I don't think a spliced eye is going to work in your favor for DRT in the method the NY Saddle guys are using.
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NY Saddle Hunters DRT method
- Thread starter NORKALNIMROD
- Start date
I could buy 2 feet for about a dollar just to try. I figured it would wear quicker but could be easily replaced. If you buy 100 feet of steel you probably would not ever have to replace it.
12 strand is pretty old school technology at this point. It doesn't stay round very well taking on a squarish profile. A leap forward from 3 strand but 16 is overall a much better design for a DdRT climbing rope.
10-4 I feel your pain, been there done that with stuck ropes, stuck friction savers, etc.. Nothing worse than having to make the climb of shame back up to retrieve your junk in the tree
. Let us know how it works out!I tried the flexible conduit today and it would not stay in the crotch of the tree. Unless I can increase the friction between the branch and the conduit or reduce the friction between rope and conduit, it will not work. I did try RADS in double moving rope mode with a toothed hand ascender and a GriGri. It is super easy although slow since there is a 2:1 mechanical advantage from the DdRT and a 3:1 mechanical advantage from the RADS for a total 6:1 mechanical advantage. I had to pull 6 feet of rope for every foot of height advance. I could climb only using my arms and no foot loop.
That right I am going to try a modified method
That's a bummer. I wonder if the friction issue is part of the appeal with the metal lined conduit? It would wear better but now that you mentioned it, the metal on rope may have less friction and help it stay put. I don't know the answer but starting to feel like looking for some conduit locally and giving it a try.
I think if my flexible conduit had a metal liner it would work OK. I wonder if a metal flexible conduit inside a rubber garden hose would work. I know there are some bushings on the end of the commercial version to prevent sharp metal against rope.
Old not out
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- Mar 29, 2019
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not sure how this tech stuff works, however. Knot and Rope Suppy has a rope for DRT climbing that you can get in any length and put a custom loop on for an additional charge. I am new to the DRT system as well and am using a tender with it. The guys from NY are the reason I'm messing with this system. It works and I'm 54 for the record. I got 80 feet of 11.4mm, very similar to predator rope.
IMHO, the key to making the DdRT method work for hunting has more to do with being able to use a throwball to accurately get a rope over a crotch in a tree that is acceptable for hunting. I used a throwball while hunting for my first time last week and got to 20 foot platform height or 25 foot eye height. I have spent hours practicing with the throwball in the local park. It is something that needs practice. Last week, I hit the first throw then the line slipped off the throwline. After about 5 more throws, I had the line over the crotch. My rope was not long enough to go over the crotch and back down so I could reach both ends. I was climbing SRT/RADS so I fed the throwline spool through the loop on the rope and pulled it up. Anyway, throwball practice is key, at least for me. Same in SRT as in DdRT, if using a crotch for support. I have been using my electrical conduit rope push pole method for all of my hunts but have been at only 12 to 15 foot platform height (shot a doe). This only works with straight limbless trees which seem to be abundant here. I had to search for a good crotch to throw over last weeks hunt with adequate free space to swing a throwball.
I couldn't climb in free air when I tried DdRT with the hip thrust. I was able to do it with a foot ascender using my leg muscle. I had been doing SRT/RADS for a while so with DdRT it felt like I needed twice the rope and I climbed 2 times slower but it worked. Cost wise, it seems like what you save on not buying an ascender and a belay device you spend on extra rope and then you have 2 ropes to deal with in the tree.
I couldn't climb in free air when I tried DdRT with the hip thrust. I was able to do it with a foot ascender using my leg muscle. I had been doing SRT/RADS for a while so with DdRT it felt like I needed twice the rope and I climbed 2 times slower but it worked. Cost wise, it seems like what you save on not buying an ascender and a belay device you spend on extra rope and then you have 2 ropes to deal with in the tree.
WVsaddlehunter
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- Oct 29, 2019
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I hunt with a longbow and use a fish fiberglass arrow and shoot it over the limb I'm far back away from the tree and the heavy arrow doesn't go very far.
Old not out
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- Mar 29, 2019
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New to this DRT system and saddle hunting in general and yes the throwball is a challenge. I don't use the throwball at all now that its Hunt time unless it's an afternoon hunt. I do have some paracord in a few public land trees. On private, I use the Tree Hopper system. Also, I don't swing the throwball, I baseball pitch it and I can hit the crotch 9 out of 10 times, its just 6" low. lol
Predator was my first climbing rope that I started with several years ago. It holds up very well, as a matter of fact I still climb on the first 60' I bought from Wesspur. I use it on my property as an exercise climbing system now. In an effort to cut down some carry weight and bulk afield I've transitioned to sterling htp 9mm and a lifeguard. So my predator and petzl rig gets used for practice climbing at home. Still, as a climbing line nothing but high praise for Samson Predator. There is also some value in the larger rope in your hand for tending etc.
Been watching the NY saddle hunter videos myself and I’m curious if any of you know if this would be possible to do in a jx3? I’m a big guy but pretty strong however, I just don’t feel super comfortable with sticks (limited selection rated to 350lb) and fumbling with linesman belt etc. Drt or srt just seems easier and safer in my mind I can’t really find post about people doing drt/srt in the hybrid. Any advice appreciated!
I have a JX3 but haven't tried it. I don't see any reason why not though, provided you add a short bridge. It's possible the back of the seat may interfere with form and hip thrust though.
I've done DRT this whole season. I use a 66' Blue Moon 24-strand rope by Yale I got from Wesspur on clearance--they were out of Predator at the time--Blue Moon works great for me, although I wish I had 75ft. There's other color combos that sell under different names (Poison Ivy) . It's 11.7mm, so you can really grab onto it, knots well, slides well, and holds up well. It's bright blue, but I coil all the loose length into my pack once I'm up at height, and leave the carabiner/knots dangling at knee level in case something slips and I need to clip back in at a lower height than planned. I had originally planned on getting Predator to replace it at some point, but have since decided not to bother. I haven't tried other ropes, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Blue Moon is excellent for DRT.
I've toyed with the idea of leaving the climbing rope clipped into the bridge during the hunt, but the extra clutter doesn't appeal to me.
I would really like a spliced eye at one end of the climbing rope as it would make getting the rope (or restoring my pre-set loop) over the limb a lot less perilous. Sucks when your throw line (or the loop that you leave for next time) slides off the climbing rope and everything, both rope and cord, lands in a pile at your feet. Watch some arborist vids on how to set up a DRT climb to see how they attach the climbing rope to cordage--a string of simple hitches is going to frequently disappoint.
I use a 2mm UHMWPE red cord as a throw line (emmakites on amazon). 1000lb test, doesn't stretch, has no memory, and it's slick, so a 12oz throw ball will drop easy through all kinds of crap. I keep it flaked out in a small canvas tote which folds nicely into a large wallet sized package, and I have nothing bad to say about this cord. For a while I was using a 12oz fishing weight as a throw ball--gotta be careful with that though as that will bounce if you hit the tree trunk. Watch some videos on how to toss underhand and practice a little.
One of the things I've learned about throwing is that accuracy is not necessarily important. A lot of times, I'm able to huck it way up, and then pull the throw ball over the highest branch, and it'll drop onto the next branch below it, and so on, until the rope is down on the limb I want. On my first couple strolls through the woods, I only spotted a handful of trees that I could get a line into; now I see them everywhere.
Word of caution here--whenever you're pulling the throw ball up and it's ready to clear a branch, be ready to feed it lots of slack--if it decides to swing when it clears, it will almost certainly loop itself. And then that nice throwing line ain't coming back. Same goes with the throw line around your feet--make sure it's not going to snag when the ball is in motion.
I carry a set of 4 primal steps (2-3 get used as my perch), and if there's un-prunable limbs in the way, I'll climb as high as I can, deploy a step w/ lineman's belt (or simply set the tether), re-route the climbing rope (undo, then re-tie the Blake hitch), and then keep climbing (grab the step at the end of the hunt)
I don't mind throwing in the dark. But I don't like doing it after the leaves are gone b/c it's hard to tell if you're looking at a healthy limb. I've done pine trees, but they have to have needles and I apply a higher standard of beefy-ness. If you google "tree climbers guide" there's a forest service manual that has a section on what to watch out for as far as indications of weakness in the tree.
First couple times, I had problems getting the Blake hitch to hold weight. Dress each coil, and do it twice, working out all the little bits of slack. I tried using a tended Blake hitch (where you tie a second hitch or use a device so that the hitch moves up on its own), but ditched that as it took longer to set up and didn't really seem all that useful.
What I really like about DRT is that it's super simple, and your weight is fully supported by a 5800lb rope all the way into the tether. My last minute safety check before climbing/descending is to take off anything looped around my neck, make sure the carabiner is locked, check the tag end for a stopper knot, and put on a set of leather gloves.
I've toyed with the idea of leaving the climbing rope clipped into the bridge during the hunt, but the extra clutter doesn't appeal to me.
I would really like a spliced eye at one end of the climbing rope as it would make getting the rope (or restoring my pre-set loop) over the limb a lot less perilous. Sucks when your throw line (or the loop that you leave for next time) slides off the climbing rope and everything, both rope and cord, lands in a pile at your feet. Watch some arborist vids on how to set up a DRT climb to see how they attach the climbing rope to cordage--a string of simple hitches is going to frequently disappoint.
I use a 2mm UHMWPE red cord as a throw line (emmakites on amazon). 1000lb test, doesn't stretch, has no memory, and it's slick, so a 12oz throw ball will drop easy through all kinds of crap. I keep it flaked out in a small canvas tote which folds nicely into a large wallet sized package, and I have nothing bad to say about this cord. For a while I was using a 12oz fishing weight as a throw ball--gotta be careful with that though as that will bounce if you hit the tree trunk. Watch some videos on how to toss underhand and practice a little.
One of the things I've learned about throwing is that accuracy is not necessarily important. A lot of times, I'm able to huck it way up, and then pull the throw ball over the highest branch, and it'll drop onto the next branch below it, and so on, until the rope is down on the limb I want. On my first couple strolls through the woods, I only spotted a handful of trees that I could get a line into; now I see them everywhere.
Word of caution here--whenever you're pulling the throw ball up and it's ready to clear a branch, be ready to feed it lots of slack--if it decides to swing when it clears, it will almost certainly loop itself. And then that nice throwing line ain't coming back. Same goes with the throw line around your feet--make sure it's not going to snag when the ball is in motion.
I carry a set of 4 primal steps (2-3 get used as my perch), and if there's un-prunable limbs in the way, I'll climb as high as I can, deploy a step w/ lineman's belt (or simply set the tether), re-route the climbing rope (undo, then re-tie the Blake hitch), and then keep climbing (grab the step at the end of the hunt)
I don't mind throwing in the dark. But I don't like doing it after the leaves are gone b/c it's hard to tell if you're looking at a healthy limb. I've done pine trees, but they have to have needles and I apply a higher standard of beefy-ness. If you google "tree climbers guide" there's a forest service manual that has a section on what to watch out for as far as indications of weakness in the tree.
First couple times, I had problems getting the Blake hitch to hold weight. Dress each coil, and do it twice, working out all the little bits of slack. I tried using a tended Blake hitch (where you tie a second hitch or use a device so that the hitch moves up on its own), but ditched that as it took longer to set up and didn't really seem all that useful.
What I really like about DRT is that it's super simple, and your weight is fully supported by a 5800lb rope all the way into the tether. My last minute safety check before climbing/descending is to take off anything looped around my neck, make sure the carabiner is locked, check the tag end for a stopper knot, and put on a set of leather gloves.
Last edited:
Kkbilb9887
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- Dec 8, 2019
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Did the same. Bought the finish line 11.4mm(32 Strand) static rope from knot and rope supply. $.75 per foot. It's black and white checkered, but I just pull it up, and put it into my bag once I'm tethered up and ready to hunt. I've climbed it DdRT around 30 times so far, no friction saver, rope still looks brand new.