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Your climbing method.

i will be using WE stepps primarily i can set up really fast. They are not as fast as sticks but they are more compact and with the aider i will be higher than my sticks could go. Spurs are my second option. Early season spurs would be my go to as they are just lighter and i just prefer them overall due to the versatility they can be used. Spurs and WE steps run pretty much for me as a tie. I guess it just depends on the mood im in.

When the ice starts on the backend of the season i will most likely switch back to sticks as I feel they just bite icey bark better. Never had any issues with aiders. I feel im very proficient with them especially in the dark. For presets i still run screw in steps which i only use on areas that i know i will hunt multiple times in a season. They are in the highest deer traffic areas for me so i then don’t need to worry about spooking anything when setting up.

I truly believe in all my climbing methods and through practice each one becomes better. My motto with climbing has always been “slow is smooth and smooth is fast”. It doesn’t take me long with any method and they are all seconds in time apart from each other but its about practice and taking your time is all i would like to point out.
 
Bump thread to get post season follow ups....
Did you stick with the method you thought you would? What did you like and dislike?
 
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Cajunyankee said:
My primary method this year will be Wild Edge stepps and the Predator platform. Using 8 steps and the platform is getting 28ft to my feet and weighs in at 10lbs 2 Ozs. I am using the Cain climbing method without any aiders.

My secondary method is going to be a hand climbing platform of some kind. Possibly a modified predator platform or the lone wolf platform with a 3 stepp aider.
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I ended up using WE steps and Cain method on over 90% of my hunts. I used spurs on a few hunts, WE steps with aider and knaider but kept going back to the Cain method due to ease of climbing, ability to twist around the tree while going up, and because I felt more comfortable overall with that method. I found that I was faster on heavy limbed trees using the steps because I could quickly connect a carabiner to my bridge and to a step which allowed me to pass my primary lineman rope around a limb.
 
I used Carbon bolts most of the season for mobile sets but grade 8s for presets. When the weather started getting cold I started using my sticks for anyplace where I didn’t have Grade 8s in place as I found a lot of frozen holes. I dislike drilling with the hand drill, even if it’s just ice.


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PJC said:
I used Carbon bolts most of the season for mobile sets but grade 8s for presets. When the weather started getting cold I started using my sticks for anyplace where I didn’t have Grade 8s in place as I found a lot of frozen holes. I dislike drilling with the hand drill, even if it’s just ice.


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Good point. I wouldn’t have thought about the holes getting iced over.
 
Nutterbuster said:
Primary will most likely be EZ kut drill and presets, followed by spurs, followed by stepps.

But I've never been known for sticking to plans for very long...
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Like I said, me and plans don't mix well. :)

Season for me doesn't end until...well, deer ends in February. Hugs are in season 8 months out of the year. I can pretty much say that my primary HAS been the ez-kut drill, but with carbon fiber bolts.

Spurs have been used maybe 7 times on a hunt.

Sticks twice.

Wild Edge Stepps not even once so far.

Once you get used to drilling, everything else just looks silly to carry.
 
Well I’m in the saddle right now for day 1 of 3 of the Christmas rifle hunt. I’m very happy with my cheap Priimal Steps and Amazon Yellow 5 step aider. Topped of with my plywood insert platform I’m as pleased as can be. 3 steps 20’.
 
fbwguy said:
Well I’m in the saddle right now for day 1 of 3 of the Christmas rifle hunt. I’m very happy with my cheap Priimal Steps and Amazon Yellow 5 step aider. Topped of with my plywood insert platform I’m as pleased as can be. 3 steps 20’.
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I gotta move south! The fact that some of you boys are still hunting makes me more than a little jealous.

For me it ended in early December and the serious stuff ended prior to November.

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TNSTAAFL said:
I gotta move south! The fact that some of you boys are still hunting makes me more than a little jealous.

For me it ended in early December and the serious stuff ended prior to November.

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I gotta say, almost 6 weeks of rifle, 2 muzzleloader seasons and bow season from 3 rd week in Sept thru end of Feb is nice
 
Newbie here with my first post!

I’ve been using a set of 4 helium’s for about 2 years now. I cut them to 22” and added the tubular nylon webbing aiders to each. Versa button rope mod as well.

I use an adjustable duffle bag strap to keep them on my back and put them up 1 by 1 as I climb the tree. I’ve played with a few different ways of keeping the sticks together as I climb for easy removal and I think I’ve finally found the best way.

Im really quick with them even in the dark with no light. I’m quicker than my buddy’s are with their climbers.

But I’m always looking for something new lol so I saw a video on the knaider and swaider method with the WE steps and it got me hooked. I have the knaider and swaider built already with set of 5 WE steps on order. If it goes the way I think it will that’s gonna be my go to with my helium’s as a backup.


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tim_dawg22 said:
Newbie here with my first post!

I’ve been using a set of 4 helium’s for about 2 years now. I cut them to 22” and added the tubular nylon webbing aiders to each. Versa button rope mod as well.

I use an adjustable duffle bag strap to keep them on my back and put them up 1 by 1 as I climb the tree. I’ve played with a few different ways of keeping the sticks together as I climb for easy removal and I think I’ve finally found the best way.

Im really quick with them even in the dark with no light. I’m quicker than my buddy’s are with their climbers.

But I’m always looking for something new lol so I saw a video on the knaider and swaider method with the WE steps and it got me hooked. I have the knaider and swaider built already with set of 5 WE steps on order. If it goes the way I think it will that’s gonna be my go to with my helium’s as a backup.


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Welcome! Anyone that has already modded helium sticks before their first post will fit in great on here.
 
This past year I kept going back to Crawford steps. Thinking of buying some spurs. I have anEzkut drill. That is nice. It just takes do darn long to climb drilling each hole with the hand drill.
 
For me it's going to be WE steps and the kaider/swaider. I'll still use some hang ons and 20' ladders for the presets that I use for quick morning hunts before and after work.
 
I used drill and bolts 100% this year. CF bolts the majority of the time except where I left the top 6 or so bolts in for the weekend with plan on coming back-then I"d use 6 grade 8 dipped and 6-8 CF bolts. I sold my LW sticks, LW mini Sticks, and LW climber this year. Didnt use them once. I still have some WE steps, but they are brand new--I stretched the rope on them, thats it. I"ve been holding onto them just in case. Like @Nutterbuster said, after carrying CF bolts, a drill and a ring of steps, everything else just looks silly when you go to grab your gear and head out.
 
tim_dawg22 said:
I use an adjustable duffle bag strap to keep them on my back and put them up 1 by 1 as I climb the tree. I’ve played with a few different ways of keeping the sticks together as I climb for easy removal and I think I’ve finally found the best way.
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care to share how you do this, I've been looking for a quick way to carry and climb like you mention
 
Vtbow said:
I used drill and bolts 100% this year. CF bolts the majority of the time except where I left the top 6 or so bolts in for the weekend with plan on coming back-then I"d use 6 grade 8 dipped and 6-8 CF bolts. I sold my LW sticks, LW mini Sticks, and LW climber this year. Didnt use them once. I still have some WE steps, but they are brand new--I stretched the rope on them, thats it. I"ve been holding onto them just in case. Like @Nutterbuster said, after carrying CF bolts, a drill and a ring of steps, everything else just looks silly when you go to grab your gear and head out.
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What are you using for a ROS? Just the bolts like you mentioned in the beginning of your post, or are you using something else most of the time?


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