Hunting with Climbing spikes

[simple man]

I am trying to figure out a light weight run and gun option for my sit drag.
How many of you get to hunting height with just spurs?
How do you make the transition once you get to height ? Do you tie in your tether,then screw in steps for plat form while hanging from the tether ?
Also do any of you use a rock climbing harness for attaching your linemens belt. I have one with the metal loops on each side i could do this with.
I am new to climbing spikes. I have an old set my brother used at one time. Tried it with a regular tree stand safety harness. To much slack in the harness and not comfortable to climb with. Both trees i tried were pine trees with thick bark. I kept having trouble with the spikes slipping.Are pine trees a pain in the ass to climb or lack of experience ?

 

[Boomah21]

I use to hunt with my spurs a lot now rarely do. You can easily and quickly get to height with spurs with a little practice and picking the right types of trees you will feel very comfortable climbing (safe). I would just bring my platform which consisted of my ameristeps and the overcenter buckle.
I don’t use them now as they make some noise, are uncomfortable to wear during the hunt, do a decent amount of damage to trees especially if u climb the same tree a few times, the spur ended up damaging my gear from not being careful (put a hole in my back pack, a pair of rubber boots and my leather seat of my truck)

 

[Boomah21]

For the record I now use stepps or sticks and am much happier

 

[simple man]

For the record I now use stepps or sticks and am much happier

Thanks . I planning pre setting some trees at the end of season. But every year I find my self adjusting my hunting location or hunting new locations depending on the deer.


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[Boomah21]

No worries....I rarely preset trees. I hunt public and typically only hunt the same spot 2-3 times a season so in all I will end up hunting 10-15 or so spots.

 

[redsquirrel]

Lots of guys on here are using spurs. Spur up, set your platform, climb onto it and set your tether. Many of us are taking our spurs off once we get up, lowering them down and rapelling down after the hunt. I am using a kestrel so I have lineman's belt attachments on my saddle.

I go back and forth on spurs. I like them for small to medium sized trees with no or not many branches. I have gone up some thick trees and I've gone up some trees with lots of branches where I have to keep switching my lineman's belts. Those are a PITA. In the end I find the spurs are just another tool that are good for some situations.

 

[simple man]

Lots of guys on here are using spurs. Spur up, set your platform, climb onto it and set your tether. Many of us are taking our spurs off once we get up, lowering them down and rapelling down after the hunt. I am using a kestrel so I have lineman's belt attachments on my saddle.

I go back and forth on spurs. I like them for small to medium sized trees with no or not many branches. I have gone up some thick trees and I've gone up some trees with lots of branches where I have to keep switching my lineman's belts. Those are a PITA. In the end I find the spurs are just another tool that are good for some situations.

At this point do not have a plat form. I was thinking i could screw in 2 or 3 Cranford tree steps just to get my feet wet with this saddle hunting. I like the idea of spurs because of not being limited on hunting height. I prefer to hunt at least 30 feet up. The only time i hunt lower is if i cant see due to canopy.
The concern i have with using climbing sticks. To get that high. I may be able to get by with 3 hawk heliums. Full length with some step aiders. If i have to use 4 to get to 30 ft. The weight of 4 sticks will be like 11.2 lbs. The i loose the advantage of a light weight set up with the saddle. I have climber (Timber tall baby lite) that weighs 12 lbs. I would like to stay below 12 lbs for a stand set up. I weighed my saddle which i keep in a fanny pack. The fanny pack doubles as my back support that attaches to the bridge by a prusik knot on each side of the bridge.With the saddle,tree tether,and linemens belt the set up weighed like 5 lbs. Granted 3 of my caribiners came with tree stand safety harnesses and are heavy. I think i can knock of almost 1 lb of weight on the saddle set up.

 

[redsquirrel]

@simple man, you can use the screw ins for your platform. That is what I meant by platform, what ever you are going to stand on. I use screw ins most of the time. In fact I have trees prepped with screw ins for a platform that I will just spur up to.

 

[simple man]

@redsquirrel , Thanks for your input. I will have to definitely get some more practice in with the spurs. I think in post season scouting they will be a valuable tool. You never really know how well you can see until you climb the tree. Sometimes their is a tree with better shooting lanes just a few feet over. I will give them a try in December. It is time to hunt my best spots. Do not want go in with a set up that i am not familiar with. Especially when it comes to climbing trees in the dark.

 

[noxninja]

I use a web aider from Metolis. Woodpecker drill and Grade 8 3/8" bolts 6" long. I did a couple of videos on them somewhere on the site. I am in the process of trying to learn spurs as well. have not gotten the hang of it yet, but getting there. All in all there is nothing lighter to carry than my aider though IMO.

 

[simple man]

Yeah I have an easy kut drill. Just have not prepped any trees yet. I will have to see if I can find the video of just using the Web Aider