So 20 feet sounds good... i am hunting on a military base.... so it's a little un even land but not a alot they can walk right up to me
but i think i will raise it up to 20 feet those are 4 sticks, my only issue is going to be getting it higher up to 20 feet..
How did you get it up to 15'?
I do like the Traxion and roller carabiner the best. Fighting a heavy stand while hugging a tree is never fun for me.
In areas where it is allowed I do like to set the stand using gaffs and then add the steps later. It offers me unlimited mobility around the tree so I'm not set to just one position. Though you want to make sure you've got the correct length gaffs if climbing fir. I've had a few fun rides when I forgot to swap out my pole spikes for tree spikes and felt too dang lazy to head back for the right ones. No harm with a good belt, but it really gets your heart racing! And slivers in your face are never fun

While I'm talking about lessons learned the hard way...Gaffs cut nylon straps slicker than heck! More than once I've found myself at the hardware store buying replacement straps for my stand because I wasn't looking at where I was planting my spikes.
Also, it's nice to practice raising your bow up into the stand. My first bear hunt I had forgot to do this and found I had too many branches in the way. By the time I got my bow up to the stand I had no arrows left in my quiver. By the time I hit the ground to retrieve them a bear came in and I spooked it. Took another week before it came back and I got my first bear.
And my final
been there done it wrong is about bladder bags. If you are at the store and there are two sizes to choose from. Don't try to do some foolish math in your head. Just buy the biggest one
