Do you like to hang stands in the spring or stay mobile most of the time, setting up and taking down on one outing? I've already found three spots Ideal for a setup next season, and to be honest, I like the safety precaution of taking my time (and then some) to secure a stand (one of my yahoo buddies gave me quite the scare last season ).

If I chose to purchase/set-up multiple stands I would take care of it this spring, then whenever I wanted to hunt them, I could just carry in the Lone Wolf Sticks & climb on up... which would then allow me to carry my tree saddle as well, allowing me to re-setup if needed (wind, thermals etc.).

The only reason I ask your opinion is because I could do it mostly mobile and reduce my spending on more tree stands, but then I risk more chance of making noise on my setups ... more work = more noise, why not try to eliminate as much noise as possible? (especially in tight situations i.e. near bedding areas)... Save the mobile set-ups for in season scouting, fresh sign, last minute adjustments?

Both... There are some spots where a permanent would be a good option, but I think most people would turn that into a crutch.
Hunting the same spot more than 3 times in a single season is generally wasting time in most cases.
Still, if I had a lease or a private farm, there would likely be a few spots with a permanent stand.
Being mobile is a huge factor in success. I personally believe you could fail on reading sign, and fail on knowing where the beds are and where the deer travel, but if you moved to a different location and hunted fresh every day you would stumble into a good buck more than likely before the end of the season.
Big mature bucks avoid areas where they smell humans during daylight... If you have been there a couple times, they know it.
Also, being mobile will keep you on the cutting edge. Several trees in each hunting area can be hunted on differing winds., or if the sign has moved over. Can't tell you how many times I have heard people say, I new I should of moved that stand!
Also, your way off track if you think being mobile has to be noisy.
I would be willing to bet I am quieter with my mobile set up than 99.9% of hunters hunting permanent set ups...

And if those people can't be quiet in a permanent stand, then think of how noisy they'll be when they do set-up on-the-go. Last year was the first season I hunted mobile. Set-up, take-down, restart. I love it, but I'm new at it, so with little experience there comes times where I find myself in an awkward situation and accidently force a 'clink' or two. Over time I'll become more comfortable with it (as I was already growing accustomed to it near the seasons end).

I took only hunting a lot of my spots 2-3 times a season into consideration... which is why I would need to buy more stands, so I could have enough spots/stands to last me (given I hunt each spot 1-3 times), plus the fact I would still have the option of mobility if it wasn't working out with the permanents, or even if it was, I could still move around enough to cover the days I wouldn't hunt my pre-sets.

I'm by no means saying I plan on purchasing 15 new stands to add to the arsenal, just more. Maybe 5 or 6 that I can set-up in some of those tight-quartered spots so I can be as quiet as possible to the best of my ability.

I agree with Dan.
About the only time my equipment ever makes noise is when I leave it in the tree over night. Big changes in the weather seem to make noisy stands. I won't even leave a stand on private land more than a weekend. You never know who's their when your not.

What I have found with my pre-set stands is that I never take the time to move them. Ever since I started taking my climber to the woods, I have just lost interest in taking the time out to move the pre-set stands. Now the pre-set stands I have never get moved. To me the deer just catch onto the pre-sets way to fast, then they move out around them (just out of range). I will still hunt out of them sometimes, but not nearly as much making it hard to spend the time to move them. I'm really limited on time that I can scout and hunt so being mobile just works better for me.

I have both but hunt mobile MOST of the time. Now that kids are in the equation and time is a limiting factor I tend to not hunt on days that are not "ideal" which puts me in "permanant" sets more oftn than not. Most of these sets are in productive rut funnels that are only good on specific winds.

I don't think you should go the permanent route. Out of the 5 or so I have out, only 2 are really necessary. I hunted mobile 80% of the time this year and started to get the hang of it. I think if you bought 5 or 6 stands it wouldn't be worth it. A nice lightweight stands is all you need. Although it's nice to have a few set ups to fall back on. So maybe 1 or 2 new stands if you find the right spots... I sometimes had a funny feeling leaving the woods with the stand on my back. knowing the only thing that will know I was there is the deer. Which under some circumstances can be a good thing. I think when most people see a stand on public they like to "investigate" things. Check the view or at least stink up the place. I don't know, just something to think about.

Dan I agree with all your comments! I just have a hard time believing you can get within 40 or 50 yards of a bedded mature buck without making a sound? It all sounds good in theory and on the videos and you have won me over to your way of hunting and or thinking it just seems impossible to be able to consistently pull that off?

You obviously have to have the right circumstances to do this. Ground cover has to be quiet (no noisy leaves) and dense enough so that the deer does not see your movement. Then it's just a matter of setting up slowly and quietly, if you're not in a rush and take your time you can set up without making a sound.

Exactly.. I can consistantly pull it off in Marsh terrein on 1/2 my set ups.. But in big woods and hill country getting within 100 yards can be tough...

Yeah its tough to do in big woods and hill Country too! That was my next question I think I can do it in my marsh sets though Thanks a lot

It also depends on if you're hunting public or private. But I prefer setting a few of my ladder stands in the spring especially on land I know well. Also, they are tough to move on your own so its nice to get them into funnels where I know there will be a lot of chase phase movement.

My hanging stands I move all the time things change constantley so you have to be able to adjust.

I prefer pre-set, but 90% of the time I hunt it is out of my LW Alpha and 4 Sticks, usually with a couple pegs since I hunt hill country.

I have fallen into the trap of using preset stands as a crutch. Even knowing my first sit in a stand is most productive and have still done it. I will still have them. No point in taking some down.

I too couldnt put a stand up as quiet as I wanted so I hang them in the rain or windy conditions before a rain.

Last archery season I spent one day in a treestand, and the rest of my hunts on the ground, talk about being mobile. For some reason the cross bow gave me confidence to sneak in and shoot from the ground. I was into to deer and turkey alot. Including one nice buck I got about 35 yards on but he didnt offer a shot.

I didnt even use the Tree Saddle Bridge sent me. Maybe next year.

Something that you might wanna consider is getting your stands set in spring by screwing pegs in the trees and doing the trimming in your scouted areas. Then during the season you just gotta bring the LW on your back. You could potentially cut down on some of the noise and movement by do'n this if you're not 100% confident in your abilities w/ the stand and sticks. This tactic works well for me and my wallet on my private land sets. $10-$15 a set up for the pegs. I love the LW hooks for these set too ($12). Just leave the hooks in the tree and take 'em down after the season. I still use my 4 LW sticks to get onto hot sign and on public. But leave the more perminent sets for the funnels and rut type sets.