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First Climb with Tree Spurs

SheddingLightTravis

SheddingLightTravis

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2018
Messages
83
Location
SE Ohio
Switched to the saddle really hoping to become more mobile on the private properties I hunt. I was tired of carrying the climber on my back. So I sold the climber and ordered the Aero Kestrel. I bought a set of 4 Millennium Lite Sticks and 3 WE Stepps for my platform. I certainly lost the pounds but those 4 sticks still aren't super lightweight when you carry them all together. Plus I have a backpack with a camera arm, camera, and gear. The sticks are long, wont strap to my backpack easily, and by the time I get the tree my shoulders are killing me. Was watching Flingingarrows video on spurs at my father-in-laws over Thanksgiving and told him about how I'd like to try them out. He goes to the basement and comes up with a set of old spurs that my wife's grandpa used to wear as an electric pole lineman. This video was my first attempt with them after I tweaked them some.

Went out yesterday in the rain and learned an important lesson with them...going up a smooth bark tree is way easier than coming down. I may invest in a new set at some point but it was nice not having to carry the sticks!

First Attempt with Tree Spurs
 
You look like a natural. Let some of that linesman out and get you some angle off the trunk, to upright and you could gaff out. Left leg strong. Try to take more even bites with both legs. Lots of practice. There's a rhythm between your steps and throwing the linesman.
 
I really thought my spurs were going to be indespensible this year... but I ended up on my CF bolts and modified helium’s instead.
A lot of that has more to do with the fact that most of the ground where I could legally use them was underwater for a few months. A couple of the properties where I spent a lot of time this year was mostly scrub trees too limby to hang and hunt, so I did numerous @DaveT1963 style ground sits. Man am I becoming a fan of that!
 
Another thing i thought of is the pole spikes are short and straight. Tree gaffs are longer. It's a pretty cheap upgrade to the spikes you have. If they are interchangeable.
 
Keep your knees away from tree and lock those legs.
On the way down just lock and drop
 
Turn your toes out and step down into the tree This will give you a nice solid strike into the tree If you don’t make it a habit of locking your legs in between steps your asking for trouble because this is what keeps your gaffs at the right angle They should always be pointed toward the heart of the tree and like Extreme said drop and lock on the way down Make buddies with a lineman and get a little help Then practice a bunch
 
SheddingLightTravis said:
Switched to the saddle really hoping to become more mobile on the private properties I hunt. I was tired of carrying the climber on my back. So I sold the climber and ordered the Aero Kestrel. I bought a set of 4 Millennium Lite Sticks and 3 WE Stepps for my platform. I certainly lost the pounds but those 4 sticks still aren't super lightweight when you carry them all together. Plus I have a backpack with a camera arm, camera, and gear. The sticks are long, wont strap to my backpack easily, and by the time I get the tree my shoulders are killing me. Was watching Flingingarrows video on spurs at my father-in-laws over Thanksgiving and told him about how I'd like to try them out. He goes to the basement and comes up with a set of old spurs that my wife's grandpa used to wear as an electric pole lineman. This video was my first attempt with them after I tweaked them some.

Went out yesterday in the rain and learned an important lesson with them...going up a smooth bark tree is way easier than coming down. I may invest in a new set at some point but it was nice not having to carry the sticks!

First Attempt with Tree Spurs
Click to expand...

Travis I can tell immediately by watching your video, your linemans belt is too tight. You are fighting against the belt every single step to try to push up to the next step.

I put my LB around the tree fairly lose and use my hands to hold on to the tree. I hook one or two little figures under the LB to keep moving it up the tree with me as I go, but my hands do all the work just like I’m climbing without the belt. That will get you moving much faster and more freely. I also keep my arms pretty straight to keep myself from being too close to the tree. If you’re too close to the tree you will not get a good deep bite into the tree with your spurs.

I am going to try to do a video to show bottom to top climb but I need someone to do the videoing.


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lol...your progression makes me laugh because it's so common!!! There are hundreds of us that have taken that same journey.

I wanted to sell my spurs at first because I felt so awkward and unsafe. 3 years later, I feel like a pro and use them whenever possible.
 
IkemanTX said:
I really thought my spurs were going to be indespensible this year... but I ended up on my CF bolts and modified helium’s instead.
A lot of that has more to do with the fact that most of the ground where I could legally use them was underwater for a few months. A couple of the properties where I spent a lot of time this year was mostly scrub trees too limby to hang and hunt, so I did numerous @DaveT1963 style ground sits. Man am I becoming a fan of that!
Click to expand...
I'm on the fence with my climb rights as well. I end up reaching for bolts first.
 
Man, thanks for the advice guys. I appreciate that. Part of the issue is trying to learn mid-season. I sold my climber (to justify buying the saddle and sticks...and so I wouldn't have to sleep on the couch!). I'm thinking these spurs are for a pole and not a tree though? Ive watched some videos and they don't seem as long as some of them out there. Maybe 2 inches? I'll post a pic later on.

I plan to hunt tomorrow night in my backyard so I'll give it a go and try to loosen my lineman's harness. If you wanna see some extra footage and (give me more tips) I'll post on my Instagram account: sheddinglightoutdoors. Thanks!
 
SheddingLightTravis said:
Man, thanks for the advice guys. I appreciate that. Part of the issue is trying to learn mid-season. I sold my climber (to justify buying the saddle and sticks...and so I wouldn't have to sleep on the couch!). I'm thinking these spurs are for a pole and not a tree though? Ive watched some videos and they don't seem as long as some of them out there. Maybe 2 inches? I'll post a pic later on.

I plan to hunt tomorrow night in my backyard so I'll give it a go and try to loosen my lineman's harness. If you wanna see some extra footage and (give me more tips) I'll post on my Instagram account: sheddinglightoutdoors. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I literally did the same thing you did. Got my spurs in late season, climbed twice to about 10' scared to death and said "ya know what if I'm gonna use these i'm going hunting with them!" I went out that afternoon and climbed to 25' and after that I was completely fine. As far as the spike length, the shorter spikes will work if you are climbing mostly hardwoods. I use pole gaffs myself and they are perfect. They are actually easier to climb on than the longer tree spikes. Like others have said, loosen you LB some and hold onto the tree. Take 2-3 steps then advance the rope, repeat. You'll have it down in no time.
 
SheddingLightTravis said:
Went out yesterday in the rain and learned an important lesson with them...going up a smooth bark tree is way easier than coming down. I may invest in a new set at some point but it was nice not having to carry the sticks!
Click to expand...
Its funny how this is true with most climbing methods, even a climber takes more concentration going down than up.
 
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