Found a piece of public land I really like, scouted it on Tuesday and plan to hunt it this weekend. As a result, I caved and bought Lone Wolf climbing sticks and the LW Alphatech F1 hang on. I've never hunted mobile like this before. Aside from using my HSS harness and linemen's belt, what tips do you guys have for me?
If it's your first time setting them up I would bring along a buddy, makes it easier to have someone to hand you the different stuff and be there incase
if ya got a tree at home to practice on.. do it... also.. when hanging the stand I climb the sticks first, attach the safety harness tree belt to the tree above where I want the stand with a carabeener attached, line from the stand thru the carabeener, pull it up and tie it off at the height I want, then strap the stand to the tree without having to support the weight of the stand at the same time.... the stores sell a pulley with strap to do the same thing.. but a carabeener is cheeper
I use a Lone Wolf EZ hang hook but Smoke has a good idea. Anything to save energy while hanging will mean quieter and less sweat. Quiet is better than fast when being mobile in my opinion. Speed will come with time as you develop a good routine. I do like to go up in one trip if possible. I have paracord loops on the side my harness to hang 2 sticks. I hang the first one, then grab the second and start up (always using my lineman's belt). I have two pull up ropes going to my pack and bow. I like how some guys use a rope to their pack then daisy chained to their bow. I may start doing that to minimize and chance of a tangle on the way up.
^This. After you get the mechanics down you can focus more on efficiency, quietness and speed...but you really don't want to be fumbling around if you can avoid it.
I don't use a LW but I have the Muddy and sticks. I hang my first stick then connect all the remaining sticks by the straps that hang them from the tree. I tie off my bow with a rope and tie off my stand with my lifeline. Next, I secure myself to the tree with my linesmen belt and start up I alway place my next stick inside my harness and continue in the up direction replacing the stick in my harness after I detach the one I'm hanging. once I'm up as far as I can go I put in place my stand hanger strap thingy. I strap it near the bottom of my final stick. this will give you a better and safer approach to entering you stand. I have my lifeline attached to the strap on my harness thats suppose to be attached to the line. I then pull up the stand and attach it to the tree. once this is secure I untie the knot and secure the life line above my stand. Now I'm ready to enter the stand. once there I remove my pack and and hang it on the the top of my last stick. remove my bow hanging hook and secure it to the tree. Now I'm ready for my bow. Now, this sound easy enough on paper, but trust me it rarely goes as plan. I suggest that you don't worry about pulling your bow and whatever up in one trip. Meaning, just plan on making a 2nd trip down to retrieve your bow and what not. I think you will feel a lot safer and confident without all the other distractions, like a bow banging against you sticks or the two lines getting twisted together. It might even do you legs justice by standing on firm ground for a few seconds. One more important thing to tell you. Like most woods there will be plenty of undergrowth around you choosen tree. I strongly suggest pulling, cutting away or breaking them down from the base of your tree before you do anything. there's nothing worse then getting halfway up to find yourself anchored to the ground by a cord wrapped around a sapling or bush of some sort. or your bow gets tangled in it as well.
