Climbing sticks are essential tools for predator hunters, whether you use them for climbing or stabilizing their stands. But how should you transport and carry them?
Your pack can either hold them outside, or store them inside for easy use and portability. Each method offers advantages and disadvantages; one-stick hunting requires less weight but takes practice to master.
XOP Climbing Sticks
Climbing sticks are essential tools for hunters who frequent elevated tree stands and other hunting locations, providing the ability to climb high into trees for better views of terrain and hunt safely and comfortably. While climbing sticks may be cumbersome to carry when on the move, especially multiple sets at once; there are some simple solutions available which make carrying climbing sticks simpler while decreasing chances of accidental dropout.
One strategy for keeping sticks organized while moving is to bundle them and carry them as one unit, to avoid them becoming tangled up or lost as you travel. Another possibility is tying the sticks together using bungee cords or rope, so that they remain easily trackable as you navigate dense areas such as brush. You could also attach clips or carabiners so you can connect and disconnect easily when in the field.
Your climbing sticks can easily be kept within reach with this method – strapping them onto the outside of your predator pack with bungee cord or carabiner will keep them handy and make it easy to access your stand when hunting begins. When in the field, take extra care when setting up or dismantling your stand so as not to damage its bark and interfere with tree growth.
When choosing the appropriate climbing sticks for hunting in any terrain and level of experience, it is crucial that they match both factors. While experienced climbers may use three sticks with success, beginners should use four or more to increase their odds of success and avoid making too much noise as they climb trees. Finally, it should be easy to set up and take down.
Backpack Climbing Sticks
Climbing sticks are essential pieces of equipment for any serious climber. Not only can they help you scale walls and cliffs without using ladders, they can also act as safety lines in case you fall off the edge. Climbing sticks come in different materials – some fold up small to fit easily into a backpack when not being used – while others feature spikes for gripping walls as well as handles to facilitate easy carrying.
Before beginning climbing, make sure that your sticks are secure and you have an excellent grasp. Check their strength with your body weight and always use a harness when climbing; additionally, wearing a helmet may protect you from falling debris while keeping you aware of what’s around you and alert. When possible, climbing with another person allows them to help identify potential hazards and provide assistance if necessary.
Once you are ready to use climbing sticks, set them next to the tree that will serve as your stand and then place one stick under each foot when starting up the climb. Be sure to spread out your weight evenly over both sticks so they do not topple over. Furthermore, they may help stabilize your stand when in it.
Stick aiders are also useful tools for climbers; these poles with hooks or loops at the ends can be used to aid climbing by providing an aiding mechanism that allows users to pull themselves up while climbing steep walls or cliffs alone. Stick aiders are great tools for beginners or for those unable to reach the summit of difficult walls by themselves.
Pack your climbing sticks and tree stand securely so they do not come loose during transport. Bungee cords or webbing straps can help prevent sticks from getting tangled up with other gear in your pack.
Lone Wolf Climbing Sticks
Mobile whitetail hunting requires reliable gear – none more important than climbing sticks. The ideal ones should be quiet, packable and instill confidence when ascending your stand location – such as Lone Wolf Custom Gear C1 Climbing Sticks from Lone Wolf Gear.
C1 sticks feature carbon construction that effectively mutes noise levels during transport, stacking tight and cinching down for near noiseless transport. Their lightweight construction makes them comfortable to carry during long hikes into the backcountry, making them an excellent choice for run-and-gun bowhunters. Their only drawback may be banging together which could alert nearby deer of your presence; users can mitigate this issue by adding Stealth Strips or using another aftermarket attachment method.
An important characteristic of any good climbing stick is its ability to securely grip trees. C1 sticks performed well across a range of tree sizes but were stiffer and less flexible than other models in our test, potentially creating problems for hunters who prefer climbing irregular branches or lack access to pre-hung stands.
Tested C1 sticks proved relatively quiet when tightened together and stacked, yet produced some foreign noise when hit together. To minimize this noise, additional silencing may help as can altering attachment methods such as cam buckle or cow hitch knot.
The Tethrd One Sticks have a similar design to C1 sticks, yet are made of aluminum instead of carbon. While this does make them slightly louder out of the box, they remain among the quietest sticks in our test. These stick also feature Amsteel DynaLite rope attachment system which makes climbing tree diameters possible without getting in your way and are very packable – folding down to six inches high so barely noticeable in a backpack! Additionally they include pre-drilled aider attachment holes designed to work with integrated aiders that creates low profile transport of any climb-on combo used during our test.
Other Climbing Sticks
One way of carrying climbing sticks is in a specially-made bag or, even better, a backpack equipped with shoulder and back straps – which allows for quick and discreet access during hunts without disturbing nearby environments.
Alternative, you could secure your climbing sticks to your saddle using a length of rope tied around their bases, then threaded through either stirrups or the saddle horn. While this method provides extra security for carrying climbing sticks, it may prove more difficult than expected to maneuver and control than expected at first.
Another way to access your tree stand is with climbing sticks equipped with built-in steps. Although this system may require you to assemble it slowly, once set up it can be quieter than using screw-in steps and much simpler for everyday use.
Climbing sticks are also great tools to use when getting up and down from a hang-on stand. Simply position one on either side of the tree you’re hunting in, and they will provide a stable platform as you ascend. This can be especially helpful if stepping into a tree solo feels intimidating or unsafe compared with using ladders as a means.
No matter which climbing stick you select, it is essential that it fits both your needs and environment. For hunting in heavily wooded areas with dense brush cover, a solid-construction climbing stick with built-in steps may be better than collapsible sections that could snag on plants during movement through foliage. Furthermore, adding a daisy chain aider could allow easier ascent or descent of trees safely and with greater ease.