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"Climbing with bolts is slow and hard."

Nutterbuster

Nutterbuster

Well-Known Member
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Joined
Oct 12, 2017
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10,068
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Where the skys are so blue!
I hear that a lot. It's true that they're not as fast as some methods, but I finally got around to making this video to show that they aren't as bad as some think. They BLOW AWAY all other methods if you've predrilled (even faster if you leave bolts in), but the "drill time" may surprise you.

This video shows a 20ft climb in about 12 and a half minutes. That's flat-footed to bow and pack hung. Hardly slow! It also shows two other climbs, one reinserting bolts into the predrilled holes and one just climbing preinserted bolts. Presetting with grade 8's this way is quick and cheap and very cool.

1st climb (drilling fresh tree) 1:55-14:25
1st descent (taking bolts) 14:30-19:15

2nd climb (predrilled holes) 20:00-21:35
2nd descent (leaving bolts) 21:40-22:12

3rd climb (preset bolts) 23:55-25:05


 
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Nutterbuster said:
I hear that a lot. It's true that they're not as fast as some methods, but I finally got around to making this video to show that they aren't as bad as some think. They BLOW AWAY all other methods if you've predrilled (even faster if you leave bolts in), but the "drill time" may surprise you.

This video shows a 20ft climb in about 12 and a half minutes. That's flat-footed to bow and pack hung. Hardly slow! It also shows two other climbs, one reinserting bolts into the predrilled holes and one just climbing preinserted bolts. Presetting with grade 8's this way is quick and cheap and very cool.

Click to expand...
Great video. I didn't count the number of holes you drilled but just curious how your arms felt on the last 2?

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Mike Armstrong said:
Great video. I didn't count the number of holes you drilled but just curious how your arms felt on the last 2?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Better than my feet and shoulders feel after humping 10lbs of sticks for a couple of miles. ;)

Seriously, grab a coffee cup and swing it in a 6"circle 60 times at chest height. Now switch over to your other hand. Do it five times.That simulates drillimg pretty well. Not a lot of resistance on the treehopper.

Sure, you'll work up a sweat if you're not careful or it's warm. But I work up a sweat with wild edge steps, sticks, and spurs too. Climbing is harder than most of our 9-5 jobs.
 
Nutterbuster said:
Better than my feet and shoulders feel after humping 10lbs of sticks for a couple of miles. ;)

Seriously, grab a coffee cup and swing it in a 6"circle 60 times at chest height. Now switch over to your other hand. Do it five times.That simulates drillimg pretty well. Not a lot of resistance on the treehopper.

Sure, you'll work up a sweat if you're not careful or it's warm. But I work up a sweat with wild edge steps, sticks, and spurs too. Climbing is harder than most of our 9-5 jobs.
Click to expand...
This is my method but I'm haulin a cordless to drill over hogs. Thanks for the updated Treehopper video too. I'll have one by Oct.

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That’s a good video and not slow at all. You have to contribute some of the speed to practice and really putting thought into your system. Your use of the gear hoist is golden. No spending time untangling a rope. Planning everything out is super important. Not having to dig in your pack for gear hangers, bow hanger, ring of steps etc. makes things faster and less sweaty and add to the overall enjoyment of the hunt. It’s little things like that that make a system work great regardless of the actual climbing method. The drill and bolts where legal definitely simplify a system.
 
I have had the DRILL BIT that I got from Jerry Simmons for a lot of years and never used it much,Just got my hand drill last week after Nutterbusters video and I'm old and slow but way under a minute a hole and bet Im not turning it half as fast as he is.Not a lot of effort to drill with it either.Ill just take my time and be quiet,slow and. Carefull. Hunting is not the time for me to be in a hurry anyway
 
Nothing better than full demo videos to help people learn from others experiences. Thanks for making the effort to do this.

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Is it irrational that my fear of bolts is that if I fall I may be disembowled? I can't use them anyway, public land, but the thought of them gives me the heebie jeebies. I am a real land lubber though, I don't really like climbing trees.
 
You can gut yourself on a climbing stick too. Some come sharp too.

Or stab yourself with a spur

in the end not worth it

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elk yinzer said:
Is it irrational that my fear of bolts is that if I fall I may be disembowled? I can't use them anyway, public land, but the thought of them gives me the heebie jeebies. I am a real land lubber though, I don't really like climbing trees.
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Not irrational at all. Climbing is dangerous.

I suppose the step on a lone wolf stick might do a number on a fella as well. Spurs can go south. And I've always wondered about the potential for a foot to get caught in an aider.

At least in my old hand climber, I had an unobstructed shot to the dirt!
 
elk yinzer said:
Is it irrational that my fear of bolts is that if I fall I may be disembowled? I can't use them anyway, public land, but the thought of them gives me the heebie jeebies. I am a real land lubber though, I don't really like climbing trees.
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Would it be irrational to say the same thing about a lone wolf step? I’ve seen pictures of a guy impaled by a screw in step. True bolts have a 9/16 head that should offer some protection. Carbon bolts would likely snap so if they stuck in you you wouldn’t be left hanging. Many ways to look at it. Either way you were probably having a bad day.
 
Seems like it would be really difficult to gut yourself with a WE Stepp? Nothing pointy or sharp. Just a bulge off the tree. It would hurt like a son of buck to catch one between the legs though.
 
My issue with this method is all the hand waving movement. I’m not super concerned about time, fast is preferred but stealth is my primary objective. I feel like trying to do this within eyesight of bedding would be like waving at them to get their attention. It’s great for pre sets though.
 
BassBoysLLP said:
for the record, I love my CF bolts. Best purchase I made in 2018. Game changer...and yes, that is behind my CF geckos.

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Click to expand...

I love my bolts but given a choice between the two I’m grabbing the Geckos every single time lol. I think my main gripe with the system is the EZ cut drill. The handle sucks and makes a lot of noise. I may need to try that new Treehopper!


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skyjacker said:
Seems like it would be really difficult to gut yourself with a WE Stepp? Nothing pointy or sharp. Just a bulge off the tree. It would hurt like a son of buck to catch one between the legs though.
Click to expand...

If you have used them correctly or they could make a nice hook to hang from it they came away from the tree at the top.

There always a way to get hurt climbing is the dangerous. We have to do the absolute best we can to mitigate the risk. Only take risks that you can except. I nor anyone else can set that standard for you.

Excellent video @Nutterbuster



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