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ROS question: do you miss your step?

raisins

raisins

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2019
Messages
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I'm mostly a leaner. I at first thought a ROS wasn't for me because of that, but now I'm not sure. I've only use a platform so far and killed 3 deer out of it.

When I'm on my platform, no matter the tree, the platform is always the same size and distance from the tree. I have enough muscle memory and ability to visualize/feel the platform as I walk that I can move around it brace against it's edges, etc. I've never misstepped and came off the thing or made a bunch of noise.

But with a ROS, the tree size and just how you spaced them that day is going to make every setup at least a little unique.

How can you guys walk around the tree and hit those steps while holding your bow and paying attention to the deer? Are you always making micro-glances down like when you are trying to walk quietly on land and so glancing around for deer while looking down to not step on a stick?
 
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raisins said:
I'm mostly a leaner. I at first thought a ROS wasn't for me because of that, but now I'm not sure. I've only use a platform so far and killed 3 deer out of it.

When I'm on my platform, no matter the tree, the platform is always the same size and distance from the tree. I have enough muscle memory and ability to visualize/feel the platform as I walk that I can move around it brace against it's edges, etc. I've never misstepped and came off the thing or made a bunch of noise.

But with a ROS, the tree size and just how you spaced them that day is going to make every setup at least a little unique.

How can you guys walk around the tree and hit those steps while holding your bow and paying attention to the deer? Are you always making micro-glances down like when you are trying to walk slowly and so glancing around for deer while looking down to not step on a stick?
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I put them in pairs & find it’s rare that you have to completely walk around the tree. Usually that 1 extra foot placement is enough. I just practice a couple moves for where I think I might get shot & wing it. Not hard to glance if you need to, just like learning when to draw, just feel for it with your toe & gently weight it…..
 
Pretty much the above. I use a ring of steps exclusively, never have used a platform. I've never had a misstep. After a few minutes on the setup, you just sort of know where the steps are.
 
Same as @Bigterp and @NMSbowhunter. I found I just wasn’t using them as much as I thought. Additionally I banged them into crap constantly trying to position them. With my ridge runner it can be a bit of a challenge but using my one stick topped with an ultimate platform I can get most of the way around a tree no problem.
 
elk yinzer said:
They don't see any deer becuase they're too busy playing tree ninja in preparation to see one. Big Uncle Rico vibes from the ROS crowd.
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RICO....so we're going to run into Giuliani in the tree?
 
raisins said:
RICO....so we're going to run into Giuliani in the tree?
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Haha.

Seriously though I can rock a ROS for about 2-3 hours. Which for some guys I gather is all they ever really hunt at a time. But all day, no thanks, need to be able to stand up straight. And while it's nice for a couple hours I almost always just grab the trusty .5 for all hunts. Not real big on swapping out multiple setups in the middle of the season.
 
Most of my sits are 5 to 6 hours. ROS only. I sit 95% of the time. Most of my weight is in the saddle. Steps are there to give my feet somewhere to rest and as leverage to move if I need too. I set up with what will hopefully be the shot in mind so if I did my job I won't have to move too much once the moment of truth comes. I do several all-day dark to dark sits each season on the ROS. It's an all-day sit so it's no picknick any way you slice it, whether you are in a stand or a saddle or a shoot house. All day sits are a test of will.
 
I hunt 95% off a ring. I find that unless I'm caught off guard, I only take one step to get into position of the deer is requiring me to rotate around the tree. most sits I never leave the steps I'm on unless adjusting positions. Now to answer the original question, I take small glances as I'm placing my feet to make sure I'm hitting the next step if the situation requires a large move. which I try and keep all movement on the back side of the tree anyway.
 
Blacksmith said:
My Steps are set in pairs. That makes for a pretty wide place to stand. You only move part way around the tree. It's not like you are walking around the trunk and could miss a step. JMO.
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Some folks entirely circle the tree and walk around it. Eberhart uses screw in steps for this and raises them up as he goes around the tree to compensate for his tether wrapping around the tree and shortening how much you can use.
 
I keep a few extras in the back pack for just in case and I add or subtract as needed for the diameter of the tree.
What I’ve found is as long as I keep the distance between the step around 8 to 10” apart that I never miss a step because it allows me to take small gradual moves around the tree without looking. Now if I try to space them out any further apart then it makes things more challenging
 
Also worth mentioning like a couple of the guys above, when I use the squirrel steps, I’d set them in pairs to widen my step but now that I’m using those platform ROS from Bullman, I haven’t needed them set in pairs. Those steps are ergonomically correct for comfort and plenty wide enough and stable to not need to double them
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
Also worth mentioning like a couple of the guys above, when I use the squirrel steps, I’d set them in pairs to widen my step but now that I’m using those platform ROS from Bullman, I haven’t needed them set in pairs. Those steps are ergonomically correct for comfort and plenty wide enough and stable to not need to double them
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I also use the bullman platforms, GREAT steps.
 
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