First time tree gaff use.

[halltrail]

So I tried out my new to me buckingham gaffs. I did well with them for my first time. I climbed a few tulip poplar trees, a couple of oaks, and a beech tree. I got the hang of it very fast. My second climb I went up 30 feet in about a min. That was pretty awesome. My 5th time I got a little ambitious and went up about 50 feet in 90 secs. lol. I do have a couple of questions for the experts on this method.

1. how are you doing this quietly? I was pretty noisy even when I tried going slow. Maybe im punching in harder than needed. I also had a lot of noise caused from the gaffs rubbing on my boots. I was just wearing my asolo hiking boots.

2. How far to the side of the tree are you guys gaffing in? I seemed to naturally gaff in a little closer to center of the tree...not really in center of my stance..but not as for to the side as I thought I would be.

3. Didnt like climbing the beech....smooth bark...my linesman rope did grab at all. Do you all avoid smooth barked trees?

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: First time tree gaff use.

So I tried out my new to me buckingham gaffs. I did well with them for my first time. I climbed a few tulip poplar trees, a couple of oaks, and a beech tree. I got the hang of it very fast. My second climb I went up 30 feet in about a min. That was pretty awesome. My 5th time I got a little ambitious and went up about 50 feet in 90 secs. lol. I do have a couple of questions for the experts on this method.

1. how are you doing this quietly? I was pretty noisy even when I tried going slow. Maybe im punching in harder than needed. I also had a lot of noise caused from the gaffs rubbing on my boots. I was just wearing my asolo hiking boots.

2. How far to the side of the tree are you guys gaffing in? I seemed to naturally gaff in a little closer to center of the tree...not really in center of my stance..but not as for to the side as I thought I would be.

3. Didnt like climbing the beech....smooth bark...my linesman rope did grab at all. Do you all avoid smooth barked trees?

Awesome. A convert.
Yeah you're probably kicking in harder than necessary but you'll adjust to a safe level and still be quiet.

As far as right and left of center of tree gaff position, I usually just do what feels right on each tree.
I'm glad you like them. You'll figure out a way to go fast while still being safe.

Shaun

 

[Erniepower]

For me, I keep my gaffs very sharp and on the way up you don't even have to kick in. Simply set your foot and add weight quickly. Be very careful though with gaffs that sharp though. I slipped years ago on a tree removal job and buried the spike to the base in the side of my leg........

The way down is always tricky. You have to remember to keep your hips as far away from the tree as you can get them. The more you stand straight up, the more likely you are to have a gaff slide out.

Personally I prefer to use the gaffs on the way up, and rappel down.

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[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: First time tree gaff use.

For me, I keep my gaffs very sharp and on the way up you don't even have to kick in. Simply set your foot and add weight quickly. Be very careful though with gaffs that sharp though. I slipped years ago on a tree removal job and buried the spike to the base in the side of my leg........

The way down is always tricky. You have to remember to keep your hips as far away from the tree as you can get them. The more you stand straight up, the more likely you are to have a gaff slide out.

Personally I prefer to use the gaffs on the way up, and rappel down.

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I do the same. Both with the sharp hooks and with rapelling down. I scratched my leg once with the spike on my other foot while climbing down. It had to suck to shove one all the way in. You could be in a tree before daylight wondering if you're bleeding bad enough to justify coming down and ending your hunt or if it's nothing. Not fun.

For the original post
It just takes a little time to get used to your spikes and to trust your self to use them properly. Once you realize it ain't as scary as you thought, you can get up a tree very quickly and quietly.


Shaun

 

[Erniepower]

Yeah there was no question when I did it. I knew I was in trouble immediately. We raced to the emergency room but there wss blood everywhere. I had my leg up on the dash and applying pressure as we drove. When I stepped out, a huge blob of coagulated blood fell out of my pants leg. It looked just like the jelly inside a deer. I have never bleed like that before or since. It only took a few stitches to close up but it hurt for weeks.

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[BassBoysLLP]

Yikes!

 

[flinginairos]

Yeah there was no question when I did it. I knew I was in trouble immediately. We raced to the emergency room but there wss blood everywhere. I had my leg up on the dash and applying pressure as we drove. When I stepped out, a huge blob of coagulated blood fell out of my pants leg. It looked just like the jelly inside a deer. I have never bleed like that before or since. It only took a few stitches to close up but it hurt for weeks.

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Yikes! Gives me chills just thinking about it! I have big respect for those spikes so I am a little slower while climbing and dang sure of my spike placement at all times :lol: Even doing that I can be up the tree in under two minutes. You really don't have to kick them in at all just set your weight on them and they go right in. If I do that and don't feel it go in good I pull it back out and kick it in a little harder just to be sure but rarely have to do that. They are a lot of fun to climb with I just hope I never impale myself like you did!

 

[Erniepower]

I had climbed for years for work before it happened too. And of course I had just filed a brand new point on my gaffs that morning. My foot got stuck in a crotch and I was stepping down. So my stuck leg was higher than my knee. When I jerked my foot clear of the crotch, my other leg was in the way of the follow through.

Kinda like when you are pulling an arrow that is stuck out of a target and when it releases you bury the nock in your leg. (Done that one too.)

I hate to think how bad that would suck if I was a mile or so from the truck and had to hike out.

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[Erniepower]

I had climbed for years for work before it happened too. And of course I had just filed a brand new point on my gaffs that morning. My foot got stuck in a crotch and I was stepping down. So my stuck leg was higher than my knee. When I jerked my foot clear of the crotch, my other leg was in the way of the follow through.

Kinda like when you are pulling an arrow that is stuck out of a target and when it releases you bury the nock in your leg. (Done that one too.)

I hate to think how bad that would suck if I was a mile or so from the truck and had to hike out.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[flinginairos]

I had climbed for years for work before it happened too. And of course I had just filed a brand new point on my gaffs that morning. My foot got stuck in a crotch and I was stepping down. So my stuck leg was higher than my knee. When I jerked my foot clear of the crotch, my other leg was in the way of the follow through.

Kinda like when you are pulling an arrow that is stuck out of a target and when it releases you bury the nock in your leg. (Done that one too.)

I hate to think how bad that would suck if I was a mile or so from the truck and had to hike out.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Really makes ya think that's for sure! I think every hunter should carry Quick-Clot in an easy to grab spot. You just never know when you will run a knife blade, arrow or spike through yourself and need to stop the bleeding to make it out. Would probably never need it but could save your life if you ever do!

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: First time tree gaff use.

I had climbed for years for work before it happened too. And of course I had just filed a brand new point on my gaffs that morning. My foot got stuck in a crotch and I was stepping down. So my stuck leg was higher than my knee. When I jerked my foot clear of the crotch, my other leg was in the way of the follow through.

Kinda like when you are pulling an arrow that is stuck out of a target and when it releases you bury the nock in your leg. (Done that one too.)

I hate to think how bad that would suck if I was a mile or so from the truck and had to hike out.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Really makes ya think that's for sure! I think every hunter should carry Quick-Clot in an easy to grab spot. You just never know when you will run a knife blade, arrow or spike through yourself and need to stop the bleeding to make it out. Would probably never need it but could save your life if you ever do!

Amen to the quick clot. Basic first aid is absolutely essential

Shaun

 

[g2outdoors]

You guys have sold me on the gaffs. After using them on a tree once is it obvious the tree has been climbed? If you don't climb the same tree over and over can you hide your presence from other hunters?

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[essdub]

There are marks, yes. But once you've gained a little experience, you can definitely minimize them.
If you only climb a tree once or twice, they're not very noticeable anyway unless you've really kicked in and swayed. Or if the bark is just the type that really shows any disturbance.
I'll take pics of some of the trees I climbed this past season in the next couple days and show you.
These trees are in my backyard so I not only hunted from them, I also practice from a few of them. So I climbed them several times each.
But if you're only gonna hunt a tree once or twice, gaffs are awesome. They do no permanent damage unless you climb repeatedly

Shaun

 

[clint6760]

I got a new pair of aluminum Spurs but haven't even messed with them yet. Can't wait to use them in new spots. I will contue to use screw in steps in places I will go to repeatedly. I need a sewing machine so I can make some straps like flingin.

 

[huck72412]

You guys have sold me on the gaffs. After using them on a tree once is it obvious the tree has been climbed? If you don't climb the same tree over and over can you hide your presence from other hunters?

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I think you will be glad to have a set on standby when you need them. You like sticks and aiders so this will cap off your climbing arsenal. You never know, you may love them and offload a bunch of stuff. I use them 95% of the time and ordinarily cannot find a reason to do anything else. I would however like to learn a bit about the rope access stuff just because it sounds fun. I have trees that I have been climbing for several years and it is obvious only because I know that I climb it. Hope you find a nice pair and enjoy it's advantages.

 

[g2outdoors]

For you guys that rappel down: is it safe to do so with only a Sitdrag or would you need to combine with a RC harness?

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[Erniepower]

Re: RE: Re: First time tree gaff use.

For you guys that rappel down: is it safe to do so with only a Sitdrag or would you need to combine with a RC harness?

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I think I would want a second strap behind my back. Adjust your bridge as small as you can before you start down.

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[essdub]

I think you'll want some sort of belt to fasten for climbing. I didn't like the sit drag while climbing. Unless I wore something else with it to function as a harness. Or at least have a belt sewed into the sit drag

Shaun

 

[flinginairos]

For you guys that rappel down: is it safe to do so with only a Sitdrag or would you need to combine with a RC harness?

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I wouldn't have a problem doing that. I did it several times last year using the top belt of my Evo with no issues. I just cinched it down tight lower on my butt the same way I would use while one stick climbing and go right down.

I think you would like the spikes it's a lot of fun. You can barely see the marks in the trees I hunted at the end of this year and nobody else would know what they are from if they saw them.


Sent from space

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: First time tree gaff use.

You guys have sold me on the gaffs. After using them on a tree once is it obvious the tree has been climbed? If you don't climb the same tree over and over can you hide your presence from other hunters?

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

I think you will be glad to have a set on standby when you need them. You like sticks and aiders so this will cap off your climbing arsenal. You never know, you may love them and offload a bunch of stuff. I use them 95% of the time and ordinarily cannot find a reason to do anything else. I would however like to learn a bit about the rope access stuff just because it sounds fun. I have trees that I have been climbing for several years and it is obvious only because I know that I climb it. Hope you find a nice pair and enjoy it's advantages.

I love my gaffs, but I have a bunch of trees with screw in steps. I have several sets of climbing sticks I use here and there, I do the rope ascent regularly, and I have cranford rope steps and stepp steps too. I use them all but the climbing spurs are by far the easiest and most versatile of them all. The thing I love most about the spikes is that you can quickly climb any tree . Even trees that you couldn't really climb with any other method and trees that you can't really get to preset due to location. Trees that are extremely close to bedding areas where you don't want to come and go regularly can be quickly and quietly and (scent free ) climbed and hunted without spooking nearby game. And the first time in an area you can go up a tree you find that's in a great spot without really spendinga bunch of time trimming and clearing as long as you have a lane to shoot from.

Shaun