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I would really like to see a "hunt any tree" challenge video.

ThereWillBeSpuds

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2019
Messages
648
With so many people claiming that this or that climbing method or platform or stand will allow you to "hunt any tree" I would really like to see a video where proponents of various methods who claim they can "get in any tree I want and set up right on the hottest sign" walk into the woods and an impartial host picks a series of trees and the hunters have to climb to a height that they can justify as being the "right height" for the tree rather than just the highest point they can get. Then the contestants would have to set up their hunting aparatus (gear hangars, platform, stand whatever else) and demonstrate that they could actually effectively stay there and shoot a weapon.

I see people claiming the any tree thing an awful lot, but I have never seen anyone say "any tree, what about this one?"

I do think time and noise should be considerations in the judgement as well.
 
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I would be totally interested in seeing something like this. I’ve been really trying to dial in my tree climbing/ hunting stand/platform setup in the last 2 years. Would really be cool to see some combos of gear to compare without having to spend hundreds trying different things to try and find the holy grail of tree setups.


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Sounds like the basis for a reality tv show.
you can find a situation where any type of stand is better than another. A saddle will get you in any tree you can hunt with any portable treestand.
 
I would say that a saddle CANT get you in any tree. Cedars are all but impossible without a massive trimming operation for a saddle hunter. I have heard of some other types of trees up north that are the same. I have however been able to get into a cedar with my Lonewolf lock on setup with minimal cutting. There is not an "any tree" set up with saddles, climbers or lock-ons. I have just found that the saddle helps me get up in the "most" trees.
 
Yeah I know. Pretty sure I keep lying to myself that there is anyway. Getting close to hitting a good stopping point though.


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I can remember packing a throwball, 60ft of bluewater assault line, ROS, hawk helium, tether linemans belt, thinking ill climb any tree that looks good on an unknown piece of public.

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One of the many things that drew me to saddle hunting was not being limited to a straight tree with no branches like my climber. I too had fallen for the "my method can get me up any tree" mentality, I primarily hunt with WE steps using a K/S but this year have been toying with the 1 stick method also using a K/S. I however finally met my nemesis while hunting my wifes families property in MI just before rifle opener. I found myself on a field edge where 4 primary runways converged just yards away from a huge maple but where my only other options were cedars or a few poplar trees with too many branches that would need to be trimmed to open up a shooting lane. The maple was the best choice for what I thought would be a quick set up. I pulled out my WE steps and tied the first to the tree and noted that I only had about an 1.5" left after the knot was tied, this made me slightly nervous but was happy to see how easy the step cammed over as compared to the pines that are prevalent in the area I hunt in SC. I then threw my linemans belt around the tree and realized that I had to suck up to the tree in order to clip in granted my LB is 9' with a stopper knot on the end and I was absolutely maxed out not leaving enough room for my knaider leg to swing up and hook to the step. I soon realized that this method would not work with my current length of LB and I should look at the other trees. I was not happy with any of them and the lack of shot opportunities that they gave but remembered I had my stick in the back of my truck. Surely I could climb this tree with my climbing stick! as I could use my rappel rope to give me the correct length for a tether while I climbed and that would leave my normal 9' tether and my 9' LB to get around the branches. I made the decision to walk back to the truck and swap out climbing devices and headed back to the field. I then was having problems getting my amsteel daisy chain around the tree as there wasn't any weight to throw on the rope and I could not bear hug the tree to pass the rope. I soon realized that I was wasting way to much time trying to climb this tree and it was getting close to 1600 leaving a bit over an hour of hunting light left on new to me hunting property. I decided to hang my head low and climbed one of the nearby poplar trees though I only had a small shot window to the field (not even to the runways) thanks cedar trees. In the end, I didn't see any deer and didn't try to climb that tree again, though with a longer LB or tether or a heavier rope on my stick and given more time, I probably could have climbed it. I did learn what the limits are on my system and I don't think every system is perfect for every scenario and that no method is truly "any tree climbable". Yes I realize those of you utilizing spikes and bolts would be able to climb but I'm talking any scenario public land included and those methods in many places are not legal on public. I also hear you DDRT/SRT guys loud and clear, probably would have been an effective method, but it wasn't a pre set and who wants to keep throwing a throw bag trying to hit your mark when a tree is surrounded by and partly covered by cedar while on a quick set? Anyway, I didn't hear the end of it from my wifes uncle about how the diaper wearing boy couldn't climb a tree and why ladder stands and hang ons are better.
 
I also hear you DDRT/SRT guys loud and clear, probably would have been an effective method, but it wasn't a pre set and who wants to keep throwing a throw bag trying to hit your mark when a tree is surrounded by and partly covered by cedar while on a quick set?

When you talk about run-n-gun, SRT falls flat, to be honest. Its easy to pack, but throwing the line up the tree really limits the tree choice, at least for my arm. I never was much for sports, so my throwing skills may be a bit worse than others'. I have definitely set up on the ground because I couldnt find a tree close enough to the hot sign that I could get a line into without wanting to burn the whole forest down.
 
I can remember packing a throwball, 60ft of bluewater assault line, ROS, hawk helium, tether linemans belt, thinking ill climb any tree that looks good on an unknown piece of public.

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Oh yeah. I was doing something similar for a while. WE steps with a platform, then also the extra stuff to SRT. Once I got out there I had no motivation to try and use it and wondered what the crap I was doing out there with all that stuff.


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With so many people claiming that this or that climbing method or platform or stand will allow you to "hunt any tree" I would really like to see a video where proponents of various methods who claim they can "get in any tree I want and set up right on the hottest sign" walk into the woods and an impartial host picks a series of trees and the hunters have to climb to a height that they can justify as being the "right height" for the tree rather than just the highest point they can get. Then the contestants would have to set up their hunting aparatus (gear hangars, platform, stand whatever else) and demonstrate that they could actually effectively stay there and shoot a weapon.

I see people claiming the any tree thing an awful lot, but I have never seen anyone say "any tree, what about this one?"

I do think time and noise should be considerations in the judgement as well.
Just because you can . . . doesn't mean you should. I must admit I am still a bit picky with trees. Could I climb them? Yes. Do I want to spend 4-5 hours hanging in them? Maybe not. Could I shoot out of it? Again, sometimes not. I will say though that the saddle and one sticking gives me many more viable options than I had with my Summit though.
 
Years ago I saw an arborist using a wrist rocket type slingshot to shoot a small weight with a light fishing line through a branch union. Used the fishing line to pull up a real throwline, then used the throwline to pull up the rope. Was a lot of fiddling around with a bunch of string but I’ve wondered if maybe a strong braided fishing line might work to pull a rope up.

I might explore that route a little further now that there’s nicer dyneema throwlines and I saw a slingshot with a triple band instead of the single latex band.

I use the BigShot for anything over ~30’ but that’s a sizable piece of gear to pack in the woods. Works well for the suburban trees I’m usually in though.
 
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Oh yeah. I was doing something similar for a while. WE steps with a platform, then also the extra stuff to SRT. Once I got out there I had no motivation to try and use it and wondered what the crap I was doing out there with all that stuff.


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I preset 4 trees for srt, realized I couldn't use a throwball quietly enough, and was on bolts at the end of the season. Aside from various ropes for srt drt and reppel I think I have,
30 bolts + treehopper drill, 5 wild edge steps, bullman outdoors ros, 15 squirrel steps( ros and climbing method), hawk helium with webbing aider, 2-5 step mobile aiders 1 offset, 1 ladder style, shikar mini, ridge runner, solo scout.

Daisey chain amsteel, shikar mini, ladder 5vstep aider, ridge runner, 30ft oplux 8mm, figure 8, and I'm set. I really wanted to be a ring of steps guy, but I'm not.

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There is no any tree. Dont care what anyone says.
Well maybe any tree if you dont consider saftey or being severely uncomfortable or even very illegal in my state after trimming 25 braches.
Especially with a saddle trimming is going to be needed. most times.
i think anymore and especially after how my first part of my season has gone so far.
adaptability is to me most important.
ground chair , stand, or saddle?
use the tool the sets up best for the situation
Then consider how high or how low You must be.
Thats just my Honest Opinion.
i think the any tree saying is really and has been a saddle marketing gimmick for awhile and also you need to notice who is stating it.
most times it’s probably someone pushing a product.
 
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This would take more than 8’ circumference for a tether. Plus the poison ivy would kill a hunter. It is right on a deer trail that skirts condos, with no other climbable trees in sight.

I haven’t found a way up this tree.
 
I think I can hunt any tree within reason with a saddle. I can not hunt any tree on a mobile hunt with and saddle and don’t think you could with a stand either, definitely not a climber. If I have a funky unique tree I will prep it in the spring.

Don’t believe everything you see on YouTube. There’s a ton of information being put out there for marketing purposes or by people who have minimal saddle experience and are looking to become YouTube famous and are regurgitating the same lines over and over.
 
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