Okay I guess I'm going to give the long version of the story to try to address what everyone has said or asked.
First I use a Guidos Web, spurs, with two linemans ropes with a Ropeman ascender on each one. I also use one of the lineman's as a tether when I get to the top. I cut the bridge off my Guido's tether and use it with my linemans for the tether.
I also use the Ameristep steps on a web belt with an overcenter buckle for my platform and another web belt with gear hangers on it to hang all my gear on the tree.
I also carry a backpack with gear in it and my bow, quiver and spurs strapped to it on my walk in to the tree.
That's my set up.
So when I walk in (which is usually a long way in, through thick brush) I take my jacket, gloves, and other cold protection off or I'll sweat like crazy. I have my Guido and all it's gear, backpack and gear and bow, quiver and spurs strapped to my back.
When I get to the tree I take the backpack, Guido and all the gear off my back and lay it down. Put my jacket on, put my spurs on, put my Guido on, strap it up and then put my back pack with bow and quiver on my back. Now I'm ready to ascend the tree.
In the case I stated previously I had a young 5 inch sweet gum to climb. When I got up to about 7 feet I started hitting limbs. I'm using the two linemans ropes to traverse the limbs, but some time I just break some off, some times I bend them to get them out of the way but mostly I'm going around multiples of limbs (which in some cases would break off if you stepped on them). Also this tree had a couple of small bends in it (sort of S shaped) which is a little tricky to climb especially on a 5 inch diameter tree because gravity forces you to the low side and you don't have much leverage on the tree to keep you on the up side.
So I then get to where I want to be, with limbs and foliage below and above me and again have to start to doing some trimming to get room to shoot in the directions I think I'll need to. Then I get my platform set, then I get my gear hanger on, then I get my backpack off and hung, then I take my quiver off and hang it, then I take my bow off and hang it, then I take an arrow out the quiver and nock it, then I take my release out of my backpack and dawn it, then I put on my gloves, head cover and camo stuff, then I pull out my milkweed, test the wind, and now I'm ready to hunt
Now maybe that doesn't seem like an hour worth of stuff but it was right at it. I know it won't be like this every time but people need to know it can be like this. No doubt I could find a better tree or I could prep a tree in advance but that's not the way I want to do it. I want to choose the best spot at the moment for the current conditions and movement, not the best tree to climb in advance.
Also someone made a very good point. I have only been using the Web and spurs for about two months. I am going (and have) to get more proficient, but if this Podcast is to talk to beginners then that's what I'm talking about here.
Okay, sorry if that's too much stuff but maybe it makes my experience a little more clear.
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