I am looking to purchase some hang on stands and maybe one ladder stand. But what are some good hang on stands and climbing sticks for a decent price? I am about 6'3 and 250 pds.
I got a LOC ON, LEM model hang on tree stand off Craigslist for 35 bucks. It's an older one but I hung it on my tree in the front yard and jumped up and down, it's solid. Bought some 70 dollar climbing sticks from Cabelas. Price is a big factor in my choice of hunting equipment. There's a lot of really good light weight sticks/stands out there but they definitely cost more.
I am also in the market for a couple of hangon's and price is a big thing for me. I like gorillas King Kong stand. seems well made, light weight and easy to put up from reviews on the internet. they are less than 100 bucks can't beat that. let us know what you finally decide on.
I picked up 3 Ameristeps back in '10 from wally world, paid $30 each. Other than a small platform they are nice for the price. I also have one of their 2 man ladder stands and absolutely love it, paid $90. I do not have the sticks they sell at wally world but I do have some Muddy sticks. One of the best out there. I have one custom made ladder stand that is very well built(made by Missouri prisoners bought through Dept. of Corrections). Very heavy! Like this but with side camo bags and padded back rest.
I hunted out of a LOC-ON for a few years, it was tiny, but worked well. Shot my first bow deer out of one infact. Then I bought a Lone Wolf. After a year of hunting out of it, I sold all my other stands to buy a second LW. They Aren't cheap, but are worth it IMO. Next to being solid, the biggest reason I like them is that they are quiet, no matter the temp. Might not be a problem for you in KY, but once the temps got frosty, all my other stands got creeky and loud.
For cheap I bought two Comfort Zone hang ons from ****ssportinggoods. They were $30 each but I have yet to use them. They will go on public land where they have a shot at being stolen. I have 2 Gorilla King Kong hang ons. I love them for the price. Very sturdy, easy to hang, and comfortable. They make a few different sizes if you are looking for a bigger platform. As for climbing steps check out Cabelas. They always have steps or sticks on sale. Big Game makes affordable steps. I have some but have not used them yet. I also have some Gorilla steps and I love them. They were about $17 a section at Bass Pro.
This has been very helpful., thank you all. Lords will I will let you know what I decide on and how it goes.
I have purchased several over the years and will only hunt out of my Lone Wolf now. Actually looking to pick up 2 more this summer. For the quality and packability you cant beat them!
I have 2 LW Alpha's, 3 Millennium's, 1 Ol' Man The Roost. My first choice is the Millennium for all day comfort. There is no way a LW beats it. The LW however exceeds the Millennium in terms of always keeping you in the game. Not comfortable enough to fall asleep in so you are always ready. When deer come its a quick stand up and flip the seat up and your ready for anything. They are both very light and easy to move around. The Millennium you can't adjust the platform which could cause an issue. The Ol Man is not worth wasting time or money on. Doesn't sit well and is very heavy. FYI, I saw Millennium came out with a smaller hang-on the M50. Adjustable platform and seat. Little heavier but with the receiver bracket it really doesn't matter. Hang the bracket and then just drop the stand in place.
Looked at muddy today at bass pro, looked nice. Off topic a bit but does anyone bow hunt out of ladder stands or does it spook deer to easy?
We have at least one ladder stand on all but one of the properties that we hunt. Deer have been shot from all of them. I had a buck come in and almost brush against the ladder of the stand I was sitting in last year on his way through. I shot him walking away. They don't seem to mind them at all
I usually get some big game stands. I have had several expensive lock-ons stolen on both private and public. Honestly, if I'm going to leave it in the woods I wont spend much money on it any more.
I'm 6'4" 260 and the most comfortable stand to fit my size I've found to date is the big game boss XL. It's heavy, it's a pain to hang, but once it's 20 ft up they are solid and comfortable for a bigger guy. I use ameristep grizzly ladder sticks and they support me just fine. Hope this helps.
On the second property I hunt(260 acres) there are 13-16 ladder stands and most, if not all, have been used to kill a deer while bow hunting. So it doesnt really matter what youre in, hang-on or ladder...they all work.
