IMO, trying to make one trip up the tree is the most overrated thing in all of mobile hunting. It can certainly be done, but it's cumbersome, can be noisy, more dangerous, generally more difficult and thus you get more sweated up, and doesn't offer any measurable benefit that helps you kill a deer. One extra trip and up down the tree is not going to be the difference maker in killing a deer or not. Typically, I get to my tree, take off my pack and bino harness, set my bow down, take off my jacket if I'm wearing one, then go up the tree hanging my sticks and platform as I go. When I get to the top, I get my tether situated, my HYS strap, or any hooks I'm screwing in, then I climb down. At that point I will put my jacket back on, bino harness, hook my bow to my rope, then climb up and get ready to hunt. Doing it all in one trip is just something that people do to try and be cool and brag about it on the Internet or to their friends.
I will disagree with Justin on the one trip thing. But i get why he does more then 1 trip, probably because the amount of gear he has, like the camera gear. I have never done a hang and hunt with more then 1 trip up a tree. No matter what method i use. I didn't even know it was a thing to be the 1 trip guy. So my procedure is to pack my gear in the way i use it. The pack is last thing i take off when setting up. So pack goes on me first, then my lockon on my pack, then sticks on top of stand. The only thing to touch the ground when i get to the tree is my bow and the sticks while i unwrap them. Sticks are on with a bungee cord, which i can reach while on my back. Attach my pull up line to bow on ground. I use 3 - 24" sticks with aiders. Put up sticks as i climb. Once i get to my platform hight, i attach my teather to my saddle and hang from that while I set my lock on. I have a quick connection system i use to attach my lock on to pack. Just reach over my head and grab stand off my pack. Climb on stand, set my hooks in the tree, then hang my pack, then pull up bow. Im ready to hunt.
Going back to the saddle today. Going to take my time getting up the tree and set up. Got my pack all set up.
Still having trouble feeling comfortable. I will give it a couple more tries, but think I might end up going back to a light hang on again.
