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Best Platform with a Crossbow

C

cdwester

New Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Messages
6
Lot's of new platform options out here and a ton of opinions/preferences? Thinking about moving from a ring of steps to a platform when I take out the crossbow, but I'm still on the fence.

Wondering what you guys are using or think is best for saddle hunting with a crossbow?
 
I used my top steps on my stick with screw ins on each side of it last year just fine. I got a Predator at Saddlepalooza and used it for the first hunt this past Saturday. I absolutely loved it, even though I didn't want to so I would save weight! I will not hunt without it now. It offers too much flexibility over a simple ROS and you can easily add a couple of squirrel steps and have the best of both worlds if desired.

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Any platform on the official market (Predator, Podium, Ridge Runner, Perch) is going to work well. IMHO it really comes down to whether you prefer more width and an extra pound (Podium, Ridge Runner), or more depth and lightest weight/fuss (Predator), or something that goes right into your Wild Edge climbing system/ROS (if that’s what you use) but is kind of a weird shape to carry (Perch).
 
Went this past weekend with mine and loved it. My DIY platform worked wonderfully. (even cocked it on the platform, told myself to cock it before i climbed) DA!! LOL
 
I use this and shot a doe standing on it at about 25 yards. The deer was at a position of 5 o'clock. I shot it right handed with one hand but left eyed although I am righthanded and right eyed. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Primal Platform DIY 2 lbs 7 oz

I stood on a Primal step for 6 hours on Saturday. Not much fun with all the bulges. I had the wooden platform I made but the step pulled away from the tree because of the leverage of a large platform. This morning, I put a lightweight aluminum piece on a Primal step similar to what I did with...
saddlehunter.com
 
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I love my Lone Wolf hand climber, it weighs four pounds and it’s my climbing system/platform. I have cocked my crossbow in it without problems. I guess it’s not for everybody but I can’t figure out why more people aren’t using them. They are so simple and safe with a few precautions. You have to use your tether to climb with it so you’re always strapped in, you have to use a safety rope from your LWHC to you in case it falls you can retrieve it. You have to add foot straps for climbing. That’s about it.


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Bwhana said:
I used my top steps on my stick with screw ins on each side of it last year just fine. I got a Predator at Saddlepalooza and used it for the first hunt this past Saturday. I absolutely loved it, even though I didn't want to so I would save weight! I will not hunt without it now. It offers too much flexibility over a simple ROS and you can easily add a couple of squirrel steps and have the best of both worlds if desired.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. I'm used to hulking in a 30 pound climber so an extra pound is not big deal but 'm still trying to figure out what the advantage of the platform would be. Is it more for those shots directly behind you?
 
I run a ring of bolts with a crossbow without any issues. I am not against a platform, but I am happy to not have the weight and what I perceive as being all the functionality I need.
 
rutjr said:
I love my Lone Wolf hand climber, it weighs four pounds and it’s my climbing system/platform. I have cocked my crossbow in it without problems. I guess it’s not for everybody but I can’t figure out why more people aren’t using them. They are so simple and safe with a few precautions. You have to use your tether to climb with it so you’re always strapped in, you have to use a safety rope from your LWHC to you in case it falls you can retrieve it. You have to add foot straps for climbing. That’s about it.


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Click to expand...

how do you go around a branch?
 
kyler1945 said:
how do you go around a branch?
Click to expand...
Here in New England I can easily find trees where branches don't start for 20-30 feet up the tree. I have gone around branches just to try with a LW climbing stick. I'm sure I can do it with screw in steps also or my LB used as a second tether. I'll have to try that out too.
8f03c7cb05ec6f21144fcef748cf0a3a.mov

Look at the trees around me.
 
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