I'll be hunting public the next 40 + days and exclusively for bear in 2021. Because of this, I've been shaking out a more mobile approach to treestand placement. I'm not a saddle guy, and haven't settled into a climber that I like just yet. What climbing sticks are you saddle hunters using? I'm thinking about giving these Beast Gear Sticks a go. Anyone tried them?
Climbing Sticks
TBrom
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yellodog just hooked me up with some sticks and turned me onto these treestands. Chippewa Wedge-Loc Tree Stands - Chippewa Wedge-Loc
I really like the cable system. That saddle platform is only 6 pounds. It and a few sticks might just be the ticket I'm looking for. Has anyone ever used the Chippewa treestands?
I really like the cable system. That saddle platform is only 6 pounds. It and a few sticks might just be the ticket I'm looking for. Has anyone ever used the Chippewa treestands?
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I like the looks of that too, I may have to try making a couple bolt on brackets like that for my lock on, that is a great idea.
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Those would be stand offs to make sure you had a place for that wedge to engage too. I repeat myself a lot, but that is slick.
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The bumpers on the platform are the ones I'm talking about, a lot of times I take some tape and put between the tree and teeth on the platform to prevent noise. I think the bumpers would eliminate that.
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You're right, I missed those, sorry. I had an old home built Baker style that had rubber there and on the upper strap, it was loose as a goose when you moved around, platform would tilt slightly when you shifted your weight even, but it was quiet against the tree for sure.
There was a company called aero industries that made the same stand years before chippewa started. They don't have the leveling slots and they are rounded where they slide over the cable. They are lighter than the chippewa stand. I still have two of them and have killed a pile of deer out of them over the years. Used to pre-set a bunch of stands using api skyhook steps and the chain brackets. Was the lightest quietest system i ever used. Left only the screws for the steps the bracket and a pull up rope in the tree. Only took a few minutes to climb up hang and hunt.
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I had forgotten about that old stand of mine until this topic came up. The wood rotted out but the pieces to build it are still in the shed.
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If you are looking for a saddle platforn, there are many choices that are much better than that. For the size of the platform it's actually pretty heavy.
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From about 2009-2012, I hunted with an ambush saddle and used screw steps for climbing the tree and for a ring platform because I was hunting private land and could do that. In 2013 I began hunting public land exclusively and so I decided to by a 14lb Lone Wolf climbing stand to be legal on public land. The stand has served me well but I really want to get back to using a saddle because I feel it has many advantages over a climber. I have never used climbing sticks before so I started to do some research on a system that I could effectively use legally on public land. What I am leaning towards is a Tehtrd ESS saddle, 5 hunting beast sticks, an aider, and a Bullman Outdoors Ring of Steps for a platform. Any feedback on whether this is a sound system or if I am overlooking anything significant? I read stuff about guys climbing with one stick? I may research this to see if it is feasible but I am not sure how you pull that off to climb 20-30' in the dark smoothly? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
I was a first timer this year using a saddle and i absolutely love it... My set up is a set of hawk helium mini sticks and the bullman ring of steps. I found myself hunting off the top of the helium sticks most of the time. It wasnt super comfortable but doable...reason being, when standing on bottom rung of short sticks i couldnt get enough leverage on the bullman ratchet strap to get it tight enough unless i raised it up the tree too high above my stick. If you watch the bullman videos they stress the need to get the strap super tight. Its not going to be an issue next year due to santa getting me a platform for Christmas...
Just waiting for better weather to try it out
Just waiting for better weather to try it outI've saddle hunted on and off for the past 15 or so years.I say off because while the concept is great with many advantages,I'm not one of those guys who can lean in a saddle all day so I only used a saddle in certain situations.A platform makes it better but my legs still feel some fatigue after a few house.Interestingly,a saddle doesn't both my back like sitting in a stand does.This past year I hunted mostly out of a Tethrd two piece saddle.It's kind of a pain to get on initially but it's by far the most comfortable saddle I've ever used.You get some back support and zero hip pinch.It's very comfortable and mobile but it still doesn't help my legs from getting tired.I took a chance and blew the money for a LWCG .5.It packs perfectly with one sticks and it's so light and compact that you don't even know it's on your back.It has a small seat and platform but it's dead quiet and very easy to hook up AND WEIGHS ABOUT THE SAME AS MOST OTHER PLATFORMS.tHE ADVANTAGE is that it has a bigger platform than most saddle platforms and when my legs get tired,I can just sit down for a while.That made a huge difference for me.It's really the best of both worlds and I don't ever see myself hunting any other way.I liked it so much that I bought a LWCG 1.0 after the season ended.It's a couple pounds more but the platform and seat are both bigger if I hunt a spot where I plan on sitting more than leaning.I used it for the first time this past weeekend and I may like it more than the .5.The extra weight really didn't seem to matter but when I sat,I can honestly say,it was actually comfprtable.The positioned the seat out further from the tree and you don't have to sit strait up and down.I still used the saddle the majority of the time because that's how I positioned myself for most shot opportunities but when I got down,my legs and back both felt 100%.
Like I said,the Tethyrd ESS is awesome but it's a pain to put on.I put it on at home and wear it on my way to hunt.You need to learn how to climb with one stick and rappel down.It will completely change the way you hunt.Once you get the hang of it,it's easier than trying to climbs and hang 4 sticks.
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Thanks DCE.
I will check out YouTube and see if I can find some content on how the 1 stick method works.
I will check out YouTube and see if I can find some content on how the 1 stick method works.
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DCE I probably missed it in the post, but what rope and control device are you using to rappel? I have yet to jump into the saddle game, as I didn't feel that carrying 4 sticks and some form of platform would be any better than carrying a climber. the one stick method and rope climbing methods have my attention, but both seem to require a substantial investment to get quality gear.
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I played around with the Hawk sticks today and believe that I can make them work quite well with a couple of slight modifications.The one sticking intrigued me but there's no way I'm rappelling down the tree at the end of a hunt. After some all day sets, I sometimes find it difficult just to climb my old butt down the regular way. That's another reason I don't use the saddle system. I'm leaning towards that cable lock system and 5 sticks. Even carrying a crossbow, I believe that will be a fairly light and mobile system. Thanks for everyone's input. I learned a lot.
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