Lone Wolf hang-on and XOP sticks... Been watching a lot of youtube vids and climbing methods. Stand and sticks a little heavier than I was thinking. Used the hang-on last year with a ladder type stick, just set and forget out on my property, just needed to carry my bow in and out....was easy and fast. (spoiled me) Tried out the sticks Saturday, and wasn't terrible, but pretty hot out. Got to 18'-ish pretty easy really and not much if any more time than my climber, but a bit cumbersome being new at them. How do you climb with sticks, stand, and bow ? ...Want to try a few more places. Looking for easy, and fast....54 years old, somewhat in shape, 200 lb. and 6'...LOL
I climb with my bow on the ground and use 550 cord to pull it up pretty quick. I know they have slings too If I’m using a hang on I just have it on my back with ruck straps Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ive been using a mobile stand since 2013 when I got my Alpha II and 4 LW sticks for a special draw hunt .... Ive got around 30 portables, 2 climbers and all I use is the LW. .... I now have 4 Tetherd Skeletor sticks and a 2 step aider, to lighten the load some .... you need to develop your own climbing style/method/procedure and by all means always use a good linemans rope going up/down and allow time to set up and get down .. DO NOT RUSH !! ..... btw, I 'prolly set/reset the stand/ sticks 30+ times a season , sometimes moving after a morning hunt I use two haul ropes, one for the stand/one for the bow .... I also use a fanny pack instead of a day pack as it happens to have pockets where I need them .... once I get to the tree, I'll pull every thing off, set it down (if snow, clear a small spot ), arrange it for easy reach, etc. ... I'll set the first stick and depending on the height I want to get to, I'll either use the aider or not. ... since the Skeletors are shorter than the LW's, that is where the aider will help ... I'll set the two lower sticks then come down, once I start climbing from stick one on, I ALWAYS us my linemans belt/rope ... at that point I'll attach the two haul ropes to my fanny pack, one rope on each hip as so they wont tangle, as I go up, stand on one side, bow on the other, I'll set stick 3 and 4 .... once I'm at height, I'll strap on the Hook for the Alpha II (I use the hook strap hanging system). .... I'll then haul up the stand, set it on the hook, and proceed to strap it tight ... I'll reposition my linemans rope, clip my bow haul rope to the stand and climb on... I'll then attach my tree rope/harness and un hook the linemans rope, pull the bow up and settle in ....
I'll strap the fanny pack to the stand for the walk in, the bungee's are for support of the fanny pack and for when I strap on my heavy cold weather coat/bibs, etc .. the stand harness system is the original from Game Plan Gear (another company is now making it)....
I've never really understood the infatuation with trying to do everything in a single trip up the tree. Yes, I can do it, but saving a minute or two of time has never been worth the aggravation to me. Most of the time I'm dressing light(ish) on the pack in, so I have clothing (jacket + insulating layer) strapped onto my stand or stuffed in my pack. When I get to my tree I like to hang the sticks while wearing the least amount of gear possible. I set my sticks as I go up the tree, then use a single pull-up rope to hoist and set my stand. I then drop one end of that rope to the ground to be used for my bow. I then climb down, cool off for a minute, finish suiting up, then climb the tree. I would rather be slow, quiet, and comfortable than fast, loud, and sweaty.
I'm 59 and this will be my 3rd season with Sticks and Predator Platform, Agree with what Justin said in his post. I usually will make 2-3 trips up/down before I get settle in, sometimes I'll set my tree that evening and back out to get an early hunt in. Here in TX come OCT. its still up in the 90's and afternoon hunts are not enjoyable. I use Hawk Helium 20", Phantom Saddle and Platform. If I want to get a lil higher I have a 33" 3 step stick that I might carry in with me and leave on the tree. I do have Versa Hangers for my sticks and always use with a Platforn hanger all connected to my Phanton Saddle. Got them from Genesis 3D printing. ( support local busines) This is my Public Hunting setup. Able to be mobile,. This yr I have a lease and will set 2 20' ft climbing sticks something like ( https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/big-game-treestands-quick-stick-climbing-system) real cheap and use my platform and saddle to hunt out of. With my Mobile Public Hunting setup I still can move to another tree or area if need be. I also use a 25' bow rope and clip it to my belt, once i'm up the tree and got everthing set I will pull my bow up. After a few times you'll figure out a system that works for you. It's all trial and error. Good luck this fall. DH https://genesis3dprinting.com/collections/climbing-stick-products https://genesis3dprinting.com/collections/platform-hangers
I don't know how you guys use the one step sticks. I bought the lone wolf sticks a few years ago and quickly decided I didn't like those at all. Standing on one foot is for the birds. I used the hawk sticks last year and having both feet be able to stand on a step is nice. I just bought the Tethrd One sticks so I'm ready to give them a try this year. My boy hunts with me alot now. So I set the sticks up an climb up with his stand (LW) and I just use my saddle.
I've been a Lone Wolf stick user for almost 20 years and never had an issue with only having one step per side. Sometimes it's nice to have two, but it's never really bothered me to not have it. With that said, I'll be using Tethrd One sticks this year for all of my mobile/saddle hunts and am really looking forward to it. These things are legit! Just need to get a couple of aiders ordered up since they're not quite as long as I'm used to. (that's what she said)
I like the idea of a saddle... but don't know how comfortable I could get being hanging from a rope. Hang-on is already sketchy in my book.
I used a "caddy" to carry my sticks up the tree and the stand on my back... Then had a pull up rope to my pack/bow. It worked but was always a pita to stay quiet in my experience. I am going full saddle this year. I opted to go the one sticking route as mu climbing method, then repel out of the tree at the end of the hunt. I mulled over using sticks and a platform but honestly, it just didn't make sense to me to do so given the weights of the sticks and platform adding up to almost what a high end hang on and sticks would weigh. Justin i'll be curious to see how the new ONE sticks make out this year. I tried the gen ones and loved the weight of them, but the lack of foot space for my size 13 shoe kept me from buying them.
I've been watching videos of guys rappelling. I'll be trying it this year as well. Looks much easier than moving my line men's belt all the way down the tree.
I'm pretty much the same. I do kinda try to make it one trip but I'm 100% not in any kind of hurry. As a matter of fact I've noticed taking my time and not getting all flustered on speed winds up being faster and less mistakes. I've always been a climber guy. Picked up a piece of property where a climber just wasn't gonna work unless I wanted to hunt 6-8' up. I bought a LW hang on in 2019 my first year on this property and just hated life that whole season. I HATED hanging sticks and I HATE hauling a big cumbersome hang on 20' up a tree. I got a routine and with practice the sticks became tolerable but the stand was a thorn in my side. I can't help you with the stand because I hated it so much I sold it and went saddle, but I know saddle isn't technically what we're talking about. On the sticks though with practice they get better and ditching the straps and buckles and going rope mod changed my life. I always tightened the straps down in order to wrap them up for transport. So next hunt I'd get to a tree and it was too short and I'd have to lengthen it and the strap would fall down the tree and I'd fiddle with it to get it back straight, etc. Not too bad on the bottom stick while standing on the ground but a stick or two up it was a hassle to me. I not a super duper noise freak but clanking around was even too much noise for me but mainly the hassle. I don't really get hot or cold but have to cover my whole body if nothing else just for the permethrin treated clothing. However, even though I'm not much of a sweater, I can get sweaty rushing up a tree. Hunting in the SE we don't even really get "winter" until Feb and our deer season is over 1st Sunday of Jan. I don't even own what you'd really call "winter" hunting gear. I have hunting pants and a short sleeve shirt and a long sleeve shirt. So I can't really carry extra clothes and put them on after I get set. Anything less than what I hunt in would be shorts and no shirt. LOL! I'm definitely not walking thru all those ticks in that. LOL! I still deal with ticks and snakes thru Dec.
100% I have almost all set stands, but if I’m shotgunning a stand I’m not worried about doing it all in one trip up the tree. I want to enjoy my hunt and not huff and puff and sit in a pool of sweaty clothes I have to change out of. And for me, I sweat easily and I sweat a lot so once I get going it takes a lot for me to cool off. I get in early and take my sweet old time and enjoy my surroundings. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
