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Hawk hang out

I'm new to saddle hunting as well came across this forum late in the season last year.
I also picked up the hawk hangout on clearance but haven't had a chance to use it. I changed the stand offs to the XOP six points and will be testing it out before next season.
 
I think it will work just fine but I believe guys have been hesitant to use it due to it’s weight.


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I picked one of these up a while back, thinking I'd test it as a cheap platform. Here's what I found... which was pretty much already known:
  1. The included standoffs are pretty narrow, don't give much stability in side-to-side pushing. They also extend the platform away from the tree more than Lone Wolf standoffs.
  2. Lone Wolf standoffs can be used, but they don't have the side-locking "shoulders" that the factory ones do, so they're prone to spinning around against the base. Tightening the bolts down hard will make it less likely, but no matter how hard I dared tighten, I could still wiggle them around.
  3. Mine was missing the ratchet strap, so I tested it 2 different ways:
    1. I borrowed a strap from my helium sticks. It's a 1-inch strap, and it does ok, but it's a cinch tightening strap, not a real ratchet, so I wasn't satisfied with how tight I could get it.
    2. I contacted Hawk about the missing strap and they mailed me 2 free ladder stand straps - these are much sturdier, and actually have a ratchet, so I could really crank it tight.
    3. BOTH versions still left a bit to be desired. The top stand-off pulled away from the tree when I stood on it (I tip the scales north of 260, so I was asking a lot of the platform, but still within it's claimed rating as a seat).
    4. If I pushed side-to-side, I could make it wiggle, scrape against the tree bark, and generally not provide a whole lot of reassurance it would work well.
    5. If I bounced on it, the top stand-off just got farther and farther off the tree, especially if I was also putting my weight toward the front of the seat area, furthest from the tree.
I probably won't use it as a platform, all things considered. If it attached to the post lower than right at the top that might give it more stability,but I can't think of a good way to attach to the seat platform and tighten it better than it already is.

So there. I have thoroughly beaten this dead horse. It is now deader.

Bonus picture: Lone Wolf standoff pulling away from the tree, putting my fragile life in mortal peril. Well, ok, not really. But not reassuring.
 

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Thinking of picking one up. Would relocating the platform to the middle of the stick and adding versa button and Lone Wolf straps along with lone wolf/cop stand offs make it more stable? Discuss?
 
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