Tree Stand and Harness Advise

[Jarrod Feiner]

#3098

I’ve hunted from a tree…maybe…two dozen times, so I am far from an authority in this department.

There is something that absolutely pertifies me about sitting on something that is attached to a tree (especially when was installed by my good friend Eric P….those of you that know Eric P. will understand) whose space is the size of a Captian Crunch cereal box, 15 feet in the air, and in absolute darkenss.

Please give your thoughts about stands, harnesses and general safety in this department.

I’d sure appreciate the voice of authority and experience.

[Patrick]

#16851

I’ve pretty much exclusively hunted from a tree stand the first 20 years of bowhunting. I always thought climbers were to restrictive. I figured they were only useful none of the trees in area had limbs. I was wrong. My dad just bought one, and he loves it. And to tie it into your question…they are very safe/secure. You can raise or lower the upper part to give you more clearance or more security. If go with a Lone Wolf if I was spending your money 🙂

[johnny2]

#17119

I’ve hunted from a stand for about 20 years as well, here are some things I think will make your hunt safer and help you feel more secure:

Use a larger platform stand, climber or hang on. Back in my younger days I would run and gun, changing trees almost every time I hunted and small stand was advantageous to this method. As I’ve gotten older(and hopefully better in my hunting strategies) I hang most of my stands as much as a month before season. Now I use larger stands and the difference in regards to roominess makes my vigils more comfortable.

Use a safety harness not a belt. I use a seat-o-the-pants, I’ve had it for about 7 years. I’m also looking at a shock absorber version.

I’m am also looking into some new systems that allow you to stay attached to the tree until you are in the stand or back on the ground.

You don’t have to hunt nose bleed hieghts and the shot angle is much better if you don’t. As long as you have adequete cover 15 ft is plenty, even with these spooky Arkansas deer.

As always, camo is vital, hands and face specifically, those are the parts you’ll be moving the most.

For the ultimate in a secure treestand consider a ladder stand.

While I now prefer being on the ground, when conditions dictate, a treestand is like a front row seat to a nature show, allowing you to see many critters in an undisturbed state. And there is no doubt the tactic is deadly effective.

[Hiram]

#17206

Lone wolf climber!and a vest type harness that goes around your legs too.

[SteveMcD]

#17384

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The one problem with treestands is folks wind up hunting the perfect tree instead of the tree location.
Only pick straight trees and stay within the guidelines of tree diameter.
Do not use dead trees.
Do not use Beech or Birch trees – the bark slips easily off the tree.
Do not use lose bark trees (e.g., Shagbark Hickory).
Make sure you are not silohuetted.
Make sure you have pruned your shooting lanes for clear shooting.
You still have to watch the wind, and be pay attention to Thermals.
Make sure you can get into and out of your stand area undetected
Have a cell phone on your person and make sure someone knows where you are.
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[Jarrod Feiner]

#17533

Thanks, everyone, for your advise. The only thing that kept me (both physically and psychologically) in the tree was my Seat O Pants FULL body harness. While perched in a tree in PA I felt like putting the Seat O Pants company on my X-mas card list.

Another thing: could you advise me on climing pegs, ladders and similar ilk? What’s the easiest and safest way to get up a tree.

Thanks again.
Jarrod

[Patrick]

#19045

Jarrod Feiner wrote: Another thing: could you advise me on climing pegs, ladders and similar ilk? What’s the easiest and safest way to get up a tree.

Thanks again.
Jarrod

If your using a hang-on, I’d go with “climbing sticks”. Otherwise, I recommend a climbing tree stand.

[johnny2]

#39887

Seems like I’m always opposite Patrick but I use screw in steps because it broadens your tree choice. I’ve had problems with climbing sticks on trees that are crooked or have low branches. I have never seen a dead tree due to step use. However, I always have a light weight stand and sticks in my truck for a one day stand in remote areas. Sometimes it limits my tree choices but the ease and speed of stand placement make them the choice in that situation.

Again opposite Patrick I prefer a hang on to a climber because I could never use a climber as quietly as I wanted. By comparison, hunting from a hang on placed weeks before the hunt proved to be an advantage when deer appeared shortly after I climbed into the stand. I prefer stealth to convenience, but thats just me.

[Chris Shelton]

#40002

I know that hunters view makes a cool hang on, it has a bendible set of sticks with a leveler, for that crooked tree!
As far as how much that costs???
The thing I hate about the tree stand industry is the harnesses, I think they are really espensive! And unfortunatly, we need them. I dont think they are necisarry in stands with that wrap around metal bar, like most climbers, but I am sure that the harness industry would say otherwise!

[johnny2]

#40138

GTA, you should ALWAYS wear a safety harness! Falls from tree stands are the #1 cause of injury and death in hunting. Anything can happen no matter what kind of stand you use. Got a buddy that dang near died after a fall last autumn. This was his first fall after more than 40 years of hunting. Another guy I know broke his ankle yesterday after falling fom a ladder stand. Don’t risk it!

Yeah the harnesses are a little high but as I said before I’ve had mine for at least 7 years with little sign of wear. No telling how many seasons I’ll get out of it. Even 7 years aint bad for a $70 investment.

Kinda ironic, but I just got back from hanging a stand which made me aware of a few more things regarding tree stands. When you’re hanging them you need a linemans belt which allows you to use both hands to hang the stand. And get a limb saw preferably with extensions.

Consequently the perfect tree I put my stand in was crookd as a dog leg, no way a climber would’ve worked.

[Chris Shelton]

#40252

yes I know, I know-I am just a unemployed college kid, so I stick to the ground ALOT, lol. I dont have 70 dollars to spend on stuff like that, unfortunatly I have to spend my money on “important” things like classes and books, wish I could spend it on, a saftey harness, mabye some new camo pants! You guys should see the old pants I am wearing right now, they are dads old marine cor pants, that was when he was my age, he is almost 50 now!! So that shows how bad they are! I am thinking I will get the hunters saftey system for christmas, till then it is the ground as much as possible, or the crappy old harness my buddy has right now!

[rayborbon]

#40271

I’ve hunted from a treestand twice ever. I am not against using them again. I bought a Lone Wolf Assault treestand in case I ever need one again. I like the harness which arrived with the treestand.

There are a lot of ways to analyze a treestand and plenty of web documents to reference and get review results from.

In a nutshell the important pieces for me are:

Quiet – when I stand in it there is no creaking sound.
Small – A personal choice I do not want a lounge. 1 – It keeps me awake and 2- it is easier to put on my back and haul around. Including hike a mile or three.
Fold up and down seat with pad. – almost all of them come with this except for home made versions.

Now as far as safety harnesses are concerned – I would want something comfortable and that might depend on how much you hang in the harness as well as what existing clothing is on your body. In short – if I am wearing clothes with padding a simple flat web harness will be good enough for me.

As far as climbing into the stand – I would use something to attach to the tree. Gorrilla Steps or something around the trunk of the tree itself.

A note on climbing treestands – not my thing. Probably don’t work well on trees with plenty of limbs below the 20 foot level unless you are willing to do some trimming. Also have to wonder how well they will operate on a tree trunk which has a drastic degree of diameter change while ascending and descending. Including safety in that situation.

You can take all that to the bank on my authoritative status of used them twice. 😆

[Clay Hayes]

#55463

johnny2 wrote: I’m am also looking into some new systems that allow you to stay attached to the tree until you are in the stand or back on the ground.

Here’s a system I’ve been using for about 8 years or so. I think it’s called a prisic knot or something like that. Anyways, you take enough climbing rope to go from just above the stand to about waist high, then use the knot in the image to clip you harnes to. If you ever fall, the knot cinches around the climbing rope and stops you.

Also, climbing rope has a lot of spring, so it’s kinda like a built in shock line.

If you go this route, make sure you get heavy enough rope. I use stuff that’s about a half inch diameter. Also, you need to roughen up the main line to help the knot grab. You can do this by dragging it down a gravel road for a few miles.

ch

[William Warren]

#55617

I’m with Clay, the prusik hitch is a very safe way to protect yourself as you climb.
I shudder to think of the way I set stands in my younger days. I liked the Loc On portable stands in aluminum. Very light weight. I kept at least 4 or 5 Loc On Lem stands in various locations. To save money I could stretch my screw in steps and get by with 8 steps. As I grew older I had to buy more steps and I quit setting them so high. I would use a waist belt as I set the steps and then place the stand. It takes a good bit of physical strength to do this and after many years of use I sold all of those stands and got a couple of climbers and some ladder stands. Now I don’t even use those much. But when I climb I use the harness that came with my climbing stand and the prusik hitch that also came with it.
BTW – anybody remember those old Baker climbing stands? I killed my first deer (bow and rifle) from one of those “tree huggers” 🙂

[Stephen Graf]

#56078

I’m a firm believer in low stands. Never above 15 feet.

I use the biggest aluminum stands I can get. I have 3 Gorilla Silverback Magnum stands (they quit selling them last year I guess. New Silverback Magnums don’t look like mine).

I use rapid rails (aluminum version). I have used them on all kinds of crooked trees. I like them so much, I sold all my screw in steps.

I use a linemans harness when I put the stand up. With this setup I can put a stand up in about 5 minutes in September without breaking a sweat. In NC that is saying something.

I have tried the 5 point hitch vests, but I stick with the 5 point free harness that came with my stands. Less bulky.

Whatever you get, I recommend you get aluminum. It doesn’t rust, and it isn’t as heavy. It costs more, but in 10 years you will be glad you got aluminum.

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