Trad Gang

Who leaves their hanging stands out all season?  And if so, what brand/model do you use?

Looking at adding a couple hanging stands to my arsenal next season and was wondering what you might recommend for season-long/year round use, which is what I would want to do (off season hogs).

Thanks and happy holidays!

Don't leave out anything with a nylon strap that can be chewed--make sure it's a chain-on.

I have left stands at bear baits for five years.

I do, but usually don't mean to.  I own around 15 hang on type stands and it seems 1-4 of the them seem to always get left out by accident.  They usually need to be taken down in the summer as the Squirrels will chew away the seat and mess w/ the straps sometime.

I leave some out. I always check and or replace the straps come the next season though.

I do...but I loosen chains....straps get taken down so critters don't gnaw through.

I don't leave them out after hunting season.  Had a friend who used a stand he left up for several years.  Apparently the tree grew and either broke or weakened the chain that held it.  It broke, and he took a bad fall.  Broke some bones, but was able to get back to his truck and drive himself to the hospital.

Found one of my stands, three years after I had not hunted it.  Boy was I surprised.

I left a favorite steel hang-on stand up for around eight years.(had to chang the straps a couple times) and then one opening morning I arrived at my tree to find that lightning had struck right below my treestand and it was hanging on the broken trunk about six feet above the ground upside down!
Now I will try to pull them every year. Both they and the trees will last better.

I used to leave them out for 2-3 years but now that I'm older the thought of falling from a bad stand scares me.I get them out every year an go over them with a fine tooth comb,at least if I fall it won't be from a broken stand...

I leave most of my stands up year round. Because I hunt hogs all year and because I'm on private property. I check the straps pretty much every time I enter the stand, and the chains I check periodically as well. I will eventually go to all chain on stands, but as of yet I have not had anything eat any of my straps. Knock on wood, cause you never know when a squirrel will get vindictive. Better safe than dead, I always say.
                 Hillbilly

I always take mine down. I had one stolen one time so when I done hunting it goes with me

Interesting.  I do have some stand locations where I would like to have a nice, low impact hang on stand and would like to have the stand up year round because I pursue pigs in the off season.

What do you recommend for this type of situation?

Also, I was thinking about using the screw in steps as opposed to sticks or ladders because they seemed more permanent.  What are your thoughts on that?

I pull mine every season.  I like to maintain them as new and safety check them each season.  Unless one is stolen, I shouldn't have to buy anymore the rest of my hunting career.

pull mine every season. I like to maintain them as new and safety check them each season. Unless one is stolen, I shouldn't have to buy anymore the rest of my hunting career.
what he said

I don't leave mine up year round but it's up from Sept. thru Feb.

Couple years ago I picked up a clearance Gorilla chain on from Wal-Mart for something like 35 or 40 bucks. It was about this time of year too.

I've killed a couple deer out of it without any trouble. Only thing I've noticed is it's a little more work to hang than the strap on, but once it's up, it's solid.

If I were you I'd move the screw in steps a few inches once or twice every season so you know it has good fresh wood to grab hold of.

Around here I wouldn't. There's a good enough chance it will disappear during the season. I wouldn't want to increase that chance by leaving it out the rest of the year.

I pull mine at the end of season,if not the coons and squirrels will tear the seats apart.

I pull most, but always have a couple that don't get in every year.  I try to not let them stay out more than two years so I can touch up paint and do other work on them.  I only leave out ladders and chain on stands.  My chain on stands are LEM and baby gorilla stands.  Both will stand the test of time setting out.  Nothing much can happen to the LEM's other than the squirrels eating on the seat.  The gorillas can only rust.  I keep a good paint on them.  You can also use spray foam to fill the voids so water can't set in them.

I leave my hang-on stand and stick ladder out all year long.Its set up about 2 miles in. My climber goes in the shed for the year.

QuoteOriginally posted by BowMIke:
I left a favorite steel hang-on stand up for around eight years.(had to chang the straps a couple times) and then one opening morning I arrived at my tree to find that lightning had struck right below my treestand and it was hanging on the broken trunk about six feet above the ground upside down!
Now I will try to pull them every year. Both they and the trees will last better.

I had something similar.  I found a tree snapped off at the base and hung up on another tree with my stand about 6'off the ground.  A storm came through with high winds.  The base of the tree had an old long gone second branch.  The base had partly rotted out and the wind did it in.  I was glad I was not in it when it went down.  Now I check tree bases for this type thing.

I hunt all public land, and around here if you leave it it's gone by next weekend.  I think some people walk around the woods looking for stands.

I don't leave any of my stands.  I only have a climber and a hang on-both are lone wolf.  I can't afford to replace either, so I take them down after I'm done with them for the day.  

I also take down my one ground blind after season is out.  I've moved it a couple times this year yet.

I leave mine in all year,I hunt public land,and years ago I had a couple stolen.Now,I only use inexpensive hangons $35-45 from Walmart or Dicks sporting.A good cable lock,and screw in tree steps that come out with me on the last hunt of the year.None stolen lately,I guess thieves dont carry their own steps.

I only have about 6 hang ons. I leave them out for the season and then bring them in. I have replaced some of the straps with chains and feel better, plus they go up easier.
I would not leave screw in steps in the same spot for more then a couple months. The tree grows, the wood will rot around them. I don't feel it's safe. I have gone to mostly ladder sticks on my property and rapid rails for other places.

I just wanted to say I really appreciate all the feedback and information.  Y'all have really given me some things to think about.

I have a couple of Rivers Edge chain on stands that I leave out all winter.I DO remove the climbing sticks from the trees that they are in..Mike

I have a couple 'chain on' stands made by a friend that I leave up year round on some remote access property that I have permission to hunt.  Have some ladder stands that I leave up too.  Been lucky so far that none have 'disappeared'.

I leave my (one) hang-on stand out for the duration of archery season.  I usually move it once or twice as the deer's travel patterns change with the rut and post-rut.  I do a quick visual inspection on the straps every time I climb up, including the straps on my stick ladder.  It comes down and goes in the shed around the end of January.  My ladder stands stay up year round.

I think my hang-on stand is made by Ameristep.  Whatever brand cheap-o-mart carries.

We put them up in early September, and take them down in January when season is over.We use stands with net seats so they won't be soaking wet if we hunt after a rain,plus they are more comfortable to sit in. Ours are on private property,so we don't have to worry about theft so much. We use those 20 ft sectional ladders to get off the ground,they are easier to put up than the ladder stands, and are pretty safe to climb.

better safe a thousand times than dead once:mark twain

I left 27 lock ons up for 5 years and all you have to do is loosen them up after the season and your good to go.

If you dont loosen them up you better bring some cable cutters or a sharp knife because they will get so tight you cant budge them.

One other thing- I plan on using and hunting out of these stands year round, not just leave them out and only use them a couple of months a year. I dont know if that makes a difference.

CHain on's can be left but loosen them a notch the last time you hunt them. Also, if it has a removable seat pad, take it out with you. Other than that, shouldn't be a problem. If they have seat belt like straps, just be sure you carry an extra with you in case squirrels, etc chew them up. I would lossen them a bit also the last time you hunt.

Listen up trad brothers !

Several years ago a friend left his hang on up all year long and climbed it in the dark the next year on opening day.... As soon as he flipped the seat down and started to strap in the wasps started stinging him and he fell. Wasps had built a nest under the seat during the summer it was left in the woods. Wasps will build in any of your exposed nooks, crannies, and hollow tubing so beware !

nocams  :scared:

I do both.  I always pull stands on properties that I'm not entirely comfortable with - easy access, etc.  Some I leave up - yes I check the nylon straps  every time they get used and also during pre-season.

i leave mine out always, they get moved each year or every couple of years. the varmints will chew up the seats but i haven't had any problems with them chewing the straps, yet. i have 2 big game hang ons, some cheep brand not sure the brand, and a gorilla XL. i like my gorilla XL the best, it has a big platform and is very comfortable. i do always check them over each year before i use them for safety reasons. as stated above the chain straps are animal proof but they make alot of noise moving and hanging up, i prefer the straps. if i wasn't so lazy i'd take in the seats after the season so they don't get ruined, but i always plan on going out at least one more time and then never do so the seats just sit there  :)

I leave my hang on stands up year round because I basically hunt from them year round (damage control after our extended 6 month deer season ends).

I check belts, straps and chains each time I use one.

I use screw in steps and remove them and put them in fresh wood if needed.  (Some trees seem to have a chemical reaction to the metal steps and become loose).  On some fast growing trees (sycamore for example) I have to back out the steps frequently since the tree will grow around the steps.

I used to leave them up and just reposition them every year to keep the tree from growing around the chain.  Now, I've changed my style of hunting, and only use one stand (Loc On Limit).  I put it up and take it down every time I climb.

I leave mine out but its family land . I do check them out every year before hunting them .

I leave mine up all season, but not all year. Mine all have chain, so the squirrels can chew on that all they want. They do like eating the seats though.

Mine stay out all year.I go in and check them a month before the season and change them if they need it.

I try and bring mine in for many saftey factors.

I have left them out, but I don't like to. I will be pulling mine down this weekend.

Mine spend the winter hanging in my shed. I personally just don't feel comfortable leaving them out year around. I've seen too many undestructable things made out of metal fail miserably from being out in the weather year around.

I have left mine up for up to 3 years but I don't think it's a good idea. After the season here in SC is over (Jan 1 last day) I will use the time to take them down, check them out, replace straps and then go ahead and rehang in a month or two. Winter is the best time to scout IMO when you can find rubs you did not know existed and perhaps new setups. Then you can hang the stands in new setups or tried and true setups and have confidence in having them in place well before the season next year. I hate handing stands in August! Only applies in private places where one has this luxury.

I suppose you are talking of private property.  It's not very smart to let stands up year around on public land.  Matter of fact, in Pa., it is illegal...they must be removed after season.  I don't use em', so I don't hange em'.

My Dad and I leave our stands out all year but we hunt on private land. If your on public land I wouldn't want to leave it out all year. Like George I think here in Illinois it is illegal to leave them up.

I leave mine up during the entire season, but take them down either when it is over or first thing in the spring before the new tree growth begins.  Growth of the tree could break the stand.  Ladder stands stay up but the straps are loosened and replaced as needed the next year.

Three quick stories all about the same private property. I came in from the woods to help the farmer with a task. When I returned to my stand an hour later I found a poacher in my stand. As a cop I held him there until a beat cop arrived. Second time I came out from a morning hunt only to return lated the same day to find my stand gone.
The last. During preseaon scouting I found my best tree gone. Yes tree, beavers liked that tree as much as I did.

I take mine down after the season is over.

Have left a few out. Own my own property. All good advice above. Be sure to protect anything fabric such as seat or straps from sun as well as animals. I found the uv rays from the sun would rot the seat fabric, and even the nylon straps. If you treat it or put something over it, you should be ok.

I have a couple that I have been leaving out... I am about to change that though, the thought of the straps going bad scares me a little. That and the weather takes it's toll on them as well, they can start to get a little squeaky and rusty and squirrels can have fun eating at the seats. I am going to change and start taking them down late winter or early spring when I do some scouting and store them in the house. That way I can maintain them and keep them nice. Then I'll put them back out there around August or so.

I have one that has been in the tree going on 7 or 8 years now.  It was a $30 hang on stand.  Every year I worry about finding it all rusted out.  But hunted it once this year and it was fine.  

I think it depends on the quality of the stand and public access to the land.  

I hunt with a Lone Wolf stand now and always take it in and out with me.  I am hunting private land, but I don't have any control over access.

Some stay in all year round and some stay just for the season.

I place stands just before and during season & pull them down at end of season. I use Screaming Eagle chain-on stands.

We use to leave ours out for about 2 years at a time. We ran into too many problems with that time frame, so we just recently started pulling them down every year and thoroughly checking them out before rehanging them in late summer/early fall.

MD

I leave the platform out all year. I take the seat off so it doesnt get chewed on. I replaced the bolts on the seat with cotter pin setup so all I have to do is pull the pins and the seat comes off easier.....Roy

My lock ons stay out all season and get moved around depending on deer movement.  They will be taken down after the season for inspection and painting if necessary.