Backcountry Treestand Options

[Backpack Hunter]

Lots of options to choose from. I have done pretty well with a Lone Wolf Assault and 4 sticks. Pretty compact, easy to put up and take down, somewhere around 20lbs I believe.

Esse quam videri

 

[ethan]

I have been using a LW hand climber for years and for me, it works perfectly. I removed the straps years ago and attach directly to my frame. To overkill, until you get to pack out an animal. Again, for me, it works great. But I love seeing different setups.

 

[Beendare]

This is the terrain type I usually archery stand hunt in . Plenty of trees to choose from . View attachment 74584

^And they aren't pitchy....or anything.....Not!

I gotta say there are some good rope climbing tutorials on Youtube a guy could use if he wants to stay UL and practice a little.

I've been using a lone wolf with some muddy sticks....which is fine. I have the Tree Stepps...and those are ok with an aider....still prefer the sticks especially in the dark.

I'm making a saddle....or I should say a version of a saddle. I haven't quite got it the way I want it for comfort.
Just playing around with it and I can see its a whole different deal vs a stand. The weight difference isn't a big deal to a 240# guy.....but the saddle is way more compact and easier to carry quietly.

 

[Brendan]

Well, I just sold my 14+ year old Lone Wolf Hand Climber, and bought one of the new Aerohunter Kite saddles. Was getting too many "Try it" recommendations, So am going to give saddle hunting a go this year and have my Alpha Hang On and sticks as my backup. Starting to troll the saddlehunter forum to figure out my setup if any of you spend any time over there.

 

[ezmorningrebel]

i'll be interested to hear what you guys think after spending sometime using a saddle. i've thought about it and for my hunting i'm not sure i would like it. with these telephone pole trees we have it seems like I would have a much bigger profile hanging out away from the tree. with my hand climber i typically stand during peak hours and keep a low profile against the tree. i'm also usually hunting in areas where deer can come from any direction and getting a shot to my right (right handed shooter) involves just slowly shuffling my feet and pivoting. if you're facing the tree hanging in a saddle and you want to make a shot your right what to do you do?

 

[ArrowForester]

Looks like several options available. I have been wanting to try a set of sticks, and have glanced at the saddles, but can't seem to break my old habits. I carry 10 rope on steps and a hang-on stand. I can fit the steps in a pouch or even in the cargo pockets of my pants. This allows me to use a variety of trees including the cover of branches when available. I can usually be up a tree and ready to hunt, with the platform as high as 16-18 feet, in less than 20 minutes. May not be the fastest but it is simple and quiet to carry through the woods and brush.

ezmorningrebel - Those woods look familiar. Relatively flat for that area though, is that on private? Don't worry - I'm not trying to steal your spot. I have not looked real hard but I am seeing red and some white acorns in the area. Give me a shout if you need help packin' out a big one this fall.

 

[flinginairos]

Mantis tree saddle. 1lb. One climbing stick. 3 lb. another pound in robe and carabiners.

One stick method to climb and stand on the climbing stick as platform.

The saddle hunting forum goes very in-depth on variations. But this is my light weight go to.

This would be my choice for a "deep" hunt and wanted to hunt elevated! I was one of the lucky guys to test the new Mantis saddle from Tethrd and I can tell you right now it would be perfect for this application! It's 14.5oz and rolls up the size of a softball. With one of my climbing sticks I made I could easily hunt with a setup that's right at 3lbs. I hunt WV as well and know the kind of terrain the OP will be dealing with, not extremely brutal hills but it's no walk in the park either!! That's the main reason I started saddle hunting myself. It's just easier to get up the hills!

 

[flinginairos]

i'll be interested to hear what you guys think after spending sometime using a saddle. i've thought about it and for my hunting i'm not sure i would like it. with these telephone pole trees we have it seems like I would have a much bigger profile hanging out away from the tree. with my hand climber i typically stand during peak hours and keep a low profile against the tree. i'm also usually hunting in areas where deer can come from any direction and getting a shot to my right (right handed shooter) involves just slowly shuffling my feet and pivoting. if you're facing the tree hanging in a saddle and you want to make a shot your right what to do you do?

Shooting to the right is honestly very easy and one of the biggest misconceptions of saddle hunting IMO. I can pivot my hips to the right, bring the bow over my bridge and shoot to my right with very little movement. It's just like anything else it takes a bit of practice.

 

[bwlacy]

Check out Hawk Stands. They have some awesome aluminum options, and aluminum sticks. I pack them in a few miles in the hills of Southern Ohio without a problem. I strap them to my Kifaru frame with the cargo panel and go. I can carry everything I need very easy on that frame. Been a fan of the Hawk stands for a few years now. I also have had Lone Wolf stands.

 

[Violent Hippie]

^And they aren't pitchy....or anything.....Not!

I gotta say there are some good rope climbing tutorials on Youtube a guy could use if he wants to stay UL and practice a little.

I've been using a lone wolf with some muddy sticks....which is fine. I have the Tree Stepps...and those are ok with an aider....still prefer the sticks especially in the dark.

I'm making a saddle....or I should say a version of a saddle. I haven't quite got it the way I want it for comfort.
Just playing around with it and I can see its a whole different deal vs a stand. The weight difference isn't a big deal to a 240# guy.....but the saddle is way more compact and easier to carry quietly.

Ha ! "pitchy" . All my clothing and gear is smeared with sap. I've had the seat in my stand saturated with sap and had to just sit in it and marinade. Sap is a great cover scent anyway and I enjoy the smell. Still sucks though. "Goo Gone" is a good product for removal.

 

[Tradchef]

I’ve hunted with a saddle for about 10 years now. I’ve hunted in Va and WV when I used to live back that way and had lots of success with that method for deer and turkeys.