I will start off saying I use screw in steps. Not real proud of it, but they are easy and handy.What do you use, and how do you feel about the other. I do feel we need to preserve our wildlife, but have yet to give in to ease of screw in's. Ladder stix are pricey and bulky, PIA How much do they actully hurt a tree???

I use to be a forestry major. To be honest it doesnt really hurt the tree that much. Its not as bad as taking a increment bore or something like that. If you dont plan on harvesting the tree for timber then you really dont have to worry about how much damage a couple screws do. Ur only piercing the a little bit of working tissue in the tree. There is a chance that disease could set into the hole but not real likely. Unless ur a strait up tree hugger and that tree is ur G/F then i wouldnt worry about it. LOL

the sticks are far more easier to put up than you think, I can have a stand up in less time than the screw in steps. I still have some old Sky Hook tree steps, simple if you have a drill with the right socket to get the bolts in faster.

go back to a tree that you hunted out of 10 or more years ago. The tree will probably still be alive. If is is dead, I don't buy it is from screw in steps. There are tree all over the property I hunt that have been hunted out of years ago. Still alive and well with the step holes covered over.

Not real proud of it? You say that like there is something wrong with screw ins.

I use them all the time. Get a good set of Cransford steps and you will be amazed at how quick and easy a set can be put in.

I have trees that I have been hunting for 10 or more years and they show no adverse effects from the steps.

There are tree's in my family's woods that still have some of my dad's screw-in's from the 80's hanging out of them. Albeit the tree has grown around the remaining steps, it's still alive!


I use hang-on stands mainly...with Gorilla ladder sections. I can have five 3' sections up before most could have the screw-in's installed.

I use screw in tree steps too, and have been for more than 20 years. I have never felt bad nor will I in the future. I have some climbing sticks too, each has it's own plus and minus. Tree steps are much easier to transport and other hunters are less likely to find your stand because they are not as obvious. Tree sticks do seem to go up quick, but they are harder to transport and get expensive. Some places do not allow any kind of piercing of the tree bark and that is where strap on stands and climbing sticks arereallygreat.