Back in a climber... Oh boy!

[TheLBLman]

I'm not concerned about noise nearly as much as scent.

All depends on the circumstances.
Most hunters are currently overlooking just how many deer they're spooking by the noises they make, and they're spooking deer that would never have a chance to smell them. Sound travels much farther than scent.

But, it's the type sounds that matter more than a deer just hearing a sound.
Anything "unnatural" like metal touching metal will alert more deer and farther than human scent.
A truck door shutting, a metallic pop emitted by a metal ladder stand, and any deer that hears it is going away.

And velcro is the scourge of the earth.
Get that crap off your deer hunting clothes!

But someone slowly & carefully climbing a tree, being careful to make no metallic sounds? I've actually done it many times with deer bedded within 75 yards, unalarmed, only to come my way later.

TIMING of those sounds is also important. For whatever reasons, deer do not get as alarmed by walking sounds in the woods at least an hour before sunrise, as they do as dawn. I believe this may be because deer are so accustomed to hearing all types of critters walking around right at pre-dawn. They particularly hear a lot of racoons in most places.

And when I climb a tree @ an hour before daylight, I actually believe any nearby deer may just think I'm another raccoon climbing a tree.

 

[Snake]

My Summit Viper is super comfortable but I hate carrying it in and setting it up, etc. But once I'm in it I love it. That's great several of you guys are still climbing.

Ditto . I'd just as soon be in my Summit as anything I know . Just certain trees you can't climb ... I'm 69 still using mine occasionally.

 

[Ski]

The type & nature of the sound undoubtedly makes a difference, but I can't say if a sound I've made ever spooked a deer or prevented it from coming in. For sure they look up to see what made a sound and that sometimes gets me busted. Otherwise I've not been aware of a sound preventing me from seeing deer. If it happened I'm unaware, so it's hard to say one way or the other.

 

[double browtine]

At 51, with screws in my lower back and two in my right knee I gave up on climbers years ago. But I have been blessed with hunting private property for years, and ladder stands and box blinds have spoiled me.

 

[UTGrad]

The Summit Viper is the most comfortable stand ever made IMO. I prefer summer pre set hang ons for bow hunting these days, but if I'm gun hunting some open woods, give me a Summit Viper. I'll go up till my pull rope and gun are coming off the ground.

 

[Andy S.]

OP - I like how you roll, keep at it. I've been climbing for 30 years, and killed 99% of my deer from a climber. It's all I know. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[WilcoKen]

52 and sitting in my Summit Open Shot right now. Would like a Viper too. May have to get one. Killed alot of deer out of this climber.

 

[Ski]

52 and sitting in my Summit Open Shot right now. Would like a Viper too. May have to get one. Killed alot of deer out of this climber.

I've got a viper and always wanted the open shot lol

 

[Lost Lake]

Lots of people cuss them, but I still use Loggy Bayou climbers for bowhunting. I love them.

 

[knightrider]

I have fallen in love with the cruzer saddle, as long as im able to go i will never be in the woods with out it! No more stands for me

 

[TN Larry]

OP - I like how you roll, keep at it. I've been climbing for 30 years, and killed 99% of my deer from a climber. It's all I know. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Same for me. I'll hunt a few times from the ground, ladder stand, and shooting house, but most of my hunting is from a Summit Viper. I hunt many of the same places year after year but usually only a couple of times a year and need to be higher than a ladder stand in most places due to terrain.

One disadvantage is finding a straight tree, but I've never had much problem. I do have one spot that I'm in a dilemma though. It's one of my better spots with one ash tree that is climbable which is now dead due to the ash borers. I have hunted there from the ground the last few times but would rather be in a tree. I have considered getting a saddle for these scenarios, but bad hips have prevented this the last two years. Maybe next year……

 

[TnKen]

Lots of people cuss them, but I still use Loggy Bayou climbers for bowhunting. I love them.

I still have a couple of them. I shot a bunch of deer from them. I would probably take one out again if I could find a replacement band.

 

[Lost Lake]

I still have a couple of them. I shot a bunch of deer from them. I would probably take one out again if I could find a replacement band.

I got lucky and a friend found a couple of the older models for me to go along with my old 1990 model, so I try to rotate using them.

 

[mike243]

Sold my open shot for $50 with new cables, somebody in the family is probably still using it. got tired of having to shoot left handed due to size lol