I wonder how many of us use climbers instead of hang on stands.
Do you find it hard shooting out of your climber?
What's your favorite make/model?
I hunt from a climber 90% of the time.I've been using the lone wolf hand climber for the past couple years and it's about perfect. Expensive but worth it. Quiet, light and compact and will fit on nearly any tree I pick
I also use the lone wolf hand climber and it is just right for bow hunting.
I hunt from a climber 100% of the time. Two federal places I hunt it's a rule you must hunt 10' off the ground and all stands must be removed daily. I use the summit viper with a hazmore seat. I also use a loggy with a hand climber
Not anymore but did for years. A Loggy stalker was my favorite. Locks to the tree when you get in place and no rail.
Summit Viper. Recurve, yes. Longbow, no.
Summit open shot. It is light weight and wide open for you to shoot out of. If I didn't go with this treestand I would be using a lone wolf.
Summit open shot. No restrictions in shooting, and light. I use the climber and hang-ons though, but rarely at the same time LOL - although using the hand climber to hang your stands in early season is really an easy way to go for that work.
API grand Slam and Lone Wolf Hand Climber. Both have great application. I hunt them when I am not on the ground.
Lone Wolf Hand Climber 90% of the time.
I do a mix but probably use my Summit Viper more than one of the ladder stands. Like I posted in another thread; that 52" KMag was MUCH nicer shooting out of it that a longer bow.
I don't always use a climber, but when I do, it's LW
:D :thumbsup:
I have one but hardly use it. Where I live and hunt, a climber really has no advantage over a decent hang on, and in fact the opposite is mainly true. Trees in the right spots tend to have branches here.
That said, I am tending more and more to hunt from the ground as I age.
ChuckC
Not any more, but when I did it was a Lone Wolf Hand model. Light, well made, and almost silent.
I have. A LW hand climber and a summit. Like ChuckC I find most of the trees I choose are better suited for a hang on. I like trees with a few lower branches and forks for better cover. While tge LW is a great stand , I often feel like I am literally a bump on a log and stand out too much when I'm on a straight tree.
I am also quicker and more quiet getting into a hang on
When it comes to climbers you definitely get what you pay for. I've bought a few of the cheapos and wow did they stink.
for 3 years now I have only used climber. From my experience, you can shoot any bow you want from a climber, but there are factors that you will have to take into account while deciding how high/low to hunt.
1. Bow length
With a long bow you will have to stay much lower to the ground to allow for your typical 15 yd and in shots. (don't ask me how i know this.. :banghead: )
2. the rail size
What I mean by this is, I have a "el cheapo" stand that I have killed all of my deer out of. It can be bought and shipped to your door for under $80. It weight 1/2 a ton, but i'm young and it keeps me in shape! ;) . This stands rails are short than my knees while sitting down(the rail would literally be on my knees if the seat didn't drop below the railing some). With this rail being so short, it allow me to have better options for shooting without having to remember to lean out into the rail(wear a harness people!) while shooting.
But i have hunted out of a summit viper before and the rail was way bigger than what I am used to. No way for me to shoot my 66" longbow out of it.
With all that being said, this year I acquired a lock on to try out, so I am going to use it all season.
I hope this helped, sorry for the long post.
I have the lone wolf hand climber with the sit and climb top as well and it has been great. This year I switched to a hawk helium sticks and the helium XL lock on. The lock on is only 12 pounds but feels lighter, and the sticks and lock on together weight the same as the lone wolf sit and climb. As I practiced I was amazed how fast I could get set up using a line mans belt on my safety harness, and now I can hunt almost any tree I want with no cutting. The same company that made the gorilla lock ons make the hawk lock ons and I found the gorillas to be the most comfortable lock on I have hunted out of that does not restrict shooting with trad gear. The sticks and stand together are still cheaper than the lone wolf I have, and with 4 sticks I can get 20ft easily.
http://hawkhunting.myshopify.com/collections/climbing-sticks/products/helium-3pk-climbing-stick
http://hawkhunting.myshopify.com/collections/hang-on-stands/products/helium-xl-hang-on
This is the video I copied and it worked great although I am not as flexible as this young man so my gaps between sticks are not as wide, and I use another strap in addition to my linesman's belt so after the stand is hung at no time am I disconnected from the tree.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z-fQeTZ_kpM&list=PL-K4opKajLD2zB_q80PwWMRDhO-H9zFQi
It's a great alternative and I am excited about using them this year
I'll be trying a new climber this year. I've been practicing with it and really like it. Shooting from it is really no different than my fixed stands, no rail in the way.
It's easy to climb with and very comfortable to sit in.
It's a Cougar claw sport with the fold away sit rail. I added some of the third hand stabilizer straps and I think it's the perfect climber. It also has a neat leveling feature.
I'll still be in my trusty Chippewa wedge-loc stands a lot I'm sure, but it's going to be interesting to see what gets used more this season.
I used to use them a little, but I just never liked them. I prefer a basic ladder or a ground brush blind. My bad back just does not care for climbing trees.
I still own a Summit Clearshot - it sits most of the time and prefer a hang-on instead. No shooting restrictions in it, just feel safer in the hang-on
Ol'Man Alumilite. 21 lbs. and 4 different rail options, 1 being none. Since I bought it, I only use the rail on all day sits, and I position it as a foot rest, comes to my shins when standing, no restrictions.
for years I hated my Lone wolf hand climber but since someone showed me the correct way to climb with it the LW has become my go to stand..
there is nothing in the way when I shoot off this stand, the seat height is always perfect no rail or arm rests going around the the seat,,,,, I agree with what Warden415 said above I try to find a straight tree growing next to a spruce or mixed into some low canopy saplings.
my current climber is a 180 max sd from summit. it is not ideal for archery but i have figured out a way around it. im a big guy so i wanted a stand that i would be comfortable in. i lower the top portion as low as i possibly can and stretch my legs out rather than sit with them bent at 90 degrees. this allows for adequate clearance when shooting my bow. you could technically lean out and i have when practicing shooting from the stand (bend at the waist..lol). just make sure you have a good harness. leaning out while shooting has always bothers me a bit and i am not afraid of heights at all.
I have a field and stream model that I like and use often but I would rather hunt a hang on or the ground. Seeing as I hunt public land, the hang on isn't the best idea.
I dont have an issue with shooting at an elevation but I dont go too high either.
I do have an issue with the climbing bar that does not move or drop out of the way. Just too cheap to buy a better climber.
I have a loggy base (the cable one) with a lone wolf hand climber top. It's a great combo.
I use a API a few times each season.
My go to stand now is a Summit Viper. I got the stabilizer straps from "Third Hand Archery" Rock solid and I can shoot any bow out of it. I can also sit it all day.
When I lived in NC, had a Loggy Bayou. Also made one fro aircraft grade aluminum . Not used out here
I use a lone wolf assault. Very light and compact hand climber. Added a sit and climb strap to it last year. Small pack attached to seat carries knife light etc and folding wicked tough saw attached completes it. 52 years old and I can race a squirrel up a tree and be very quiet in the process. When I grow up though I want to hunt from the ground.
Lone wolf hand climber for me. Super quiet and easy up
Lone wolf hand climber hear. But I find it to limiting for bow hunting where I live. Prefer a LW hang on. Not climbing a tree this year.
I try not to, but use the Summit Bushmaster (open shot) some times. Prefer hang-ons.
I have one but rarely use it mainly because I have a hard time finding trees that will work with it where I hunt.
Been hunting out of ladders since switching to Traditional. Gonna give climbers a try some this year. Lone Wolf hand climber and Sumitt Open Shot. Got a great deal on the Sumitt used. Figure I will give them both a try.
Bill
Im using a climber for the first time this year. Heck this will be my first year ever hunting from a tree. This will also be my first year hunting Whitetail deer also this will be my first year in the last 25 or so to hunt deer. Ive been chasing hogs most of my life. Just retired and moved to Arkansas so its time to take up deer hunting again. Well back to the climber.
I have purchased a X-Stand sit and climb The hole setup weighs 11.5 pounds. Ive been out for the past two months climbing trees and practicing from the stand. This the first stand i have ever had so i cant compare it to others but i can say i like it very much and the weight is very easy on the back.
All my bow hunting is done from my summit bushmaster and my lone wolf hand climber, I tried blinds but the deer here in pa are smart and are very nervous around them. Plus I dont own my own ground or I would leave them so the deer could get used to them but I feel weird not hunting out of my tree stands.
Lone wolf my fav, easy to set up, easy to pack. No issue shooting out of it.
Lone Wolf climber
I bought a nice Summit climber many years ago. I have used it 3-4 times. If I hunted public land I'd use it more.
Touching on what Bowwild stated, I hunt mostly public so I have to be mobile. I bought a new Summit Specialist last season and as far as shooting you would be hard pressed to beat it. It's not as comfortable as my Ole Man Vision was but is fine for a 5 hr sit. At 16 lbs I can throw it on my back and head deep past all the Yuppies.
I have both, and use them for different situations. I like hang-ons, but with my limited population and public land style hunting i can't afford enough hang-ons for the flexibility in location to cover wind and food and rut changes. I find the climber gives me the most flexibility in a small package. I have used a summit viper and now have an open shot. I had to stand in the viper and keep the top by my feet to shoot effectively. I am looking forward to using the open shot with no bar this year.
I have a Summit Viper but find myself using my Lone Wolf Assault the most when hunting with Traditional gear.
I used a lone wolf hand climber exclusively for five yrs. Went up and down a hundred trees. Very stickbow friendly. Don't rush going up and down, Figure being at your tree 20 min early and being on the ground 20 min later.
I have used climbers for years. Mostly a smaller Summit viper. They have their time and place, just as do hang-on stands and ground blinds. I do feel more confident in a climber-- they seem solid to me.
Just got a Lone Wolf....don't know how I ever lived without it.