I love climbing SRT/on ropes in general, and I think it's a great way to get to hunting height. Of all the climbing methods, second only to spikes, I think rope has the most potential for tree access.
There is one issue - placing the line in the tree - which has been on my mind for a couple years now. Arborist techniques work well when you are throwing a weight from a clear lawn or using a big shot to isolate a 100' tie in point. I have hit the mark at night on the first throw. I felt like a badass. I have tangled throwline for an hour in broad daylight, and felt like a dumbass.
I finally had an epiphany and cobbled together a prototype system to launch a weight into a tree quickly, accurately, and quietly. I feel that although this method needs refinement, it works so well that I want to share it with you all.
In addition to a throw weight and line, all you need are heavy exercise bands, a screw eye, and a couple links. I put the screw eye through a small piece of dowel. The elastic came from a water balloon sling shot someone gave me,but you can get similar tubing online.
How you use it: attach a throw line to the throw bag. Put the hook through the eye. Hold the dowel in your left hand as pictured. Pull the throw weight with your right hand. Aim with your left hand. Release.
I was shocked by how accurate I could be with little practice. Using the setup I have now, I can isolate a limb in 1 shot, 30-40 feet up. 40 feet is probably the max,and though you probably wouldn't hunt from that height, it gives you the option to tie in at that height and hunt lower.
I know we have some SRT hunters here. I'd love to hear some thoughts and discussion. I think this has some potential!
Already on the list for improvements: making the bands less likely to snag, optimizing the hook to release reliably (the orange bag has a hook that works best), and silencing the metal on metal contact.
There is one issue - placing the line in the tree - which has been on my mind for a couple years now. Arborist techniques work well when you are throwing a weight from a clear lawn or using a big shot to isolate a 100' tie in point. I have hit the mark at night on the first throw. I felt like a badass. I have tangled throwline for an hour in broad daylight, and felt like a dumbass.
I finally had an epiphany and cobbled together a prototype system to launch a weight into a tree quickly, accurately, and quietly. I feel that although this method needs refinement, it works so well that I want to share it with you all.
In addition to a throw weight and line, all you need are heavy exercise bands, a screw eye, and a couple links. I put the screw eye through a small piece of dowel. The elastic came from a water balloon sling shot someone gave me,but you can get similar tubing online.
How you use it: attach a throw line to the throw bag. Put the hook through the eye. Hold the dowel in your left hand as pictured. Pull the throw weight with your right hand. Aim with your left hand. Release.
I was shocked by how accurate I could be with little practice. Using the setup I have now, I can isolate a limb in 1 shot, 30-40 feet up. 40 feet is probably the max,and though you probably wouldn't hunt from that height, it gives you the option to tie in at that height and hunt lower.
I know we have some SRT hunters here. I'd love to hear some thoughts and discussion. I think this has some potential!
Already on the list for improvements: making the bands less likely to snag, optimizing the hook to release reliably (the orange bag has a hook that works best), and silencing the metal on metal contact.
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