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Every year I try to find a few things that are going to make my deer season better, products that will make it easier, safer, or just make me more effective as a hunter. I found one of those gems this year with the Tree Stand Buddy.
The Tree Stand Buddy is a “quick-attach slide-mount system for hang-on tree stands”. It is a bracket system that allows you to use your one favorite hang-on tree stand in all of your favorite spots. You simply attach the Tree Stand Buddy bracket to your stand, and then strap receivers to all the trees you plan to use during the season. When you are ready to hunt, you slide your tree stand onto the receiver, attach the tree stand manufacturer suggested strap and climb aboard.
One of the things that limits me when it comes to hunting multiple spots is the almighty dollar. I just can’t afford to hang a good quality tree stand in every spot that I think might be productive. Quality tree stands are expensive. I would have to spend thousands of dollars to have a set in place every time I wanted to move. There are a ton of reasons to be mobile; wind direction, changing food sources, rut activity, and pressure from other hunters or neighbors are just a few. Being mobile is king in this game, but my wallet screams court jester.
Climbing tree stands are one way around this problem, but let’s face it, they come with their own set of problems. First of all most climbers are noisy. The repetitive “chink,chink” of a climber on a crisp, cool, dead quiet November morning can be heard for a couple hundred yards. So much for a stealthy entrance. The next problem is finding a tree that will work for you. Unless your spot has trees that look like telephone poles, this is going to be tough. Some trees don’t work with a climber at all, and others require so much trimming that you would need to bring a crew of lumber jacks into the woods with you. Another thing to consider is damage to the tree. Most of the really stable climbing tree stands I’ve seen “bite” into the tree. Technically, this rules out a climber on Game Lands or private properties where the landowner doesn’t want any damage to the trees. So, we are back to hang-on tree stands or ladder stands.
Ladder stands are great; I love them, except that they are a real hassle to set up. They are heavy, bulky, and require more than one person to safely get them into a tree. They need level ground, and due to the fixed height you are still looking for that perfect tree. So, unless I can drive my truck to that perfect tree, I’m using a hang-on.
Because you take your stand in and out with you, the Tree Stand Buddy also protects your investment. How many tree stand seats have you donated to squirrels? All of my stands have some kind of rodent damage. Apparently squirrels can’t make a proper nest for themselves without some part of a tree stand seat, or all of it, in it. And why do they chew the plastic coating off of the support cables? That has to taste terrible right? Speaking of the support cables, have you had a rusted one snap under your weight yet? I was hunting with the Rackmaster in one of his spots a couple of years ago when that happened to me. We were videoing that night so I brought a second hang-on stand to place above his. I went up the tree, got into his stand, and then hung mine above it. I then climbed back down and the Rackmaster went up. He got into the first stand then climbed up into the camera stand I had just hung. Everything was going as planned so I climbed back up to get settled in. I was up there for a minute or two when without warning one of the support cables popped. He says the look on my face while I was trying to figure out if I was falling or not was priceless. To say it was scary would be an understatement; to say I needed a change of underwear might be closer to the truth. We still hunted that night, I had a piece of rope in my pack that I used to secure the platform, but we pulled the set for repairs when it got dark.
How about when you get to your tree and the stand isn’t there? I have had a few stands stolen from me over the years, and I have to tell you, that burns my ass. Nothing is worse than when some classless piece of crap helps themselves to one of your stands. It’s worse than finding some jerk hunting in your stand. Losing stands to thieves is unfortunately, almost a fact of life. So rather than leave a good stand in the woods vulnerable, we buy fifty dollar Wal-Mart stands. The problem is, all day sits turn into two hour sits because these stands aren’t comfortable. I have one of these that is so shaky that when you shift your weight from one side to the other you can see the stand twist, which is accompanied by a loud groaning. Have you ever been busted trying to draw your bow on the buck you have been waiting for all season because the tree stand squeaked? Holy cow that is frustrating! I’m still waiting for someone to steal that one, they can have it.
The Tree Stand Buddy system is made of eleven gauge steel with interlocking grooves so that it totally locks up when any weight is placed on it for a solid, squeak free connection to the tree. The system makes hanging a stand much safer as well. Once you strap the receiver to the tree you hoist your stand using the hoist loop on the receiver. This means you never have to carry your stand up a tree, you pull it up with both feet firmly planted on the ground. This leaves both hands free for safely climbing the tree. It also eliminates hanging off the side of the tree, trying to hold a clumsy stand while getting the strap around the tree. It works with virtually any stand with a single or double post backbone up to 6 ½ inches wide. The guys at Tree Stand Buddy supply you with the necessary clamps to adapt the tree stand bracket to your stand. Another added bonus is that the system moves your stand out away from the tree slightly. Unless you are a really skinny 90 pounds, you will appreciate the added room behind you when you sit. Also, you can leave your receiver from one season to the next by using the lag bolt holes in it. Then just take your straps out at the end of the season to keep them from getting weathered or chewed by squirrels.
I had the Coyote Kid come over yesterday and help me film a short video to accompany this review. I’ll get it posted in the next day or two. I should have been in the woods hunting, but I wanted you guys to see this set up. It’s slick! I started with the TSB Starter Kit; it includes one bracket and one receiver. Straps are sold separately; I’ve got a set of theirs which are a cool camo. They also sell the TSB Receiver Two-Pack; you need to have a Starter Kit first though. Head over to their web site for more information and to view their product videos. http//:www.TreeStandBuddy.com
I am convinced that this is the best way to set up a hang-on tree stand. It is quicker, quieter, sturdier, and safer than using a hang-on without the system. It is also the most cost effective way to comfortably hunt multiple tree stand locations. For less than the price of two Lone Wolf or Millennium stands you could effectively have three stands, and with another receiver two-pack it would be like having five stands for less than the price of three. We would all have a pile of high dollar stands if they weren’t high dollar. I’m sure you have seen their commercials on the hunting shows, but take a minute to check the Tree Stand Buddy system out for yourself. It is definitely one of those gems that makes life better.
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