What does everybody want in their perfect treestand?
 

Looking for imput on what everyone loves in a treestand whether it's a hang on, ladder, or climber. Every time I find a stand I like, it gets discontinued. I want everybody's ideas, opinions, desires. Thanks

A Comfortable seat, one you can sit on all day long .

I hunt mainly out of climbers that i carry in and out of the woods every hunt in the foot hills in Alabama so I would say the two most important things to me would be light weight and portable.(Ol' Man)

A big dam deer walking under it.

Tree stands end their existence...
 

because someone always finds a way to do a great swan dive out of one. They turn them into great swimming diving boards.
Over the last couple of decades, they have found out how to hold much more hunter's weight, and get lighter at the same time, so the hunter can carry them into the woods for nearly 200 yards.
And everyone is a born tree climber, you see, as they're all naturals at 25 feet in the air.
Of course, this cynic was climbing railroad boxcar ladders, without any safety devices, when just over ten. Went on to climb oil storage tanks.
Never was taught that parachutes and harnesses were a good thing in trees. Missed that in my education.

I use all 3 kinds to some degree. One thing I tend to look for in any stand is a large enough platform to allow for comfortable standing.

I think it depends a lot on what tree I am looking to put it in. I tend to find an area I really like then pick the best tree and cater for it. If it a giant 100 year old oak, I usually put a ladder stand up because it gives me great cover and I blend in very well. The majority of time now I use 20 foot ladder sticks and a hang on stand with a large platform (at least 24x30). I also like to have a seat with some good cushioning on it as well as arm rests to help me stand up a little more quietly. I usually pick up my new stands for the following year in January. There are usually discounted pretty heavily and I don't mind storing them for a few months until I start putting stands up again.

A doe of my own to breed

Forget i said that,been there done that the half hour of fun wasnt worth it

I don't hunt from trees. Neither do deer predators.

I dont either,i was just jokeing around

Used to a lot,me and the panthers.

each has their own pro's and cons...

Ladder stand--you don't have to drag it in to the woods every time...
cons--its only one height and usually quite a task to move.

Lock on--get a little better vantage point IMO...
cons-- same as ladder

Climber--good if they are light weight...you can get out further into the woods and climb higher

cons--can be uncomfortable, limited on how big of a tree you can climb.

You beat me to it Tundra.
I'd go bug nutty sitting in a tree stand all day.

Gee.....guess I'm one of the few that can sit up in my ladder stand in a tree most of the day watching the Deer move,and see the Turkeys and Coyotes and enjoy it and never get enough of it?

Ladder Stand,one that has a good size seat that is comfortable,folds up out of the way if I'm Bow Hunting,has arm rails and a removeable or folding shooting rail,a good large platform to stand up on is nice to have also and an area to put my back pack under or beside me,a nice pair of side saddle bags is a plus for storage also.A good sturdy ladder is most desireable with wide steps and it can be broken down easily to haul or move to a different with minimal effort.

Hang-On Stand....I like one that is light weight,easy to carry or haul and has 2 solid areas on the back of it to strap against a tree with 2 ratchets for added strength and safety,a large padded seat with arm rails for longer sits,and it could be folded up and back for extra room when Bow Hunting,a larger platform for standing on is a plus also.

Climbing Stand...light weight,easy to carry,larger seat and platform to stand on and a rail going around the top section for added safety and resting.


Don't get me wrong,I love to go out and do some still Hunting or simply sit under a nice Big Tree and wait fo Deer....but being elevated in some type of stand with my scent off the ground and a further field of view gives me an added edge over the Deer I hunt,6 Big Bucks on the wall and several European Mounts are proof enough at this Hunters House! :) ;)

For those that have never tried it, you ought to expand your horizons a bit. I hunted on the ground all my life and just within the last year started using tree stands. I'm not always in the mood to sit in a tree, but there's a time and place for everything. If you never climb up, you really have no idea what you're missing.

I use a double ladder stand hog hunting. If you know you've got one good spot they're good, but as mentioned they are a two man job to set up. Once set up, you'll be in no hurry to move it and I find that taking it down is harder than setting it up. I've used cheap single ladder stands before and there really wasn't much to commend them.

I really prefer my climber. Seat is comfy for long periods of time and I can put it as high or low as I want, or move it around the tree. It's quiet and stable. For what it's worth I read a lot of reviews and opinions, then bought a Summit. Buy what you think is best for you and if it works, great. If not, try another.

Summit Titan. Light, Large and Durable. I'm 6'2" 270lbs.

As to the stand itself, I want to be able to be tight againest the trunk of the tree. I feel unbalanced when I am stuck way out from the tree, not to mention exposed. I like to use the tree to hide behind also, and usually position my stand on the opposite side I think deer will approach from, and usually face the tree while I am hunting.

I like climbers because it keeps the deer guessing. Plus they are less expensive than having 15 ladder stands and 15 hang on stands (and frankly a heck of a lot less work!) They are also "theft proof" if you don't leave them in the woods or in the open bed of your truck.

I use a Summit Openshot, I love it. I had one of the orignal openshots and finally wore the seat out and upgraded to the Openshot Deluxe with the fold up seat. Its the grapes.

To establish my perfect treestand, number one it would be an elevated blind large enough for 2 (and smore extra room to move around), number two it would have a small heater that would keep things comfy, and most importantly it would not be what I am sitting my bottom on but rather what would be sitting on my lap......

That's a High-Dollar seat warmer Uncle Matt,and how many Deer would slip by while You would be busy trying to figure out where the batteries go? ;) :D

With that seat warmer who would care:barmy:

Deer? What deer?

A Lazy Boy and 42" flat screeen hooked up to DIRECTV would be nice.

I use a climber almost exclusively. It is not unusual for me to carry one in a mile or more. None I have found are truly light weight ... 15#-20# range for most 2-piece climbers. I want one that is quiet, stable and strong ... followed very closely by comfortable enough for a day long sit. Not many fit that bill. And sure, some areas I get into I may not find a good tree to climb ... too big around, not big enough, too many limbs, not the location that I think is best, etc. But usually I can find a tree that will work out. As for "swan diving" ... a HSS harness (or similar) will mitigate the chances of that.

It has to be quiet and mobile and quickly set up in any tree. My choice stand is the Lone Wolf alpha hang on.

Here is a 2 part video I made tat shows how to hunt mobile with this stand:

PART 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=EJEyFDBV7X4

PART 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=5gBOa-681Hk

I like the versatlity of a climber, mobile when the wind changes direction. Quiet when climbing, descending and hiking. Maneuverability when i'm sitting in the stand, not bumping bars and hindering my shot. Keeping level and comfortable. The stand is strong secured platforms and secured to the tree. Now I'm 100%focused on Mr. Elusive