yds as I was hanging my stand. I've hunted from my Viper about a million times and I don't EVER recall seeing a critter as I was setting up...often times in the same spots.

The noise climbers make walking in alone is huge. The footprint is much bigger. Snags more brush. No matter how tight I tighten the 2 pieces together, they are often clanging together by the time I get near my setup.


I've nearly abandoned my Viper...a few exceptions being all day gun hunts. I like the rail for shooting and to keep my rifle handy...and I'm usually not right on top of the action.

If you're getting into bed hunting, it's a worthy investment.

You'd seriously probably laugh of you've seen some of the trees I find myself in more and more. Often Hundreds of yards beyond a tree where a climber could climb. More times than not, I'm only 2 or 3 sticks off the ground in nothing more than an over grown bush. And I'm on more deer and more mature deer than ever. Its where the daylight movement is occurring more times than not. 100yds in where the nice open woods and straight limbless trees are is too far away.


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wolverinebuckman
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby wolverinebuckman » Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:51 pm

I used a borrowed climber this year. It was super comfortable and I felt very safe in it. In big woods it was great, and I shot my buck out of it this year.
Different story on the marsh transitions. So few trees to even hang on (public, no branch cutting) and those that I could put me too far out of the game to hit their travel paths.
I have decided I am going to give saddle hunting a go. Should be in all the same trees as a hang on without the bulk of a stand.
Bummer of a birthmark, Hal.
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:21 pm

With lone wolf climbers which can be used quietly, I think sometimes you can attract bucks with the scraping sound while climbing. I used both...hang on and climber. Although I can get setup and up the tree stealthily enough, a lot of times I will purposefully scrape the tree on last few moves up the tree. I’ve attracted bucks several bucks doing this....I don’t do it if hunting a known bedded buck...usually in the rut is when I’ve done that.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
mauser06
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:34 pm

Another thing I wanted to mention....


Going in blind based of cyber scouting or going into an area scouting as you go with a stand on your back for when you find that hot sign....

The hang on is the way to go IMO. You're not going to have to hunt for a TREE. You can realize you are in THE SPOT and climb pretty much whatever tree you need to climb.
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<DK>
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby <DK> » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:26 pm

PK_ wrote:I have climbed up in my summit many times and sat down and realized deer were bedded within 100 yards. But I climb slow with my weapon across the rails watching and waiting for a shot opportunity. I don’t just scrape up the tree and ‘let the woods settle down’.

But certain trees with loud bark, it is tough. But you can still get up without spooking deer. Think about the woodpeckers, squirrels, raccoons etc... lots of noises in the woods that deer hear. Going really really slow when you can’t be silent, is key.

In certain terrains a climber simply isn’t an option when getting into bedding areas, this is why most guys gravitate to the hang on/sticks, other places climber will work anywhere...

I havent used a lw climber but I have heard they are much quieter than summit.


I agree 100% with this.

Honestly, in the end youll probably own both. They both have their place in my terrain. I love my climber. Just got the LW Flip Top. If you're a bigger guy go with the sit climb and consider a seat mod to a different kind. Or you can buy the hand climber top seperate to lighten the load and get to deeper spots.

I like the XOP Hang On but cant go wrong w the LW products. Beware on XOP though, sometimes they are out of stock on items. I think harware they are usually good though.

Use what you feel safe and confident using first off. Or what you have available. Mod it and practice with it alot. You can get away with alot under the right conditions. I used an API for a year or two before upgrading. Most people arent looking to spend 800 bucks on stands but over time I wanted lighter and quieter. I wanted a stand I could buy replacement parts for also.

Nothing wrong with a summit stand though. They definitely work and are comfortable. That is important to people. I was impressed using a friends. Everything needs modded some how out of the box to be quieter. Especially to get closer to bedded deer.

Using a climber and hunting new/thicker areas alot, preparing trees in some spots may be a turn off. Hang ons are good to go. This will be very terrain or situation based. Open hardwoods the climber usually works out. Farm land a hang on is the best option.
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Rob loper
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby Rob loper » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:17 am

dewayne wrote:I have always used a climber and have never bought into the hang on thing until now. While hunting this season I realized how much noise I was making with my loud, clanky, heavy and bulky stand. I should also mention this was my first year seriously bow hunting and public land too. I assumed I thought I knew what I was doing but man was I wrong. Everything I was trying to do was completely counter productive.

After listening to a few podcast and finding the hunting beast I decided it was time to ditch the summit, invest in a Lone Wolf, and start hunting the beading areas. I have not bought my stand yet as season just ended here in NC a few weeks ago. However, rest assured I will be ordering an Alpha hang on and 4 sticks in the neat future. I'm excited as ever to get it and start putting it up in a tree and try it out, I cant wait until September.

If interested i have a lone wolf alpha tech for sale 150$ plus shipping. I actually have two Pm me if interested.
I have extra straps too.
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dewayne
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby dewayne » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:49 am

Thanks for heads up!
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Rob loper
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby Rob loper » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:54 am

dewayne wrote:Thanks for heads up!

Np. Might save you few bucks let me know if interested
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby Octoberjohn » Tue Jan 23, 2018 2:16 am

For 20 years I have used a Loggy Bayou climber. It has always been my go to stand. Easy to carry in, quiet, not heavy at all. I can be completely set up within just a few minutes "if" I can find a good tree. This past season I purchased a Lone Wolf and 4 sticks and the old Loggy never came out of the shed. Not once did I run into an issue finding the right tree to hunt as I was able to hunt any tree that I wanted to with the Lone wolf. And I can be set up to around 18 feet in no time at all. I will eventually use the old Loggy again at some point but it is going to be on a leave of absence for a while.
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Rob loper
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby Rob loper » Tue Jan 23, 2018 2:56 am

Octoberjohn wrote:For 20 years I have used a Loggy Bayou climber. It has always been my go to stand. Easy to carry in, quiet, not heavy at all. I can be completely set up within just a few minutes "if" I can find a good tree. This past season I purchased a Lone Wolf and 4 sticks and the old Loggy never came out of the shed. Not once did I run into an issue finding the right tree to hunt as I was able to hunt any tree that I wanted to with the Lone wolf. And I can be set up to around 18 feet in no time at all. I will eventually use the old Loggy again at some point but it is going to be on a leave of absence for a while.



Lol
I actually had a loggy bayou too with the big giant square climbing aid. I loved it one of the most confortable stands ive ever sat in. Cloth fold up seat Something happened and i used it as a hang on for some reason
The platform actually cracked on me one night and that was the emd of that
But 4 sticks a saddle or a lw stand You cant beat it. Once you go mobile its hard to go back. Plus i use to preset all of my stands and in morning hope and pray in the pitch black it was still there lol. Ive walked to my setup alot back in the day and it be gone. A certain South Jersey gun club was notorious for going out driving deer shotgun week then have a few members going back the next week with bolt cutters and stealing everything they walked under or found. It still goes on. Not the whole club just a few criminal like members. Frwakin rebels lol
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Re: Using climbing stands to hunt bedding areas

Unread postby Net Guy » Tue Jan 23, 2018 3:24 am

I really like the flexibility the hang-on stands provide me. No more hunting for trees. Since I am still new to this style of hunting, I do a lot of scouting with stand on my back. The hang-on style allows me to hunt hot sign easier than I think a climber can provide. As far as noise goes, I think that depends on the skill level of the hunter. Practice makes perfect with any style of stand.


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