M.T. sounds like you are close to my age (60) and if you think about it I believe that they were the first carry in carry out tree stands that were available. back then if you wanted a tree stand you built one and then hoped that it was still there the next year or someone else was not in it. I remember going out one morning well befor dayligt only to find someone in my tree built stand. As he was bigger than I am guess who left. The Baker ended that and you could also move it to where the deer were. But you did not go up any slick barked trees, that was like trying to climb a telephone pole or a firehouse pole. A quick slide down was in your future. Yup been there did that. Only once. Personally I learned to love cotton woods for their thick bark. It is funny but even now useing both a Lone Wolf or Loggy Bayou I still have a tendency to look for cotton woods.