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climbing speed

G

gumby

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
407
I know that safty is number one and always should be. I'm wondering how important the climbing speed from clearing the underbrush (bout 6 feet) to blending in the background is. That 12-15 feet where you are so exposed, seems like that would be the time for some real speed climbing and min movement.
 
I don’t know. I climb slow and quiet from the time my feet leave the ground until I’m standing on my Ameristeps.
I don’t want to fall
I don’t want to sweat.
I don’t want to make noise.
I find those three things more important than moving fast.
The thing is with my climbing stick and aider i set a stick and climb like 7 feet at a time. So I don’t spend much time climbing anyways


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I’d take slow and quiet, very quiet, super quiet over fast everytime. And I’m not the safest guy around. And if you ask my hunting buddies, I’m not the quietest either. Bull in a china shop kinda guy.


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I really don't think fast is the way to go. We employ this method of hunting so we can sneak in close and and set up quiet, going fast just allows for more opportunity to make noise. When I'm a hundred yards out from where I want to set up it's all about stealth. I'm sneaking in close to where I think bucks are bedding , or feeding so sneaking in is key. Also fast movement is eye catching.
 
I’ve climbed trees very close to deer feeding and bedded. By keeping a tree between me and the deer I have been mostly able to keep them from becoming alarmed. I don’t worry about speed too much. Presets are fast but I’m still not racing up the tree. Slow smooth fluid movements are best. You will get busted occasionally on the way to, up, or setting up in a tree. It just happens and there’s not much you can do about it.
 
I don't like to **** around, but I wouldn't call it speed climbing by any means. Fluid movements and 100% caution not to make noise. I've climbed several times both climber days and sticks within 75 yards of bedded deer by keeping the tree between myself and the deer and moving slow and steady. Situational awareness and practicing to the point your movements are second nature.
 
I have made it a point no matter what stand I have to make the last few hundred yard to my stand and up into my stand (Be it a ladder, loc on climber or now soon a saddle ) I sweat like a madman if I don't watch it so that and general safety is my main concern.
 
Stick bugs wouldn’t blend in with sticks if they were running around...

Watch birds hunt insects in grass or bushes. When the critter moves, it gets eaten.

When you’re in thick cover, and you spot a deer, how do you do it? Usually with sound first, but if not, it’s because you catch movement.

All of these things involve quick movements. If you move slowly, and have your outline broken up, you’re a lot less likely to be spotted. On the rare occasion I’m right on where deer are, I climb slowly. Often times I can get set up with them glancing in my direction on occasion.

If you move quickly, you’re more likely to get spotted, or make a mistake and make unwanted noise.

Slow, and quiet is the name of the game.
 
Watch predators hunt, especially cats, as soon as they move quickly it turns into a speed who is fastest scenario. But up until that point stealth is employed and gets them in the game. I usually am hanging in my trees way before most arrive. i hear them slam doors, cough, bang equipment around and I can usually track them by the unbelievable racket they make getting to their stands - same with evening hunts. And they are wearing camo to blend in?????
 
elk yinzer said:
I don't like to **** around, but I wouldn't call it speed climbing by any means. Fluid movements and 100% caution not to make noise. I've climbed several times both climber days and sticks within 75 yards of bedded deer by keeping the tree between myself and the deer and moving slow and steady. Situational awareness and practicing to the point your movements are second nature.
Click to expand...
Perfect wording- Situational Awareness. I find my self stopping between steps to listen and look. Last year I was about 16’ up and heard a noise, and glanced over my shoulder to see a young button buck. He hadn’t seen me and I’m not sure actually where he had come from. Took him about 5 minutes or so to move on and let me continue the climb.
 
Afternoon climbs I actually try to hustle from the time I arrive at the base of my tree until I get up on that first step and start that steady, fluid climb. That is to say while unpacking and prepping my gear, I like to get done as quickly as efficiently as possible because that is the one time during the hunt I'm not going to kill anything if it comes in. I am still in stealth mode, but I really want to get out of that vulnerability state as quickly as I can. I can kill a deer while I am hunting my way to my tree, I can kill a deer while I am climbing, but that few minutes on the ground getting dressed and prepping my stuff not so much, and my scent is ground level at that time also.
 
I try to "become the sloth" the last 60-100 yards in. Just because you don't hear or see them does not mean they did not hear or see you.
 
It's complicated. The access route and how near I may be to deer will have an influence on how fast I want to go. Ground litter will also play a very big part.
There are times when it's absolutely impossible to quietly walk. A hunter can have the most spotless, leaf free, stick free access route and within a couple days during/after peak leaf drop, or a wind storm, your super sneaky route becomes almost like it never existed. Take a wooded yard for example...All summer long the grass is mowed and the ground is leaf free. I can walk across it as quiet as if I was on a carpet. But just one day later, a tree drops 75% of its leaves and that same carpet-quiet ground is impossible to sneak across. That is an undeniable fact.
I have access routes brush hogged thru my fields, golden rod, etc, so I can walk quietly to the woods. In one day those routes can go from a quiet sneak to a thick bed of dry leaves.
In those cases, trying to sneak is the worst approach. Nothing sounds more like danger to deer than a human trying to sneak across noisy ground. That's when you go fast and loud. The cadence of your footsteps is what is critical. Stomp-stomp-stomp, sounds less alarming than step-----step-----step. If you do it right, you will sound like a flock of turkey, or a buck harassing does. You won't sound like a predator. And if you do do it right, deer will often come to investigate. 49 seasons of deer hunting has taught me that goofing around at the base of the tree, followed by ultra slow climbing, will screw you. Get in, get up, and get ready. Be safe, but be as fast as you can.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
It's complicated. The access route and how near I may be to deer will have an influence on how fast I want to go. Ground litter will also play a very big part.
There are times when it's absolutely impossible to quietly walk. A hunter can have the most spotless, leaf free, stick free access route and within a couple days during/after peak leaf drop, or a wind storm, your super sneaky route becomes almost like it never existed. Take a wooded yard for example...All summer long the grass is mowed and the ground is leaf free. I can walk across it as quiet as if I was on a carpet. But just one day later, a tree drops 75% of its leaves and that same carpet-quiet ground is impossible to sneak across. That is an undeniable fact.
I have access routes brush hogged thru my fields, golden rod, etc, so I can walk quietly to the woods. In one day those routes can go from a quiet sneak to a thick bed of dry leaves.
In those cases, trying to sneak is the worst approach. Nothing sounds more like danger to deer than a human trying to sneak across noisy ground. That's when you go fast and loud. The cadence of your footsteps is what is critical. Stomp-stomp-stomp, sounds less alarming than step-----step-----step. If you do it right, you will sound like a flock of turkey, or a buck harassing does. You won't sound like a predator. And if you do do it right, deer will often come to investigate. 49 seasons of deer hunting has taught me that goofing around at the base of the tree, followed by ultra slow climbing, will screw you. Get in, get up, and get ready. Be safe, but be as fast as you can.
Click to expand...


I have shot 2 bucks in 42 seasons while ascending the tree, and while standing on a climbing stick/step. I pulled the bow up slowly, and killed both within 20 yards. First time I was on screw in steps about 9-10 foot off ground, and last time was on my 3rd stick, about 15 foot up. I almost pulled it off again in 2017 season on my way down - shot never materialized and he passed 40 yards way. Taking my time and paying attention while I was climbing got me both those opportunities and almost a third. Not saying folks should "screw around" but I also don't think folks need to be in such a rush.
 
I use similar tactics as Tom when entering when it's loud. I've grunted my way in to stands the last 50 or 60 yds., and killed deer in less than 10min. after being in the stand. I know those deer heard me. I guess it should be cleared up that by slow I mean deliberate. Know your system, it should be a well choreographed routine. when you get to the tree you should be ready to climb. Some times I stage up a 100 yds. out get everything where it needs to be and then stalk the remaining way in. Once at the tree "get er done". It doesn't need to be rushed to be fast. It needs to be polished and deliberate. I think DaveT makes a good point, I hunt on my way in, and on my way up and down the tree, and on the way out.
 
I like to be setup quickly, because I like to hunt far back and be good and set well in advance of other hunters. Like @DaveT1963 mentioned, I usually have the smug satisfaction of having an arrow on the string before the next guy in starts tire crunching. Once the leaves are down, and especially if there's a little flood action, I can hear tires crunch over a mile away through the woods in some areas. I want to be setup in advance of those guys and hopefully allow them to stir stuff up.

But I think the key to fast isn't so much speed as it is familiarity with a simple system. Dave and I climb 2 totally different ways, but it seems both of us know EXACTLY where all our gear lives and EXACTLY what we're doing at any given moment. Get flustered or confused, or run into an unexpected difficulty, and you kill your setup speed.

And a lot of time gets list unpacking/organizing gear and "settling in." My dad can climb up a ladder stand and then take 15 minutes to "get comfortable." I pretty much set my tether, hang my bag and bow, nock and arrow, and sit still.
 
Nutterbuster said:
I like to be setup quickly, because I like to hunt far back and be good and set well in advance of other hunters. Like @DaveT1963 mentioned, I usually have the smug satisfaction of having an arrow on the string before the next guy in starts tire crunching. Once the leaves are down, and especially if there's a little flood action, I can hear tires crunch over a mile away through the woods in some areas. I want to be setup in advance of those guys and hopefully allow them to stir stuff up.

But I think the key to fast isn't so much speed as it is familiarity with a simple system. Dave and I climb 2 totally different ways, but it seems both of us know EXACTLY where all our gear lives and EXACTLY what we're doing at any given moment. Get flustered or confused, or run into an unexpected difficulty, and you kill your setup speed.

And a lot of time gets list unpacking/organizing gear and "settling in." My dad can climb up a ladder stand and then take 15 minutes to "get comfortable." I pretty much set my tether, hang my bag and bow, nock and arrow, and sit still.
Click to expand...

I agree with your analysis. My pack/gear is the same every time - and like mentioned above, I can pull up my bow and take a shot if needed. I am ready to kill a deer from the moment I step away from my truck. Yes if I have a two mile hike I may expedite through ground I am not planning to hunt, but when i get within 100 yards I switch to kill mode. I did not even include the 5 or 6 deer i have killed enroute to my tree.

But this is just my mentality - others are free to hunt anyway they like and i hope it works for them.
 
When I am hunting buck bedding in the evening I am climbing like a freaking sloth lol. SLOW and quiet. My goal is zero noise. In the mornings when I am in over an hour before light I’ll just climb at a steady pace so I don’t sweat and don’t worry about noise as much. I can and have climbed 30’ in less than a minute with my spurs so I can go super fast if I want, but with that speed comes more risk.


Tethrd-Ginger Ninja/Fire Crotch Fiddler
 
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