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Screw ins?

L

lukepighetti

Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2016
Messages
57
I'm starting to wonder if screw ins are really the way to go.

Is there anyone who has tried screw ins who prefers another method? I am allowed to screw in on the land I hunt. Cheers
 
Do you hunt the same trees again?
I have used Treebolts a lot. The manual drill is a lot of work (though not more than screw ins really). With a power drill and the treehopper bit it is a quick setup and then you can reuse the trees all season.

I buy my bolts at Home Depot and dip the portion that stays out of the tree in plastidip. I also taped them with Gorilla tape.
Just make sure you get the right bolts. Cheap ones will bend...I Have a thread on here a=some where
 
I like to set up a tree, and then scout and move on sunday (no hunting), and hunt out of the new tree for a week. Rinse repeat.
 
Tree Bolts would be good for you then.
You just stick them in the holes on the way up and remove on the way down.
A small power drill that has a lanyard attached to it and a linesman's belt is all you need to set up.
I wear a small bag on a shoulder strap with my bolts in it.

lukepighetti said:
I like to set up a tree, and then scout and move on sunday (no hunting), and hunt out of the new tree for a week. Rinse repeat.
Click to expand...
 
Screw ins are my choice for presets. They're cheap, naturally camouflaged from other Hunters, and if they get stolen it's not a huge deal.

The best method I've found is using 1 LW stick with an aider on every hunt. That allows me to use screw ins starting around 8' high. This means I can setup more trees with fewer screw ins, almost no one will notice I'm hunting that tree, and no one can use my steps (unless of course they're carrying their own LW stick).

It blows my mind that someone would climb into another person's stand, but on more than one occasion I've walked to my stand to find someone else sitting in it. I completely understand that I'm hunting public land where anyone can hunt anywhere they choose, but at least use your own stuff. Hell, I would rather someone hang a second setup in the same tree than sit in my stuff.

That was one reason I was so drawn to a portable saddle setup. No one can use my "stand" anymore.
 
I hunt some trees that are set up with screw in steps. I'm making a platform because standing on screw in steps for very long sucks.
 
lukepighetti said:
I'm starting to wonder if screw ins are really the way to go.

Is there anyone who has tried screw ins who prefers another method? I am allowed to screw in on the land I hunt. Cheers
Click to expand...
Pre-set tree's with screw in's are always my first choice. I buy the cheapest ameristep screw in's when they are on sale. I have over 40 trees set up throughout the state. There is nothing better than walking in to your spot with just your bow, pack and saddle, climbing up and being ready in a minute. The advantage is that I have trees set up and ready to go, possibly years in advance. The downside is that the tree does start to grow around them so I need to periodically back them out a bit. For my platform I usually have 5-6 steps around the tree (put the ones towards the back slightly higher so you can reach them easy as you walk around the tree). I put another one on the opposite side of the tree to hold my back and I use a small accessory hook to hold my bow.

I've only had one set up that was completely stolen, it was one of my secret close to the road spots that nobody bow hunts and I'm sure it was stolen during gun season. I've had 2 other trees where people started to take steps out of during gun season and they gave up after 2 lol.
lukepighetti said:
I like to set up a tree, and then scout and move on sunday (no hunting), and hunt out of the new tree for a week. Rinse repeat.
Click to expand...
If I was hunting like this, I would use the cranford ez screw ins. They are more expensive but they go in and out easy and work perfect for this.
 
I can't use steps where I hunt


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Cranford screw in steps.

I like to set with a 20-25' ladder section some times. Then I add Cranford screw ins to keep going and as a platform. Very quick to set and easy to climb in the dark. I buy the Sportsman Guide 25' sections for $45.
But some trees just demand screw ins and that is cool too.
 
Pre-set trees is definitely the way to go if you can get away with it, although it is arguably a fair amount of work but pays off when your season gets going. The last two seasons I have prepped trees in the spring and throughout summer and have been rewarded by having to only carry minimal gear in with me. It is a huge PIA to have to carry in climbing sticks, a bow, pack, saddle, etc. each and every hunt. Often would end up sweaty before I even got to my tree this way. Now I just carry in my bow and saddle and, if needed, a small(er) pack. I mostly hunt private land.

I buy the ameristeps in post season when they are on sale for a buck or two each. I'll buy about $100 worth. Last year I got two boxes of the 'step up' (smaller) screw ins and a box of the grizzly steps (bigger). I use the smaller step ups for my 'ladder' up the tree and the grizzly steps as my platform.

I did see the gorilla grizzly steps at Dunhams (sporting goods store) here this year so bought a couple packs of them as the deal they had they worked out to about $2 per step. These have a better thread for self-tapping on the step, but as with all of my pre-sets when I set them up I take an compact dewalt drill with a 3/8" bit and a rubber mallet. It takes me about an hour to get a tree drilled and upto hunting height and usually another hour or more to finish cutting shooting lanes, install pull rope, accessory hooks, etc. Probably takes me about 2.5-3 hrs on average to fully prep a tree and location. Would definitely take less time if I had a buddy to help. Oh well...
 
I have a favorite tree that is in a slightly hard to access area....I think I might put up some cheap screw ins on it this year. It is a good afternoon/evening stand and it would be great to just walk up and climb
 
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