new to hang on stands
 

for the past 8 years i have bow hunted and used tree stands ( climbers) this year i hung a hang on in a spot because it is close to the bedding area and i can get there quietly but hooking on a climber and going up is just not that quiet some times. well any how i have the stand up and it looks secure. does any body add a few ratchet straps or a few nails/ bolts/etc. to the tree besides what comes with the stand?
kt

I'm probably a bit paraniod KT...:rolleyes:
but I do add a second stand ratchet strap to my hang-on stands during the season when they are out in the elements. It's cheap insurance should your primary strap fail. I personally like Gorilla hang-on's and like the quiet tree attachment straps.

A few season ago, I was alarmed to find the strap holding the stand that I had been sitting in the past 12+ hours was severely chewed up more than half-way through from what appeared to be squirrels. This stand had been out maybe 8 weeks tops. I quickly shimmied my svelte 6' 250# frame (not!) down that tree and proceeded to place a secondary ratchet strap on all three of my hang-on stands. I use large straps and have now gotten into the habit of checking them every time that I am up in a tree.

Sounds like you made a smart move on your hunting set-up KT. Be sure to show us all the pics of that bruiser you bag this fall!

I use chain and turn buckles on my stands,so critter chews and "failures"aren't a problem...course I build the stands myself too...lets just say I'm"thrifty" :D