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For those that use sticks

D

Doofy

Member
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
93
Location
Maryland
How many do you use? I have four but Im wondering if the 1 or 2 stick method will be better than hauling 4 into the woods.

Opinions and reasoning behind your choice will be greatly appreciated!
 
I sometimes use them. I have tried the one stick method and it is effective, but it takes a lot more effort than some of the other ways.
If I was walking a long way to hunt and needed to keep weight and gear to a minimum, then I might use the one stick method again. I practice it regularly, it just takes longer and requires more movement and sound than other ways. Plus I'd sweat bad if I did it during early season.
I hate carrying four sticks too though. That was a big reason why I began looking for other ways to climb.
I'll sometimes use two sticks. One to climb with and the other as additional step for platform. Sometimes I'll use a Cranford rope step or Stepp step instead of second stick. Or the ameristeps on a strap.

If they're legal in the area, spurs are the way to go in my opinion. Screw in steps set up pre season are easiest and most quiet and require you to carry nothing extra come the day of the hunt.
Of course if you can go ahead of time and get a branch or set one screw in step at hunting height, or if you wanna toss a pull string up in the dark, you could always rope ascend. It's easy and quiet and it only takes carrying a longer rope/tether along with very small lightweight ascender and maybe foot ascender.
So many options.
The one stick method is not hard, and it's not too bad to carry one stick with a multi step aider (i certainly prefer it to carrying all my sticks), but it seems like a lot if work compared to some other methods.
Just my opinion


Shaun.
 
Thanks a ton for the reply. Im stuck on public grounds in MD so Im limited to sticks.

I hate policing straps on 4 sticks plus the weight and pack needed to carry them in. I really think the two stick method may be best for me. First with a long aider to get going then the single aider on the solo climbing stick.

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I've gotten my setup down to 3 lw sticks with a 3-step aider on each stick. This gets me over 20 feet. I don't think the 1 sick method is for me.

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I've really considered the 2 stick method. A 5 step aider on the bottom stick and a 3 step on my second stick would probably get me to 15ish feet, but I'd still be strapping 3 steps on the tree. I'm not sure if that would save much time.

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3 modified heliums (22" long) and three fit straps also 22" long. I get 15-18 foot depending how far I want to space them. I prefer to hunt at 16 -18 foot in most cases. A 4th stick will easily get me to 21-24 foor high.... but i seldom take a 4 th stick
 
g2outdoors said:
I've gotten my setup down to 3 lw sticks with a 3-step aider on each stick. This gets me over 20 feet. I don't think the 1 sick method is for me.
Click to expand...

Do you ever have an issue with the aiders blowing around in the wind causing movement that deer see?
 
DaveT1963 said:
3 modified heliums (22" long) and three fit straps also 22" long. I get 15-18 foot depending how far I want to space them. I prefer to hunt at 16 -18 foot in most cases. A 4th stick will easily get me to 21-24 foor high.... but i seldom take a 4 th stick
Click to expand...

Im going to check these fit straps out. I'm the guy that likes to be around 25' to 30' up in a lot of cases since a lot of the areas I hunt have trees that don't offer very much cover below 25'.
 
I've used the "one stick method" for two years now and have a good system down. Some trees are a PAIN. Mainly bigger ones. On a smaller tree I can easily reach around it doesn't take me long and I can do it quietly. I have also used two 20" sticks with five step aiders on both and that gets me around 15' which is about all you need in the early season. You can also set both sticks and then move the second stick up the tree to get more height. I alternate between one stick, two stick and spikes. Just depends on where I am hunting at. I killed my Ohio buck last year using two sticks and sitting at about 14' feet. He never knew what hit him :cool:
 
Re: RE: Re: For those that use sticks

flinginairos said:
I've used the "one stick method" for two years now and have a good system down. Some trees are a PAIN. Mainly bigger ones. On a smaller tree I can easily reach around it doesn't take me long and I can do it quietly. I have also used two 20" sticks with five step aiders on both and that gets me around 15' which is about all you need in the early season. You can also set both sticks and then move the second stick up the tree to get more height. I alternate between one stick, two stick and spikes. Just depends on where I am hunting at. I killed my Ohio buck last year using two sticks and sitting at about 14' feet. He never knew what hit him :cool:
Click to expand...
How long does it take you to get up to 20' with 1 stick on a medium sized tree?
 
Re: RE: Re: For those that use sticks

flinginairos said:
I've used the "one stick method" for two years now and have a good system down. Some trees are a PAIN. Mainly bigger ones. On a smaller tree I can easily reach around it doesn't take me long and I can do it quietly. I have also used two 20" sticks with five step aiders on both and that gets me around 15' which is about all you need in the early season. You can also set both sticks and then move the second stick up the tree to get more height. I alternate between one stick, two stick and spikes. Just depends on where I am hunting at. I killed my Ohio buck last year using two sticks and sitting at about 14' feet. He never knew what hit him :cool:
Click to expand...
I agree competently with what you say about sticks being easy on smaller trees. I wasn't thinking about that. Most of the trees I set up prior to season are larger and ,because I have other options, I use other methods. But, I have found myself eight to ten feet up in a very small (6-8")tree on several occasions after observing some movement. With these small trees I just use my tether and the one stick method if I'm gonna be fifteen feet or less.
I just don't enjoy climbing larger diameter trees that way


Shaun.
 
I use anywhere from one to three modded LW sticks. There really is no one size fits all method. On straight limbless medium size trees I can be @ 20' & hunting in under 5 mins with one stick. On other trees it would take 30 mins or more & not partical to use one stick. The trees & hunting situation dictates my gear.
 
Re: RE: Re: For those that use sticks

essdub said:
I agree competently with what you say about sticks being easy on smaller trees. I wasn't thinking about that. Most of the trees I set up prior to season are larger and ,because I have other options, I use other methods. But, I have found myself eight to ten feet up in a very small (6-8")tree on several occasions after observing some movement. With these small trees I just use my tether and the one stick method if I'm gonna be fifteen feet or less.
I just don't enjoy climbing larger diameter trees that way

Shaun.
Click to expand...

I can see how tree size would be a huge factor. I would say most of the trees I will be climbing are around 20" in diameter at the base which I would consider to be medium sized. Oaks for the most part and then there are these ones that are like telephone poles around here. Pretty smooth bark and almost no branches for the first 30'. Greayish in color. I have no clue what they are called.
 
Cbigbear said:
I use anywhere from one to three modded LW sticks. There really is no one size fits all method. On straight limbless medium size trees I can be @ 20' & hunting in under 5 mins with one stick. On other trees it would take 30 mins or more & not partical to use one stick. The trees & hunting situation dictates my gear.
Click to expand...
Thanks for pointing out how different types of trees can take so much longer. I didn't really think of that coming from 14 years in a climber. More limbs to go around would slow you down quite a bit. Having multiple setups may be key. Very good point. Pines = Multiple sticks. (the kind where the branches won't support your weight)
 
Doofy said:
essdub said:
I agree competently with what you say about sticks being easy on smaller trees. I wasn't thinking about that. Most of the trees I set up prior to season are larger and ,because I have other options, I use other methods. But, I have found myself eight to ten feet up in a very small (6-8")tree on several occasions after observing some movement. With these small trees I just use my tether and the one stick method if I'm gonna be fifteen feet or less.
I just don't enjoy climbing larger diameter trees that way

Shaun.
Click to expand...

I can see how tree size would be a huge factor. I would say most of the trees I will be climbing are around 20" in diameter at the base which I would consider to be medium sized. Oaks for the most part and then there are these ones that are like telephone poles around here. Pretty smooth bark and almost no branches for the first 30'. Greayish in color. I have no clue what they are called.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a poplar maybe? We have tons of those here and I am forced to hunt from them a lot. They are perfectly straight and no limbs until at least 30-40'. The bark is kinda soft and great for climbing with spikes.
 
Doofy said:
flinginairos said:
I've used the "one stick method" for two years now and have a good system down. Some trees are a PAIN. Mainly bigger ones. On a smaller tree I can easily reach around it doesn't take me long and I can do it quietly. I have also used two 20" sticks with five step aiders on both and that gets me around 15' which is about all you need in the early season. You can also set both sticks and then move the second stick up the tree to get more height. I alternate between one stick, two stick and spikes. Just depends on where I am hunting at. I killed my Ohio buck last year using two sticks and sitting at about 14' feet. He never knew what hit him :cool:
Click to expand...
How long does it take you to get up to 20' with 1 stick on a medium sized tree?
Click to expand...

I'd say around 5-6 minutes but depends on how stealthy I wanna be lol.
 
Poplar is it! Thanks guys.

5 to 6 minutes isnt bad at all. Im going to try out the one stick method first. Seems the easiest.

Thanks for all the replies!

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Poplar and beech are my favorite trees with spurs. And beech trees usually have so many big limbs that you're bound to find one at hunting height to treat your spurred boots on in a big tree. If you can see past all the branches. They might require a bit of trimming


Shaun.
 
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