Home Sweet Home: Tips for your climbing stand

Back in the house, doing some dusting (a rare occurrence), I could feel the newly-awakened places in my abdominal muscles which I’d used to inch my climbing stand up the tree.

It happened every year, and I welcomed the familiar twinges as company to archery season.

I like any kind of tree stand, but a climbing stand is my favorite. I like being able to set an ambush, to react to a change in deer movement caused by changes in food sources, or the rut.

I’m tall and I like being able to set the foot platform and the seat platform at just the right distance for comfort.

I even like its familiar heft as I slip my arms into the padded shoulder straps. In years and years of pictures, like some cousin once-removed, my climbing stand shows up in the background behind various deer in various states.

If you want to turn your climbing stand into a similar Home Sweet Home, here are some tips:

If the stand didn’t come with padded straps, pick up a pair.

Purchase a “gear holder” which you can strap to the tree, above your head, once you’ve climbed to your spot. These are handy for hanging binoculars, range finder and other necessities. Remember that screw-in holders are not lawful for use on public game lands. Don’t hang a heavy pack from a part of the climbing stand, as that will affect its balance on the tree.

Never try to climb while holding your bow or gun. Use a haul rope or retractable rope to tie to those things before you leave the ground and pull them up once you’re seated and secure. Don’t lean out over the stand to pull up your gun or bow.

Never climb without wearing a full-body harness and remain tethered to the tree as soon as you leave the ground. It is little trouble to inch the tether for your harness higher and lower on the tree as you ascend and descend.

When you get to the desired height, stand and secure your tether as high as you can reach. This will ensure it is out of your way for shooting.

Make sure the bottom and top of the climbing stand are connected to each other. If your feet should slip out of the bottom part, you’ll be able to recover it.

If you’re climbing during daylight hours, look around as you climb. Make sure you don’t settle at a spot which is too high or low according to the surrounding cover.

Carry a limb saw and/or ratchet pruners to trim and limbs you may encounter as your climb.

Try to avoid climbing smooth-barked trees such as birch and maple, which can be slippery especially on rainy days. If possible, climb and de-limb selected trees during a scouting trip before the season. You can mark the selected trees with bright-eye tacks or surveyor’s tape.

Take your time. After a shot, make yourself wait, let your breathing and heartrate return to normal, and descend slowly. After all, you shouldn’t be in a hurry to leave your Home Sweet Home.