Hang and Hunt-What's your setup this year?

[Realtree]

Changing the way I hunt this year, going from hunting established family land with wooden and metal ladder stands and hunting tower to Hang and Hunt method.

I picked up the XOP Maximus hang on stand and a set of three Hawk Helium climbing sticks for my setup. I also purchased the XOP Treestand Transport System to pack everything in.

I chose the XOP Maximus stand for the oversize platform 34"x24", the cast platform, and adjustable seat and platform angles. I haven't hunted out of yet obviously, but I have done several test walks with the family with the stand on my back to work out the bugs of the feel and am very happy with that part of it. I have also done several mock set ups at the club with the stand and love the adjustability of the seat and platform angles for less than perfect trees.

The Hawk Helium climbing sticks were my choice due to their lighter weight, dual steps, and the ability to modify different aspects to better suit my hunting style (rope mods, stick length, aider attachments, packability, etc...)

I will be using a Hunter Safety System X-1 Bowhunter Safety Harness and dual Lineman's Ropes from the ground up.

Still working out my final pack setup but I'll include a few pics of what I'm using this year.

What are you using this season?



*Not sure why some of the pics are oriented sideways, but if you click on them in the post they show up correctly in the new window.


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[Outdoors Junkie]

How’s the conditioning going? I think it’s an awesome idea that you’re doing it. I’ve been doing some walking in the evenings because you motivated me to get off the couch. 

[Realtree]

How’s the conditioning going? I think it’s an awesome idea that you’re doing it. I’ve been doing some walking in the evenings because you motivated me to get off the couch. 

It's going well, thanks for asking. With the weather and my work schedule I've been having to do more on the treadmill than walking outside lately but I'm making steady progress. Started putting wooden blocks in a spare backpack to simulate stand and sticks weight so I'm not getting my transport system all sweaty before the season. I'm also down a few more pounds in addition to more muscle tone.

Trying to focus more time on getting comfortable and efficient with setting up the sticks and stands now in addition to conditioning.

[HD]

I'll be putting up a couple single man ladder stands They are going to be packed in by me to hit some areas that the box stands have not covered. The Great Nephews will probably be using them as well during the bow season. I'm just trying to expand the places to hunt, and get them to learn the open hunting experience. 

[deadeye]

Still going to just hunt my own land again this year.  Plan to add a few stands to the many that are currently there.  So far this year we put up our first enclosed stand and have one tripod a friend gave me as well as two other double ladder stands to put up.  Four new stands should be enough for one year.

[Outdoors Junkie]

My son and I planning a trip to our cabin (and hunting land) in a couple weeks (early Oct). We'll put out a few two man ladder stands, put up a couple wooden elevated box blinds that my dad built, and we're planning on constructing a new, fully enclosed, elevated stand for my youngest. We have a couple single ladder stands & hang and hunt stands that we can put out & take down on public land that surrounds our hunting property.

[Steve-o]

Hang and hunt?  I use an old summit aluminum stand with their bucksteps.  I liked the double steps of the Helium sticks - you could put both boots on the top of a stick - but it is even easier to do this using bucksteps.

I've gotten used to standing on a smaller platform, which saves on weight compared to other magnum size stands.  I also find that I fidget more on larger hang on stands.  I move less when there is less room to move.     Good luck.

[Leech~~]

Since we hunt public land and have had a few ladder stands taken. I was thinking of going with the same set up. Hanging the stand during scouting and pulling the climber until hunting. The stand may hide better higher in the tree as well as harder to get too. 

[Steve-o]

If yer goona leave the hang-on in the tree, but take the steps off, be sure to secure it with a high quality cable or BMF chain.  If the bums really want it, they'll figure out a way.

Another strategy is to get an old, cheap-looking steel stand to leave in the tree - assuming first a thorough safety check.  I've seen those things in the same trees for years on public land and folks leave them alone.  I don't think a brand new XOP, Lone Wolf, or Millennium would last so long.

[Leech~~]

If yer goona leave the hang-on in the tree, but take the steps off, be sure to secure it with a high quality cable or BMF chain.  If the bums really want it, they'll figure out a way.

Another strategy is to get an old, cheap-looking steel stand to leave in the tree - assuming first a thorough safety check.  I've seen those things in the same trees for years on public land and folks leave them alone.  I don't think a brand new XOP, Lone Wolf, or Millennium would last so long.

Yeah, we always cable our ladder stands with heavy cable.  They must have a nice big bolt cutter! 

[Jerkbiat]

Or a cordless angle grinder. I had a ladder stand stole last year that was cable locked to the tree.

[glenn57]

We have currently 3 ladder stands in the woods. One is chain locked. Guess I'll find out Friday if there still there?

[1860colt]

Ladder stand & chain-on