What are your preferred tree setups for a climber. (ie., 2 trees close together? 3 trees close together? Lone tree? Tree with lots of cover under you?) Just curious of what you look for when planning to use your climber in any particular area.
Thanks, LT
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"The Whitetail Deer". Call them dumb, call them curious, call them whatever you want, but one day, the biggest one you ever saw will turn you into a babbling fool.
Duhhh[8D]No kiddin' Rob. I thought about the playground but all the poles are too slick.
Considering you are in a location where deer travel, bed, feed, etc.?
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"The Whitetail Deer". Call them dumb, call them curious, call them whatever you want, but one day, the biggest one you ever saw will turn you into a babbling fool.
Duhhh[8D]No kiddin' Rob. I thought about the playground but all the poles are too slick.
Considering you are in a location where deer travel, bed, feed, etc.?
LOL, that's it for me. After location and suitable tree I climb to 25' and rely on my camo to do it's job. Really has been a great system so far.
Honestly, if there are multiple trees to choose from, I look for a thick ash or oak. I love their bark for climbing. Double trees are great for concealment, triple even better. Here's the tree I chose for my Halloween day buck hunt.
I was on the trunk on the left and faced this way. I was able to hang my bow on the trunk on the right.
I too scout general locations, then look for good trees. I've been known to modify a tree to make it into a climbing tree too. My favorite trees to climb are red oaks, very hard bark and you can climb them silently. I was hunting with my brother in the U.P. of MI and I was about 25' up in an aspen, that was a prety sweet climb with the smooth bark.
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2007 Bowtech Commander 70# @32"
Spot-Hogg Hunter Hogg-It 5 Pin
Limb Driver
Easton Full Metal Jacket Camo 300
Grim Reaper Razorcut
Grizz Trick 125
Summit Goliath SS
I too scout general locations, then look for good trees. I've been known to modify a tree to make it into a climbing tree too.
I'll give up a lot in "tree" for location. I've got a saddle bag on my LW climber that has a pruning saw in it. I'll go up the first tree that has the best cover.....closest to where I wanna be. I can go up some really small trees with this climber.....and I've done that (given good back cover).
"Ideally", I like a double tree and I'll get in between them (stand position). I've climbed 48 times this year.....and I've been in a tree 2X on two occasions. I actually can't remember the last time I climbed a tree I'd already been in this year. I'll move a little....even if it's 20yds.
Same for me! Location is obviously number one. Many times, I really can't find a suitable tree that lends itself to using a climber. Either it has too many branches, leans one way or the other half way up, doesn't allow you to climb high enough before the main trunk branches etc. etc.
Still love the LW though.
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"Treat others like it's your last day on earth!!"
As mentioned, its all about location. After that, a suitable tree. With a climber, if at all possible, find a double, triple, or more tree. The more cover you can find, the better. My current "rut" stand is close together double. I can climb up to 20ft and almost wedge myself into the two.
Now the wrinkle. Two years ago, I picked up a cover system made by PMI (I think they changed the name now). It's pretty nice. It has a mounting block that goes on the front of the platform. The limbs, six of them, go into a block that slides onto this block once you're up in the tree. The whole thing weighs very little. It gives you great cover and the branches are flexible, allowing you to position them anyway you want.
Early in the season, its probably not neccesary, but I almost feel naked without it now. It works awesome.