I am getting into bow hunting more and am looking to invest in a good lock on stand. I currently have a summit viper climber that I love but see a need for the lock ons when it comes to bow hunting. The most I would like to spend on the whole setup is 150-200; but preferably less. What brands have y'all had success with? I'm thinking about getting a field and stream because they are on sale at DICKs and are pretty cheap. I also have a buddy that can get me a discount on summit. Hawk is another brand I've looked at. What about climbing sticks?

I'm taking a road trip with a buddy to Indiana to hunt on some family land in about a month. I'm not sure if the climber will get the job done due to tree selection. There are a lot of corn fields with some surrounding hardwoods - pretty flat in general. I'm also looking to invest in a scent lok suit. In yalls opinion, which purchase would be more practical? Not just for Indiana but for bow hunting in general.

Also would appreciate some info on going into unchartered land with minimal time and resources for scouting/setting up. Will probably only have 2 full days to hunt. Wish it was longer but couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

One pearl of wisdom that I've learned over the years is get the best (most comfortable) stand that you can afford. When I started out I'd buy the cheapest dinkiest tiniest stands solely because of cost, but quickly (after about 5 minutes into the first sit, usually) began to hate them. Being comfortable in a stand means less fidgeting and longer sits and makes you a better hunter. There are good stands at decent prices; you just have to keep your eyes open for sales, Craigslist, etc.

I'm no expert on scent control but if it's pretty flat where you're going, it might be best to just hunt the wind as best you can as opposed to putting your trust in the scent-lok suit. Your summit climber should be fine to use up in IN.

I wish I could weigh in on the stand selection/scouting piece, but I've only deer hunted the same single property for years...My thought would be since it's family land to get help from his folks who hunt it, and/or see if you can study over some topo maps to get a feel for the lay of the land and possible deer travel patterns so you aren't going in 100% blind...

Good luck. Hope you stick a big one. Let us know how you do!

You can get a nice comfortable lock on for $100-150.

the Lone Wolf stuff has always been very appealing to me, but i've never forked out the $$$ ... Big Game lock-ons have always treated me well throughout the years, but they're heavy; i usually buy at the END of a season on a super closeout deal myself ... i also have an old, small Gorilla stand that I use when I'm slipping around & just want to setup real quick ...

BTW, go to YouTube & find Catman Outdoors channel & sub & watch his most recent videos ... he addresses your Q's about scouting/hunting new places ...

Hunt the wind, forget the suit.

You will need to bring a lockon to Indiana. It's very likely that you won't find a tree to climb on field edges. As to which one to buy, any of them will work. Cheap means they are either heavy or uncomfortable or both. Expensive means they are either lighter, more comfortable or both. Academy sells a gamewinner brand stand with the millennium style seat for $60. It's as comfortable a tree stand as you will find. It's also pretty heavy. Or you can get one of the field and stream or game winner brand lockons that just have a flat seat with a pad. These will be lighter, but not as comfy. I'd go one of these two routes for your price range.

Any stand in between those and a millennium or lone wolf doesn't bring any better options to the table IMO.

As for sticks. Id probably go with screw in spikes. The cheap ladder sticks are great if you leave them on a tree, they don't do so well with the types of trees you will encounter in Indiana. Lone wolf sticks or their equivalent are great, but they are expensive.

You will definitely need a loc on up north. Screw in steps are illegal in some states. Sounds like you need Lone Wolf or XOP sticks. I would get a 4 pack. I agree with buying quality stands but the price range is tough. Those sticks will be the most important up north. Also, get a stand you can level the platform on. You can thank me later. Take your climber too. Occasionally you can find a decent tree to climb. I would suggest buying your stuff ASAP and learn how to hang it.

Millennium

Like said above get a comfortable stand. I've got a bad case of noassatall and about the time the deer are starting to move so am I.

I bought a few Hawk lockons a couple of years ago because they looked like Millennium knock offs and were half the price. Other than the seat height being about an inch different, you would never know the difference in the two. If I were buying another lockon it would definitely be Hawk.

I was in the same boat, didn't want to spend a lot so I got a Millenium M7.
Haven't hunted out of it yet but the seat is comfortable for me.
I have a lower back issue so the seat is important.
$167 shipped.
Also, I got the Hawk Helium sticks but they just came today but I haven't had time to even open the box.
The Hawk Helium sticks were $112 shipped.
Had a hard time finding Hawk Helium sticks or Muddy Aerolite sticks in stock anywhere.
This is my first hang on stand so I cant help you other than that.
If I were going to buy a hang on to preset all season I would try the Field & Stream Timberline, looks like a good stand for the money, but might be a little heavy for in and out, it weighs 19lbs.

I'll agree on the hawk stands! They are comfortable, easy to use, and half the price as lone wolf. If you get a 3 pack of the helium sticks, I would go ahead and buy and extra one for added height. Their sticks also pack really well.

I only buy Millenniums any more. They co$t but are worth every dime. Don't buy the scent clothes. Use that money to purchase another Millennium tree mounting cam and two sets of steps (I like Summit Bucksteps). You can then cover two setups.

Millennium, Hawk or Muddy...I have those brands and like each of them for different reasons. Bigdog also makes a good stand the seat just sucks. I purchased a couple XPS or XOP or something like that from Cabelas and replaced and they are totally different stand now.