comndr45

I picked up a bunch of ameristeps after the season at wallyworld for $1 apiece. I also found some of the gorilla ones at a Kmart and paid $1.50 apiece for a case of 50. I plan on setting them up on several stand sites and moving one of my 3 chain ons to the variety of spots. I got some detachable ones that use a lag bolt. I plan on buying a bunch of lag bolts and making them the bottom 4-5 steps and regular screw ins above that. That way it will make the stands more difficult to steal. I can just carry the steps in and put them on the lag bolts and go.

jerseyhunter

You can also use strap ons for the first three to make it harder to steal. Screw ins are not allowed in N.J. on WMA' s.

selway

i won' t use them i have more respect for somebodys trees they do a lot of damage to trees. there are better ways of getting up there. i pity the person that falls and gets hooked on one. ouch

gulfcoasthunter

I use them and they work ok, a little hassle getting them in but I use a cordless drill to drill a starter hole and that makes it alot easier. Don' t skimp though and try to spacwe them to far a part as that make climbing alot harder and a lot more dangerous.

jimmya

i always used half inch lag bolts. now i build my own laders/climbing sticks. they are a lot easier and go up with less effort.

121553

You home boys useing lag bolts as the step beware. A lag bolt is a very soft bolt and can be broken very easily. If you dont believe me, put the bolt shank in a vise and see how easy the head can trwist off with a wrench. Now try this with any machine bolt, and see if you can do it. You can' t. Sometimes its nice to save money but bottom line guys is be safe. Later on, Bobby

BearGuy.

Climbing sticks are the way to go! Faster, I feel more safe on them, don' t have to drill into trees (wich is illegal in most states on private ground), oh and did I mention faster!

dick_cress

I have some foldable screw ins and several fixed and I love them. But I also have a pair of climbing spikes from Cabela' s that are great too. However I prefer my screw-ins when I hang my stand.

popumm

I dont use the screw in anymore when I did I used my forearm to measure. Put your elbow on the last step you screwed in and measure to the tip of your fingers.Like my Buckshot climber now.

Mykey

I use loc-on stands for all my bowhunting and always use screw in steps. I usually use about 12 to get up to the height i want to be and then i use 2 or 3 around my stand to help get safely in and out of it. I usually take the first 6 steps out when i leave to keep others out and also it' s a lot easier putting 6 steps back in the tree when i retuen instead of having to put them all back in. Also i put little twigs in the holes where i take the first 6 out and it makes it alot easier to find the holes when i go in before daylight. I use the EZY climb rod steps. These steps are pretty much self starting but i have a step starter that i use when i have one that don' t want to start.