I'm just wondering which you find most enjoying or most successful...


I personally have 1 hang-on and I love it at home, but my climber sure makes it easier to hunt anywhere, anytime, and not make too much noise.

I prefer climber... that's all I've ever used.

I hunt on the ground.

I hunt from a climber and on the ground.
I set my climber up a couple of days before my hunt, so when I get to it, its dark. I'm not comfortable climbing in the dark. So I wait til I can just see what I am doing, then climb. Sometimes I ground hunt in the morning and stand hunt in the evening.

Where is the option for the old plywood and nails? Years ago they used to be more common (and it annoyed me then) but today with all cheap and well-built hang-on stands available you still see someone use 2 x 4's and nails?

Now, on to your question. I used hang-on stands for years and usually put them up a month or two before I intended to hunt. Several of my buddies kept telling me how great the climbers were and a few even said they would never go back to a hang-on. Well I bought a climber 3 years ago and I must say I strongly prefer the hang-on. Even though the modern climbers are fairly quiet there is no comparison to slipping in the woods and climbing into a hang-on. I prefer the hang-on because:
1. Much quicker and quieter to get set in my stand
2. You can use a tree with cover! My friends get busted all the time and complain that they don't think their scent lock works. Well maybe it is the wind but when you are sitting on a telephone pole you do tend to stick out.
3. No side rails on a hang-on. My climber has rails on the sides and front. My bottom cam hit the rail of my climber on the first deer I ever shot at when using it. Some of the newer models don't have the rail and I thought about getting one but they all still have it on the sides and you don't always shoot straight ahead. I now lean out a little farther but I am always worried it will happen again.

Climbers are great for when you don't have time to scout ahead of time or when on a trip to a new area. They are also great in mobility and I will always have one but I will spend most of my time sitting in one of my many hang-on stands.

I use both but i like my climber better. I can be in my tree in less than 5 minutes ready to take a shot! Yes I have been busted half way up and on my way down but, no way around that! I like to lean out at times and just feel more stable leaning against the rail, it steadies me. I also have my video camera swing arm on the rail of my climber. I set my bow/gun on the rail. I tend to use the hang-on in the early season, field edges and what-not! Good luck!

Hey thanks Rob, that helps a lot

I prefer a lock on with screw in steps. Where I hunt the majority of the trees suitable for stands are big pines. If I were to use the climbing sticks I would have to cut quite a few branches off, with the screw in steps I can put them where I need them without having to cut too much off the tree.

I use a climber and......

I have 5 strap on stands using screw in steps and.......

I hunt on the ground.

It all depends on if I am trying different areas, hunting public land(no screw in steps allowed), have my "spots" narrowed down to the tree I want to sit in, topography, and changing deer movements. I've been successful using all 3 methods and actually have taken my best bucks from the ground.

I really like the convenience of a lock-on. But i like being able to be moble and also the comfort of the climber[&:]