Tree Stand Suggestions and Tips for FNG

[PShep93]

Hey all,

I am still very new to hunting (adult onset hunter) and I am looking for tree stand suggestions and any helpful tips you can provide on how to best utilize them.

I will be going for whitetail (late season archery) north of Spokane WA this year. My plan right now is to set up two tree stands on public/timber company land. I have just begun my scouting process and will be putting out trail cams this weekend to hopefully get a good idea of where to position my tree stands.

So my question is what type of tree stand would be best? Hang-on, ladder, or self climbing? I am hoping to find a solid spot and just keep my stand where it is throughout the season but I would like the ability to move it if necessary. Then based on the type, what make/model would you all suggest that won't break the bank (under or around $250 a piece)?

Then any tips or tricks you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cedarsavage]

If I'm mobile I like my lone wolf, expensive but worth it for portability and silent use. If I'm mobile in straight limbless trees I really like my climber cuz it's one of the few stands I find comfortable. I use a linemen's belt for hang and hunts, and set up a prussic knot system for a pre-hung stand. Biggest thing is safety, I try not to leave the ground without being tied off one way or another. It's better for alot of reasons, once you've hung a stand with a linemen's belt you'll never wanna do it without it. For pre-hung, I buy the cheapest stands I can find, because most of them aren't very comfortable anyway, and there's always a chance someone rips it off, so that way I'm not out a ton of money. I personally like more than a couple stands, I usually have trees prepped for a couple stands at each spot for varying winds, so I can hunt there one way or another when the time is right regardless of what the wind is doing. If I had the funds to buy two stands at $250 each, ($500) I'd probably buy as many sportsman's guide bargain stands, sticks and prussic setups as I could, and maybe down the line buy a nice mobile setup. I'd imagine that would get you six or so total setups. I really don't like doing hang and hunts when it's real cold and I need a ton of layers. We usually are somewhere between 0 and 20's late season, so we need alot of crap to stay warm.

What is late season there, December?

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Whatever stand you end up please include a harness in your budget. Stay safe.

 

[PShep93]

If I'm mobile I like my lone wolf, expensive but worth it for portability and silent use. If I'm mobile in straight limbless trees I really like my climber cuz it's one of the few stands I find comfortable. I use a linemen's belt for hang and hunts, and set up a prussic knot system for a pre-hung stand. Biggest thing is safety, I try not to leave the ground without being tied off one way or another. It's better for alot of reasons, once you've hung a stand with a linemen's belt you'll never wanna do it without it. For pre-hung, I buy the cheapest stands I can find, because most of them aren't very comfortable anyway, and there's always a chance someone rips it off, so that way I'm not out a ton of money. I personally like more than a couple stands, I usually have trees prepped for a couple stands at each spot for varying winds, so I can hunt there one way or another when the time is right regardless of what the wind is doing. If I had the funds to buy two stands at $250 each, ($500) I'd probably buy as many sportsman's guide bargain stands, sticks and prussic setups as I could, and maybe down the line buy a nice mobile setup. I'd imagine that would get you six or so total setups. I really don't like doing hang and hunts when it's real cold and I need a ton of layers. We usually are somewhere between 0 and 20's late season, so we need alot of crap to stay warm.

What is late season there, December?

Appreciate your insight.

Late season here will be end of November-early December.

 

[PShep93]

Whatever stand you end up please include a harness in your budget. Stay safe.

Absolutely!

 

[Fridaythe13th]

I agree 100% on the lone wolf. If there is a bunch of straight tree with not many branches it is a great tree stand. I like ladder stands but its really nice if you can back the pickup to the tree to put them up, if you have to haul a long distance it can be brutal with 1 person. Ive had deer walk between the ladder and the tree. Hang on stands ( diving boards as a friend of mine calls them ) work well, putting them up can be a challenge but super nice if you get a late start in the morning or evening and dont have time to run a climber up a tree. Most of my hang on stands have been under $60 if you look for deals.

 

[Alchemy]

Lone wolf with 4 LW sticks. I like the Alpha personally, not much more weight and I love the larger platform personally. Skip heavy hang ons, climbers, they are a waste of time. I have 3 lone wolf set ups for mobile hunting and on my home place we have ladder stands for the established spots, only way to go..... if your gonna hunt public just get a nice mobile setup. Here is some must haves in my opinion to make your experience safe, stealthy, and enjoyable:
-harness (I use the muddy, any will do)
-linesman belt
-safeline
-550 para pull up rope
-silky folder limb saw
-I always bring 2 screw in steps in bottom of my pack, sometimes you need a little more height, sometimes the tree splits and it’s safer to have steps on both splits for ease of getting up, and sometimes you just forget your bow hanger!

 

[RedSnow]

I love my X stand ultralite climber it's 12 pounds and I can drag it way back. They also have a "traditional" Aluminum climber that I think weighs 15 or so pounds. Both can be had for around $150. I think if it was my first climber I'd go with the Aluminum traditional climber as it's easier to climb... I was thinking about buying it too haha. As for hang on stands get them cheap and put locks on them.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Lone Wolf climber has been my go to stand for over 12 years. On public ground, it would be my only choice. I don’t want to broadcast where I hunt and don’t want the stand to vanish.
I will also echo, wear a safety harness at all times.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Appreciate your insight.

Late season here will be end of November-early December.

If you're new to treestand hunting whitetails. Id check out the hunting public on youtube, and buy one of the eberhart books. Different people think different things about eberhart's scentlok, but nobody can deny he's killed a pile of great bucks in tough to hunt areas. That time of year I'd be focused on food near cover. Here, food in that time frame is usually chest high re-growth whips. It makes it hard to scout based on last year's sign because food changes so much year to year. I'd focus as much effort on the november portion as I could. It could very well be different in your area, but here the last week of November is the best for chasing. If it's cold late november, you'll probably find does in food, and if you find does in november you'll probably find bucks. I'd like to know how this shakes out...I lived in Camas for awhile and knew a guy who hunted whitetails near coville, but I only hunted my area when I was out there. Spokane seemed pretty cool from the little I saw of it.

 

[Rich M]

I don't like to leave my stands in the woods - 1 - someone might steal it and 2 - someone might start hunting in that area. No sense leaving a calling card for folks.

How long do you plan on sitting? If just a couple hours am/pm, then you can use just about anything.

Lone Wolf XOP stands are nice and light, quiet but not the most comfortable. Best used with sticks.

I have a Millennium M100U. Has a very comfortable seat - very nice compared to the little block of foam seats many stands have.

IF the trees are usually straight and you can wrap your arms around them, an aluminum Summit Viper would put you in a lighter stand and a comfortable stand - self climbing. This is the easiest of the bunch - a little noisier and not as good if trying to set up 50 yards from a bedded buck like the Lone Wolf was designed for. But for regular hunting, these are probably the most popular stands out there.

 

[KChunter71]

Love my lone wolf and stick for being mobile.

Ladder stands at my more permanent spots on private


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[Brendan]

If you're only buying one stand (and I would start this way before investing in more) - buy a Lone Wolf Alpha Hang On. More versatile than a climber like the Alpha Hand-Climber. I have friends who've gotten rid of all their cheaper stands and just run these. It's actually the only stand I have right now.

For climbing sticks - get 4 Hawk Helium. I like the double steps better than the Lone Wolf, more flexible if you decide you want to get into using a saddle.

If you want to invest in a harness as opposed to use something cheap, I'd get a Tethrd Mantis our Aerohunter Kestrel Tree Saddle. They can do double as a normal harness too and are more flexible in the tree (Think leaning back out from your stand while facing the tree so you can shoot behind the stand).

Then get / make a lineman's belt and tree tether, and some ropes / clips to hang stuff in the tree.

With that setup, you can hunt any tree, anywhere.

Oh - and go climb some trees to practice. It's like a Monkey F*****g a football my first climb of the year in the dark when the season opens. Every time...

 

[*zap*]

Different types of stands will work better depending on the situation. Practice with your choice and shoot from the stand a lot to get comfortable with height and your accuracy/sight picture. I hear a lot of people on forums talk about mobile pack in/out hunting but over the last dozen years I have never seen someone pack a stand/sticks on the public land in Kansas/Missouri and can count on one hand the people I have seen packing a climber. Most folks set up and leave it there. So, your choice needs to be specific for how you hunt. No sense leaving high $ gear in the woods.

 

[bowhunt]

lone wolf hard to beat

 

[Scottyboy]

Check your state regs to make sure you can leave stands on public land...here in Minnesota it’s a no go, meaning if your stand is left anyone can freely/legally walk out of the woods with your gear.

That aside, I would also agree in that you are broadcasting to others where you are hunting, if I see a temporary stand (climber) for extended periods of time, I to get curious why they have been there for so long

 

[KChunter71]

Check your state regs to make sure you can leave stands on public land...here in Minnesota it’s a no go, meaning if your stand is left anyone can freely/legally walk out of the woods with your gear.

That aside, I would also agree in that you are broadcasting to others where you are hunting, if I see a temporary stand (climber) for extended periods of time, I to get curious why they have been there for so long

Must be why I see Minnesota and Michigan truck in Northern Missouri!


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[Ace12]

Any stand with a saddle style seat and not a bench seat is 10x more comfortable imo

 

[PShep93]

Appreciate everyone's input, does anyone have any experience with the XOP air raid or vanish? They seem pretty comparable to the lone wolf but at a lower price point.

 

[WannabeHunter]

Any stand that you can get into the air about 15-20' will work. I personally use field and stream lock-on stands and they are legit. Feature packed and solid built. Cheaper than most of the stand mentioned and go on sale all the time. I have seen them as low as $75. https://www.fieldandstreamshop.com/...xxxtsbx/15fnsufstmbrlnxxxtsbx?uniqueID=722846

I'll echo all the safety stuff mentioned. Plus add that if you're using a climber or lock-on in a pine/conifer that lots of timber companies plant, be very cautious. The bark can be thick but very brittle. It can give way without warning and not provide a strong hold for stands to bite into. I never use a climber in a pine and rarely use a lock-on (I only use ladders if hunting in a pine).

Welcome to the addiction and good luck!