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Anyone just not like sticks?

okccj

okccj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Messages
620
Hi guys,
I've tried several sticks (original LWs, Hawk, Beast) and finally LWCG minis, and simply don't like them. I think the reason is that most areas I hunt have crooked/leaning trees that have lower branches so trying to attached straight sticks to these awkward trees never feels right. Anyone else throw in the towel on sticks?
 
okccj said:
Hi guys,
I've tried several sticks (original LWs, Hawk, Beast) and finally LWCG minis, and simply don't like them. I think the reason is that most areas I hunt have crooked/leaning trees that have lower branches so trying to attached straight sticks to these awkward trees never feels right. Anyone else throw in the towel on sticks?
Click to expand...
Sounds like WE Stepps are what you need. Better for crooked trees and can work around those low branches
 
I climb SRT/ RADS 99% of the time. It just seems so much safer. My tether never has any slack and is always above my center of gravity. Sticks are OK, I guess, unless there is a better way.
 
I have preferred climbing methods, they are just not sticks. Seems like so many guys love sticks, but they never hit home with me. Feeling a bit like an oddball.
 
I prefer sticks over screw-ins or bolts if they're for a tree stand/somewhere I won't be moving constantly, but if I have to put them up and take them down each hunt, I'll choose bolts every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
 
Only time ill use sticks is in Iowa. Otherwise they are an obsolete item to my hunting repertoire

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I don't mind climbing with them, but I hate packing them in and out. Bolts are fine, but I'll sit in 3 trees most of the season if I use bolts, whereas I'll go all over gods green earth if I am single sticking.

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Blinginpse said:
Only time ill use sticks is in Iowa. Otherwise they are an obsolete item to my hunting repertoire

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Click to expand...

where do you do the majority of your hunting?
 
I’m really not a stick guy either. I really hate packing in and out with them. I did so much that I cut my lone wolfs down to see if that made it better. I packed them in to scout a few weeks back and was really happy.... Until I went to climb a tree.

At that point I realized that they drive me crazy when going up and down. Regardless of the way I carry them up (pracord loops, or lay them on top of the first stick, and so on), I just don’t like them.

Now if we are talking about leaving them on private land then that’s a different story. I love having them on trees and being able to walk in and hunt. But for public land I don’t like them. I swapped my LW’s for some WE stepps and I’m liking them so far, just not loving them.

To be completely honest, on my public land hunts during the week and the quota hunts I got drawn for, I am seriously thinking about sitting at ground level. I feel like if i can get in silent, and sit with my back against a natural wall (steep ridge or something) that i know the deer won’t come from behind me, then i like my odds. That also gives me the freedom to sneak around if I want to. Now in the evenings, I am much more comfortable using whatever climbing method because I have daylight and time on my side. But I’m in the same boat for sure


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Wild Edge for me. I'm not gonna use sticks unless it's a pre set. 6 steps with a knaider/swaider can get me higher than I need to be. Usually only use 5 and bring one extra just in case I need to go higher.
 
tmattson said:
Always wondered about spurs, need to check if there legal in Michigan.
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Can't use anything that penetrates the bark for use in climbing the tree on public land here in Michigan. Direct from the rule book.
" It is unlawful to use any item that penetrates through the bark of a tree in the construction or affixing of any device to assist in climbing a tree "

I've got a set of spurs I use on my own land that I would love to use on public if I could . . .
 
My first year in a saddle and I’d previously used a climber... got 30” helium’s... Been using them all summer while scouting...done a bit of practice one sticking... don’t honestly love either method... I’m already thinking I’m going to switch to WE steps with k/s next year
 
What's everyone using on public besides sticks if you can't penetrate the bark? WE Stepps? SRT? Single steps (like Squirrel steps, Ameristeps, Cranford's)? Sticks and WE Stepps just seem like the best options here if you can't preset.
 
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Any love for Silent Approach steps? I have a set ive been practicing with and the more I use them the more I kinda like em
 
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