climbing versus portable [LOCK ON}

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

WHICH DO YOU PREFER?i used to use homemade loc ons when i was younger they were fine but than i bought my first climber (api) oh boy. hunt where i want in no time no more screw ins being stolen or stand for that matter,hunt somewhere new evryday which is my favorite since it keeps me from spot burnout and lessens the chance of ruinng spot for rut.and just easier and for me safer it has two parts top and bottm and the top on mine anyway turns into a shelf i lay my bow across and or gun and then put my arms on sides of rail and really enjoy the woods more comfy.and lastly it makes me feel safer knowing if bottom fallsout or breaks or whatever i still have the top to hang on to.BUT NOW AGAIN;im gettin older (smarter)still and was figuring on having three lock ons up on good spots i could get in a hurry if need b like getting to woods and noticing climber is at home or in other truck :huh: . so whats your thoughts on the subject:bow:.P.S I CAN CLIMB TREES VERY QUITE WITH CLIMBER.BUT ALSO LOC ONS SCARE ME NOW AFTER USING CLIMBER AND NOW NOT HAVING THE UPPER PART SURRONDING ME

[onthehunt]

It depends. If I'm hunting on public land I use my climber. I also have 8 or so hangons on the private ground I hunt. Hangons are quieter, easier, and faster than climbers improving your chances of going undetected(by deer). Just my .02

[stephenf]

I hunt both depends on the area , the climber is more comfy but the loc on lets you hunt where you want , the climber needs a straight tree wich usulay have less cover

[LUCKY7]

The climber vs hangon debate really comes down to where you hunt. If you must rely on public land than the climber is the only way to go. Treestands get stolen all the time, even from your own backyard. Does it suck packing it in and out? yes! Do I like it rattling around in my truck for months on end? Is it as quiet as a hangon? No! While I would love to hang stands before the season in multiple spots, and leave them up all through bow, rifle, and late flintlock seasons, it is not an option for me. It's a climber all the way for this state game land huntin fool.

[erickoch]

i love my climber, but i agree with if you have private land to hunt on its much better to have some fixed stands up already. but for public land climber is the way to go.

[onthehunt]

The other thing I used to do when I wasn't self employed and couldn't get out as often was to set hangons friday night after work. You have to have an idea of what tree first and wind direction for the weekend ofcourse. This worked good for me to go in the dark, set up, and get out and come and hunt the following morning. Just pull it out sat. afternoon or sunday morning. Never got one thieved that way. The key is when the woods are quiet in the morning, you have to be as equally quiet and this is a good solution.

[Eastern Shore Slayer]

For some reason im just not comfartable in a climber, or even most hang ons
usually ladder stands, or permanant stands, but i just hung my new lone wolf elite, awesome, sat up there for 20 minutes just to take a break and forgot i was 20ft off the ground
but like stated if ur stuck on public land gotta go climber

[PhilCVG]

When I had a few private pieces I hung hang ons. However, on public land the climber seems the only way to go. I also feel more comfortable and safe with the climber. I don't miss hanging the hang ons and screwing the steps in either.

What I do miss about the hang ons is the stealthy exit/entrance. Not having to lug the stand in and out. Not having to use a light to enter/exit it in the dark etc.

But as I said, 90% of the hunting is done on public land now and I can't see spending hours and hours hanging stands to have them stolen or god forbid vandalized.

[Barrell]

I use both, depending on the situation. When I go up to the Adirondacks I spend the first day just putting up the 6 hanging stands I have. Then I scout the afternoon and mark trees with glo tacks for the climbers. Then I rotate all week moving from stand to stand never hunting the same piece two days in a row. This is rifle so I can get real high. In bow I like to be lower and want some cover around me so I prefer being up in an evregreen type tree in a chain on.

[yobuck09]

Love my climber can move anywhere depending on the wind. Change locations depending on deer movement.

[Reel Nice]

I use both depending on the situation..Bowhunting stand is already up...no climbers there ...

[jcoastie]

Climber all the way. It gives you the freedom to move around a lot with out having to spend a lot of money. Also no chance of it being stolen on public land. I have a summit viper and it is pretty comfortable and doesn't make much noise going up or down the tree.

[Treude1]

Hunt public land so use a climber got lazy last year and left one with a lock and chain in Winslow and it was stolen. Always thought hunters were a different breed respect and all that.

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

anybody who hunts winslow should know the deer r tuff as well as the thieves cant remember how many screw ins were stolen over the years do to my laziness. no kidding my buddy and myself went to check our stuff 2 days before season and actully caught some kid 12 walking out of woods with my stand in tow. i made him carry it all the way back to my tree. oh best part was he was taking them for his older bro who was drivin a jeep and waiting roadside for him. no we did not throw stones at his jeep,but rocks were a flyin when he left

[JC333]

climbers all the way. If your concerned about noise check out the lone wolf climbers, dead silent. I'll use a hang on if the situation calls for it - no straight trees. But even then I'll keep the steps in the tree and take my hang on in and out each time I hunt that tree. Do want to risk it getting stolen. A mans gotta do what a mans gotta do !

[skmag357]

i use both...it much easier using a hang-on stand...especially when you are trying to sneak in areas (like bedding areas). In the afternoon, I don't mind taking the climber if I need to change spots but in the morning, trying to get the climber on the tree in the dark sucks!

[coqui]

:thup: Fixed hang on stands are the way to go if theft is not a problem. No sweating and andNO NOISE regardless what some say.

[Uncle Buck]

Not big on climbers although I haven't tried a newer one. I'm a bigger guy and never seemed to like the idea of climbing.

[coqui]

:) By the way , I'm way to pysically challanged to climb like i once usted to !

["String Music"]

Maybe its just me...But I would never ever use a climber...You hafta find a straight tree with no limbs and no limbs means minimal cover...One thing I look for in a stand location is maximum cover...I look for heavy branched Pine trees (Cause they keep there leaves all year), Cedar's also or a large trunked Holly Tree...I love the feeling of being hidden...Deer are way too finicky around here for me....Maybe its a confidence think also...I really like to feel hidden...I also like to hunt high...atleast 25'...AND I will cut Pine branches and zip tie them in for extra cover...BUT thats just me!:razz:

[WOOKIEFISH]

I have a Summit Climber and I love it. It's very quiet (Lone Wolf is also very good) folds flat and sets up quickly. If you get a little creak, hit it with some silicone lube. It's pretty scent friendly.

I think the two biggest mistakes that new climber users make is:

1) They don't practice setting up their stand enough before hitting the woods with it. You should be able to do it with your eyes closed. The quieter the set up the better the success.

2) They make too much noise while on the move pinging branches and such against the frame on their backs. Wrap some camo tape around the edges of the support frame to thwart the sharp pings. It's not a cure all but it helps a lot. :thup:

[bigolebuck]

I use all portable hangers w/ 20' climbing sticks, and a few cheap $60 ladder stands from Dicks Sporting goods. Never had good luck with climbers, Im kinda scared of them.

[ACEarcher]

I've used my climber for years and years now. This is the first year that I'm going to start to use loc on's again and just carry my steps to and from the stand. It's great to have a climber. People don't know that you've been there, you can go up any tree in a snap, they are more comfortable. I have had my bottom fall out on me before and it's a scary thing. If your climbing stuff like shagbark hickory your going to be very loud climbing up no matter what you do. You do have a sense of security with the bar around you. Unforunitly your movement is more detained in a climber. After years of going in and out with my climber I'm starting to get a lil tired of it. Any brach or twigg you brush up against makes a noise, they can be loud setting up, you got thing damn stand on your back that you have to lug around. It does become a major pain in the butt. Even if you get a deer you going to shead a couple of articles of clothing, carry your bow/gun, the stand, gear, and drag out the deer all at once? Nah now you have to make two trips go drop off all the gear, etc and hike back up there to get the deer now. With loc ons it's always there. So people see (the neighbor landowner might think it's on his property and then you have to break his little heart when you show him the actual property marker steak in the ground to prove it's not true story*) your stand, might get stolen, messed with. You only have to either carry your steps or nothing at all. You don't have to make extra trips to the truck to drop stuff off. You really can't trun it in a different direction right away if you need too. It's not as comfortable. Your more likly to fall out (should ALWAYS have a safty harness on no matter what kind of stand).
This decision is full of pros and cons. You just have to weight out which pros and which cons meet you the most. From their make your decision. I hope this helps.

[BuckHammer43]

I just received my new API climber. I've had it on the tree twice. Someone 'retired' my two hang-on stands two years ago. Personally, I hope they fall out of them [but not hurt REAL bad].

In Jersey, you use a climber or you are on fenced private property, and that doesn't always do it.

Heavy? Yes / Noisy? Yes / Requires some scouting and trimming before use? Yes / It can't be 'retired' if you're standing in it or it's on your back.

[SNJBOWHUNTER]

I have hang on's and a couple of summit climbers. All my hang on" are on privite property. And once their up there up for the season. My climbers are good for spur of the moment hunts and these hunts normly produce more deer activity. A buddy may call and want me to come and hunt with him. This is the time to break out the climber. A couple things I do to stay silent is a few bungee cords on the stand. Extra time to get in and always carry a portable saw and pruning shears. They both have advantages and disadvantages it all depends on how your hunting that day.

[never better]

I use hang ons exclusively, had 12 up by the end of the season last year. Depending on the location, on some I drill a hole through the plate next to the tree and drive a big lag through into the tree, this makes the stand more stable and harder to steal. I also almost always use an extra wratchet strap around the bottom of the stand so it's really part of the tree rather than hanging on- my stands don't budge when I step on.
In areas where I think a lag bolt & lock still aren't enough theft protection, I will just pick out the tree, drive sky hook bolts into the tree and prune it so its ready. When I hunt there, it takes ten seconds to climb it, another 30 to hang a loc on ( I use spirits and windwalkers for quickie hunts) and I'm in business, much easier than a climber for me, but you still have to have permission to drive the bolts into the tree.
Tom

[BarnesX.308]

Never hunted from a lock on. We use all ladder stands upstate and I have a Summit Viper Climber for when I'm on the move.

We used to use those tree stands that you bought from the lumber yard and put up on an offseason weekend. Loved those. :D

[MattG]

I use em all, permanent homemade fortresses, hangons with sticks and have 4 climbers. For gun hunting the homemade fortresses are the ticket, for bow hangons granted you hang em long before the season, but most my bow hunting has been with the climbers, and for good reasons. (1) the element of surprise...you can't tell me the deer dont notice a newly hung hangon with sticks, they do, and sometimes it takes a few seasons for them to trust them long enough to get close enough for a bow shot, especially if you cut a lot of shooting lanes also. The scent you leave on the sticks, stands and ground hanging them can stick around for days, if not weeks with no rain. I never leave my climbers, even if i plan on hunting the same tree the next morning. If someone left a gargantuan thing like a climber 3 ft. off the ground in your living room, you'd notice it!(2) portablility, I can't tell you how many times i've sat in a perm stand or hangon for consecutive days and both days seen a shooter taking the same path out of range. solution, go to him..with the climber. Granted, they are a pain in the arse to carry in & out...be in shape, it's also hard to find straight trees, and especially straight trees with cover behind them, look hard, if no cover, climb sky high...which makes for a smaller target, but practice, practice, practice...better to have a tough shot, than non at all because they made you. Though, my ideal stands are perm stands or perm hangon in pine trees (key) bout 20 ft. up set up in perrenial funnels, saddles or other high travel areas. Cover is the key if you're going to leave stands up and the only trees that still provide cover once the leaves drop are pines.