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I almost got stuck in the tree this weekend. Beware!

Patriot38

Patriot38

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2018
Messages
528
Location
Victoria MN
As a second season saddle hunter I'm always learning. This past weekend on opening day I almost had a scary accident.

I was all set up, I had been in my tree for about 2 hours an everything was going really well. I noticed the top standoff of my predator platform wasnt hitting the tree but the platform was still really solid and didnt bother me. I decided to attempt a "toe hook" to set my platform a little better. So I put all my weight into the tether/saddle and lifted the platform up with my foot so I could stand on the post and sink the teeth deeper into the tree. When I lifted the platform the rope obviosly got loose and the entire platform slid about a foot down the tree. I was literally hanging from my tether without anything to step on. My ropeman was under 100% load with my body weight. I had no way to take slack off in order to lengthen my tether and drop down to my platform. I was EXTREMELY lucky because the platform snagged my top WE stepp. I was able to barely, and I mean barely get the tip of my boot on the step and get enough slack in my tether to drop down and fix the problem.

If I didnt have a step there or the gap from my top step to the platform was an inch greater I would have been stuck dangling from a tree. It all happened so fast and I'm so thankful that it didnt end up worse. I'm sure I would have figured out a way to get loose but it was scary.

I've never read about this scenario anywhere so I wanted to admit I was a noob and did something stupid. I want others to learn from this.

My biggest learning lesson from the sit was always place a step,climbing stick,bolt...etc close enough to your platform to be able to step onto in case of any platform failure.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
 
Glad you were able to rectify that..I have a suggestion...go to lowes and get the grade 8, 3/8x6" bolts and a hand drill. I think they cost like 2.00 a piece. Make sure they are grade 8 and a small hand drill like a treehopper drill. Light and easy to use. I put bolts on the left, right, and in front of my platform. That way if I do have that type of situation I have access to a way down.

Also, consider getting a friction hitch. I strongly recommend the Schwabish friction hitch. You can slowly lower yourself by applying pressure to the top of the hitch and it instantly grabs as soon as you let go. I sold all three of my RM1's and switched to the Schwabish hitch. Very similar to the disteel hitch.

 
A screw in step is always in my pocket as an emergency. Screw in step, take load off tether. move tether down. Put weight on tether and drop a bit. Unscrew step and repeat. It will take forever, but will get you down. I had to use it once when i was one-sticking and tried to reach down to get my stick and turned it all sideways and out of reach....
 
Last edited:
boyne bowhunter said:
I set my predator right at the height of the top of my stick or last WE step depending on which I'm using. I set the two about 120degress apart. This gives me the option to walk around the tree some if I want and you'll always be able to reach that last step if you need to.
View attachment 16733
Click to expand...
I like the artwork! That's actually how I ended up setting my platform after the fiasco.
 
Glad you’re ok. Lots of good suggestion on getting out of a sticky situation. My plan is to take my LB off my saddle, girth hitch it around the tree like a second tether and put a foot loop in the bottom to stand on enough to lower my tether or ropeman.

Doesn’t really what your escape plan is as long as you have one before you need it!
 
drew13 said:
Glad you’re ok. Lots of good suggestion on getting out of a sticky situation. My plan is to take my LB off my saddle, girth hitch it around the tree like a second tether and put a foot loop in the bottom to stand on enough to lower my tether or ropeman.

Doesn’t really what your escape plan is as long as you have one before you need it!
Click to expand...

X2, is exactly my emergency plan in a situation like that.
 
Newhunter1 said:
Glad you were able to rectify that..I have a suggestion...go to lowes and get the grade 8, 3/8x6" bolts and a hand drill. I think they cost like 2.00 a piece. Make sure they are grade 8 and a small hand drill like a treehopper drill. Light and easy to use. I put bolts on the left, right, and in front of my platform. That way if I do have that type of situation I have access to a way down.

Also, consider getting a friction hitch. I strongly recommend the Schwabish friction hitch. You can slowly lower yourself by applying pressure to the top of the hitch and it instantly grabs as soon as you let go. I sold all three of my RM1's and switched to the Schwabish hitch. Very similar to the disteel hitch.

Click to expand...
This is a great video, thanks. What lines are you using and how are you attaching the schwabish to a biner? As in the video??
 
I am using the LB rope and tether from Tethered. I also have 75' of predator rope that I use this one and it works GREAT!! (said in my Tony the Tiger impersonation). I use an 8mm rope that is a split tail on 11-13mm rope. If not a split tail...I take a length of rope and tie either a fisherman's loop or a figure 8 and a stopper knot. Both knots will bite down hard once you load it. If I use it on my predator rope then it is for DRT and I use a pully tender to pull the schwabish up. Super easy and it will stop you as soon as you let go. That's the reason I sold all three RM1's was the fact that I can come down when it is fully loaded while being under control the entire length. A ropeman 1 will not let you down the rope safely if you are under load...say your stand falls and your ropeman is now holding all of your weight. If you get it to release you are coming down super quick!!
 
drew13 said:
Glad you’re ok. Lots of good suggestion on getting out of a sticky situation. My plan is to take my LB off my saddle, girth hitch it around the tree like a second tether and put a foot loop in the bottom to stand on enough to lower my tether or ropeman.

Doesn’t really what your escape plan is as long as you have one before you need it!
Click to expand...

Girth hitching the LB is a great idea. I had been thinking about getting a couple cranfords just for this type of emergency, but I hadn't even thought of this simple solution.
 
This is something to learn from, do things the right way. When you try to make shortcuts, things go wrong-take the extra minute to re-set or adjust and you will avoid a lot of squirrely situations.
 
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I had a stick with a rope mod slide down the tree once. Same situation. Bow bumped it while pulling it up to hunt. I was on my platform though so could adjust and drop down to fix it. But it got me thinking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Newhunter1 said:
Glad you were able to rectify that..I have a suggestion...go to lowes and get the grade 8, 3/8x6" bolts and a hand drill. I think they cost like 2.00 a piece. Make sure they are grade 8 and a small hand drill like a treehopper drill. Light and easy to use. I put bolts on the left, right, and in front of my platform. That way if I do have that type of situation I have access to a way down.

Also, consider getting a friction hitch. I strongly recommend the Schwabish friction hitch. You can slowly lower yourself by applying pressure to the top of the hitch and it instantly grabs as soon as you let go. I sold all three of my RM1's and switched to the Schwabish hitch. Very similar to the disteel hitch.

Click to expand...

What’s the purpose of the micro pulley? Is it like a tender that allows you to make one hand assent by pulling up on the tag end of the rope causing it to push the schwabish up the rope?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Newhunter1 said:
I am using the LB rope and tether from Tethered. I also have 75' of predator rope that I use this one and it works GREAT!! (said in my Tony the Tiger impersonation). I use an 8mm rope that is a split tail on 11-13mm rope. If not a split tail...I take a length of rope and tie either a fisherman's loop or a figure 8 and a stopper knot. Both knots will bite down hard once you load it. If I use it on my predator rope then it is for DRT and I use a pully tender to pull the schwabish up. Super easy and it will stop you as soon as you let go. That's the reason I sold all three RM1's was the fact that I can come down when it is fully loaded while being under control the entire length. A ropeman 1 will not let you down the rope safely if you are under load...say your stand falls and your ropeman is now holding all of your weight. If you get it to release you are coming down super quick!!
Click to expand...

What length of 8mm rope with split tail(does that mean a loop on each end?) do you need to tie a schwabish or distal hitch?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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