How many of yall take a tree stand to the public lands?

I've been debating off and on for several months whether to get a tree stand or not:
- Like a lot of yall, I'm limited to public lands. So obviously I can't leave it there for long.
- I don't like to carry more things than I have to, so lugging around a climbing tree stand may be more of a chore.
- I'm often hunting solo and I worry an accident will happen (especially with my luck).


Maybe I'm being pessimistic and looking at it the wrong way?

Buy a ghost blind and stay on the ground.

I would recommend a hang-on stand and some climbing sticks. Mount the hang-on for the season and leave the climbing sticks stashed in the woods nearby when you leave. Use a climbing rope or a lineman's loop when going up or down and attach your harness the tree when you get in the stand. There are plenty of youtube videos that show how to use the safety ropes/harness. I'm deathly afraid of heights but using all the safety equipment makes it doable for me. Your stuff might get stolen but that's a chance you take. Depending on how far you walk in, I don't think its practical to carry everything with you and set it up each time, especially in the dark.

I just bought hawk helium sticks. I think the muddy quick sticks are a bit better but are about 60 more and cabelas doesn't sell them. I am spending Cabela's bucks.

Go light weight sticks and hang on stand.

I use a climber but it really limits the type of trees I can hunt out of. I love the mobility of affords though.

If you're hunting an area with lots of straight trees with no low limbs(pines,etc) I would definately go with a climber. Get the lightest one you can.Good example is the guys who hunt Hagerman NWR are pretty much "forced" to use loc-ons and climbing sticks,there just aren't that many straight limbless trees in that region of Texas.BTW be careful using a climber on pine trees,it can be dangerous.The bark is loose and slippery.Make sure the climber has a good "bite" and never,ever step on the platform close to the trunk.You'll release the climber and probably go straight to the ground.

I prefer a tripod stand on my public hunts. I hook up my kayak wheel and I can easily carry it over a mile into the woods like a wheelbarrow.

I take a climber into the woods with me and then after hunting, I will chain & padlock it to the base of a near-by tree to keep it from "walking off". This saves me having to lug it in and out of the woods. I lay it out perfectly flat and then cover it with leaves or forest debris to make it less visible. I've left climbers out in the woods for months like that. The only thing I will caution you on is that the fabric seat may begin to rot from ground exposure and water exposure. I have had to "re-seat" my climber several times. Every nut & bolt on it shows surface rust.. An added bonus is that it will eventually lose the scents that it gathers from being in your home, car, or garage and begin to smell like the woods. This also makes it much quieter on your walk in in the darkness. To date, I've been very lucky and no one has found my climber. Either that or they found it and just left it alone. Either way, my stuff is usually right where I leave it.