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Setting Up in a Tree in One Trip

hunterroush

New Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2019
Messages
3
Location
Michigan
As i find myself divulging into the intriguing world of saddle hunting/mobile hunting I am curious as how most of you set up in a tree once you've arrived to a suitable location. As I continue to practice setting up my gear (climbing sticks, platform, bow) I'm finding it very difficult to to make it up the tree in one trip... Any tips or tricks that helped any of you?
 
1. Hike in with everything in or strapped to pack
2. Arrive at tree and take off pack
3. Remove climbing sticks from pack
4. Ensure platform is handy/reachable in pack
5. Hang first two sticks from ground
6. Put pack on and thread third and fourth sticks into paracord loops on backpack
7. Climb up first two sticks using linemen's belt and hang third and fourth sticks
8. Hang platform
9. Hook up tether and secure it to bridge
10. Hook up bow/pack holder around tree
11. Remove pack and hang
12. Remove bow from back of pack and knock arrow
13. Try to stop sweating
14. Thank God that I am in the woods!
 
I was thinking I was going to lose the Doyles gear hoist this season and bring my bow up on my pack, that would get me in with everything on me. I have some practice to do to see if that's going to work for me, otherwise I'll just haul it up. I use WE stepps to climb.
 
My hardest part was dealing with the climbing sticks. The paracord was not the most elegant solution. I tried climbing with Bullman Silent Approach steps the other day. They just sit in a fanny pack and man that was WAYYY easier to get everything up in one trip than with the sticks.
 
Ditch the sticks.

I wear my saddle in. On the saddle is a small pouch with my drill, bolts, and sometimes squirrel steps. I have my Doyle's hoist ran through a grommet in my pack. I:

Walk up to the tree.

Hook up my bow and lay it on the ground.

Reach into the pouch for the drill.

Start climbing.

Get to top and hook up.

Haul bow.

Hang it.

Hunt.
 
1. Hike in with everything in or strapped to pack
2. Arrive at tree and take off pack
3. Remove climbing sticks from pack
4. Ensure platform is handy/reachable in pack
5. Hang first two sticks from ground
6. Put pack on and thread third and fourth sticks into paracord loops on backpack
7. Climb up first two sticks using linemen's belt and hang third and fourth sticks
8. Hang platform
9. Hook up tether and secure it to bridge
10. Hook up bow/pack holder around tree
11. Remove pack and hang
12. Remove bow from back of pack and knock arrow
13. Try to stop sweating
14. Thank God that I am in the woods!
This is almost identical to my climb, except I use a pullup for my bow.
 
I single stick climb, just one short stick (wife chuckles at that, I don't know why:)).
The steps are:
1. Wear saddle in
2. Arrive at tree.
3. Take pack off and remove stick. Assure platform is on top of upper layers in pack.
4. Put pack back on, take lineman's belt and tether from rope pouch.
5. Put on lineman's belt on bridge loop (I don't use the lineman's loops, just the bridge loops).
6. Attach stick and tether to tree.
7. Sling bow on back.
8. Climb tree to height, attach platform.
9. Orient tether, step to platform.
10. Attach gear daisy chain, hang pack.
11, Attach clipter and hang bow.
12. Pull upper layers from pack and put on.
13. Swap out to linesman's belt for tether (I like a longer adjustable tether).
14. Huntin'.
 
I use 4 sticks and a JX 3 and still get up in one trip.

Put stick 1 on the tree on the ground.
Put sticks 3 and 4 on loop on each hip (I use the bungees from an bungee ball loop so that they hold the sticks tight)
Hang ROS or Platform from saddle.
Use hoist or pull up rope to hook into bow.
Lay stick 2 on the ground, unravel strap or rope or daisy chain and hook that to your saddle.
Climb stick 1.
Pull up stick 2 and set.
Climb stick 2. Remove stick 3 from hip loop and put stick 3 on tree
Climb stick 3 and remove stick 4 from hip loop and put up stick 4.
Climb stick 4 and put up platform or ROS
Climb onto platform or ROS
Chill. Pull up bow. Shoot deer.
Reverse everything
 
My hardest part was dealing with the climbing sticks. The paracord was not the most elegant solution. I tried climbing with Bullman Silent Approach steps the other day. They just sit in a fanny pack and man that was WAYYY easier to get everything up in one trip than with the sticks.
I use this strap and have it attached to the first LW stick that has the strap that holds the set together and have the sticks slung across my back. As I climb I swing it to the front and lay it across my linemans belt and remove the next stick and then swing it back to my back. It has worked great for me.
 
I usually carry my sticks ( Muddy pro`s) and bow ( Triax) in on separate slings , wear my saddle (kestrel), Knee pads ( Bucket Boss) and pack in ( Tenzing 1440 ) everything else .My platform ( DIY) goes on the outside of the pack. I put my sticks with aiders # 1 and #2 on the tree after attaching simple haul line to my bow. Then I attach the other two sticks ( #3 and 4) to my saddle (L and R hip) , my platform to the center , and the rest is pretty straight forward until I am on my platform with both tether and LB . Then I stow my LB and take out my Bow and Pack hooks hang my pack and haul up my bow. Takes this old guy 17 mins right now and puts me at hunting height of 28 ft.
 
Ditch the sticks.

I wear my saddle in. On the saddle is a small pouch with my drill, bolts, and sometimes squirrel steps. I have my Doyle's hoist ran through a grommet in my pack. I:

Walk up to the tree.

Hook up my bow and lay it on the ground.

Reach into the pouch for the drill.

Start climbing.

Get to top and hook up.

Haul bow.

Hang it.

Hunt.
Ok you got me interested I am going to give bolts a try
 
I often am setting up trees while hunting. 2 young kids and a crazy schedule keeps me from planning when and where I"m hunting regularly. Bolts are the way to go. I can walk up to the tree, drill my first 3-4 holes without even strapping in. Thats 8' to foot height. then I tie everything to my bow to my pull line, grab my backpack and go. 4-6 more bolts and whateve rI"m using for ROS that day(ocb with ameristeps, screw in t's or bolts) and tie in and I'm done. Takes about 10 minutes for me to be totally setup in the dark. And if I come back to that tree another day, it takes less than 5 since I dont have to drill the holes. Simple, safe, efficient.
 
1. Hang first two sticks.
2. If tree needs it I pull out and attach my saw to my saddle. (I hunt a lot of pine trees)
3. Put pack back on.
4. Tie bow to pull up rope.
5. Attach ring of steps to back of saddle.
6. Sling sticks 3&4 over my shoulders attach linemans belt and start climbing.
7. Attach sticks 3&4 climb and attach ring of steps.
8. Set tether leaving linemans attached. I set my gear holder strap and hang my pack.
9. Pull up bow attach arrow and hang it.
10. Look around text the wife where I am and that I'm alive.
11. Remove linemans, get comfy.
12. Arrow a 30 point buck. Text friends I need help dragging the elephant with horns from 20 miles in the swamp.

Steps 1-11 usually takes me 4-10 minutes depending on tree. Step 12 takes a life time of work.
 
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