What tree stand?

[whitingja]

So I am wanting to try a tree stand over a wallow for this next elk season. Never have used a tree stand, and was wondering what tree stand people suggest that have experience with them. I will be packing it 3 miles in during the pre-season to ditch it there, so I want a light one. Any suggestions are welcome. And yes, I plan on using a safety harness, can you suggest any? Thanks.

 

[realunlucky]

Think about how long you plan to sit each time you hunt it. Comfortable stands are bigger and cost more. I can endure a few hours on any stand but all day sits require quality

 

[whitingja]

I plan on hunting the mornings on foot, then sit from 10am til dark, so comfort is probably an issue.

 

[JeremiahH]

I picked up a gorilla silverback scout hx specifically for it's weight. It's 10.5 lbs aluminum hang on stand.

 

[realunlucky]

Larger platforms let you shuffle your feet around a bit. Make sure the seat is fair wider than your arse or it will go numb. Get a good cushion. What are you doing for steps? Screw in or sticks or?

 

[whitingja]

Not sure on the steps. No ladder, too much weight

 

[wapitibob]

I bought a summit viper 2 years ago and would buy another one without hesitation.

 

[Lawnboi]

I'm a lone wolf fan, have owned and used a number of others and IMO the lone wolf is the way to go if you have the funds.
If your packing, nothing beats a lone wolf. Quality and quietness are also factors I look for in a tree stand and the lone wolf is arguably the quietest stand you can buy.

What type of trees are you going up in your desired location? If aspens or other straight trees with few branches I prefer a climber. I use a climber around home now the majority of the time.

If your going to be climbing pines your going to need a hang on with sticks.

Don't forget a safety harness!
E

 

[Lawnboi]

Another thing to consider is, people like to steal tree stand as much as they do trail cams. I wouldn't leave my stand out in the woods on public ground

 

[Shrek]

I pretty much live in a tree stand where I hunt and I've settled on the Summit viper/goliath . All welded aluminum without any mechanical joints to squiek or come loose and cables that conform to the tree so it doesn't slip. Comfortable suspended seat that can adjust up and down some to get it right. Cables adjust and secure without any moving parts to loose. They may not be the best for archery because they have an enclose front but you can use them .

 

[NEhunter]

I just sold a summit viper climber but will say that it was the most comfortable stand I ever sat in. Would be perfect for all day sits and you don't have to worry about steps.

 

[Eagle]

Lone Wolf Alpha or if you can handle the small platform the Lone Wolf Assault. I've used an Alpha for 6 years now, sat dark to dark in it many times while waiting on a buck on public ground. The muddy bloodsport could also be an option based off of weight, but I've never used one personally.

 

[RockChucker30]

The bigger millennium stands are really good. For a harness take a look at the BD Alpine Bod mountaineering harness. Way cheaper and way more comfortable than a tree stand harness.

 

[E-2]

I currently use a Summit climber with the open front. A lock-on with climbing sticks is the direction I am headed. Too many times I get to the area I want to hunt and there are no trees that I can use a climber on, so the lock-on combo would work better.

Harness - Personally I would stay away from Gorilla harnesses. I felt like the straps and buckles needed constant adjustment because they came loose. I have good luck and durability with Hunter's safety system harnesses. They have saved me more than I care to admit.

 

[mtswampfox]

just a quick warning if you buy used, check the welds..been lots of discussion on other forums of cracked welds on viper stands. have two myself would sell but am not going to ship. they are comfortable and safe . just dont use mine anymore .

 

[blb078]

Are you wanting a climber or a hangon that you plan to leaving there w/locks? How big are you also? Light sounds good in theory, but with light also comes reduced size. You have to remember that if you're not comfortable then you're not going to be using it very long which is why I don't suggest going with a light one for all day sits, a couple hours here and there they are fine though. For a climber it's hard to beat a Summit Viper SD(if you're a bigger guy go with a Summit Goliath SD) or a Treewalker Pro Mag. Both are going to be in the 18-20lb range. The Treewalker will be a tad bigger and a tad lighter actually. For a hang on I'd go with a API Deluxe Baby Grand, that's also going to be about 20lbs. You can get 10lb tree stands and such but you're probably not going to sit in them all day long. I currently own all 3 of these along w/a few others and all of them offer the comfort for an all day sit. With the Summits you can probably get one of last years models new on ebay for a fairly good deal. With a hangon you will have to add a couple more pounds and money for climbing sticks so even if you get a light weight stand once you add the sticks in you wont be far off from a climber. You will have more tree options w/a hang on though.

API http://www.apioutdoors.com/products/afp103-a-deluxe-baby-grand.html
Summit http://www.summitstands.com/viper-sd-climbing-treestand
Treewalker http://www.treewalkertreestands.com/detail.asp?sku=ProMag&r1=chillpad&r2=armpads&r3=gunholder

 

[tim tarras]

For a hang on stand I really like my Millenium M-100. Nice and comfortable for all day sit. I also like the bracket system for hanging them as it is alot easier to strap a 1# bracket to the tree instead of dealing with the whole stand up in the air.

 

[Birddog]

I've owned and hunted out of a truck load of tree stands...Lone wolf, ol man, millennium, gorilla, api, bone collector, etc. Various models of each. Right now I'm hunting out of milleniums and a lone wolf assault climber. I've thought a lot about what you're talking about as I do virtually the same thing with whitetails here in AR. Far and away the most comfortable is the millennium m100 (150 is new and looks nice). If bowhunting the m100 has you reclined slightly, but I've killed plenty of deer out of it. The shackle system is nice as you could have a couple of trees set up for the wallow (depending on the wind) and have your stand laying on the ground hidden someplace along with a lightweight set of steps (lone wolf for sure). That way all you have that's visible is the shackle 20 feet up a tree with no way for anyone to steal it. Your stand and steps are nearby and ready for you when you get there late morning, and will take you all of 10 minutes or less to hang and sit down. Screw ins are probably illegal on public property, but they're slippery anyway when you get frost. My.02.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

For your application, I think a hang-on stand is the best choice. I hear guys always talking about the Gorilla brand as well, so might give them a hard look.

For steps I always used the screw in style w/ a couple sets of removable starter steps that I take w/ me just to keep the "strays" out of my stand. The starter steps I use are the kind that slip onto a lag bolt you screw into the tree. A cordless impact drill & the right socket makes short work of installation, but you can wrench them in the old fashioned way if you choose to go light.
Hunt'nFish

 

[Bigfeet]

Millenium gets my vote too. Used and sat in many stands over the years and just got a Millenium this fall. Most comfortable stand I have used.