Climber stand don'ts

[Waddams]

Anyone want to share thoughts on things to NOT do while using a climber? I'm just starting out with them. So far, I've got:

• Use a safety harness and tether to the tree.
• Always make sure the foot section is tethered to top/seat section. (had meant to include this originally, it's added as an edit)
• Don't drink and climb.
• Good trees - use softer bark trees (pine, others?), don't use hard/thin bark trees (types?)
• Have a stepping strap, if you find yourself dangling, you can step up in the strap and take the pressure off yourself.
• bring a lifting rope, don't climb with a pack or your weapon.
• Use a safety harness.
• Tree size? Any guidelines on good tree sizes? Too big? Too small?
• Angles of the climber/platform on tree? How tight at the bottom when you put it on? Any advise? Seems that if it slopes down it wouldn't bite as well into the tree.
• Use a safety harness.
• One problem I've had practicing - my foot platform has wobbled a few times. Have to be careful with weight distribution. Any advise for how to deal with this?
• Another problem - I've got a tree lounge with the archery platform. While I might invest in something like a Summit Viper soon, at the moment, it's very unbalanced and lifting the top the section, going up and down, it's pretty weighty towards the end. Makes it awkward to handle. Any advise? I grip it farther back towards a better balance point but it's still a bit ackward, can only go so far back.
• Another problem - I can go up okay. Going down is more challenging. Any advise?

Well, there's a lot of do's there, but are there other don'ts anyone can advise?

 

[1eyefishing]

No offense, but my 1st point of advice is against the use of a tree lounge. Especially the archery platform. It stands you up a considerable distance from the tree trunk.
I like to lean my backside/hip area against the tree when I'm standing for that 3rd point of contact. More than that, I use a safety belt around my waist with a small strap that connects me to another belt or rope or loop around the tree. This way I can lean out against it and feel solid shooting downward over my stand. All my stand have handrails around them such as the API climbers which are my favorite. I can lean forward and bend downward with confidence with my belt line attached to the tree behind me. I know the waist belt is less safe than a full body harness if you fall but, as it gives you that point of balance in an enclosed stand, the odds of you losing your balance even a little bit to lean outward on the stand is virtually is zero. Never happened to me, but not saying it couldn't. But even bigger for safety for me is the solid balance that improves my archery capability from the elevated platform.
Tree lounges also are virtually worthless shooting even a gun to your weak side without standing up. And be careful you don't shoot your foot when aiming straight forward over your feet because you will not see your toes (or the footrail) in the scope.
I think you're ready for that new climber now. The foot platforms on nearly all are way more solid then your tree lounge platform. I have about 2 dozen ladders and hang ons that I use more often, but I still use 5 climbers..
Good luck!

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Sit on the bar not the mat while climbing and coming down. In other words not fully extended. It makes the stand easier to move. Never let go of the top section. I prefer about 45 degrees bow hunting and nearly 90ish when gun hunting
A basketball sized tree or bigger usually.
You can’t put it on a tree too big or too small.
Poplars pines and sweetgums are my favorites but don’t put on a real hard tree like hickory.
Pines are usually the easiest to learn on and straight with no limbs or nubs.
Make sure your tree is live and then it won’t break.

The foot climber needs to be tight as possible at ground/ waist level.
Keep feet wide or one foot centered while stepping back into the standing platform.
I prefer to shoot sitting down to my left but will stand if I feel the need.
I’ll take this in consideration when picking a tree.
The hardest is over my right shoulder because I have to turn around so far.
Left shoulder I don’t usually stand just lean and aim.
I use my calf for a third point of contact.
If you stick with it you will come to love a tree lounge.

 

[Waddams]

No offense, but my 1st point of advice is against the use of a tree lounge. Especially the archery platform. It stands you up a considerable distance from the tree trunk.

I've actually been working out the physical logistics of shooting seated with the bow, sitting up on the bottom rung that the lounge seat hangs on. I can get a good shot off within a certain distance/angle envelope. As the target gets closer to directly under me, the angle gets tough, I likely won't attempt that and will wait for one to wander back out to a better distance and angle. But yeah, it's not ideal, I've noticed the issue.

For rifles, I usually shoot from a shooting stick to help steady the rifle. Sitting up again, feet down. I see what you're saying though, and especially as a target gets closer and you have to aim down, it can be tricky.

As for buying something different, I think I'm going to at some point, just not sure when. Looking at finances and what else to go buy the wife so it's "fair", lol.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Pick a tree with a round trunk instead of some wierd irregular cross section. Most poplars, pines, sweetgums, and such have round trunks, but you often see oaks with oval trunks or trunks kind of irregular and flattened on one side. That can cause big issues with stability.

 

[biggdogg]

As far as the weight on the tree lounge, retract the leg rest/archery platform closed and strap it closed until you get to the desired height. Don't try to climb slick barked trees, (poplar and such) ever. Stick to pines and such. Tether the foot climber to the top half. The last thing you want to hear is that thing bouncing down the tree while you're 30' up. You can climb just about any size tree with a tree lounge, all depends on how much swaying you can handle. And as for that God awful archery platform? Practice shooting your bow on the springiest, flimsiest diving board you can find. One in dire need of replacement should be a good place to start. Tree Lounges are THE most comfortable stands you can sit in, provided you have nerves of steel and the balance of a cat to turn around in one 30' off the ground. They do make fantastic camp chairs though...

 

[Waddams]

Sit on the bar not the mat while climbing and coming down. In other words not fully extended. It makes the stand easier to move. Never let go of the top section. I prefer about 45 degrees bow hunting and nearly 90ish when gun hunting
A basketball sized tree or bigger usually.
You can’t put it on a tree too big or too small.
Poplars pines and sweetgums are my favorites but don’t put on a real hard tree like hickory.
Pines are usually the easiest to learn on and straight with no limbs or nubs.
Make sure your tree is live and then it won’t break.

The foot climber needs to be tight as possible at ground/ waist level.
Keep feet wide or one foot centered while stepping back into the standing platform.
I prefer to shoot sitting down to my left but will stand if I feel the need.
I’ll take this in consideration when picking a tree.
The hardest is over my right shoulder because I have to turn around so far.
Left shoulder I don’t usually stand just lean and aim.
I use my calf for a third point of contact.
If you stick with it you will come to love a tree lounge.

It's super comfortable once you're in it, that's for certain. I've got a lower back issue that gets my hips and back stiff if I sit in one posture for too long. Have to get up at work and limber up every hour or so. The lounge seat is definitely good for that issue for me.

Main reason I haven't bought anything else yet is I don't want to spend lots of money experimenting, and I haven't decided what other model I want to try. I could see ending up using the lounge for rifle, and ultimate get something else for archery.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

I don’t shoot sitting out of the mat.

 

[twoheartedale]

Don't hunt a climbing stand 30-40 ft up a tree the morning after you eat 50 hot wings and drink two pitchers of cheap beer. Lesson learned! Trust me on this!!

All good advice.

Go slow and practice, practice, practice and practice. Preferably at 5 ft or 6 ft.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

I shoot rifle both left and right handed.

 

[NCHillbilly]

As far as the weight on the tree lounge, retract the leg rest/archery platform closed and strap it closed until you get to the desired height. Don't try to climb slick barked trees, (poplar and such) ever. Stick to pines and such. Tether the foot climber to the top half. The last thing you want to hear is that thing bouncing down the tree while you're 30' up. You can climb just about any size tree with a tree lounge, all depends on how much swaying you can handle. And as for that God awful archery platform? Practice shooting your bow on the springiest, flimsiest diving board you can find. One in dire need of replacement should be a good place to start. Tree Lounges are THE most comfortable stands you can sit in, provided you have nerves of steel and the balance of a cat to turn around in one 30' off the ground. They do make fantastic camp chairs though...

I disagree 1000000000000000000% totally on the "don't climb a poplar." IMO, they are the safest tree out there to climb. I've never had a stand slip on a poplar, they bite right in. And I've climbed hundreds or thousands of them. I have, however, had stands slip several times on pine trees with that chunky, flaky bark that peels off.

I also agree 100000000000000% about the Tree Lounge being the scariest, hardest, most unsafe stand on the market to get sat down in once you reach your climbing height.

 

[jiminbogart]

• Another problem - I've got a tree lounge with the archery platform. While I might invest in something like a Summit Viper soon, at the moment, it's very unbalanced and lifting the top the section, going up and down, it's pretty weighty towards the end. Makes it awkward to handle. Any advise? I grip it farther back towards a better balance point but it's still a bit ackward, can only go so far back.

With a Tree Lounge do not extend the sections out until you are at the height you want to hunt. Keep them pushed in and wrap a bungee around them.
I don't sit in the sling when I climb.
You have to be careful extending the stand out. Keep the weight on the top piece of the stand and push the main section back with your butt. Then extend the other sections.

On the way up, my rifle and pack go up with me. I've shot a few deer over the years on the way up and down.

I used to carry a 50' pull up cord, but when I got over 50' high it was too short. After that, I just decided to take the rifle and pack up and down with me.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

A wet poplar up high can get slippery but not saying I don’t look for a poplar to set in. They are great.

 

[jiminbogart]

Don't try to climb slick barked trees, (poplar and such) ever.

I climb any tree I can hunt out of with a TL.

I'd climb a 50' steel pole if it was in a good spot.

 

[NCHillbilly]

With a Tree Lounge do not extend the sections out until you are at the height you want to hunt. Keep them pushed in and wrap a bungee around them.
I don't sit in the sling when I climb.
You have to be careful extending the stand out. Keep the weight on the top piece of the stand and push the main section back with your butt. Then extend the other sections.

On the way up, my rifle and pack go up with me. I've shot a few deer over the years on the way up and down.

I used to carry a 50' pull up cord, but when I got over 50' high it was too short. After that, I just decided to take the rifle and pack up and down with me.

Same, I always climb with my weapon. I've shot a couple climbing, too, plus, I think it's safer and less likely to damage your weapon. Seems like I can never pull a gun or bow up or let it down without it banging against the tree or ground, and it's not a good feeling when you get up there and see a buck walk up and start looking at your gun laying there on the ground with a string tied to it.

 

[jiminbogart]

I disagree 1000000000000000000% totally on the "don't climb a poplar." IMO, they are the safest tree out there to climb. I've never had a stand slip on a poplar, they bite right in. And I've climbed hundreds or thousands of them. I have, however, had stands slip several times on pine trees with that chunky, flaky bark that peels off.

I also agree 100000000000000% about the Tree Lounge being the scariest, hardest, most unsafe stand on the market to get sat down in once you reach your climbing height.

Poplars are great. Sometimes you can get 50' up without having to saw a limb.

The TL is the easiest and least scary stand I've ever used.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

A tree lounger is probably the hardest to learn with. You really have to build up your courage to stand out there on the Bowhunters platform.....and it’s still not a good ideal.

Always make sure you are climbing a LIVE tree, nothing like it getting daylight and having to ease out of a dead one.

Make for sure you have a rope or strap that connects the 2 pieces of the stand together in case the bottom drops. I met a cripple man one time that didn’t use a $1 piece of rope. He is crippled for life and lucky to be alive.

NEVER EVER readjust a tree stand while your up in a tree, you are playing with death if you do.
If your tree stand uses any type of knobs, spray them blaze orange and carry a spare one in your pack to save your hunt. They are easily dropped and lost in the leaves....especially wing nuts.

Don’t leave your stands in the woods for extended amounts of times. I have seen where people have stolen cables off of summits ($60), seats ($45) knobs or bars. People will also cut your straps. Any of those will ruin your hunt when you show back up.

Periodically take your stand out in the bright sunlight and inspect it. It’s welded metal and welds can fail and you can fall. My buddy found his summit cracked and they sent him a new one , free shipping and all.

If you leave your stand out and it collects rain, when it freezes it can and will bust. They are made out of the thinnest metal possible in order to save weight.

Don’t take chances with your stand.....if your wrong you can die.

 

[Waddams]

I have, however, had stands slip several times on pine trees with that chunky, flaky bark that peels off.

I've practiced at low altitude on a pine. I did notice the bark can seem too soft. It seemed like the bark could actually give and maybe not be strong enough and too thick for the metal teeth to actually get into better wood. I've been thinking a combo of bark and soft wood to get the teeth into is likely the best thing to look for.

 

[jiminbogart]

What's funny about a Tree Lounge is people usually love them or hate them.

I've probably owned 10 or so over the years.

I bought a couple from Bob and Margret and the rest came from folks I talked into buying one and then they didn't like them.

 

[jiminbogart]

Periodically take your stand out in the bright sunlight and inspect it. It’s welded metal and welds can fail and you can fall. My buddy found his summit cracked and they sent him a new one , free shipping and all.

Aluminum failure and aluminum weld failures are my big concern with old tree lounges. That aluminum can only take so many flex cycles before it breaks.