Jumped on the squirrel step bandwagon

[DennisGL285]

All summer I debated on what base to use during this hunting season. Enjoyed my LW climber seat as a platform but wanted mobility and packability out of a base. A family member convinced me to get the squirrel steps and I wont go back to a platform. Although they sound like a dinner bell before you silence them(I use electric tape due to ease of use, availability, and cost) they are quiet and very easy to transport and setup. I have a size 13 hunting boot and my worry about them being too small is now null.

Using the OCB is taking some getting used to.. I was under the impression that the strap had to be so tight the tree loses consciousness. Not the case. I tighten the crap out of it and slowly loosen the strap until it calms over with medium push. I actually stretched the strap so much in one section during my first session that the white fibers inside are showing. I will get a new one, safety first...

The "well-knowns" and all of their 2 cents on past threads made the purchase and understanding easier. And no, $25 per step is not too much to ask for unless you're poor or cheap.

Using 5 steps(whoa big $$) at 2, 4, 7, 9, and 11 oclock around the tree. If the tree is smaller in diameter sistering-up 2 steps solves the spacing. OCB is in my face during set-up.

I felt the need to post this because I see a lot of members doing what I have done - weighing out the options of every friggin available base/platform option. This is my second year saddle-only hunting and I don't see changing anything regarding a base in the near future. The squirrel steps are sweet with lots of ''e's". Hope this helps.

 

[redsquirrel]

Welcome to the club! It looks like you figured out almost everything I would suggest on your own. The one thing I'd add to where you say that you don't have to get the strap so tight is that regardless of how tight you get it, there may be a small amount of settling down the tree. When I set up once I step on my steps I will walk around the ROS and step on each one to make sure it's seated from the beginning of the hunt so you don't have to worry about any surprises later.

 

[DennisGL285]

Yes I noticed that as well. Bark and tree shape isn't homogeneous around the entire tree, therefore, no matter how hard you pull the strap you will have scenarios where the steps tweak because of the nature of how they settle against the tree. However, the movement is so subtle it's hardly noticeable and most importantly very quiet. If it were ever a loud shift I would assume I did something wrong. There's a sweet spot to fully cam-over and I had to practice for hours to realise it. I found making the strap tight then gradually releasing tension works best.

 

[redsquirrel]

Yes I noticed that as well. Bark and tree shape isn't homogeneous around the entire tree, therefore, no matter how hard you pull the strap you will have scenarios where the steps tweak because of the nature of how they settle against the tree. However, the movement is so subtle it's hardly noticeable and most importantly very quiet. If it were ever a loud shift I would assume I did something wrong. There's a sweet spot to fully cam-over and I had to practice for hours to realise it. I found making the strap tight then gradually releasing tension works best.

That is exactly what I do. I tighten it up as tight as I can, then I wiggle the buckle up and down a little bit to give it a little play. I find that this usually gives me the perfect balance where I can cam it over tight on the first try. Without this wiggle it's often too tight to cam over.

 

[Nutterbuster]

However, the movement is so subtle it's hardly noticeable and most importantly very quiet. If it were ever a loud shift I would assume I did something wrong.

Yep, you get a little bark noise, but I killed 4 deer off of squirrel steps last year, and 3 of them were inside of 20 yards. That's just the deer I killed.

Noise and difficulty getting the strap tight are the two biggest "problems" I hear with a ROS, and they're both fake news.

 

[Jimmyfunk60]

Sent ya a pm


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[dustinsitzes]

I haven't used the squirrel steps as a platform yet, but I am absolutely in love with using them as my climbing method. I can't climb a tree quite as fast as I can with my muddy pro sticks but its pretty close. That is a small price to pay for a major reduction in weight and bulk. I usually spend much more time sneaking through thickets looking for a tree anyway. I can be much quieter with the squirrel step/OCB combo.

 

[kmleach]

I anticipate running the squirrel steps as my primary platform as well this fall. Once you get them figured out I actually find comfort advantages over the platform i.e. being able to get your legs in much more comfortable positions on longer sits. I also like that I can shoot better with less movement from a seated position while in a saddle and it's just easier for me to do that with the Squirrel steps than a platform because i can keep a wider base with my feet. I find shooting from a leaning position on a platform is a bit less stable because your only contact point is your feet but you're body weight is away from the tree and thus tends to want to swing easier. If you setup right and the deer behave and come in from the expected direction i think you also remain more concealed from a seated position than leaning regardless of platform type.

 

[Unshackled]

Had my first sit with my squirrel steps Saturday. Wrap the strap around tight to the tree then give a little slack, cam over and that ocb gets tight. Out of everything in my setup squirrel steps are my favorite.

 

[onestringer]

I love my squirrel steps

 

[DennisGL285]

There aren't many shooting positions in a saddle where I'm rock solid with stability. But, there are just as few stable positions from a treestand. That being said, I wouldnt be on this site if I enjoyed hanging and hunting from stands.

I shoot a hinge during 99% of the off season and wish I could get it to work in the saddle. I just cant activate the muscles needed to properly trip the mechanism.