Is one sticking really worth

[Apex7]

For 95% of my hunts, I typically use a custom Frankenstick with the EWO UP platform on top. For me, it's all about overall simplicity. Climb with the stick portion, step up onto the platform, hunt. It packs up super simple and the weight is evenly balanced:

View attachment 68142

That said, I think a mini stick with a separate platform is a little more user friendly once in the tree. The stick setup next to platform gives you a better range of motion for shooting purposes, but it's one extra piece to pack up and carry. This is how I used to do it with the same style pack as shown above:

View attachment 68143

^ Mini hawk with two step aider in side pocket, pulled tight with lash strap. Platform lashed to front. It worked, but the weight was a little unbalanced while carrying.

I guess what it boils down to is how much space you need in the tree and how much weight you want to carry. I started saddle hunting on just the top of a stick, so the UP to feels like a ton of real estate to me, but might feel too small for other users.

I don't worry about weight because I use a Bakcou Mule e-bike to carry me and my gear. I just want to have less stuff to put away at the end of the hunt and to leave the area as quickly as I can. I hunt public land with a lot of walkers and bikers so deer are use to see bikers in the woods and are really not phased by them. I use the bike because of a back injury and it's hard for me to carry my setup.

 

[BTaylor]

No offense, but all you guys pushing tether climbing, one sticking, ladder climbing make these videos of how easy and straight forward your system is on a tree that doesn't have a branch on it for 30 ft. Show us a real tree that has branches all over it. How many times you gotta go around branches and use a secondary tether. For a couple extra pounds I will take the versatility of sticks any day of the week. I can't remember the last time I have been in a tree that was straight and had no branches till the canopy.
I use my tether as my secondary linesman till I get to where I am gonna hunt then set up. Just quick easy don't have to think about it.

Like I said not trying to bash you but the woods I hunt that system would be a nightmare.

Our trees have branches all over them after you get up past 35-40 feet. Obviously different than the shrubs you have been climbing.

 

[Mopar1169]

Our trees have branches all over them after you get up past 35-40 feet. Obviously different than the shrubs you have been climbing.

Shrub lives matter too.

 

[HuumanCreed]

I think its worth it but as technology advanced more, having just regular sticks caught up to some of the benefits. 4 Tethrd sticks basically weight the same as my Mini Hawk Helium and rappelling ropes. With sticks you can get up and down faster after setting up. But I still think rappelling is safer and more fun.

If one sticking was more refined like it is today say.....10-15 years ago, when sticks were full length around 3lbs average, then the advantage toward just a single stick would of been more noticeable.

 

[Cbigbear]

So, FOR ME, I feel that climbing with 1 stick vs. multiple sticks is a wash, I feel it's pretty much the same energy expenditure, efficiency, etc. I don't care if you are climbing a telephone pole or a tree with multiple branches, the climb is going to be similar.

Where one sticking TRULY shines is the descent (if you are rappelling that is.) I've made some pretty sketchy climbs with both methods, the difference is, the descent with multiple sticks, in the dark, when it's wet, and cold, and stuff has started to freeze up, and you are fiddling around with aiders coming down, you ratchet up the sketch factor immensely. Couple that with the fact that I hunt alone 95% of the time, or more, and I wanted a safer option. Enter one stick climbing and rappelling. Coming out of the tree in the dark, cold, wet, maybe ice or snow is a piece of cake. No more worrying that I might slip and jack myself up a mile or more in, alone and the only thing my wife has are GPS coordinates (and I love her to death but she is somewhat directionally and geographically challenged).

I am just as lethal with multiple sticks as I am one sticking, but the exit from the tree is the true litmus test as far as I'm concerned, and the one stick and rappel method can't be touched in that regard.

In the 7 yrs one sticking was my go to I never rappelled. Started rappelling a couple yrs ago with my 3 stick & moveable aider. Climbing up with an aider & liberal spacing is doable but dicey coming down.

 

[Robert loper]

I believe there is One answer to this question.
if you like one sticking the best than yes itis worth it.
if it is not and it is more kind of like work than no its not worth it.
Different people like to do things there own way and most need to find the way that they are comfortable with and the way that gives them confidence.
The worst thing to do is do somthing in a way just because thats the cool way or the hottest new trend.
success is not only what you put into it. It also has alot to do in how you do it
Confidence is key

 

[hokiehunter373]

Confidence is key

The truth with all things hunting related. I struggled shooting until I got a new bow almost a decade ago. When I got a new one I just felt like I was going to be better because the bow was better. Obviously that's not how it works but because of that new found confidence I shot better. The more I shot well, the more confident I got, and the better I continued to get at shooting. Same thing when you're thinking about what conditions to hunt or where to climb that tree. The more confidence you have, the better it works out. Being wishy washy in hunting decisions and not having confidence leads to most peoples failures IMO.

 

[Jammintree]

I’m sure one sticking is a great way to go for many hunters in many locations. But I’d rather work on mastery of tools I already have and save my money for other more important gear expenses, like a new rangefinder. It’s so easy to get sucked into chasing the greener grass.

 

[Noonespecial]

One sticking has to be one of the loudest most difficult ways to climb a tree. I have tried it and immediately went back to my sticks. I have yet to see someone do it quietly or without swinging around the tree like a monkey. No way can you get away with that near a pressured deer bedding area.

 

[sojourner]

In the 7 yrs one sticking was my go to I never rappelled. Started rappelling a couple yrs ago with my 3 stick & moveable aider. Climbing up with an aider & liberal spacing is doable but dicey coming down.

So, let me get this straight, the original OG of one-sticking, of which the genesis of one-sticking came from, is no longer one-sticking. Is that true? If so, I would like to hear about the why’s of using multiple sticks instead of one stick.

Not being sarcastic or confrontational, just curious and looking for more info. Disclaimer, I never one-sticked, but every once in a while I think about trying it. Never made it past the thinking stage.

Thx.

 

[Robert loper]

The truth with all things hunting related. I struggled shooting until I got a new bow almost a decade ago. When I got a new one I just felt like I was going to be better because the bow was better. Obviously that's not how it works but because of that new found confidence I shot better. The more I shot well, the more confident I got, and the better I continued to get at shooting. Same thing when you're thinking about what conditions to hunt or where to climb that tree. The more confidence you have, the better it works out. Being wishy washy in hunting decisions and not having confidence leads to most peoples failures IMO.

Agrred

 

[HuumanCreed]

The truth with all things hunting related. I struggled shooting until I got a new bow almost a decade ago. When I got a new one I just felt like I was going to be better because the bow was better. Obviously that's not how it works but because of that new found confidence I shot better. The more I shot well, the more confident I got, and the better I continued to get at shooting. Same thing when you're thinking about what conditions to hunt or where to climb that tree. The more confidence you have, the better it works out. Being wishy washy in hunting decisions and not having confidence leads to most peoples failures IMO.

Agree too. I would also argue that sometimes advancement of technology and discovery of new method simply do work better. And that better results in turn created more confident in the gear/method. Work smarter, not harder.

My father in law asked me recently if I wanted his old climber for good, an old API GrandSlam.....35lbs bare. I have used it a few times 4 years ago, just remember carrying that thing around over a mile make my back hurts.

Point is, other members are right, it work if you want it to work, if you use your tool with care the safety concern no matter what you uses are drastically reduced. Climbing tree is similar to car ownership. You are either driving what you can afford (Hawk), or you are driving what you want to drive (TethrdOne). If we all make 'logical' decision, everyone in the country would be driving a Honda or Toyota sedan that get 40+mpg (looking at you bucket sitters). But those people that drives Corvette and Shelby, they can be grouped too. One that take really good care of their car and even a scratch is avoided (JRB climbing with multiple safeties) and they never speed. The other are the one that speeds in residential zones, don't wear seat belt, and get into accidents (no safety lines etc).

 

[Cbigbear]

I’m sure one sticking is a great way to go for many hunters in many locations. But I’d rather work on mastery of tools I already have and save my money for other more important gear expenses, like a new rangefinder. It’s so easy to get sucked into chasing the greener grass.

If you have a stick you already have the gear. The “dedicated” sticks are definitely not needed.

 

[Cbigbear]

One sticking has to be one of the loudest most difficult ways to climb a tree. I have tried it and immediately went back to my sticks. I have yet to see someone do it quietly or without swinging around the tree like a monkey. No way can you get away with that near a pressured deer bedding area.

Takes a little effort but doable.

 

[Cbigbear]

So, let me get this straight, the original OG of one-sticking, of which the genesis of one-sticking came from, is no longer one-sticking. Is that true? If so, I would like to hear about the why’s of using multiple sticks instead of one stick.

Not being sarcastic or confrontational, just curious and looking for more info. Disclaimer, I never one-sticked, but every once in a while I think about trying it. Never made it past the thinking stage.

Thx.

Yeah, recently I read a Facebook post referencing some guy being The Godfather of one sticking was going to be at a mobile expo so I musta passed the torch!!!!

Actually I still one stick a few times a yr for hunts & all my trail cam runs are single sticking. Terrain & cover dictate what I use & climbing method. For the last 5 yrs or so I been mainly hunting river bottoms & crp ground. The cover is thick & mostly small trashy trees. I use the 80/20 rule if 80 percent are good trees I’ll go one stick & if not multiple sticks. The last couple of yrs I’ve probably hunted from the ground over half my hunts.
I’ve spoken with a few of the new one stickers pushing this method & all have been mature timber, hill country hunters. I would agreed this method is great for that terrain & cover.

 

[Noonespecial]

Takes a little effort but doable.

Always done on a tree with no branches and in no way is this an actual representation with the amplified bug noises from the camera microphone. Plus I can see you plain as day. So why would you even pick this tree to hunt from? You’ll be picked off ending the hunt before it even begins.

 

[Cbigbear]

Always done on a tree with no branches and in no way is this an actual representation with the amplified bug noises from the camera microphone. Plus I can see you plain as day. So why would you even pick this tree to hunt from? You’ll be picked off ending the hunt before it even begins.

Agreed when one sticking as stated above I seek out limbless & fairly straight trees. This was filmed on a 2010 Kodak play sport (note video date) that had terrible audio, but guess it could have amp’d the crickets. So the point was to do it in the wide open so a viewer could see the process. If I was to pick an actual hunting scenario tree that blocked vision how would one display how you can one stick with minimal noise & movement?

I would encourage you to pick a similar setting & film your setup. I’ve yet to see one that had zero visual movement or even noticeable less than the attached.

 

[phatkaw]

I live on a farm with tons of deer. My neighbor is 84,000 acres of heavily hunted Game Lands..
I am constantly in the woods one-sticking and I can tell you that it's very easy to get up a tree while being close to deer.
I do it all the time...

You said that you tried it and "immediately went back".
You obviously weren't very good at it yet or you wouldn't be saying "no way you can get away with that"...

 

[Plebe]

Agreed when one sticking as stated above I seek out limbless & fairly straight trees. This was filmed on a 2010 Kodak play sport (note video date) that had terrible audio, but guess it could have amp’d the crickets. So the point was to do it in the wide open so a viewer could see the process. If I was to pick an actual hunting scenario tree that blocked vision how would one display how you can one stick with minimal noise & movement?

I would encourage you to pick a similar setting & film your setup. I’ve yet to see one that had zero visual movement or even noticeable less than the attached.

My favorite time to set up is before sun up. I can extrapolate your demonstrations, thanks for putting the videos together.

 

[sojourner]

Yeah, recently I read a Facebook post referencing some guy being The Godfather of one sticking was going to be at a mobile expo so I musta passed the torch!!!!

Actually I still one stick a few times a yr for hunts & all my trail cam runs are single sticking. Terrain & cover dictate what I use & climbing method. For the last 5 yrs or so I been mainly hunting river bottoms & crp ground. The cover is thick & mostly small trashy trees. I use the 80/20 rule if 80 percent are good trees I’ll go one stick & if not multiple sticks. The last couple of yrs I’ve probably hunted from the ground over half my hunts.
I’ve spoken with a few of the new one stickers pushing this method & all have been mature timber, hill country hunters. I would agreed this method is great for that terrain & cover.

Thanks for the reply. We, at least I, know you are the OG. I mostly hunt swampy areas that have an even mix of trashy trees and hardwoods. Not the “mature timber” of the hills. So never much real incentive to one stick.

I feel that if I were to one stick, I would be doing mental gymnastics to make myself choose the telephone pole tree instead of a gnarly and branchy tree. Doing that, I might as well take a climber.