• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

SRT-Hitch Climbing and Platforms

Rickster

Rickster

New Member
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
38
Help me out guys…I’m wanting to start SRT/Hitch Climbing my trees and I want to use the push-pole method to do it. My concern is will I be able to stay on the “top” side of the tree? I don’t want to set my platform on the low side of the tree and fight gravity all day but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to stay on top as I go up.
What’s been your experience? Thanks
 
I don't usually have much problem but I won't try too much of a lean. For me, more lean means more difficulty setting my platform as I try to remain on top of the lean. You just have to try it and see what you are comfy with.
 
I just finished out my second season of primarily hitch climbing with a little bit of SRT here and there. I never used a pole so ymmv, however I will say that gravity always wins.

One major difficulty I ran into with hitch climbing on the top side of a lean is that when you get close to your anchor, your weight and tension on the rope will pinch your hitches against the trunk of the tree. Good luck working those loose in the dark without a severe onset case of tourettes.

At this point, unless the lean is really severe, I'd rather climb on the low side of the lean and then transition to where I want to place my platform when I reach hunting height.
 
heretic said:
I just finished out my second season of primarily hitch climbing with a little bit of SRT here and there. I never used a pole so ymmv, however I will say that gravity always wins.

One major difficulty I ran into with hitch climbing on the top side of a lean is that when you get close to your anchor, your weight and tension on the rope will pinch your hitches against the trunk of the tree. Good luck working those loose in the dark without a severe onset case of tourettes.

At this point, unless the lean is really severe, I'd rather climb on the low side of the lean and then transition to where I want to place my platform when I reach hunting height.
Click to expand...
That Tourette’s line was classic!
But the last line is what I’m talking about…transitioning to the top side of the tree.
The last tree I tried to SRT climb was an oak that didn’t appear to have much lean to it but by the time I was halfway up I couldn’t even touch the tree with my feet. I have no idea how I would have hung a platform even on the bottom side let alone got my fat butt standing on it?
 
Rickster said:
That Tourette’s line was classic!
But the last line is what I’m talking about…transitioning to the top side of the tree.
The last tree I tried to SRT climb was an oak that didn’t appear to have much lean to it but by the time I was halfway up I couldn’t even touch the tree with my feet. I have no idea how I would have hung a platform even on the bottom side let alone got my fat butt standing on it?
Click to expand...
I’m just now getting started and made a preset last weekend. The tree leans slightly away from where I put my cord. Afterwards I got to thinking(not climbed it yet) more about that lean. Once I start up, I’ll surely get pulled over and under the tree, no matter what side my hitch is……and my Tourette’s will surely kick in!
One sticking I’m always on the top side, but should I just assume SRT will necessitate climbing the low side? I havent climbed and Setup yet, just went up and down a few times Getting the hang of it. I’m definitely ready to give it a go!
 
bfriendly said:
I’m just now getting started and made a preset last weekend. The tree leans slightly away from where I put my cord. Afterwards I got to thinking(not climbed it yet) more about that lean. Once I start up, I’ll surely get pulled over and under the tree, no matter what side my hitch is……and my Tourette’s will surely kick in!
One sticking I’m always on the top side, but should I just assume SRT will necessitate climbing the low side? I havent climbed and Setup yet, just went up and down a few times Getting the hang of it. I’m definitely ready to give it a go!
Click to expand...
Yeah I want to give it a try as well. Don't know how it will go but, I'm going to at least give it a try! Thanks,
 
I have used 2TC techniques to work my way around a tree, or to move between the high side and the low side. I'm not terribly proficient getting to height at 2TC or SRT, but have used the techniques to good effect. When you set your footloop tether, set it on the high side, or even over the high side on the far side of the tree, so you're essentially trying to climb over the trunk. While on that tether you can use your pole to re-set your main line.

This season I 1-sticked up a number of multi-trunk trees; at height I was faced with shifting winds and wound up moving my ROS to different trunks on a couple of different occasions. Getting 20' up took me longer than I care to admit, but switching trunks and climbing 3' was easy.
I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't be able to get close to your target height with SRT, then set a ROS and 2TC to where you actually want to hunt.
 
Iron_llama said:
I have used 2TC techniques to work my way around a tree, or to move between the high side and the low side. I'm not terribly proficient getting to height at 2TC or SRT, but have used the techniques to good effect. When you set your footloop tether, set it on the high side, or even over the high side on the far side of the tree, so you're essentially trying to climb over the trunk. While on that tether you can use your pole to re-set your main line.

This season I 1-sticked up a number of multi-trunk trees; at height I was faced with shifting winds and wound up moving my ROS to different trunks on a couple of different occasions. Getting 20' up took me longer than I care to admit, but switching trunks and climbing 3' was easy.
I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't be able to get close to your target height with SRT, then set a ROS and 2TC to where you actually want to hunt.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind. I’m also thinking about just going as high as I can then set my platform, set a short tether and reach my SRT line up again?
Time will tell.
 
i climbed that preset and sure enough, I ended up on the low side and had to climb my way to my rope on the other side. It was more of a struggle than I care to admit…..lol I pulled the preset and put it in a better crotch about 20 yards away. I’ll try that one next.
 
Rickster said:
I’m also thinking about just going as high as I can then set my platform, set a short tether and reach my SRT line up again?
Time will tell.
Click to expand...
You can certainly do that, but honestly you can skip the platform and just hang in your saddle. With a footloop you can toe dig the trunk, stand up, wrap your other leg around the trunk, and have a really surprisingly stable platform from which to work. Give it a try on some practice climbs. My footloop is a length of ratchet strap webbing and some tubing offcuts, on a Longhorn Agile hitch. No metal, tends easily.
 
Iron_llama said:
You can certainly do that, but honestly you can skip the platform and just hang in your saddle. With a footloop you can toe dig the trunk, stand up, wrap your other leg around the trunk, and have a really surprisingly stable platform from which to work. Give it a try on some practice climbs. My footloop is a length of ratchet strap webbing and some tubing offcuts, on a Longhorn Agile hitch. No metal, tends easily.
Click to expand...
I can't imagine doing that for 11 hours.
More power to ya brother!
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I can't imagine doing that for 11 hours.
More power to ya brother!
Click to expand...
I must have misinterpreted your comment, I thought you were describing setting a platform partway to hunting height, to stand on while advancing lines for the next part of your climb. You meant climbing as high as you can, setting a platform to hunt from, then adjusting your lines to suit your platform. That makes more sense.
 
Iron_llama said:
I must have misinterpreted your comment, I thought you were describing setting a platform partway to hunting height, to stand on while advancing lines for the next part of your climb. You meant climbing as high as you can, setting a platform to hunt from, then adjusting your lines to suit your platform. That makes more sense.
Click to expand...
You might be confusing my comment with someone else's comment.
What I was referring to was the thoughts of just hanging in the saddle with only a foot loop (no platform or ROS) for a dawn to dusk hunt. That would be one long day for me.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
You might be confusing my comment with someone else's comment.
What I was referring to was the thoughts of just hanging in the saddle with only a foot loop (no platform or ROS) for a dawn to dusk hunt. That would be one long day for me.
Click to expand...
I agree! I spend long hunts on a 1-stick or ROS. Sorry for my misunderstanding and miscommunication.
 
For SRT climbing, I won't fight gravity, because it's unforgiving and persistent lol. I will always climb with gravity on my side and then transition at height. Your lineman's will be one of your best friends in this situation; I use mine to pull myself into the tree and then again as a tether redirect, if needed, for stabilization.
 
Ok as someone who has tested this to an extreme amount on leaning trees, I have a couple questions… are you planning to SRT climb and then worried that you won’t be able to get your platform set on the high side and then get up? Or are you planning to set your platform and SRT climb similar to how guys one stick and make multiple moves and pushes to advance your climbing line? If it’s the first one, depending on the severity of the lean, you can get up to the high side but your climb will most likely be from the low side due to gravity. In these situations, if the tree isn’t too big around, I usually set my platform about 90 degrees from me, so I can use it to toe myself over onto it. You can also set your tether with the hitch pulling from the high side and use it as a handle assist/pull rope. Then once perched, you can let out a little slack and pull the platform as set it again fully on the high side. If the lean is pretty gnarly, I set a ring of steps and use a long lineman’s rope. I toss it around the tree, use it to pull myself in tight to the tree and steps, and then set the tether so that the girth hitch is pulling from the high side, and using both the tether and the lineman’s rope to walk around to the high side. In those instances I also keep my lineman’s rope on while I hunt just in case I need to walk to the back side of the tree for a shot opportunity. Its comfy on the high side, on the low side not so much but it works and I’ve done it on trees some guys wouldn’t even think about using.
Now if you’re planning on climbing similar to a one stick guy and pushing your SRT up in increments, it’s never been an issue for me. Just hitch so that the rope is pulling from opposite of the lean and side you plan on climbing. You can always use your set platform to help toe over if gravity does start taking you. Not sure if what I’m saying makes sense lol
 
bowhunthard88 said:
For SRT climbing, I won't fight gravity, because it's unforgiving and persistent lol. I will always climb with gravity on my side and then transition at height. Your lineman's will be one of your best friends in this situation; I use mine to pull myself into the tree and then again as a tether redirect, if needed, for stabilization.
Click to expand...
All this!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top