Sticks or screw in steps?
 

I know how some feel about tree steps, but I dont see how they are different than climbing sticks; either way you are going to get stabbed if you fall.

Anyways: I have a tree I want to hunt from but it is too large for my climber so Im going to get a Lock On and hang it about 20 feet up. Im leaning towards screw in tree steps (I found some big gnarly ones for $2.99 that are larger than the regular steps) for two reason: They are cheaper than sticks and I'm hoping they will scare off other hunters from using my stand. I'm on private property but the owners let anyone hunt so you never know who will be other during the season.

Im young, strong and not afraid of heights at all.... I'm thinking Gorilla Lock On, Tree steps, my new HSS Harness and a lineman's rope around the tree while I climb, what do you guys think? I've never used sticks or steps, so opinions (good or bad) are welcome.

The good thing about screwin steps where they're legal is that you can take out the last couple as you come down so that nobody else can get up to your stand. We also drilled trees and used bolts so we could put them in as we went up and take them out as we came down. With about 13-15 bolts you could have however many stands you wanted and use the same bolts in all of them. That's a very inexpensive way to go and nobody can get up to any of your stands to use or steal them. That's what we always did before we started using ladder stands as we got older.

We used screw in steps up until spring of 2012 and then realized that we had to purchase about 14 steps to get our stands to the height we wanted. We then realized that we could get the dual step sticks for $49 and putting them up was a lot easier than screwing in steps and safer as well. We'll still use screw in steps on trees with lots of limbs but the ladder sticks are the preference now. We had it down to a science putting up a hang on with ladder sticks and unless the tree has a lean we can get a stand up pretty quick.

Its all about preference though. I don't mind the screw in steps at all. Killed a good buck out of my stand this year that I have them on. I just like the ease of putting up the ladder sticks a little bit more.

Ever been in the forest and seen a big oak or some other type of tree laying on the ground rotting. Lot of the time if you look close you will find spikes or large nails someone used as steps years ago. I've used them before even used the screw in type when i was younger. When i turned 20 i went to work as a forestry fire fighter/forester and have been doing that for the last 26 years. In my time in the woods i have come across many trees like that, many times it will be cotton picker spindles used as they work very good for climbing steps. But the worst thing about using steel in trees is if and when they end up being cut for lumber or end up in a mill somewhere. I have been to a few mills around my home and i can tell you for certain that the last thing you want to do is to be close when one of these trees go through the mill. Its like a hand-grenade going off. So if you are going to use them use the screw in type and remove them at seasons end and get some caulking and close the holes up it will help keep the bugs out and will slow the dying effect.

Something I never thought about but makes sense. About 7 years ago I was hunting in Southern Illinois and had just killed a nice buck and went down in my climber and tracked him and after finding him I went back and got my climber and threw it down near the buck while I waited for my buddy. This was private ground and I was sitting there and happened to look at this old tree next to me and see huge nails sticking out about only two inches. The tree had probably grown over these nails that were used as steps years and years ago. Now that i think about it, if that tree ever goes to a mill that won't be pretty.

I usually end up using a combination. I like the Summit stick ladder because it has a sort of "srirrup" designed step that captures you foot and helps prevent slipping off side ways say in wet or icey conditions. Usually I'll place 1 to 3 screw in steps to help be exit the ladder onto the platform or hang a pack if I take one up with me. I never leave them in after the season.

As far as banging on a protruding step should I fall from 20-25 feet .... that'd be the least of my injuries I suspect !

i use screw in steps for places that i plan on permanently keeping a tree stand, but use sticks when i am on public land or hunting an area temporarily.

I use a combination of both. Some of the trees I climb aren't the best for a stick, so ill use steps to get past that point then hang on a stick...

Check with the property owners, to see if they're going to harvest some timber one day. The screw in lags or nails are destructive to the tree value, I'm a logger and I see lots of timber ruined from deer stand metal. Even when my chain doesn't hit the nails, I know theres metal in the tree as it gives it a blue stain streak, thus ruining the veneer or grade lumber.

They have loggers come in every few years, this year in fact. Fortunately this tree isn't marked to be cut. The one that my ladder stand was marked, and had to be moved. I could honestly care less about the loggers. Nothing against loggers personally, but myself and the landowners son had a very nice wooden platform tree stand that his great uncle had built in the 1950's and the loggers cut it down, and didn't even take the tree! They have left a bad taste in my mouth ever since. They currently have the trees marked to be cut but didn't get them cut before the crops were planted so Im guessing as soon as the crops come down, so do the trees, thus ruining my hunting season.

The next stand that gets cut down, that isn't on a marked tree, there is going to be hell to pay.