Carrying ring of steps to hunting location & up tree

[Plebe]

I’ll be using the Treehopper steps


I appreciate that! How were you carrying the sticks and ROS together?


@Plebe - I’ll be using the Treehopper steps with OCB straps and Tethrd Skeltors for my sticks. Based on that what would you recommend?

I'd rather give options than recommendations. Any hunting system is maximized by components matched to user. I'd need to know more to confidently recommend, and acknowledge I could be far from the mark even then.

But there's lots of folks here who have vast experience, maybe share your approach and gear selection and we can hit on something that makes sense to you.

The Treehopper ROS isn't too heavy, but the OCB is bigger and heavier than some other options.

Given that I know you are slinging your sticks, I'd probably focus on attaching the ROS to the last stick whether it's a tie or sack/bag/pouch of some design.

But you could carry the bundle in on sticks and attach to saddle for ascent as well.

Or any number of various approaches that would be best for you.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I’ll be using the Treehopper steps


I appreciate that! How were you carrying the sticks and ROS together?

I placed the base of the steps against the sticks and then wrapped the OCB strap around and hooked it like it was going on the tree and then cammed it over. I then just wrapped the excess strap around and around and tucked the end back under the strap. It made the sticks very tight and secure. It was not the fastest way to pack and unpack. 7 steps fit perfectly on 4 Lone wolf Sticks and 5 steps fit perfectly on 3 sticks.

I have to work on how I am going to carry the ROS now that I plan to use 2TC this fall.

 

[KeystoneCowb0y]

I'd rather give options than recommendations. Any hunting system is maximized by components matched to user. I'd need to know more to confidently recommend, and acknowledge I could be far from the mark even then.

But there's lots of folks here who have vast experience, maybe share your approach and gear selection and we can hit on something that makes sense to you.

The Treehopper ROS isn't too heavy, but the OCB is bigger and heavier than some other options.

Given that I know you are slinging your sticks, I'd probably focus on attaching the ROS to the last stick whether it's a tie or sack/bag/pouch of some design.

But you could carry the bundle in on sticks and attach to saddle for ascent as well.

Or any number of various approaches that would be best for you.

@Plebe - I’m very new to this, so I’m still trying to figure out everything. All this feedback is really helpful though and I like your ideas. Do you recommend a different strap for the ROS instead of the OCB?

 

[kyler1945]

@kyler1945 - Thank you for sharing that. What sort of tie is that? It’s a bit hard to tell from the picture, but are those all of the steps you use lined up side by side in the picture?

Yes it is. And it’s a niteize gear tie.

Buy a hybrid, buy four or five squirrel steps, and rock on brother!

 

[Plebe]

@Plebe - I’m very new to this, so I’m still trying to figure out everything. All this feedback is really helpful though and I like your ideas. Do you recommend a different strap for the ROS instead of the OCB?

The treehopper OCB is good.

You're just going to have to manage the bulk/weight of any ROS in a way that works best for you. It's not like this is a heavy package but add it to your saddle (you can tie it on with string to test or zip ties or whatever you've got lying about) and see if the ROS is causing the saddle to sag and be difficult to manage while walking.

I don't wear my saddle until I get to my destination, but have found I don't like weight on my saddle. Others wear multiple pouches on their saddle for bolts and ropes and steps and whatever and have no issues with that.

If you do experience sag, there are tools to manage that. Suspenders, looping your linesman's belt around your shoulders, battle belt.

But, given you are going to sling your sticks, attaching the ROS to the bundle mitigates that issue altogether as well as providing easy access. So what are the cons to doing so? Potential contact noise, a tad more weight on your shoulder, more awkward to hang one stick maybe? You'll have to work through issues that you experience, but I'd think it'd be very manageable.

 

[iamcorey]

Are you able to nest the steps with the strap in the slot? If yes, I would nest them to where they don’t come apart and attach them to a stick or use the 1” strap and some kydex hooks or grimlocs to attach to pals webbing on your saddle.

For reference, I have 4 hawk steps that I carry in chest rig. Profile while in the bag is 1.5”. You won’t be able to do that with the treehoppers.


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[NMSbowhunter]

Here is how I had mine set up. Just place them on the sticks. lightly cam over buckle, then wrap excess around and tuck back in. I used a loop of 1" tubular webbing as a carry strap and as a single step aider for the bottom stick. The set up worked OK but I found the main issue was weight and the stack had a tendency to want to snag on vines and brush and would slide around on my shoulder and I was always having to reposition it, especially going up and down hill.

 

[KeystoneCowb0y]

Here is how I had mine set up. Just place them on the sticks. lightly cam over buckle, then wrap excess around and tuck back in. I used a loop of 1" tubular webbing as a carry strap and as a single step aider for the bottom stick. The set up worked OK but I found the main issue was weight and the stack had a tendency to want to snag on vines and brush and would slide around on my shoulder and I was always having to reposition it, especially going up and gown hill.

@NMSbowhunter - That's really helpful, I appreciate that. Are you going to do that next season as well or are you changing it up at all?

 

[Plebe]

Are you able to nest the steps with the strap in the slot? If yes, I would nest them to where they don’t come apart and attach them to a stick or use the 1” strap and some kydex hooks or grimlocs to attach to pals webbing on your saddle.

For reference, I have 4 hawk steps that I carry in chest rig. Profile while in the bag is 1.5”. You won’t be able to do that with the treehoppers.


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They can nest with the strap in the slot.

 

[Plebe]

Here is how I had mine set up. Just place them on the sticks. lightly cam over buckle, then wrap excess around and tuck back in. I used a loop of 1" tubular webbing as a carry strap and as a single step aider for the bottom stick. The set up worked OK but I found the main issue was weight and the stack had a tendency to want to snag on vines and brush and would slide around on my shoulder and I was always having to reposition it, especially going up and gown hill.

What did you do with them once you started your climb?

 

[NMSbowhunter]

What did you do with them once you started your climb?
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I ran the end of the strap through one of the molle loops on the back of the Recon and tied a simple knot. The steps dangled from behind me until I got up to hunting height. Then I took them off and attached them to the tree. I would sometimes wear the Recon in and sometimes carry it in a backpack. When I wear it in, I wear it up high above my waist like a weight lifting belt and keep it snugged down tight. I don't use any pouches on the Recon.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

@NMSbowhunter - That's really helpful, I appreciate that. Are you going to do that next season as well or are you changing it up at all?

I'm changing it all up. I plan to climb 2TC this fall. The sticks worked but I was overall dissatisfied with how I was carrying them and I also realized that since I was carrying a tree tether and a lineman's belt along with the sticks that the sticks were not needed since I had a 2TC setup with me all along.

 

[ketch22]

If climbing with sticks:

i have 2 sticks strapped to each side of my pack and my saddle in or hanging off my pack. I walk in light and get dressed at the bottom of the tree.

On my saddle I have two dump pouches and three modified S biners. I attach mh bottom stick to the tree and add the other three sticks around my saddle on the S biners. In my right side dump pouch I have my rappel setup which I also use as my tether. In my left pouch I have from bottom to top. 550 cord for my tree knee pad, 550gear hanger, ROS, and my lineman’s belt.

If and when I decide to use 2TC I just ditch the sticks and replace my lineman’s belt with my second tether.

 

[KeystoneCowb0y]

I'm changing it all up. I plan to climb 2TC this fall. The sticks worked but I was overall dissatisfied with how I was carrying them and I also realized that since I was carrying a tree tether and a lineman's belt along with the sticks that the sticks were not needed since I had a 2TC setup with me all along.

@NMSbowhunter - Is 2TC the easiest climbing method? If I wanted to start looking into that what equipment would I need and are there any good videos or resources you’d recommend?

 

[gettingstarted]

@NMSbowhunter - Is 2TC the easiest climbing method? If I wanted to start looking into that what equipment would I need and are there any good videos or resources you’d recommend?

Why don't yall 2TC?

Saddle hunting is dangerous. People have died doing it. Know that if you hunt from an elevated position, there is a higher percentage of you not coming home to your loved ones than if you stay on the ground. Take the words/ideas of dudes on the internet with a grain of salt; very few of them are...

www.saddlehunter.com

Why don't yall 2TC?



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[KeystoneCowb0y]

Why don't yall 2TC?

Saddle hunting is dangerous. People have died doing it. Know that if you hunt from an elevated position, there is a higher percentage of you not coming home to your loved ones than if you stay on the ground. Take the words/ideas of dudes on the internet with a grain of salt; very few of them are...

www.saddlehunter.com

Why don't yall 2TC?



Sent from my moto g(8) power using Tapatalk

Thank you!

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Easiest? Hard to say. It is easiest for me. I think that anyone who is fit enough and coordinated enough to use climbing sticks can learn to climb 2TC. The first thing to really look at is what type of trees do you have to climb in your hunting area. I have an overabundance of straight, limbless trees in my area. 2TC really shines on these types of trees. Limby trees are more problematic. You can advance around limbs, but it will slow you down and adds complexity as with any climbing method. On a straight limbless tree, I can be at hunting height of 20+ feet in about 7 minutes from the time I walk up to the tree and about 2 minutes of that is set up at ground level. It took me about a month to get to that point.

2TC is pretty simple. There are three main parts. You should already have a saddle. This is the first part. You should have a main tether. This is the second part. Now you will need a foot tether. A foot tether is just like the main tether at the top, and at the bottom will be some form of loop, usually on some form of adjustment, to vary overall length to account for the differences in tree diameters.

The top tether goes around the tree just above head height. The foot tether goes a few inches under the top tether. The foot loop should be high enough to step up into comfortably. Clip your saddle bridge into the top tether's carabiner, put the saddle under your butt and tighten down the waist belt. Now you want to put the arch of your foot into the foot tether's loop. Push down while digging your toe into the tree to stabilize you. Step up into the loop and at the same time put your opposite leg up against the side of the tree for balance. Hold onto the tree with your hands as you are stepping up. While balancing this way, reach up and advance the now slack top tether about 18 inches. Now, slowly sit back into your top tether. At this point I take my foot out of the foot loop on the foot tether and then advance the foot tether back up to its position under the top tether. Then repeat this process until you are at the desired height. Reading through all that you are probably thinking "I can't do all that while balancing on one foot!" I couldn't do it the first time I tried it. It really is just getting that one simple set of moves down. It really is simple once you do it a few times. If you read through the "Why don't y'all 2TC" thread, you will see my progression and struggles. I stuck with it and now it works really well for me.

Try it out low and slow. Don't try to go high and don't try for speed. Just try to get that one move up and one move back down in reverse down pat. Once you have that down you can go as high as you want. This is the learn to crawl before you can walk stage.

I would also recommend using large ropes in the beginning. I used 11.4 MM Bluewater static for my top tether and 11.4 MM Sampson Predator for my bottom tether. Once you really get the method down pat, then start streamlining everything if you want. Don't get caught up in complexity in the beginning. Just learn the moves.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

These are some helpful videos that show the moves. These show some advanced techniques like rappel and some advance materials like Amsteel. Don't worry too much about these in the beginning. These are great ways to go once you get the fundamentals down. Think simple, slow, and safe in the beginning. Once you get the basics down, then you can explore all the refinements.

(264) 2TC in action - YouTube
(264) 2 Tether Climbing V2 0 - YouTube
(264) Two Tether Climbing - YouTube

 

[ketch22]

Thank you!

As NMS said, it’s not terribly hard, I gavng had the time to practice like him but I’m in the 11-13 min range to get to height. I’m still faster with sticks but I save 2TC for a backup n case I decide to move quickly without my sticks.

 

[bfriendly]

Outside of in your pack, I am curious how people are carrying their ring of steps set up to their hunting location and up the tree?

I am new to hunting & saddle hunting and am trying to figure out the most efficient way to do everything. As of right now, I am trying to make it so I do not have to take my pack off until I am set up at hunting height, so I'll be carrying sticks with a sling for example.

Thanks in advance!

I like the ROS, but prefer a platform as it’s easier to turn around and pee. I love the way a ROS helps me get around the tree, so I put three steps on my platform strap. Now I have the best of both worlds. I put vet tape on my steps as well as my platform so there is no clincking around. Then, my platform hooks to the side or rear rear of my saddle….usually on the side so I can kind of hold it steady as I’m walking.
My bow is on my pack and the only thing I carry is my one stick. I hook it up to tree, tether in and start climbing. At height and with platform in place, the first thing that comes out is my gear hanging cord. Hang pack, remove bow, nock one up and hang it up. I will lower my bow every time then put the other end of that cord on my rappel rope to help get it down.