I've recently started hunting Coosa WMA. Anyone that's ever been there knows what the terrain is like...... Straight up and down! I'm in good shape and run anywhere from 20-30 miles a week, but the hills here are killer and my normal load that I carry in has got to be trimmed down.

I've been a climber all my hunting career. However, the climber stand, plus weapon, plus a backpack of accessories is killing me climbing up these hills of loose rocks. Not only is it physically hard, it is also dangerous. I've ground hunted some, with limited success. I've considered hanging lockons for the season and then removing them, but you can't leave stands on WMA land (or at least you're not supposed to). I took a look at those saddle stands on YouTube yesterday and they look complicated to me. Groundblinds? Some ultralite and compact climber I'm not aware of?


Thanks

I would either hunt from the ground or learn to use a saddle. A good saddle with quality sticks and pack is hard to beat for going in lightweight and mobile if you must climb. If you don’t have to climb then just hunt the ground.

A turkey chair on top of one of them hills would work good I think.

Lightest climber you can go with is the Lone Wolf Assault Hand climber at 15 lbs, and XOP clone. I switched to the LW Alpha II hand climber which has the bigger platform, completely rigged without the backpack, with too much extraneous crap, strapped on it weighs 21 lbs; thats with a better seat, aftermarket stabilizer straps, and molle backpack straps and waist belt. Also there are the new tiny hang-ons from Lone Wolf Custom Gear and other manuf and the 20 inch sticks; for a mobile hang and hunt setup. Otherwise, the sticks, platform, saddle setup is the probably lightest setup for climbing.

I've been looking at the saddle deal myself; but I am sucker for different stand/climbing methods. Already halfway there, since I use a rock harness in my climber and often rest leaning back off the platform similar to a saddle.

For the ground, which I do a couple times a season hunting big draws on public especially in high wind, I use a millennium tree seat; can sit all day in those things.

Recommendations? Again, I YouTubed some the other day and it seemed complicated. Maybe I need to look at it again.

Not directed at me but bored stuck working the holiday. I was looking at the Cruzr a few days ago, but tons of options in the saddle market now. Same with sticks (full length, minis, aiders) and platforms. If I decide to go the saddle route, plan on searching here and archery talk and reading a lot.

Tethrd phantom saddle and 8mm lineman and tether ropes. For sticks I really like the xop single or double sticks and toss out the cam buckle straps that come with them and use what’s called a rope mod (YouTube it). Tethrd predator platform. I use the trophy line platow pack and sticks strap to bottom of pack and platform to shoulders. Still have pouches in the pack for storage and can set up real fast. If I want to get higher I have a 4 step aider I can use in conjunction with the sticks. This whole load out is smaller than a regular backpack and pretty lightweight. I feel pretty darn comfy in a saddle too, not as comfy as a summit but close. I also like being able to brace against the tree when gun hunting.

^^^this I hunt steep property and it works well or if climbing a lone wolf sit and climb with Molle straps are my go to

X-stand mini x1. It’s 11 lbs. I have both that and the lone wolf and the x1 is lighter. I like the lone wolf more though.

I have an old 80's model Loc-On that weighs about 7lbs with a ratchet strap and they also made one with what they called a Speed Hitch which was a rope. If I have gone up the tree before with screw in steps and have stuck twigs in the holes where I can re-use them..... I can go up 15 ft before you could get a climber around the base and be ready to start your climb. Getting the stand hung around the tree is easy when you can hold it with one hand. Millenium or someone may make one with a receiver that goes around the tree but those old Loc-On stands were rock solid with 1 strap.

The set up on the left is my usual set up if I have to climb. I have a headlamp and some knives and fire kit in that pack so I have a ton of room left. Basically 3 unused pouches. My sticks and platform and pack are all smaller than a small backpack. I put a small backpack there in the pic for comparison. I don’t have the saddle there but that’s because I would probably be wearing it to walk in unless I am going real far then I just roll it up and put it in the pack. That being said I don’t climb unless I have to. I like hunting from the ground too. I can take that predator platform and strap it to the tree and use it as a seat if I want to. Sometimes I just wear a turkey vest with the fold down pad.

I’m gonna do more of this next year because I’ll have the topography and habitat for it.

I like my Northern Starr Traveling Starr. Folds flat like an Ol man and climbs like a summit. It has solid frame construction and not that pivoting stuff Ol man has. Has a flip up seat like a lock on.

Are all these turkey seats the same or is there one better than another?

I’ve got a cheap one from Walmart that’s worked fine William. I’ve modified the shoulder strap and the little piece of Velcro that held it closed, but that’s it.

Get the millenium and be done with it. I have a torn disk, and I can't sit for long periods of time, even in a summit. I replaced the seat on my alum summit with a slumper seat with a 4 in thick cushion which helps. I can sit in the millenium turkey chair for a long time.

The problem you got is if you kill a deer, getting it out of there.

A super light all aluminum minimal loc on and some strap-on tree steps could all be under 10 Lbs.