Confession one stick

[phatkaw]

nifty.

"nifty", I love that word...

 

[mtsrunner]

Have you tried a base anchor JRB? Pretty nifty.

I have used a base anchor, but then SRT because of limb issues. I can’t imagine a scenario where I wouldn’t just canopy anchor if my rope was over a strong crotch and both lines were clear.

 

[raisins]

i've been wondering about this for a while but never want to test it- the slack in your tether argument against one sticking safety- if we compare it to multi sticking, which typically is done with a LB only, no tether, wouldn't the potential for a fall of a few feet onto a tether be preferrable to the possibility of the 20 foot fall with LB (again, assuming worst case scnario where the user doesn't know to push away from the tree or something and falls all the way)?

A lot of people that climb with multiple sticks or steps use both a tether and lineman's lanyard. I climb with steps and use both. I reposition the tether after every step and feel very safe.

 

[2Sloe]

I'm the complete opposite as far as my feelings on one sticking. It checks every box for me and I personally love climbing that way and if I couldn't do it any longer for some reason I don't know what I'd do to get myself up a tree. I tease others ( all in good fun and never to insult) when they cry about how they hate it or it doesn't work for them but honestly I don't judge others as everyone has their own comfort level, ability, flexibility, agility, coordination, strength etc... and therefore a climbing method that works well for one person may be an impossible task for another. Every climbing method has it's pros and cons and depending on how and where you hunt determines which method is most beneficial for your own application. The best part is YOU get to choose whatever method you want to employ and it doesn't matter how others feel about it.

For some strange reason it seems one stick climbing became the latest rage but like all fads it'll be short lived and fade away especially once deer season opens up everywhere and guys start focusing on the important stuff - like killing deer! I say get your azz up a tree any which way you want and don't worry if your not running with the "in" crowd. The climb is just a means to get yourself to hunting height, nothing more nothing less.

That’s pretty much it isn’t it and fits my tag line: No method is perfect, it’s up to you to perfect the method. Meaning whatever you chose it won’t be perfect. It’s up to you to decide which one is “best for you” not necessarily THE best, because there is no such thing. Then it’s up to you to perfect whatever you chose so it so it as easy as it can possibly be for you. And sometimes, the easiest may not be what you chose for your situation. There are other attributes which may be more important than easy. In a 5 hour sit, getting up the tree is only 5% (15min) of the hunt. Gotta keep things in perspective….and do what puts you in the best position for that other 4:45 min.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

i've been wondering about this for a while but never want to test it- the slack in your tether argument against one sticking safety- if we compare it to multi sticking, which typically is done with a LB only, no tether, wouldn't the potential for a fall of a few feet onto a tether be preferrable to the possibility of the 20 foot fall with LB (again, assuming worst case scnario where the user doesn't know to push away from the tree or something and falls all the way)?

If a linesman rope is used properly you don’t have to push away from the tree. Properly used, a linesman rope is kept tight by the user leaning away from the tree and shortening or tightening it as they ascend or descend to keep proper distance (we were taught in climbing school that proper distance between you and the pole is approximately the distance from your elbow if it’s against your stomach, to the palm of you hand if it’s palm out touching the pole. I apply this same logic to climbing trees with a linesman rope whether on sticks or spikes. It is also always kept above your waist so that it has an angled that would swing you into the tree and pinch you there as opposed to slipping down the tree. Another thing is see guys doing wrong is they climb with both hands hugging the tree or the climbing stick then lean in and reach around the tree to advance their linesman rope. People should practice with one or both hands on the linesman rope at all times to assist in tension and to allow you to flip the rope up as you advance. Elbows tucked close to your side with your hands around rib height. Flip the rope with a short fluid motion of the wrist. I try to flip it as close to shoulder height as the rope length allows then step step flip, step step flip. With practice it becomes fluid and natural. It’s scary when you cut out or slip unexpectedly but it’s not a far drop and it’s an angle with tension as opposed to a direct free fall.
A two or three foot fall on a tether that is a complete free fall, is the worse in my opinion. The amount of force that can be generated in such a short fall especially on static line is a lot more than I am comfortable absorbing. A 20 foot fall down the tree in either instance means you didn’t have your system tight and something went horribly wrong.

 

[2Sloe]

In my opinion, the problem most guys have with one sticking, is that they try to take "too big of a bite."

All the how-to videos out there show someone trying to maximize the height gained with each move, which I understand...

... But in doing so, it makes the process physically more difficult, reaching down as far as possible and then up as far as possible.

Once you find the sweet spot of height gained vs. effort, and learn to incorporate your LB...it can be very safe, quiet, and efficient.

It also makes you sweat….a lot. You’re right. More smaller moves, it‘s safer and you don’t sweat.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

I gaffed out before and slide about 5-6’ with the linemans. That was painful and I never want to do that again. I feel safer one sticking than spiking up a pole.

I have seen free hand guys cut out and play patty cake down the pole all the way to the ground (no it’s not allowed to free hand but still seen it done). In climbing school I saw a guy with too much distance between his linesman belt and the pole, his buck squeeze wasn’t very tight, so when he cut and slid about 3 or so feet. He had the nastiest pole splinter you could possibly imagine from trying to hug the pole as he went down. But I personally have never seen an experienced guy cut out and slide more than 18 to 24” and that was with tension. A little pop and slide, then pinched to the pole, unpucker your sphincter gaf back in and keep on climbing. But cut outs are never fun

 

[John 35]

I don’t understand why so many states outlawed bolts, screw in steps, and spurs. The cranford double folds are my personal favorite, you can lay your linemen’s belt across them as you climb up and down so it doesn’t slip. They bulldoze down trees on my WMA all the time for various projects but I’m illegal if I want to make a small hole in one. It’s pretty absurd in my opinion.

 

[dougell]

I'm tethered the entire time I'm climbing and hunting.I feel 100% safe at all times.

 

[2Sloe]

I don’t understand why so many states outlawed bolts, screw in steps, and spurs. The cranford double folds are my personal favorite, you can lay your linemen’s belt across them as you climb up and down so it doesn’t slip. They bulldoze down trees on my WMA all the time for various projects but I’m illegal if I want to make a small hole in one. It’s pretty absurd in my opinion.

And it would probably be fine if were just you. But public land gets a lot of pressure and hunters tend to gravitate to the same areas. If everyone was out drilling or spurring multiple holes in the trees, year after year, after year, that would significantly increase the odds of tree disease and tree death.

 

[John 35]

Possibly so, but it would still be nothing compared to the number of trees the wild life department themselves have taken out the last five years. Also the law is completely ignored for the most part anyways. There are steps, nails, etc. all over place already.

 

[iamcorey]

In a 5 hour sit, getting up the tree is only 5% (15min) of the hunt. Gotta keep things in perspective….and do what puts you in the best position for that other 4:45 min.

This is what keeps me from spending crazy money on sticks given the other options out there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[2Sloe]

Possibly so, but it would still be nothing compared to the number of trees the wild life department themselves have taken out the last five years. Also the law is completely ignored for the most part anyways. There are steps, nails, etc. all over place already.

I know it might seem counterproductive, but once the canopy closes up nothing grows on the forest floor to provide browse for the deer. So some tree cutting can be greatly beneficial to the deer population. I understand your frustration though. The place where I hunt doesn’t allow you to do anything. Can’t cut anything, can’t do anything to a tree, Only a couple of points of access for 13K acres. No trail Cameras. No nothing. On the plus side all the restrictions pretty much means that me and a couple of friends almost have it all to ourselves. It’s such a PITA most don’t want to fool with it. Lot of woods, but the woods are poor because no trees are ever cut out of it so nothing grows on the forest floor. End result; not a lot of deer. So be careful what you wish for.

 

[2Sloe]

This is what keeps me from spending crazy money on sticks given the other options out there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right….I one stick not because it’s the easiest, or the fastest, or the cheapest, or the quietest or any of those other things that folks are always arguing about. I one stick because in conjunction with a saddle, the weight reduction allows me to get to where I need to be to kill the deer I want to kill. I can put up with anything for 15 minutes.

 

[dougell]

I know it might seem counterproductive, but once the canopy closes up nothing grows on the forest floor to provide browse for the deer. So some tree cutting can be greatly beneficial to the deer population. I understand your frustration though. The place where I hunt doesn’t allow you to do anything. Can’t cut anything, can’t do anything to a tree, Only a couple of points of access for 13K acres. No trail Cameras. No nothing. On the plus side all the restrictions pretty much means that me and a couple of friends almost have it all to ourselves. It’s such a PITA most don’t want to fool with it. Lot of woods, but the woods are poor because no trees are ever cut out of it so nothing grows on the forest floor. End result; not a lot of deer. So be careful what you wish for.

You are correct that timbering makes better habitat.However,there should still be a mid level under a mature canopy.If there isn't a mid level understory,there was or is too many deer for the habitat to support.

 

[dougell]

Here's a spot on state forest that was overrun with deer for decades.Twenty years ago,you could sit in that exact spot and see for hundreds of yards.Around 20 years ago,tags were greatly increased to aggressively reduce the deer density.If the state did cut,the only way they could get any regenerationw as to fence it in.This area was not cut or treated in any way.Nothing more than less deer.

 

[John 35]

I know it might seem counterproductive, but once the canopy closes up nothing grows on the forest floor to provide browse for the deer. So some tree cutting can be greatly beneficial to the deer population. I understand your frustration though. The place where I hunt doesn’t allow you to do anything. Can’t cut anything, can’t do anything to a tree, Only a couple of points of access for 13K acres. No trail Cameras. No nothing. On the plus side all the restrictions pretty much means that me and a couple of friends almost have it all to ourselves. It’s such a PITA most don’t want to fool with it. Lot of woods, but the woods are poor because no trees are ever cut out of it so nothing grows on the forest floor. End result; not a lot of deer. So be careful what you wish for.

I understand your point about habitat improvement, in my case they are clearing to build fences to move in cattle and roads for I’m not sure what. They also cleared a large area for some big project that looks like a wet land. But I’m not complaining about them removing trees, i don’t really care. I’m saying it’s silly to worry about screw in steps when they are removing thousands of trees just because they were in the way.

 

[dalton916]

JRB>SRT>LWHC>bolts>bucket>stay home>one-stick
That’s my hierarchy.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just when ya think ya know a guy……

 

[Islandshooter]

Just when ya think ya know a guy……

Just when ya think ya know a guy……

funny, his is the exact opposite hierarchy of mine. Throw in pines trees tho.

 

[dalton916]

Mine too, lol