Okay, this goes against the grain for me but....

[ETipp]

I will preface this by saying that for the hardwoods of the southeast, this ole boy has always been very successful using a climber stand. With lots of scouting I have always followed the deer around as they ate on acorns, and it has payed off time and time again.

Well, getting older and experiencing some health issues, I jumped on the chance when a friend offered me a climber stand. Not my choice for the big mountains but for local it should suffice. So ole ETipp put this one up for the first time ever. Lots of dang work putting this thing up by myself but I made it happen. Being a hard core bowhunter for over 40 years I have found that in the mountains it is conducive to climb as high as one can and still be able to see. 30 feet is my my norm. I never been busted by climbing up so high. So with this one being only 16 feet, I have my concerns.

ML season is only a few short weeks away, so I reckon time will tell.

 

[1950DAVE]

Climber or ladder?

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Scent control, movement, and location. Never have and never will hunt from an elevated stand. They just give me the creeps and I would be too worried about it collapsing or me falling instead of focusing on deer.

At 63, my tracking days are pretty much behind me. For the past four seasons I have just picked out at least three trees and I sit at the base of one of them based on wind and weather.

With that said, I don't think it is the height as is the things I mentioned. It looks like a nice stand.

 

[Brokennock]

I will preface this by saying that for the hardwoods of the southeast, this ole boy has always been very successful using a climber stand. With lots of scouting I have always followed the deer around as they ate on acorns, and it has payed off time and time again.

Well, getting older and experiencing some health issues, I jumped on the chance when a friend offered me a climber stand. Not my choice for the big mountains but for local it should suffice. So ole ETipp put this one up for the first time ever. Lots of dang work putting this thing up by myself but I made it happen. Being a hard core bowhunter for over 40 years I have found that in the mountains it is conducive to climb as high as one can and still be able to see. 30 feet is my my norm. I never been busted by climbing up so high. So with this one being only 16 feet, I have my concerns.

ML season is only a few short weeks away, so I reckon time will tell.View attachment 247911

16 feet should be fine if you stay pretty still. Also, keep a turkey mouth call handy and learn to make really soft clicks and purrs,,, not spring mating yelps and such. If you think you've been spotted give a fee soft clicks and purrs. I even know someone who puts a couple hen decoys on some lower branches nearby. We know turkeys aren't sticking around where we are, and the deer count in it too.

With the comfort of a ladder stand your biggest challenge might be staying awake, . Make sure you've got a good harness and tie it off high.

 

[user 31257]

I’ve got a couple ladder stands, 3 hang-ons and climbing stick sets and 3 climbers but more often than not you can find me sitting on the ground. Tough to beat the comfort and convenience of a well placed ladder stand though.

 

[user 31232]

I will preface this by saying that for the hardwoods of the southeast, this ole boy has always been very successful using a climber stand. With lots of scouting I have always followed the deer around as they ate on acorns, and it has payed off time and time again.

Well, getting older and experiencing some health issues, I jumped on the chance when a friend offered me a climber stand. Not my choice for the big mountains but for local it should suffice. So ole ETipp put this one up for the first time ever. Lots of dang work putting this thing up by myself but I made it happen. Being a hard core bowhunter for over 40 years I have found that in the mountains it is conducive to climb as high as one can and still be able to see. 30 feet is my my norm. I never been busted by climbing up so high. So with this one being only 16 feet, I have my concerns.

ML season is only a few short weeks away, so I reckon time will tell.View attachment 247911

I tried a climbing stand once. But I envisioned myself coming down the tree like the old time time tire jacks. You remember the tall ones that were so dangerous needless to say I'm personally a big fan of ladder stands

 

[BillyC]

I’ve used a climber for going on 30 years. Now that the grandson has started hunting I put up a 2 man ladder stand, that was an absolute killer to get back into the woods and up. It’s staying put until the grandson is old and strong enough to help me move it.

 

[tenngun]

I like finding a trail then a hide spot off the trail. Sit and watch

 

[R Ellis]

I will preface this by saying that for the hardwoods of the southeast, this ole boy has always been very successful using a climber stand. With lots of scouting I have always followed the deer around as they ate on acorns, and it has payed off time and time again.

Well, getting older and experiencing some health issues, I jumped on the chance when a friend offered me a climber stand. Not my choice for the big mountains but for local it should suffice. So ole ETipp put this one up for the first time ever. Lots of dang work putting this thing up by myself but I made it happen. Being a hard core bowhunter for over 40 years I have found that in the mountains it is conducive to climb as high as one can and still be able to see. 30 feet is my my norm. I never been busted by climbing up so high. So with this one being only 16 feet, I have my concerns.

ML season is only a few short weeks away, so I reckon time will tell.View attachment 247911

Put some camo cloth on the rail that runs around the top portion and let it hand down to cover your movement

 

[longcruise]

looks good to me. If I ever use a tree stand again it will be a ladder type.

here in Colorado any tree stand that is put up on public land can be used by anyone who comes across it. So leaving one set up can put you in the position of finding it occupied and you have no recourse.

 

[smokepolehall]

Ladder stand it is. Long as its secured well you will enjoy your hunting time from it.

 

[azmntman]

Blind at a tank for me

 

[Stub]

I decided that I was too old for tree stands a few years ago. I have used tent type stands since coming down out of the trees, with some success. The tent blinds are great for rainy days and days with a lot of wet snow fall. Towards the end of last season I gave Ghost blinds a try. Ghost blinds are like mirrors that reflect what's in front of them. The Ghost blinds seem to have promise but I think where they are set up and being still is key to success.
As much as manufactured ground blinds are fun and offer some degree of comfort, I have been more successful just hiding in natural cover and sitting very still.
When I did use various types of tree stands, I seldom climbed up more than15/16 feet. Again, being very still on stand was key to success. But, the older I get the harder staying still and quiet gets to be.
Getting old offers many new challenges, it is harder to sit still, harder to see gun sights, harder to drag out deer after the kill and sometimes just damn cold. But come November, there's nothing I would rather do than hunt.

 

[leadhoarder]

I used to use a climbing stand and would go up 20-30 feet as well. One year I decided to hunt sitting on the ground without a stand and I do not think I am going back. It is very interesting to have wildlife walk right up to you on the ground.

 

[oldwood]

I have two perfectly good Tree Lounge climing tre standsin storage , and cant use them any more. Been using ladder stands for 'bout 10 yrs. with good success. Too old to hunt deer any other way..

 

[oldwood]

I have two perfectly good Tree Lounge climing tre standsin storage , and cant use them any more. Been using ladder stands for 'bout 10 yrs. with good success. Too old to hunt deer any other way..

 

[Stykbow]

You don’t have to get real high. I’ve killed a bunch of deer with a bow out of stands as low as 12’. Never over 16’. Good background cover and no fast movements are most important. I did try to set up so that the deer were most likely to be downhill of me in really steep country.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I actually peed on a cow moose from my stand that was only about 12 feet off the ground. They just don't look up. I know this sounds like a BS story but it's true.

 

[Hermit Tim]

I tried a climbing stand once. But I envisioned myself coming down the tree like the old time time tire jacks. You remember the tall ones that were so dangerous needless to say I'm personally a big fan of ladder stands

Yep, I fell victim to the back bumper of a 69 Buick LeSabre because of one of those back in about 85. I'm sure glad somebody invented the floor jack. Never hunted from a tree stand though. I like being on the ground for all my hunting. Just always been my preference.

 

[Hermit Tim]

I will preface this by saying that for the hardwoods of the southeast, this ole boy has always been very successful using a climber stand. With lots of scouting I have always followed the deer around as they ate on acorns, and it has payed off time and time again.

Well, getting older and experiencing some health issues, I jumped on the chance when a friend offered me a climber stand. Not my choice for the big mountains but for local it should suffice. So ole ETipp put this one up for the first time ever. Lots of dang work putting this thing up by myself but I made it happen. Being a hard core bowhunter for over 40 years I have found that in the mountains it is conducive to climb as high as one can and still be able to see. 30 feet is my my norm. I never been busted by climbing up so high. So with this one being only 16 feet, I have my concerns.

ML season is only a few short weeks away, so I reckon time will tell.View attachment 247911

Be careful climbing with that knee issue. Would hate for any of you guys to fall and get hurt. Take it from a guy who fell off a steep bluff once, that bouncing and flopping sh!t ain't no fun...