Lock on vs. Climber
 

What do you guys prefer and why? I am considering purchasing the Ameristep lock on bone collector combo but I am not sure if a climber would be a better choice. So what do you guys prefer?

Lock on, save your money on the waddel crap and buy a dicks sporting goods brand and rapid rails. 40 bucks apiece for the stands and 40 for the rails.

Climbers are too noisy for me personally.

I don't know how a person can hunt public land without a climber. It makes me much more versitile of a hunter. Even in the club I belong. I can hunt 100 yards from a thicket one day and watch what is happening, and then keep moving in targeting where I need to be. Moving a lockon to get into bow range would be even more noisier and troublesome. We have lockons and ladders all over the place.

they work good for gun hunters, but bowhunting, things change too fast during the rut.

Climbers have their draw backs, like noise, and having to find straight trees, big enough to climb, but... the advantage of easily being able change your tree, and position, is defiantly worth the extra work. Setting up hang ons, and screwing in steps or climbing sticks is a PITA, IMO, and can be pretty dangerous unless you use a lineman's belt, and youre pretty much committed to one tree, unless you have multiple hang ons . I hunt exclusively out of climbers for their convenience, and portability. After you get use to it, it becomes second nature. Takes me about 10minutes to attach it to the tree and climb into position, in the dark.The noise doesnt seem to scare the deer away much, and if its got enough silencing tape on it, its hardly an issue.

Climbers are what I use any more, due to public land hunting where lock ons get stolen and screw in steps are illegal. I feel safer in a lock on, and can put one on trees that have low branches. Advantages/disadvantages to each.

lock ons. i've actually killed deer out of my lock on stands. anytime i take a climber out, i can never find a good straight tree, i make a ton of noise, i sweat like a pig when i'm in the process of climbing, and i haven't found one yet that's as comfortable as the aluminum lock on i bought at a yard sale for $20. oh yeah, and you can actually secure them to the tree, i've slid down several times (once from around 15 feet) in the process of climbing.

Climbers just don't get you where you need to be... Straight limbless trees are generally not near the thick transition zones where big bucks tend to bed... I need to be mobile and be able to set up within 100 yards of bedded bucks quietly in whatever tree I need to be in. L/W alpha hang on and 4 to 5 sticks...

Climbers is all I use these days. I used to only use hang on until i saw my buddy move trees mid morning to get a little closer to where we were seeing the deer and ended up getting a nice size doe. Each have pros and cons though. If your hunting private land and can leave the stand there then I'd say hang ons. If your like me and hunt public land and have to take your stand in and out each time then a climber is your best option. IMHO

I thin they both have their places, but I generally use my climber cause i hunt public land mostly and when i hunt private land i always have stands setup any ways. The only drawback with the climber is it can be hard to find a good tree without the branches down low.

I don't prefer either one because they both have their uses. While I've only had 1-3 climbers at one time, I did once have 27 lock-on type stands in trees at the same time.

As for setting up lock-on stands that some people think is a noisy thing to do... Well, that depends on the person's ability. I can set one up with surprising stealth and speed. I once went with 2 buddies who were baiting a bear bait station. After we parked, I grabbed my Loc-On and stand hanging bag and went ahead of them. By the time they got to the station, I was already done hanging the stand up 19 feet and had limbs trimmed. Of course by this time I've had more practice than most do in 10 years. Being in shape helps too. Hanging stands doesn't have to noisey if you know what you are doing.

For climbers it's nice to pre-limb. I've gone in one day, about 1 1/2 hours earlier than normal just so I can climb the tree and limb silently being careful not to make loud cutting noises, stand noises or letting the limbs randomly smash to the ground. If you can do this weeks in advance, that's an advantage too.

Screw in steps are still my favorite way to ascend a tree to a lock-on stand, but if I have to, I have 3 sets of Rapid Rails, 2 North Starr foldable/stacking ladders and 3 API Climbing Quik Stiks to choose from.

Having a climber and a few hang-on type stands will cover you for most of your hunting needs. They each have their uses. Don't rule out one for the other. Give yourself all the tools to enjoy hunting!

Good luck,

iSnipe

The Best Choice Of Stands
 

Where you will hunt will help you decide what to do as well as how well you know the Deer in your hunting area and thier habits or patterns. We hung two stands and set up a blind on private property.The Blind was stolen and one of the tree stands also,both would have been if they could have found the second I'm sure of it. So this is a negative with stands and blinds you have to leave in place even on private land. So I reverted to my climber the rest of the season and when I did not feel like humping the load I picked out some good natural cover spots to hunt in my area. I ended up taking my Deer while tucked into two logs on the ground with good cover around them. I missed from my stand but both being on the ground at times and up in the tree can be productive. If you choose a climber be sure to wear as little clothing as possible when heading out to your spot because the extra gear will make you sweat more. Also practice geting the climber set in the dark and sound proof it as much as possible. And as has been said pick many places and prep them before the season starts to cut down on spooking and scenting you best spots. I would love to be able to hang stands with peace of mind that no one would steal them but it does happen. Good Hunting to you this season.

I'm in the neither camp myself. I've found a local place that sells ladder stands for $99 that are really comfortable. They aren't fun to put up, but once they are up it's easy.

For mobility, I use a cheap ameristep blind that I can setup in under 10 minutes.

Climber for me all the way.

I hunt public land that is heavy with very large pines and open woods. I gotta get high. There isn't a ladder or lock on that I know of that will get 30 feet up in a tree with out buying a bunch of sets of rapid rails or similar.

Another thing for me is security. I haven't found a ladder or lock on that I feel as safe in as I do in my Cougar Claw climber. I am 6'2" and go 275 and I can dance a jig in my Cougar Claw and feel perfectly safe.

I also don't have to worry about thieves with a climber.

who said public land? are you hunting public land?

my short answer would be NEITHER! get a ladderstand...it's all I use anymore, period. Sold all my hang-ons, still have a climber just in case and because I spent $250 on it I think, I think I have it still just as a back up if I ever need it.

I'd rather put up a ladder over a hang-on or climber anytime too!

Goodness, you guys got to be kidding about ladder stands. I hate em. I own a bunch of em. They stick out like sore thumb, and I can't go as high as I like. I like to get 25ft with locks ons. but per usual, it depends.

Definatley hate the 15ft ladderstands. What I love about lock ons is the young uns and the older hunters in my clubs are scared to get 25ft. And scared of climbers. So it helps me to be more agile.

yeah, I bought a bunch of those 60$ ladders, from cabelas back in the day, those things were awful. try dragging one of those beasts up a ridge and setting it up by yourself.... not fun. I think if I owned my own ranch and could put up a hundred elevated blinds ,Id still use my trusty API climber, its almost like a part of me at this point.

All the game I've killed has been from no higher than 15 feet and I've killed a lot of game. :happy0001:

It takes me literally 10 seconds to get setup in a ladder stand. Oh... and the same amount coming down.

How long does it take to get 25 feet in a climber? How much noise do you make going up and coming down?

Yeah but when all the food has dried up on the ridge with that ladder stand it's a royal pain in the butt to move it. With a climber its no problem.

Chalk me up for the climber camp, although I do have one ladder stand and a few lock on stands. I just feel safer in a climber and much more comfortable, which lets me stay in the woods longer. A hunter who has practiced with and knows his climber can set it up and climb very quietly.

You couldn't follow me where I hunt wtih a ladder stand. 2 miles into a swamp after sika deer.

Don't get me wrong. They work fine for the orange army and those who just want to ambush a few does. But for bowhunting, horrible.

Usually folks who use em are jsut scared of hieghts.

You bring up a good point about bowhunting.....my experience with ladderstands have been horrible during bow season as well. When I'm bowhunting it is either a climber or a lock on style stand.

I hunt w/a climber on a WMA.When I scout it's also w/treestand placement in mind.I have various locations pre-selected and need the portability.

I can set up my Lone Wolf hang-on and 4 sticks 20 feet high faster and quieter than most people with climbers and I don't have to hunt for straight limbless trees... I hunt for deer!
I have taken a lot of mature bucks hunting mobil out of lock-on type stand. Its really more of a system than a stand. Without the sticks that connect to the back it would be tough to set up like other stands. But with the sticks bungeed onto the back I don't have any problem walking a couple miles of swamp or woods and setting up in a new tree in 15 minutes.
I generally hunt near buck bedding areas and set up the stand within 75 to 200 yards of bedded deer and rarely get busted.

If you killed all those bucks in your avatar, then I won't argue with your system.:biggrin:

However most areas I hunt there are plenty of straight trees suitable for a climber. In my case all I do is find a suitable ambush spot...really no different than I do with a lock on stand.

I prefer a climber because I move a lot over a week worth's of hunting if I'm not seeing what I want to see, and I have plenty of straight limbless trees. I may invest in a lock on and sticks for one site that I hunt that doesn't lend itself to climbers.

I think it is just choosing the right tool for the right situation, and neither is right for all situations.

Well, with Lock-Ons
 

fellas got to figure out how he's going to climb up the tree when he puts them up and uses them. In advertising, those lock-ons seem to magically appear on trees.

i was big ladder stand guy for longtime here in pa.i hunt publicland. not anymore. first you just cant get high enough in archery to avoid being scented.gun season its fine,i have had deer walk right by me in gun season but not in archery.
next its type of hunters you have now. they see your ladderstand and they will hunt right next to it.
then they will try to tear it down.or pee on it or poo on it.

ladderstands were easy for me, i used a deer cart to haul them in.ladderstands are not as comfortable as climber.but with hunters knowing where you are at,it ruined my hunting.
hunters today a few are desperate and will ruin your spot,they have to get a deer.

so i take ahead of season and find like 3 spots and trim the tree and i got to those spots different days.

YOU CANT KEEP HUNTING SAME SPOT IN ARCHERY FOR BUCK.he will find you. best chance at getting him is first day you use the spot.does will get you too.
so i hunt 1 spot this day and leave it alone for a few days and hunt another spot .climber is what i like now in archery and also in gun season.

i do hide my stand in brush in archery.in gunseason i do if say i am coming out next day in morning if i hunted evening before.
if not coming out next morning in gun season, i bring it in.usually i am a hunt the evening hunter then back out in am so i leave my climber on bottom of tree.then next morning in bring it out in gun season.

in archery i hide it in brush and spray it down with acorn spray .

take care sproul