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Practice now

Lazy_trucker

Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2023
Messages
72
Location
West Monroe,La
Yesterday I got all my gear gathered up. And out to the backyard I went. I have all pine trees in my yard for the exception of 1 oak that’s full of small limbs. Here comes the cringe factor from some. But I picked a pine that’s about the size of a basketball. Hung my stick with the bottom of the aider about mid shin to below knee height. Made sure everything was set and made my 1st step into the aider. I figured out quickly about kick out on a aider. Ok try this again. Now I’m on the top of the platform. Figuring out how to tie in with the tether. Ok got that done. Took really no time for me to get comfortable with it. Spent almost an hour. Without making a second move.
Moving onto today. Went out to setup again. This time I wanted at least 1 move so I can figure out the Madrock. 1st move get setup hang out the rappel down from 7 foot off the ground. Okay that’s not too bad. Didn’t like the prusik knot above the Madrock. Then trying to work everything coming down. Tomorrow I’ll try a different knot below the Madrock as a safe guard. ( Back to the regularly scheduled practice) Climb up again now I want to make a second move. Up I go using the rope as my climbing tether now. Top step get everything setup and grab my stick. At this point I haven’t popped it loose yet and said well you do this you’re committed. Grab the cable pulled up and setup for the second move. Spent about 20 minutes on the platform for this move. The wind picked up the was threatening rain. Time for me to go down again fiddling with the Madrock and the Prusik. But I did make is down safely.
Tomorrow I’ll go again only this time I’m going to hunting height.
 
I agree! I've already started practicing for next season. Learning how to rappel, as well as use aiders & the knaider/swaider method to climb, so maybe i can leave some of my stepps at home:

04B05F83-4C53-48F1-B917-914966676D7F.jpeg

...here I am with my 18 ft "rappel practice" platform...gotta get that down first, then it's on to the aiders!

Not sure why the pic is sideways, but you get the idea!
 
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Smart to practice off season. Last year I decided I wanted to try 2TC and rappel, first few times trying the 2TC were complete failures. Re watched some videos and reread some things here and realized what I was doing wrong. I don't have any suitable tress at my house but I go camping at state campgrounds quite a bit over the summer so I started to bring my gear with me and was able to practice climbing and rappelling from a variety of tress right from our camp sites. My wife at one point said I think you got the hang of it you are now just doing it for fun
 
Yesterday I got all my gear gathered up. And out to the backyard I went. I have all pine trees in my yard for the exception of 1 oak that’s full of small limbs. Here comes the cringe factor from some. But I picked a pine that’s about the size of a basketball. Hung my stick with the bottom of the aider about mid shin to below knee height. Made sure everything was set and made my 1st step into the aider. I figured out quickly about kick out on a aider. Ok try this again. Now I’m on the top of the platform. Figuring out how to tie in with the tether. Ok got that done. Took really no time for me to get comfortable with it. Spent almost an hour. Without making a second move.
Moving onto today. Went out to setup again. This time I wanted at least 1 move so I can figure out the Madrock. 1st move get setup hang out the rappel down from 7 foot off the ground. Okay that’s not too bad. Didn’t like the prusik knot above the Madrock. Then trying to work everything coming down. Tomorrow I’ll try a different knot below the Madrock as a safe guard. ( Back to the regularly scheduled practice) Climb up again now I want to make a second move. Up I go using the rope as my climbing tether now. Top step get everything setup and grab my stick. At this point I haven’t popped it loose yet and said well you do this you’re committed. Grab the cable pulled up and setup for the second move. Spent about 20 minutes on the platform for this move. The wind picked up the was threatening rain. Time for me to go down again fiddling with the Madrock and the Prusik. But I did make is down safely.
Tomorrow I’ll go again only this time I’m going to hunting height.
Might want to watch @Fl Canopy Stalker 's video on using a friction hitch with a safeguard. Lots of better hitches to use than a prussic even though it will certainly work. The friction hitch thread has lots of info for that.
 
Well today I went and practiced again. Made 3 moves and I’m thinking to the top of the stick I was 28 feet up. I was a little nervous but once I had everything set and adjusted. I started to settle in and calm down. I know I need to keep a little fear so I don’t get complacent and make stupid decisions that could lead up to catastrophic events.
I did notice that the higher up I went the more I wanted to rotate around towards my right. Now that being said the tree is leaning a little to the south and I’m climbing on the north side. So I moved my tether towards my left to probably the 8 o’clock position. That seemed to help eliminate that rotation I was having and I was able to have equal pressure on both feet not just on the right. Sat for probably about an hour or so just watching the dogs run around under me
 
Well today I went and practiced again. Made 3 moves and I’m thinking to the top of the stick I was 28 feet up. I was a little nervous but once I had everything set and adjusted. I started to settle in and calm down. I know I need to keep a little fear so I don’t get complacent and make stupid decisions that could lead up to catastrophic events.
I did notice that the higher up I went the more I wanted to rotate around towards my right. Now that being said the tree is leaning a little to the south and I’m climbing on the north side. So I moved my tether towards my left to probably the 8 o’clock position. That seemed to help eliminate that rotation I was having and I was able to have equal pressure on both feet not just on the right. Sat for probably about an hour or so just watching the dogs run around under me
That’s good stuff! It’ll really be fun when you’re trying to ambush a deer doing that! Go ahead and start shooting from it too!
 
Find yourself the right size of PVC pipe that holds as many arrows as you want-drill a hole in one side on the end, & glue a cap on the other side. add some paracord to it, & now you have a hoistable quiver that holds as many shots as you can take.
Nah gives the wife something to do
 
Yeah I’ll have to wait for my arrow getter to get home. So I’m not climbing up and down every 5 shots. Lol.

I like getting her involved, but. Have her be the target mover! I’m assuming you’re already efficient with your bow, but shooting from different positions is inevitable…..see how far you can get around the tree. Also, I’d highly recommend taking the opportunity to do just that, go up and down! Make each shot it’s own scenario and give yourself just one shot, then do it again. I’m no pro, and barely an amateur, but I kinda have an idea about how to go about practicing. I may send a quiver of arrows down range if I’m working on something. But walking up my driveway (target range) with just 1 arrow is most effective.
 
We're still blessed with spring-like weather here in southeast PA, & I've been hittin' it just about every day!

I start by going up my rappel practice platform & coming down 2-3 times. I have my steps & platform set up on the opposite side of the way the tree leans (and it's a shagbark hickory, so lots of practice & fun advancing my tether/rappel line! ;))

Every now & then, on the way down, my balance goes off, & I start to swing around the tree due to gravity-That's good practice for me as well-I actually talk myself thru it-"let go, you're ok-let the swing happen-stabilize yourself-ok, now start down again." Seems silly, I guess, but it works for me!

Then after a few rappels, it's on to "knaider/swaider" or "aider" practice. I'm still REAL clumsy with those, but getting better. And I haven't been this sore in years, but it's a good feeling.

Then it's back to the rappel platform at least one more time, usually 2 more, followed by practice bringing down the rope.

I guess the best thing I did recently was retire, so I could play with all of my toys! :)
 
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We're still blessed with spring-like weather here in southeast PA, & I've been hittin' it just about every day!

I start by going up my rappel practice platform & coming down 2-3 times. I have my steps & platform set up on the opposite side of the way the tree leans (and it's a shagbark hickory, so lots of practice & fun advancing my tether/rappel line! ;))

Every now & then, on the way down, my balance goes off, & I start to swing around the tree due to gravity-That's good practice for me as well-I actually talk myself thru it-"let go, you're ok-let the swing happen-stabilize yourself-ok, now start down again." Seems silly, I guess, but it works for me!

Then after a few rappels, it's on to "knaider/swaider" or "aider" practice. I'm still REAL clumsy with those, but getting better. And I haven't been this sore in years, but it's a good feeling.

Then it's back to the rappel platform at least one more time, usually 2 more, followed by practice bringing down the rope.

I guess the best thing I did recently was retire, so I could play with all of my toys! :)
I’m with you @TradBowGuy ! I got a few more years before I retire but not too many! Saddle hunting has brought a huge fun factor to my life, just like it did yours! We got to stay active anyway and what could be better than climbing a tree, shooting a bow then rappelling down? Sorry, I can’t think of anything!
One of the other things I enjoy is learning knots and hitches. I love watching instructional videos and tying ropes or burying some amsteel! It consumes me a little with so much information to learn. But the whole brain exercise is healthy too!
Keep on keeping on!
 
Yep! I agree! I've always sucked at tying knots, but because of this, I'm getting better at that also-the videos & practice definitely keep my mind sharp!

And playing with Amsteel & learning how to splice, bury, & make all kinds of cool stuff is great for those rainy days!! I just made a couple of loops & am now working on a daisy chain.

This is a GREAT "Old Guy" activity!
 
Find yourself the right size of PVC pipe that holds as many arrows as you want-drill a hole in one side on the end, & glue a cap on the other side. add some paracord to it, & now you have a hoistable quiver that holds as many shots as you can take.
This is brilliant.
 
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