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Advantages of Platform over Steps?

Fair enough. But I respectfully disagree with the movement comment. If anything, I'm making less movement as I'm simply walking up the tree


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DaveT1963 said:
We can cut dead limbs and sticker branches - but we are not allowed to use anything that cuts/damages the bark of a living tree. I have asked several game wardens about trimming shooting lanes and the correct answer is we cannot. Will some look the other way? probably - but I am not willing to take the chance of being busted for wearing climbing spikes. We actually teach pole climbing here at SAFB for all USAF - I can see their advantage - but a misdemenor and fine is not what I want..... three years ago I stopped 100 yards from my truck in OK, after I left the woods and was walking across a field, I pulled off my flo orange (bow hunt during gun season) to remove my light weight wool jacket... it had warmed up a lot. Anyway two wardens watched me from the road. I put the flo orange vest in my pant pocket and simply failed to put it back on to walk the last 100 yards. Now get this, for hunting in OK during gun season on a archery only unit you only have to wear so much Flo O and a hat will suffice. Here I am walking out with a full vest and toboggan (knit hat) which I removed 100 yards from truck while ditching some layers and yes THEY GAVE ME A TICKET. they both admitted they saw that I was wearing it and had removed it. I asked them both where it says I must wear any orange while walking and they both snickered and said I could fight it if I wanted to. I paid 100 bucks on the spot (they had one fo those credit card things for a cell phone) and we parted ways.

If you damage a tree on public land the fine is steeper and it is a misdemeanor and you have to pay for the worth of the tree damaged. just not worth it.

But the main reason is I think spurs make more noise and there is far more movement then using my stick system. That is my personal experience, I am sure some of you are way better at climbing then I will ever be and can pull it off close to buck bedding..... I don't think I can.
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how would you handle climbing a tree with sticks ? all of my sticks seem to mark the bark as they cinch down with my weight
and the rope or strap settles with my weight. do you have to modify your sticks with something to prevent damaging the bark?
 
TFL said:
how would you handle climbing a tree with sticks ? all of my sticks seem to mark the bark as they cinch down with my weight
and the rope or strap settles with my weight. do you have to modify your sticks with something to prevent damaging the bark?
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Bark damage isn't an issue. Breaking the bark and going into the meat is an issue. If the CO wants to, he could make a lot of things miserable. Ive seen climbing tree stands tear up trees. If climbing sticks get down to the meat of the tree on thin barked stems. Cam locking a tree stand...yep that goes into the meat.

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BassBoysLLP said:
Bark damage isn't an issue. Breaking the bark and going into the meat is an issue. If the CO wants to, he could make a lot of things miserable. Ive seen climbing tree stands tear up trees. If climbing sticks get down to the meat of the tree on thin barked stems. Cam locking a tree stand...yep that goes into the meat.
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Yes, it's how the tree is damaged that's the issue, not how visible the damage is. Climbers and other devices can create more visible damage to the tree but as an Arborist I'm far more concerned about spike damage because the way they injure the tree is different. I would imagine the Foresters that are involved in managing public land have similar concerns.

Here's some pictures of cork harvesting. The visible damage is severe but based on how trees work the impact to tree health is minimal.

https://www.pinterest.com/100percentcork/cork-harvest/
 
Yep. I've seen trees girdled by conventional hang on and climbing tree stands.

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Treewalker is arguably the worse when it comes to damage by a climber. A lot of guys use the stand to walk around the tree as necessary.

Usually the fixed position stands result in a girdle 15-20 feet of the ground depending on where the stand is repeatedly cam locked. Even my little seat platform has the potential to put in a large horizontal gash if I stand on the post and cam lock it.

A lot depends on the type of tree. You just need to be careful on public lands. If you have an abrasive personality, the CO can often question something. Thankfully, most of the COs are nice and reasonable to work with.
906edc9965d97e41d137b0ae65ead981.jpg


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DaveH said:
It would be great if spurs were legal on public land but we all know that's never going to happen.
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Are spurs not allowed on lands where screw ins are allowed? I don't see how they could be any more destructive?
 
I'm pretty light at 160lbs and my spurs don't go very far in the tree at all...maybe 1". I haven't measured it, but watching them sink into the tree I can tell it's pretty shallow. How deep do they have to go to damage the tree? I'm assuming it depends on the species of tree and how thick the bark is?
 
g2outdoors said:
I'm pretty light at 160lbs and my spurs don't go very far in the tree at all...maybe 1". I haven't measured it, but watching them sink into the tree I can tell it's pretty shallow. How deep do they have to go to damage the tree? I'm assuming it depends on the species of tree and how thick the bark is?
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The life blood of the tree is just below the bark (xylem, phloem, vascular cambium). Any penetration through the bark whether it be tree steps, stands, hooks, spurs, poorly cut limbs allows disease to get in. One can also infect healthy trees by climbing diseased trees. This is why most arborists only use spurs for removals, not maintenance.

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I have climbed every type of " white oak" ( there are several subspecies) red oak and pine in Georgia. Some of which I have climbed literally 50+ times for hunting purposes. I have also climbed trees in residential areas doing tree work and have revisited these trees only to see them thriving and in need of additional trimming. I haven't seen the evidence yet. It makes me wonder if there has to be certain and exclusive factors present ( bugs / climate) in order for the tree to be impacted in a way that the consequence would be disease or death. I'm not a botanist or an arborist or anything in between but I am skeptical.
 
I'm not skeptical. Does every junkie playing with dirty needles end up with AIDS? It's a probability thing. And as I've mentioned above, I seen greater damage from tree stands and I've heard of COs in other states watch from tree standard damage as well...I wouldn't recommend spurs in PA.

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BassBoysLLP said:
I'm not skeptical. Does every junkie playing with dirty needles end up with AIDS? It's a probability thing. And as I've mentioned above, I seen greater damage from tree stands and I've heard of COs in other states watch from tree standard damage as well...I wouldn't recommend spurs in PA.

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LOL !!! Don't know much about junkies and dirty needles but that was funny. Yeah I have some buddies that live by the climbing stands and they have some oak trees that are literally orange from the ground to 25 feet after many seasons of climbing. Climbers can tear into them also.
 
Guess you are missing the point - we could debate all day - in the end the Fish and Game departments make the laws and for now spikes on public land where I hunt are illegal. I am in pretty good shape so I am really leaning towards rope ascending and repelling at this point---- if it can be doen near bedding without tipping your hand. Somehow, throwing lines over limbs and inch worming up the tree seems like a lot fo movement. Anyways, we all have our methods that work and so far sticks and a platform wear well on me :)
 
BassBoysLLP said:
Fair enough. But I respectfully disagree with the movement comment. If anything, I'm making less movement as I'm simply walking up the tree


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You could be right Bass - but it really isn't an option for me legally so I haven't put in the time or thought on using spurs. if it was legal i would definitely explore it and see. I do know this, our pole climbing course has the highest injury rate for all our technical training.... anyone that thinks significant accidents cant and wont happen with spurs may not be aware how often they actually do happen?
 
DaveT1963 said:
Guess you are missing the point - we could debate all day - in the end the Fish and Game departments make the laws and for now spikes on public land where I hunt are illegal. I am in pretty good shape so I am really leaning towards rope ascending and repelling at this point---- if it can be doen near bedding without tipping your hand. Somehow, throwing lines over limbs and inch worming up the tree seems like a lot fo movement. Anyways, we all have our methods that work and so far sticks and a platform wear well on me :)
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DaveT1963 said:
Guess you are missing the point - we could debate all day - in the end the Fish and Game departments make the laws and for now spikes on public land where I hunt are illegal. I am in pretty good shape so I am really leaning towards rope ascending and repelling at this point---- if it can be doen near bedding without tipping your hand. Somehow, throwing lines over limbs and inch worming up the tree seems like a lot fo movement. Anyways, we all have our methods that work and so far sticks and a platform wear well on me :)
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I understand what you're saying. I only debate when it's important that I'm right. And that only happens around my wife. I was speaking only from my personal experience and the evidence that I have seen. I wish for you guys that the game and fish commission would lighten up a bit because Spurs are a super way to climb. And to your point about accidents, I definitely see the likelihood of accidents taking place and have been close myself. I've gotten used to my method and probably don't take the precautions that I should sometimes. Thanks for mentioning that, perhaps I needed to hear it.
 
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DaveT1963 said:
Guess you are missing the point - we could debate all day - in the end the Fish and Game departments make the laws and for now spikes on public land where I hunt are illegal. I am in pretty good shape so I am really leaning towards rope ascending and repelling at this point---- if it can be doen near bedding without tipping your hand. Somehow, throwing lines over limbs and inch worming up the tree seems like a lot fo movement. Anyways, we all have our methods that work and so far sticks and a platform wear well on me :)
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Dave, if you want to try rope ascending you will want to have your trees set up with a pull up rope before hand. As far as if it is quiet enough, I think if you go slow enough it will be, but you will definitely have to put your practice in.
 
redsquirrel said:
Dave, if you want to try rope ascending you will want to have your trees set up with a pull up rope before hand. As far as if it is quiet enough, I think if you go slow enough it will be, but you will definitely have to put your practice in.
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Yes way to late to think about trying it this year. I really don't mind carrying the sticks.... And at my age and current weight probably the least strength required option.
 
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