Cranford ring of steps and T's - John Eberhart

[BassBoysLLP]

I never really enjoyed using a saddle until I talked to John and he told me to go with a low hook up tether.... I've never turned back since the day I tried it.

Spot on


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[John Eberhart]

I’ll wager this tether height issue is what I’ve had going on with my sit drag this year. I never thought the issue could be related to tether height because 99% of videos have it at that height. I thought it had more to do with the spread of the bridge.

I'll bet you're right and give me a call and we can discuss your issues. John - 989-644-6067

 

[RatMe]

I'll take you up on this offer as soon as I get a moment without a screaming child. I'm looking to dial in my methods/comfort before next season. Thanks again

 

[BassBoysLLP]

I'll take you up on this offer as soon as I get a moment without a screaming child. I'm looking to dial in my methods/comfort before next season. Thanks again

I feel your pain. I can't wait until this phase is over!

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[steelhead216]

T screw and tree step versions.

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Do you happen to know the name and manufacturer of that buckle and where you purchased it?

 

[redsquirrel]

I'll take you up on this offer as soon as I get a moment without a screaming child. I'm looking to dial in my methods/comfort before next season. Thanks again

I feel your pain. I can't wait until this phase is over!

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Yesterday was the recovery day from xmas. Too much excitement in such a short time lead to a cranky, screaming 2 year old. We think she was really just hangry because she got better after she finally got some good food in her, but the first half of the day was spent with unpredictable screaming tantrums!

 

[BassBoysLLP]

Do you happen to know the name and manufacturer of that buckle and where you purchased it?

You would need to ask @John Eberhart . He likely has a source for that adjustable drape buckle. The pictures in this thread were pulled from the linked thread above.

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[huck72412]

Do you happen to know the name and manufacturer of that buckle and where you purchased it?

That should be the buckle that comes on the Trophyline tree tether.

 

[redsquirrel]

Do you happen to know the name and manufacturer of that buckle and where you purchased it?

The pic with the dark buckle is definitely the trophyline tether. The other one with the silver buckle looks the same, but I've never seen one with the silver buckle so I don't know.

You can buy those buckles at paragear.com

 

[ricky racer]

Too much excitement in such a short time lead to a cranky, screaming 2 year old. We think she was really just hangry because she got better after she finally got some good food in her, but the first half of the day was spent with unpredictable screaming tantrums!

My wife has found that works for me too. Feed me and the tantrums decrease, well, kinda....

 

[John Eberhart]

Do you happen to know the name and manufacturer of that buckle and where you purchased it?

That is the adjustment buckle from a saddle lead strap and the lead strap is made from an old saddle lead. That strap material is 9,600 lb. test and Trophyline got the buckle from the same source that sells them to the military. I don't know the source.

I have made some lead straps for guys using seat belt fabric and buckles from safety harnesses which came with treestands.

 

[John Eberhart]

The pic with the dark buckle is definitely the trophyline tether. The other one with the silver buckle looks the same, but I've never seen one with the silver buckle so I don't know.

That silver buckle was one that Mike (member) had sent me to make his hybrid and I don't know where he got it but it was exactly the same as the Trophyline buckle.

 

[redsquirrel]

That silver buckle was one that Mike (member) had sent me to make his hybrid and I don't know where he got it but it was exactly the same as the Trophyline buckle.

They have a few options available on this page if anyone is ever looking John:
http://www.paragear.com/parachutes/10000173/PARACHUTE-METAL-HARDWARE

 

[John Eberhart]

Thanks Red

 

[valerio024]

@John Eberhart I know that you have talked a lot about using a lower tether height. It seems that a lot of people place the tether between eye and forehead level when standing on their steps. In this picture your tether height seems to be lower (it could be an optical illusion). What seems to be a common point of reference for your tether when you are standing on your steps?


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[John Eberhart]

I know that you have talked a lot about using a lower tether height. It seems that a lot of people place the tether between eye and forehead level when standing on their steps. In this picture your tether height seems to be lower (it could be an optical illusion). What seems to be a common point of reference for your tether when you are standing on your steps?

My tether is typically about forehead to hairline level but the diameter of the tree, the lean of the tree and the branches on the tree in the area I'm perched (primarily on public because on private I would cut them off) all affect tether height. Keep in mind that with my tether system I could hunt a flat wall if I could climb it so I deal with some pretty big diameter trees.

For instance the first pic is of a tree I hunted in 2004 and it's a big diameter tree with a big lean and I tethered a bit higher because of the lean. Due to the lean going away from me (which should always be the case with leaning trees), I needed more lead to be perched comfortably. On a tree with this much lean you can't swing around to the opposite side for a shot because gravity would pull you away from the tree and you would just dangle there. This tree was at a primary scrape area (to my left) so I had a very specific target area. There is no way you could hunt this tree with a climber or hang-on. The ring was 8 steps so as not to have much movement from step to step because of the lean.


The tree my son Jon is preparing here is a very large diameter tree as well and it's straight in the area he would be perched in so he had his tether a little above hair line so he could swing around the tree. He also raised his steps about an inch and a half each as he put them around the back of the tree to make up for the lead raising his body. He had a ring of 7 steps.



This tree is standard diameter with a lean and the tether here would be at forehead height.



Although this tree is a relatively large diameter, it has several large branches in the perched area that incumbered swinging totally around the tree so the lead was tethered at nose height and the ring of steps was 4.



This pine is very small diameter and I only needed 3 steps to ring the tree and had the lead tethered at eye height.



Every tree has it's own requirements concerning drape and ring of steps and how they're placed.

 

[redsquirrel]

My tether is typically about forehead to hairline level but the diameter of the tree, the lean of the tree and the branches on the tree in the area I'm perched (primarily on public because on private I would cut them off) all affect tether height. Keep in mind that with my tether system I could hunt a flat wall if I could climb it so I deal with some pretty big diameter trees.

For instance the first pic is of a tree I hunted in 2004 and it's a big diameter tree with a big lean and I tethered a bit higher because of the lean. Due to the lean going away from me (which should always be the case with leaning trees), I needed more lead to be perched comfortably. On a tree with this much lean you can't swing around to the opposite side for a shot because gravity would pull you away from the tree and you would just dangle there. This tree was at a primary scrape area (to my left) so I had a very specific target area. There is no way you could hunt this tree with a climber or hang-on. The ring was 8 steps so as not to have much movement from step to step because of the lean.
View attachment 3610

The tree my son Jon is preparing here is a very large diameter tree as well and it's straight in the area he would be perched in so he had his tether a little above hair line so he could swing around the tree. He also raised his steps about an inch and a half each as he put them around the back of the tree to make up for the lead raising his body. He had a ring of 7 steps.

View attachment 3611

This tree is standard diameter with a lean and the tether here would be at forehead height.

View attachment 3612

Although this tree is a relatively large diameter, it has several large branches in the perched area that incumbered swinging totally around the tree so the lead was tethered at nose height and the ring of steps was 4.

View attachment 3613

This pine is very small diameter and I only needed 3 steps to ring the tree and had the lead tethered at eye height.

View attachment 3614

Every tree has it's own requirements concerning drape and ring of steps and how they're placed.

This was a GREAT post John. New saddle hunters- John just dropped a lot of information that would take you a long time to figure out on your own. I'd recommend saving this info and referring to it when you encounter a tree different than what you're used to.

 

[PJC]

I just hung up the phone with Dennis who owns Cranford and he's going to try and get me a prototype of his ring of steps by March so Bobby Boswell and myself can show them at the 3 shows I will be doing seminars at and will have a booth at with a mock up tree and a Kestrel.

Dennis will also be making 6 inch unpainted T's and if you want to get any just call Cranford and request the T's that John uses. The paint on the T's can potentially make a noise when the lead moves on it, where as if the T's aren't painted they never make a squeeking noise when the lead moves on it.

Shows are:

Outdoorama in Novi Michigan
Ohio Deer & Turkey Expo in Columbus
Akron Outdoor show in Akron Ohio

You should come to Wisconsin's Deer and Turkey Expo.


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[PJC]

This was a GREAT post John. New saddle hunters- John just dropped a lot of information that would take you a long time to figure out on your own. I'd recommend saving this info and referring to it when you encounter a tree different than what you're used to.

One thing I notice is some different terminology than I've seen before. "Drape" and "Lead" are terms John uses a lot. I'm not always sure I'm following. Can someone explain?


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[redsquirrel]

One thing I notice is some different terminology than I've seen before. "Drape" and "Lead" are terms John uses a lot. I'm not always sure I'm following. Can someone explain?


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Those are different terms that he is using to describe his tether.