44Hunter45 semi live climbing stand hunt

[Nick87]

I wish I had the option of a climber more often, not too many straight trees around here.

 

[Greybeard]

I use a climber wherever I can. I use an Ol'Man steel but this year I'm upgrading to an aluminum version.
I use a harness, safety rope, and prussic loop so I guess I'm sorta safe but I've had my pucker moments, especially when I was just learning how to use it.
You never know when your time is up though. I'd rather die in the woods than in some hospital bed dying of ass cancer or something.

 

[Boarmaster]

I have two ladder stands here on my property. They stay up all year and I trust them completely after my maintenance and safety checks.

With punching my elk tag early, I'm thinking about a September whitetail archery ambush on corporate timber land. Around here most archers are elk focused. I want to slip in and set up on a buck I've scouted. My thinking is that he will still be in his summer pattern. I want to hang a stand, but carry in my climbing gear each trip.

I weigh every bit of 250 pounds. Can I trust a climber or a hanger? I know we've seen some scary pics and stories here about hanger stand failures.

You can trust the right climber stand. I an 325 lbs and I been hunting out of my current 2 stands (Summit Titans) for four or five seasons. Probably 60 hunts a year.
I check and maintain my stands. When cables are worn they get replaced.
You need to operate them correctly as well. Make sure the cable connecting the seat and foot rest is connected and not twisted up.

Make sure the tree is suitable for a climber. Both in size and straightness. Helps if your teeth can get a good grip.

Making sure you have solid contact with the tree and not cocked over to one side. Don't get froggy, careless or over confident. You ain't no squirrel.

Always make sure you’re harnessed up. I will admit I don't harness up if I am only going up 10-12 feet like when I am hunting on a ridge looking down into a drain. Any higher I am harnessed.

I had a few bad experiences decades ago with early climbers. Soured me for years on them. But a good quality modern climber will be safe if operated correctly. If a guy my age, size and physical condition can safely hunt out of one so can anyone.

 

[Boarmaster]

At my age and size I would sit on the ground before I used sticks and hang on. For some they probably work great. If my climbers don't fit the tree I would go with a ladder. Fortunately I hunt mostly on timber company land where the pine trees all look about the same and are ten feet apart.

 

[Boarmaster]

Same. Has anyone ever owned a Baker and not had that happen?

This.

 

[Steiny77]

I use a couple bungee straps to hold top & bottom section of climber nested together, to keep them quiet when hiking in. When I get top and bottom set up where I want them, same bungee straps get used to hold platform and seat section tight to the tree.

Also always bring two ropes. One gets tied to my bow (or gun), the other to my pack. Once I ascend and get set up I pull those items up and hang on hooks screwed into the tree.

Using a climber adds about 20 minutes at start and end of each hunt.

 

[44hunter45]

You can trust the right climber stand. I an 325 lbs and I been hunting out of my current 2 stands (Summit Titans) for four or five seasons. Probably 60 hunts a year.
I check and maintain my stands. When cables are worn they get replaced.
You need to operate them correctly as well. Make sure the cable connecting the seat and foot rest is connected and not twisted up.

Make sure the tree is suitable for a climber. Both in size and straightness. Helps if your teeth can get a good grip.

Making sure you have solid contact with the tree and not cocked over to one side. Don't get froggy, careless or over confident. You ain't no squirrel.

Always make sure you’re harnessed up. I will admit I don't harness up if I am only going up 10-12 feet like when I am hunting on a ridge looking down into a drain. Any higher I am harnessed.

I had a few bad experiences decades ago with early climbers. Soured me for years on them. But a good quality modern climber will be safe if operated correctly. If a guy my age, size and physical condition can safely hunt out of one so can anyone.

My "local" Cabela's has the Summit Goliath SD in stock for $499. Buy it or go with the Titan SD online?

"Designed for larger framed hunters" - That cracks me up. I guess some of us big ol' boys are sensitive or are just big boned.

 

[44hunter45]

I ordered the Titan SD off Amazon today. $419

 

[Boarmaster]

My "local" Cabela's has the Summit Goliath SD in stock for $499. Buy it or go with the Titan SD online?

"Designed for larger framed hunters" - That cracks me up. I guess some of us big ol' boys are sensitive or are just big boned.

I would go with the titan. That extra two inches of length makes a different to me.
I bought one of my Titans from amazon returns for $378. The first one was bent so I returned it but the second one was perfect. But I would pay full price for one if I had to. I buy a lot of returned stuff from amazon. It it isn't jam up I have a ups store a mile from my house so no hassle to send it back.

 

[Boarmaster]

I ordered the Titan SD off Amazon today. $419

There you go. I add a few more rail pads to my titans. I like thenones from summit but if not available i have bought some other off brand ones. Theres always evo pipe insulation and gorilla tape. I like having the whole rail covered so my rifle isnt making noise if I lay it across the lower part of the rail.

 

[44hunter45]

Of course now that I've spent this money, I found another guy glassing "my spot" yesterday. There were five bachelor bucks goofing off, but not the big boy I've been watching.

 

[schmalts]

It all depends on the make and model.... some are scary

 

[rogerthat]

Pictures from a lone wolf hand climber top traction belt catastrophic shear failure. Equipment no matter the quality can fail. Always have redundant safety protocol like a lineman’s belt or a safety harness tied off. My friend could have died had I not been nearby to lift his feet free and free him from hanging upside down.

 

[bluegrassdan]

Tie a length of paracord between top and bottom sections of a climber. Keeps the bottom from skittering down to the ground without you. Ask me how I know.

Yea buddy, nothing like the bottom half falling that 20 feet or so and you dangling there wondering how the hell you will get down after that. Creative bear hug on the tree and some lost skin, but lived to tell the tail.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Nested system

 

[44hunter45]

Scouting travel lanes this week to see where my best stand sites will be. Looking to see where they enter the clear cuts.

Pruning pole saw in hand.

 

[44hunter45]

Prepped two trees yesterday.
Saturday I will be practicing climbing and tethering off.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

Prepped two trees yesterday.
Saturday I will be practicing climbing and tethering off.

The real question is can you find them hour ir so before daylight? I use to put a tack 10-12' off ground just as a here I am. Less likely to be seen by someone not looking that high.

 

[Gellar]

Climbing tree stands are like a fart after eating freeze dried meals for a week. You can never fully trust them but if you know your equipment and proceed with caution you’ll be ok. Also similar to eating freeze dried meals for a week, expect to change your underroos if and when you have a close call.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

I always bring extra underwear.....