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Your input please on fastest yet safe way to climb a tree up to 15 - 18 feet.

C

ChetterB

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2018
Messages
41
Hello Saddle hunters, I would appreciate your input experience in climbing methods fastest safest method to reach 15 - 18 feet. Why I want to know - I am a stander on bow and rifle deer drives ( only take safe and sure shooting opportunities ) and I need a fast safe way to get up and down the tree, the drivers are not tolerant of standers that are slow in settling on their spot.
I have -- WE steps, Muddy Pro steps, XOP steps, only aider I have been successful with is the WE aider. Look forward to your responses thanks.
 
My opinion-which is clearly just that-

For speed and simplicity, it’s hard to beat 4 climbing sticks or 3 with a simple aider on each one. Three/four straps/ropes and you’re there. But then again you have to carry the sticks, if that’s a problem. You could also be slightly hindered on your height if that’s all you had and needed just a couple more feet.

For weight, or the lack of, 4 WE Stepps with knaider/swaider is so easy. But like sticks, could slightly limit your height if you needed a bit more to see a certain spot or get just over a limb or whatever reason. Down fall, needs a good bit of practice to perfect (I did anyway), and time isn’t really fast to me yet. Get to tree, get your aiders on, then get going, and my biggest problem is simply from tying the step a couple inches too high, then having to untie and move it, or in bulky clothes not being able to get nearly as high as I thought I could.

What I found best for me-my happy medium- between weight/simplicity/speed, is the one-stock method. Weight of one climbing stick of choice, with a single aider attached. Speed is a touch slower than attaching multiple sticks, but doesn’t feel like much. No limit to height. If you don’t have any limbs to go around, it’s actually pretty fast. Looks kinda hard in videos, but to me, it’s so easy. Takes a couple times doing it to get comfortable with it and finding your ‘stride’, but then it’s a breeze. @Cain has a great video, and if you copy what he does, it’s ridiculously easy.

Hope my opinion helps. Since you have multiple climbing methods, spend a day in the yard or something trying different ways. Good luck!



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Spurs are stupid fast. Nothing comes close.

There a good chance I would use a climber with a shooting bar on deer drives. IMHO


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Are these drives "traditional" drives? I mean is it the same patches being driven the same way with standers in the same spots? Drives are most effective when you know where deer bed and how they react when bumped. Let them go where they want to go, and set-up accordingly. Don't try to force them where you want them to go. You should already know from prior years of drives where the best spots are for standers.
If that's the way you drive, then pre set trees would be the fastest way up. Go out before the season with a battery drill and several dozen grade 8 bolts and prep a bunch of trees. Then you won't be carrying sticks or having to put-on and take off (and carry) spurs. Wear the saddle all day while walking from drive to drive, get to the prepped tree, climb as fast as a squirrel, tether in and you are ready to go.
 
Stairs. Stairs are the fastest and safest way to climb 15-18ft. Ladders are fast as well, and cheaper, but not quite as safe. :)

I've only ever been on a couple of drives, but generally the deer are preoccupied looking over their shoulder at whatever pushed them. I didn't feel like being in a stand would have helped. But I'd say if you have sticks, use them.
 
In that specific situation if it were me I'd have a small light climber. LW or Loggy Bayou. We used to do a lot of small drives and that's exactly how we did it. I can be base of tree to set up in less than 2 minutes. Not sure I could beat spurs in a race but it'd be darn close. I'm getting to where I am not terribly far off, maybe 5 minutes with sticks but still not as fast as the climbers.
 
Hello guys thanks for all the input much appreciated.
I would like to answer some of the questions thanks.
All public land big woods. No spurs or drill screw ins etc.
Standers located on deer escape routes drivers are walking slower than you would think through bedding areas .
 
Thanks for all your suggestions. I am going to experiment this weekend. Even going to try the Cain one stick method, thanks again.
 
Spurs are the fastest, for sure. All methods should be "safe" as long as you follow safety precautions and stay tethered to the tree during your ascent. For ease of use with least amount of practice 4 sticks will get you where you want to be.
 
Did a couple one-man drives for my buddy this year trying to get him his first deer ever. I made him wear my saddle and put him atop two Hawk Heliums that have DIY dual aiders.

Setup was quick and put his feet at ~12' and his head ~17'. I figured this was just enough to get him above the brush and to stay out of the immediate sight line of the deer.

The first step of my aider system is three 18" soft loop straps (3600# break strength) choked/daisied together and then pushed through/choked to the bottom step holes of the Heliums. Second step is tubular webbing tied into the soft loops.

Three Heliums set up this way will easily put your feet at 20' if need be, but as a sitter on a drive, two is usually enough...
 

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