Tree stand?

[Calbuck]

I'm new to archery and looking at tree stands. Curious what people are using and what brands are showing better results than others? Post up your opinions please!

 

[bwlacy]

There are so many choices. What do you want to do with a stand? Hang it and leave it for the season, pack it in every sit, move often? Do you want a big platform? What is your budget? Climber or hang on with climbing sticks? Lot's of good brands out there, really depends on what you want to do with it and how much money do you want to spend. I currently have about 20 in the barn and have been using stands since the late 80's. I really like Lone Wolf and Millenium stands for hang on. Also own some Gorrilla, Muddy, Hawk, and some other cheap ones I can't remember the brands. Also have a couple Summit climbers.

 

[cg2737]

Where I live in upstate NY I primarily hunt out of stands for Whitetail. I have several cheap stands that I leave out in the woods the entire season ( big game, ameristep and a couple other brands). I mostly hunt out of my Lone Wolf Climber. I have a sit and climb and a hand climber. I use the sit and climb on long sits and the hand climber when I am hiking in a ways to lighten the load. I also have a Lone Wolf Alfa II with Lone Wolf Climbing sticks that I use in areas that I want to hunt that do not have trees that I can use my climber on. I prefer Lone Wolf treestands, they are well built and light.

Like BWLACY said, figure out what you are looking to spend and how you want to use a stand, that will narrow down the answers you will get.

 

[KH_bowfly]

I agree with the posts above; it definitely helps to get one (or more) suited to your needs and also where you will be hunting.

I have a big game and a muddy vantage. I like the muddy much better for weight, packability and quiet. I like the vantage system and the ability to pop the stand into the plate instead of holding the stand and trying to strap it (safer in my mind).

I am glad to have to big game stand because it has a bigger platform. I started with it and thought it was small at first but got used to it and now am fine with the smaller platform on the muddy. I also set my wife up in the tree with me sometimes with the big game so she has the bigger platform.

For sticks I would go with 3-steps if you can leave them for a while. I can't say enough about the muddy 2-steps with rope straps though. I always use them. They are ridiculously quiet.

My buddy uses a lone wolf climber and likes it. I haven't tried one yet.

 

[mrbillbrown]

Over the years I've tried a bunch of different size, style, and price stands. I only have a Lone Wolf Hand Climber and a Lone Wolf Assault II W/sticks now. They're a little more expensive than most but the light weight and quiet function of both have served me better than any others I've used. Btw, I carry in and out every hunt.

 

[Calbuck]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm leaning toward a climber for moving around a lot. Price isn't too much of an issue.

 

[kpk]

I have 2 lone wolf alphas, and 1 of the smaller lone wolf stands (can't remember the smaller one's name). Lone wolf stands will hang in just about any tree and can be leveled out, easy to hang with different options, and super light for how big they are. I hunt all private land and still lock them though, they aren't cheap. If I hunted public land I'd definitely be packing it out everytime or using the cheapest stands I could find.

I had a Summit Viper for 1 season and absolutely hated it. It was heavy, noisy, and took forever to actually get up a tree with it--once you found a tree you could use it in. I can hang 4 lone wolf sticks and a lone wolf stand in probably 1/3 of the time it took me in the viper. The viper was lazy-boy comfy though once you got it situated. I still hated hauling and setting that thing up so much that the comfort wasn't worth it by a long shot.

 

[milunchbox]

lone wolf climbers are sweet but pricey. i got one while they were made in china for a little bit, then had some warrenty work done and it came back made in USA. They are really light and easy to use, plus i can sit all day if i need to.

 

[ST52v]

What ever stand you pic practice with it a few times at home on different size trees. You have to start the stand on a angel not level. As you climb the tree gets smaller and it will level out hopefully at the end of your pull up rope. Practice shooting too. Stand tall and draw to your anchor forming a T. Then bend at the waist until you are on target. If you point the bow down at the target and draw you will shoot high every time.

 

[Calbuck]

Good tips! Thank you all!

 

[charvey9]

I have a few on public land, so I use the cheap ones from Sportsmen's Guide. The ones with the armrests are far more comfortable/secure if you are going to sit in them all day. A bit heavier, but no big loss if they get stolen/vandalized. I use screw in tree steps to get them set up, then take out the steps out when I leave and hide them near the stand. It takes about 2 minutes to get them back in when I return to hunt. Nothing is full proof, but at least deters most would be thieves.

I like to find a group of 2-3 close together and pick one of those with the best shooting lanes to put my stand in. Some may not agree, but I prefer the additional cover and being able to hang my bow and gear within arms reach on the adjacent trees.