The right treestand contributes greatly to the success, not to mention enjoyment, of any hunt. I once spent five hours a day four days in a row on a stand that was too narrow and had a hard pedestal seat, and was sore for a week after. I couldn’t sit still, was afraid to stand up or move around much and found myself checking my safety harness far too many times.
Your hunting area may dictate a certain type of stand, but your hunting style may be the most important consideration when selecting a treestand. Are you a wanderer at heart, moving from spot to spot always in search of the perfect location? Do you pack a lunch and stay on stand all day long? Do you hunt for pleasure and look for convenience in all things?
Are you afraid of heights?
The answers to these questions will help you determine the type of stand you need.
The Wanderer
You’re in the stand on a beautiful morning and all you can think of is where you’re going to hunt tomorrow. You’re wondering if you should have set up in the big oak just over the hill. You’re sure the big 10-pointer you’ve been hunting all year is standing under the tree you set up in yesterday. You’re the original A.D.D. deer hunter!
If you’re one of these guys, stand weight and portability, plus ease of use, are important factors in stand selection. You need something lightweight with backpack straps so you can tote it over the river and through the woods. It also needs to be easy to attach to the tree.
Your options include a lightweight climber or an easy-to-hang hang-on stand. Summit’s Openshot climbing stand weighs only 14 pounds and feels like nothing when backpacked through the woods. Comfortable and adjustable backpack straps make moving from spot to spot easy.
A hang-on that fits this style of hunting is the Copperhead Compact. This stand weighs only 12 pounds and is attached to the tree with a strap, making this a very easy-to-hang hang-on. The strap system means that you can several straps set on several different trees and move the stand at a moment’s notice. This stand also comes with backpack straps.
Another hang-on worthy of note is the new 12-pound Deer Deck Lite. This stand features a cable adjustment to level the platform even when the tree leans. It is held to the tree with two high-strength ratchet straps and features a 20-inch wide by 28 3/4-inch long deck.
The All-Day Hunter
Do you spend more time in the stand during deer season than you do at home? Do you get mail addressed to "Joe Hunter, 24 Feet Up a Tree, Fall Woods, USA?"
Two things you likely look for in a treestand are a big, wide platform and a comfortable seat. Plenty of room to stand and stretch and flex your muscles is important when hunting all day, and Summit’s new Deer Deck’s platform area is 24-inches wide by 30-inches long. It also features a platform adjustment that allows you to hang it on leaning trees and still have a level platform. It attaches to the tree with a new hanging system that attaches a two-post steel backbone with two high-strength ratchet straps. The thick padded seat pushes easily back out of the way when you stand up.
Another option puts comfort to the forefront with a seat that is nearly a recliner. The Comfort System hang-on by Summit features a two-strap seat adjustment that lets you adjust it until it fits like a glove. Lounging comfortably all day long is no problem with the Comfort System.
Another option is a big ladder stand like the Double Barrel. The Double Barrel is a two-man stand, but is great for a single hunter who wants to stay all day. It provides a big bench seat, which allows the hunter to sit in a variety of positions, and its long platform (20-inches wide by 44-inches long) allows the hunter to stretch his legs without going to the ground.
The Pleasure Seeker
You think the first two guys in this article work way too hard doing something that is supposed to be fun. You enjoy being in the woods and love hunting, but you won’t be packing a stand to the other side of the mountain anytime soon. You need a stand that can be put up and left there; one that is easy to get into and comfortable to sit in. You need a stand that makes hunting simple.
A ladder stand like Summit’s Single Shot fits your style perfectly. The seat is 18 feet up, plenty of height to put give you a great view and keep your scent away from the deer, and getting into the stand is as easy as climbing a ladder. The sofa seat is comfortable and the shooting rail provides a measure of security while standing and is great place to rest your gun or bow. Put a cup holder on it and you can bring your coffee with you!
Another option is the Double Barrel mentioned above. The same convenience and twice the space.
Skert of Heights?
Do you get butterflies in your belly when you look out of a second story window? Fail to defend your sister’s reputation because the water tower is too tall? Think that if we were meant to hunt from trees God would have given us built-in parachutes?
Summit has two answers for you. The first is the Trophy Chair. You’ve probably been hunting from a brush blind while sitting on a 5-gallon bucket. The Trophy Chair is a comfortable treestand chair without the treestand. It attaches to a tree and provides a great seat complete with armrests. It’s light, portable and is perfect for brush blinds.
Another option is the new Predator Pod tripod stand. Now, come back here, the seat is only about 6 1/2 feet up. This innovative stand weighs only 40 pounds, and the legs come together so you can throw it over your shoulder and tote it to different hunting locations. This stand opens up all those areas you wanted to hunt from the ground but weren’t possible because of thick brush. With the Predator Pod you can get above the brush without putting yourself in danger of a nosebleed.