• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Newby help please

Ben_from_PA

Ben_from_PA

New Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2016
Messages
27
Location
Central PA. State college Area
I'm so new at this. my sit drag is on the way, and will be here tomorrow.... that's REALLY new

background... I'm 36, healthy, with a background in rock climbing, and even did some radio tower maintenance, I'm familiar with ropes, knots, holds, harnesses, heights etc. I'm looking for advice specific to best practices for saddle hunting.

Mainly for the transition from climbing to hanging/sitting (what's the terminology?).

In my case, I'm only actually going about 4-5ft up. Just high enough to see over the laurel bushes.

Climbing is taken care of. I'm using a rope ladder that straps to the tree.

So Now i'm 5 feet up in a tree. standing on a block strapped to the tree that the ladder hangs from. I'm holding webbing in both hands in a loop around the tree like a linesman.

the advice i need is. I have to be able to let go of my strap with both hands, so I can place the sitdrag cinch, then transition my weight from "x" to the saddle. I'd like to avoid using a climbing or fall arrest harness at only 5 feet up if possible, I am well aware of the risks.

thought #1. is use the sitdrag cinch as my linesman loop. which would be fine until i wanted to get it up the tree above my shoulders. poor leverage position to maintain my hold with.

Thought #2. Use the sitdrag with a separate linesman loop (belt in this case) to hold my weight, as i place the upper cinch. I've seen this on youtube. seems fine especially since I then won't have to transition from one device into another.

Thought #3. Use a climbing harness to hold myself until the saddle is set, then transition into that. I'd rather not involve the other harness if i can avoid it.

Educate me.
 
Everyone on this forum uses a Lineman Belt to hold themselves tight to the tree. This allows you to use both hands to attach your tether to the tree.

That's the only way I know how to do it.

In the case of a stock SitDrag. I believe you need to add an adjustable Lineman belt using the loops on the SD. This can be inexpensively accomplished in a number of ways. I would use at least 1 carabiner (2 would make it easier), some strong rope, and a prussic knot. That would do it.

1. Stand on your block at the top of your rope ladder.
2. Tighten your Lineman Belt on the tree.
3. Attach your tether.

I wouldn't recommend hanging off the ground in a stock SitDrag.
 
g2outdoors said:
Everyone on this forum uses a Lineman Belt to hold themselves tight to the tree. This allows you to use both hands to attach your tether to the tree.

That's the only way I know how to do it.

In the case of a stock SitDrag. I believe you need to add an adjustable Lineman belt using the loops on the SD. This can be inexpensively accomplished in a number of ways. I would use at least 1 carabiner (2 would make it easier), some strong rope, and a prussic knot. That would do it.

1. Stand on your block at the top of your rope ladder.
2. Tighten your Lineman Belt on the tree.
3. Attach your tether.

I wouldn't recommend hanging off the ground in a stock SitDrag.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I saw this method on youtube but didn't realize it was the norm. by not hanging off the ground in a stock SD, could you please recommend what modifications you performed? I do intend to remove the tether and add a static rope "bridge" right away, per my initial inspection. What else? Ive got plenty of climbing stuff to play with. but i'm shooting for light and fast. I'll be using it to sit for the dawn and dusk times. but in the middle of the day we sometimes put on drives of the laurel patches to get them moving. when it's my turn to watch, it would be cool to quickly shimmy up a tree above the laurel. then back down and pack up for my turn at driving the next section.
 
Check out the video in my Signature. I go over modifications to my SitDrag.

1. Sewing the loops makes a big difference in usability.
2. Adding a Bridge (I use Amsteel Blue) adds strength and maneuverability.
3. The Molle Loops help me keep everything organized.
4. I would only hang from climbing rated rope with my SD. I use 11mm Bluewater Assault line and 9mm Samson Ultratech cord.
 
[/QUOTE]
I would use at least 1 carabiner (2 would make it easier), some strong rope, and a prussic knot. That would do it.[/QUOTE]

I have used the prussic knot to hold something, usually a gear bag, static on a single vertical rope. I'm not envisioning what you mean here. please clarify.
 
After reading your post again, the minimum I would do to hunt in a tree is:
1. Cut off the SitDrag's stock tether.
2. Buy enough climbing rope to make a tether (you need about 6 feet) and a bridge (you need about 4-5 feet). You'll also need climbing rated prussic cord. A good option for this is the HSS Rope Style tree strap. I use these from time to time. http://www.huntersafetysystem.com/rope-style-treestrap-1/
3. Buy 2-3 climbing rated carabiners to hook everything up.
 
Notice in this picture. You can see my green rope going around the tree. That is my tether. It is climbing rated 11mm Bluewater Assault line.

Following the rope from the tree, you'll see the orange Ropeman 1 mechanical prussic. This mechanical prussic takes the place of a normal rope prussic knot.

You can see that my mechanical prussic is attached to my black climbing carabiner.

The black carabiner is attached to my DIY bridge (Amsteel Blue). The bridge is attached to each loop on my SitDrag.

Does that help?

c4d490a45a2e8a0cddfd4524bda31f94.jpg
 
Last edited:
Got it. you're using the prussic to adjust your relation to the tether. that makes sense. a ropeman would work for that too. I've got lots of climbing gear to play with, so none of this is a problem. although my main rope is blue with reflective silver, and i have 7mm gear line which is fluorescent orange with reflective as well... I may want to pick up something a bit less visible ha ha.

This is great. I'm a total DIYer and gear nerd.
 
Okay! My SD showed up a day early.

Like i said I have a lot of climbing gear, I'm also a hammock camper so I've got even more "stuff" including amsteel.

So i went ahead and:

1. cut off the webbing bridge that came with the sitdrag,
2. "sewed" the loops. I actually used micro-cord and a cobra hitches to tie it together instead of sewing.
3. installed a new bridge out of amsteel fixed in place with loop splices. (in testing i didn't like how the bridge would slide back and forth through the carbiner. i know that could be an advantage in some cases, I wasn't comfortable with this, so i created a loop at the center point of the bridge. I made a loop of amsteel and lashed it closed using microcord and cobra hitch again.

So now i have the saddle more or less the way I think i want it.

Next i need to figure out how to manage the linesman belt function, and the tether.

I have rope to use as the tether, and materials to make a prussic. so i'll do that. I like the idea of being able to make it adjustable.

But i'm still a little stuck on the transition. i.e. When i reach my platform - getting the saddle and linesman into position so i have 2 free hands to set my tether.

Do I climb with the saddle already around my waste and the linesman loop already around the tree, so then i just slide it up a little and put my weight on the saddle?

I think if so i'd like to make my linesman belt adjustable on the fly too? like a carabiner on one end, then another prussic with carbiner so you can expand and contract the loop? anyone tried that?
 
Last edited:
Your LB needs to be adjustable for sure.

If your bridge can't slide through the carabiner, you won't be able to turn in the saddle for different shots. You may want to reconsider this.
 
g2outdoors said:
Your LB needs to be adjustable for sure.

If your bridge can't slide through the carabiner, you won't be able to turn in the saddle for different shots. You may want to reconsider this.
Click to expand...

it spins sooo freely. i did a fall test a foot off my basement floor by hanging the saddle, and rotating my hips in it like i were turning holding a rifle (no hands on my rigging). it spun very fast, and far enough that i was no longer in the saddle, the amsteel dug into my ribs and i fell on the floor. i wasn't really able to control the spin without hands on the rigging. and once it started, it kept going and more or less dumped me out. a fall like that would be devastating.
 
g2outdoors said:
Did you have your feet on something like a platform or tree?
Click to expand...
a wall, and i was only a foot off the ground, so the floor was my platform. I rotated my hips like i was going to aim behind me at a 45* angle to the left, and it just spun and dumped me out. very fast, and unexpectedly.

This was a shock since I've been climbing for decades, and never had anything happen this quickly and uncontrolled with my rigging. there was no warning, and no recovering.
 
the saddle itself ended up nearly vertical, with one loop almost touching the carbiner. The amsteel has little to no friction running over the smooth metal of the carabiner. so when i loaded one side of the bridge more than the other, it just slid around.
 
Very strange. Lots of guys are using SDs and this hasn't been an issue.

Make sure you have it under your butt like sitting on a swing set.

Also, sew on a simple webbing belt with buckle. This will keep the SD around your waist.
 
For you to fall out it sounds like you had no tension against the SitDrag.

First issue....WEAR A DAMN HARNESS :)
Just attach it with a second Prusik below your bridge attachment and set it so there is very little to no slack.

I have a stupidly ultralight CAMP Alp racer harness and an Alpine BOD. You hardly notice you are wearing them....UNTIL YOU DONT FALL :)

I have a tied webbing bridge on mine. Overhand on a bight 'retrace' tied in place on each end. I can stand sideways on the tree and shoot completely behind me with no instability
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top