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DRT Saddle Climbing

Steven20

Steven20

New Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Messages
3
Hello, everyone. I have been saddle hunting for a while now. Here are some tips on it that might help some of you save some money. I prioritize being very mobile and comfortable for long sits. I have been using the Tertherd Lockdown recently and have found it to be excellent at that. I have found that the key to staying light in the woods is not using any sticks. It is much quieter, lighter, and cheaper to use a good climbing rope. Personally, I use the DRT method for run'n gun hunting on public and private lands. I would like to hear if you guys have a better way to climb trees that is light, packable, and cost-effective. Here is a video explaining the method I use.
 
2TC does have its place, for sure. It works great on trees with no limbs and even trees with limbs if you spend some extra time. I am always using presets when doing DRT since it is sometimes difficult and noisy to get a rope over the right branch.
 
My system is mainly SRT with the halfline system now. I 2TC when setting in new trees that I dont feel like throwballing or something happened to my preset line. Use the same gear for both. If im SRT'ing that day, I still pack my footloop tether as it weighs nothing in case I need to backup.
 
I was into Drt before 2TC and for the woods I hunt, 2tc is just way more applicable. Nothing against Drt. It's just I hunt big woods and most of our trees are tall and branch out way up. Most oaks won't have a load bearing limb below 50 feet and many don't start until 60 or more. My first year doing Drt I set a bunch of presets on big red oaks and none of them were productive the following fall. I wish it were more applicable to where I hunt. I think it is a fun way to climb.
 
DRT or SRT is very limited. you need a branch to throw something around. Some people are good at throwing some aren't, especially in the dark. There are many methods that pack and weigh the same if not less. One sticking, 2TC, Sladder. In my opinion DRT/SRT is the easiest as in less energy used and if you didn't need to throw a rope it'd be the best. But, again in my opinion that part makes it one of the last choices for me.
 
Steven20 said:
2TC does have its place, for sure. It works great on trees with no limbs and even trees with limbs if you spend some extra time. I am always using presets when doing DRT since it is sometimes difficult and noisy to get a rope over the right branch.
Click to expand...
We must have very different definitions of running and gunnin :tearsofjoy: Presets wouldnt fall into that category for me lol
 
If I’m going to rope climb (which I always have the option to do) I will typically opt for DSRT (double stationary rope technique). The movements are easier and you get more progress per move. I have two hitches that live on my rope and they afford me a lot of flexibility in my climbing. I can DSRT, SRT, MRS, canopy anchor, basal anchor etc. you name it.

2TC is the undisputed king of “runnin and gunnin” for the those who want a low bulk, light weight, cost efficient, ease of use, and quickness of climb. 2TC is my go to but I carry the 50ft or 8mm just in case. Other than covered in poison ivy I haven’t found a tree I cant climb.
 
Chandler96 said:
DRT or SRT is very limited. you need a branch to throw something around. Some people are good at throwing some aren't, especially in the dark. There are many methods that pack and weigh the same if not less. One sticking, 2TC, Sladder. In my opinion DRT/SRT is the easiest as in less energy used and if you didn't need to throw a rope it'd be the best. But, again in my opinion that part makes it one of the last choices for me.
Click to expand...
Thats where going 2TC/SRT (you can substitute DRT here if you want)system is so perfect...you can 2TC the tree and if you like it and want to hunt it again, its a simple matter to set up your paracord loop before you come down after 2TC'ing. Might have to install a false crotch on some trees but usually I try to pick trees where I can climb up with 2TC to where I can toss a line over a crotch for the preset. Or come off my 2TC line, reset it around the crotch like if I did the normal SRT thing and come down and do the normal SRT reinstall of the preset loop.
 
dramsey25 said:
Sorry to derail, but how are you packing in your platform there?
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Exactly the way you see it. It just fits right in the bag. I use to attach it to the outside and that works great but I’m going to put it in the bag this year. Here is another picture if you missed the platform in the other picture. 6DE19A1B-6ADA-46A2-9CDF-C28FCAF562AB.jpeg

That second picture from my previous post had everything in it btw the fix platform, saddle, 2TC ropes, climbing ropes. Etc.
 
gcr0003 said:
Exactly the way you see it. It just fits right in the bag. I use to attach it to the outside and that works great but I’m going to put it in the bag this year. Here is another picture if you missed the platform in the other picture. View attachment 93950

That second picture from my previous post had everything in it btw the fix platform, saddle, 2TC ropes, climbing ropes. Etc.
Click to expand...
And you can haul a deer out. Sweet setup!!
 
All those are good points. I really do like the 2TC method, especially when I need to climb a tree that has no branches for me to leave paracord loops. I can see the DSRT allowing your rope to last longer.
 
I see a lot of knot tieing going on. I try to do as little as possible at the tree. I have one end of my set up tied up with the other end free. Tight figure 8 on the end. Clove around biner to go to saddle behind it. Pull it over the limb. Heat treated cord with a hitch on the free end back to the figure 8. Add hand ascender with foot loop and go. Remove hand ascender to come down.
For me I have made the least amount of noise doing this. Yes it takes a little more effort to climb a moving rope. But keeps the slack short. Most of the time I'm only climbing 16-20' any way. I can slide the knot back down the rope and my 14yr old can climb up after me.
I can go hands free at any moment.
Since it's DRT I use a heavy duty 11.5mm rope for the abuse. Blue moon. Don't let the camo police catch me. I do have some predator as well. But like the way the blue moon feels and runs. Seems to hold up to the abuse well.
 
kobudo said:
For me, DRT is less effort to climb. It's my first choice if I have a preset. After that, 2TC, then one stick, then srt, then dsrt, then wild edge steps, then sticks.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I forgot to add, I use a split tail for drt, so no knot tying at the tree, just 2 tight eyes to the carbineer.

www.newyorksaddlehunter.com

Split Tail G-Spliced 8mm | NY Saddle Hunter

8mm x 5ftBEE-LINE split tail, Great for tying blakes hitch for use in an open climbing system. Another great use for a split tail is that it can be used in a pre tied application (no tying at tree )
www.newyorksaddlehunter.com www.newyorksaddlehunter.com

I use 9.5mm Sterling superstatic 2 as my climbing rope. That way I can also SRT on the same rope. If I was getting another rope just for DRT I would definitely get something thicker because 9.5 is rough on the hands if you are doing a hip thrust method. I use a hand acender,so no troubles at all.




Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Steven20 said:
Hello, everyone. I have been saddle hunting for a while now. Here are some tips on it that might help some of you save some money. I prioritize being very mobile and comfortable for long sits. I have been using the Tertherd Lockdown recently and have found it to be excellent at that. I have found that the key to staying light in the woods is not using any sticks. It is much quieter, lighter, and cheaper to use a good climbing rope. Personally, I use the DRT method for run'n gun hunting on public and private lands. I would like to hear if you guys have a better way to climb trees that is light, packable, and cost-effective. Here is a video explaining the method I use.
Click to expand...
That isn’t the Blakes that you tied, the tail has to go behind the rope when it is inserted through the two bottom wraps. What you made is called the Suislide Hitch, will grab one time , then maybe not the next time, it’s name says it all.
 
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