Video on how I one stick

[boyne bowhunter]

How are you guys attaching the aider to the stick? I tied a water knot and then girth hitched it to the stick. It looks bulky though.

I used a length of 1" webbing with a short piece of hose over it to hold open the step. I just used a water knot to form a loop and I just hung the loop off the upper stick support.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

@Cain do you think the muddy stick works best for this method, or do you think there is another single stick (hawk helium, beast stick, etc.) that would work even better?

I'm using a Hawk Helium modded with rope and cam cleat instead of the stock strap,

 

[REID2168]

I'm using a Hawk Helium modded with rope and cam cleat instead of the stock strap,

the way I envisioned the Helium with the cam cleat was mounting the fixed end of the rope to the back of the cam cleat bolts with a cross plate over the bolts..…….do you have any pics...….also the cam cleat I seen that looked good was the Harken 150 aluminum...then turning the stock strap into the aider if possible….thx in advance for any help!!!!

 

[boyne bowhunter]

the way I envisioned the Helium with the cam cleat was mounting the fixed end of the rope to the back of the cam cleat bolts with a cross plate over the bolts..…….do you have any pics...….also the cam cleat I seen that looked good was the Harken 150 aluminum...then turning the stock strap into the aider if possible….thx in advance for any help!!!!

I've had the Harken 150 for quite a while and its been on several previous projects that have been shelved for one reason or another. I think it's found a home here. I just tied a figure 8 on a bight under the cleat. I used a zip tie simply to keep the knot from sliding down when installing. Thanks to @DaveT1963 for the aider idea and to @g2outdoors for the paint tips.

 

[REID2168]

TY for posting those look great...….only other thing I envisioned was shaving the raised center 1/4" wide strip down the length of the Harken so the cam cleat sat flush on the stick face & adhering what looked like a base plate on the Harken to the Helium before I bolted them down if possible...….not sure if u did any of that & if not maybe im over thinking it since ive never had any of this gear in my hands & just the thought in my head...…..hahahahaha………….THX AGAIN for sharing!!!!!!!

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Shaving down that center section might actually provide a weaker mount because it will remove most of extrusion wall in that area. I just let the edges overhang.

 

[REID2168]

Shaving down that center section might actually provide a weaker mount because it will remove most of extrusion wall in that area. I just let the edges overhang.
View attachment 5305

your way stresses the bolts in a specific spot when OR IF the cam cleat cam rocks without a complete flush surface to mate against...……..my way stresses the stick when I shave it BUT it has a complete other half/side of the stick to hold...…….either way yours look great & thx again...…….BET!!!!!!!!

 

[Soonlobo]

This method could be a game changer!

Thanks Cain!

 

[Cain]

@Cain do you think the muddy stick works best for this method, or do you think there is another single stick (hawk helium, beast stick, etc.) that would work even better?

I like the Muddy stick simply because of the cam cleat. I think the lone wolf sticks are better made and using the way I do it, any stick with a versa button will work because once you wedge the stick under the tether both hands are free to make the attachment. I also prefer a short stick and a one step aider due to pack ability. Hope this helps

 

[DC10]

I like the Muddy stick simply because of the cam cleat. I think the lone wolf sticks are better made and using the way I do it, any stick with a versa button will work because once you wedge the stick under the tether both hands are free to make the attachment. I also prefer a short stick and a one step aider due to pack ability. Hope this helps

I've yet to purchase any climbing sticks. So, I have no experience with a cam cleat or a versa button. Even though the versa button will work with your one stick method, do you think the cam cleat is still easier/better with your one stick method?

 

[Cain]

I've yet to purchase any climbing sticks. So, I have no experience with a cam cleat or a versa button. Even though the versa button will work with your one stick method, do you think the cam cleat is still easier/better with your one stick method?

In my opinion I think the Muddy Stick is the best commercial option because of the double step and cam cleat. That being said I’m not sure about the quality of the Muddy sticks being made today. That’s something you may want to look into. If I were to build a DIY stick it would have a cam cleat.

 

[DaveT1963]

It is super easy to add a cam cleat to a helium

 

[DC10]

It is super easy to add a cam cleat to a helium

Dave, if you were going to use Cain's one-stick method, other than adding a cam cleat to the helium stick, would you still modify the stick to the same degree that you did to all of your helium sticks? Or is that overkill considering you're only using one stick?

 

[REID2168]

it will seem a bit SALTY when compared to a MUDDY price per stick BUT if anyone is interested in one Helium with a Harken 150 cam cleat hit me in a PM......…..you will have couple ways to use the gear 1) a 30" one stick no aider 3 step cam cleat Helium 2) same thing with an aider made from original strap if it can be used or 3) a shortened 2 step 20/22" Helium with cam cleat & aider made from their original strap OR some other way I cant think of at the moment....either way these are the parts along with the proper rope it takes to convert this stick to cam cleat attachment with a Harken 150…....if anyone just wants one stick with no mods we can still split the order as there will be (2) available for a couple other people to do with as they please...…….. if you don't like the cam cleat idea and just want a single stick with the other quick style LW rope attachment there is always that option.….THX in advance & hit me in a PM with any interest!!!!!!!

 

[boyne bowhunter]

ok guys ive been wanting to put this video up for a few weeks now. I first saw Cbigbear climb with one stick on YouTube so I decided to give it a try. I liked it ok but hanging in a rock climbing harness was not that comfortable to me. I think I hunted using this method twice and finally gave up on it. What I did like was the weight of just one stick.
After all of this light weight equipment that is being made , I decided to give one stickin another try. This time I would try it with a saddle. I found that I absolutely love climbing this way. It kinda puts the fun of saddle hunting into climbing. In this video I’m not trying to be quite or quick. It’s just for instructions on how I do it. I did however time myself the other day and I was at 19 ft in 2 minutes and 10 seconds. This is not set up time, just the top of my stick was at 19 ft. I also timed my self coming down and it was exactly 2 minutes and 10 seconds. I know this is not a race, just wanted to let yaw know how fast it could be done.

Another reason I like this method so much that hasn't been touched on here is that it leaves almost no evidence that the tree has been climbed. With the exception of SRT all my other climbing methods leave marks on the tree and for SRT to be effective for me I have to prep trees with paracord. I hunt quite a bit of medium pressured area and really don't like to advertise my prime areas. This ability to not mark up a tree is almost as important to me as the simplicity of the climb.

 

[hauscaliber]

Yep I'm guilty of checking climbing marks on trees. Good point!

 

[Cain]

Another reason I like this method so much that hasn't been touched on here is that it leaves almost no evidence that the tree has been climbed. With the exception of SRT all my other climbing methods leave marks on the tree and for SRT to be effective for me I have to prep trees with paracord. I hunt quite a bit of medium pressured area and really don't like to advertise my prime areas. This ability to not mark up a tree is almost as important to me as the simplicity of the climb.

Exactly!! I also like the fact that when I’m in a tree, it looks the exact same to the deer at eye level as it did the last time they were in that area.

 

[Soonlobo]

Exactly!! I also like the fact that when I’m in a tree, it looks the exact same to the deer at eye level as it did the last time they were in that area.

This method is definitely going to be my model. It’s the best I’ve seen for what I want to do.

 

[DC10]

Does it take much effort to remove the rope from the cam cleat quietly?

 

[Cain]

Does it take much effort to remove the rope from the cam cleat quietly?

It can be done quieter than what I did it in the video with a little more effort. I just put my thumb on the cleats and control them so they don’t slam back in place as I remove the rope.