Sticks vs, Steps vs, Arborist Climbing methods

[Hall17]

I tried it with the rappel and a figure 8 and although fun on the way down, getting the rope out of the tree, dealing with the quick link and dealing with a pull-down line and 40 feet of rope was a deal breaker.

Same. I loved rappelling till I 2TC down. I can literally hit the ground with my boots and not take my pack off. Take tethers off the tree, grab my bow rope and bow and skedaddle. So easy.

Now if I climb with my sticks or WE Stepps I will absolutely rappel down.

 

[raisins]

I tried it with the rappel and a figure 8 and although fun on the way down, getting the rope out of the tree, dealing with the quick link and dealing with a pull-down line and 40 feet of rope was a deal breaker.

Here's my main concern: I'm paranoid about getting my foot stuck to the tree and inverting in a way that I can't get down. I can't imagine a worse way to check out.

Now do you make sure that can't happen?

For the same reason, all my stick aiders are open. I don't girth hitch or band anything around my foot. I want to be able to kick myself free and use my legs and move around in case a rare event happens.

 

[Hall17]

Some people like Sticks, but have they compared sticks vs steps ?
I want to here the pros and cons between Sticks vs Steps ?

and why not do away with Sticks AND Steps ( and even the need for a separate tether line ) and just use Arborist’s Climbing Gear (minus the spikes/gaffs ) ?

Different strokes for different folks. I've used most climbing methods and mainly use three through the season. However, I am 95% 2TC at this time with sticks and WE Stepps being something I use on specific trees I know I will be hunting out of.

 

[drpike22]

In my experience when SRT climbing once you run the rope up using your preset it is best to girth hitch the rope around the tree trunk using an alpine butterfly. It can be done with a long or short rope, it just depends on high your preset is. The branch is used for setting a preset only. I agree totally with you. I would not rely on a branch for my rope.

 

[RotoTillerGuy]

I am liking this method.
This is what Arborists do day in and day out, and this meets OSHA standards.

 

[tailgunner]

I wont carry sticks that dont shoot.Arborist climbing has too much movement for the blacktailwoods. Wouldnt ,and cant throw without getting tangled.you would get busted rappeling.my saddle,tethers,and ring of steps all together are 3 1/2 pounds wet.and dont need anything else.

 

[GeoFish]

I am liking this method.
This is what Arborists do day in and day out, and this meets OSHA standards.

Nothing wrong with it. Very safe if done properly. But like he said in the video, you really need pre-sets.

 

[RotoTillerGuy]

Nothing wrong with it. Very safe if done properly. But like he said in the video, you really need pre-sets.

Agreed, presets.

don’t we all at least scout locations before we hunt ?

how many of you just walk into a brand new place not scouted ahead of time ?

 

[GeoFish]

Agreed, presets.

don’t we all at least scout locations before we hunt ?

how many of you just walk into a brand new place not scouted ahead of time ?

I always know the tree I am going to. But I am not going to climb every possible tree to do a preset. Some I will hunt and some I never will. Heck I would need to buy a paracord manufacture for all the paracord I would need.
Also I hunt public. I could see another hunter finding my paracord, not knowing it was for a preset and thinking someone left there bow pull up rope and taking it.
My climbing method gets me 14 steps high and weighs 3 lbs.

 

[BTaylor]

Agreed, presets.

don’t we all at least scout locations before we hunt ?

how many of you just walk into a brand new place not scouted ahead of time ?

I would bet easily over half and might be closer to 70% of my hunting is doing that very thing. Walk until I find the sign I am looking for and get up.

 

[Hall17]

I would bet easily over half and might be closer to 70% of my hunting is doing that very thing. Walk until I find the sign I am looking for and get up.

Sign moves constantly. Why shouldn’t we adapt and move as well. I am the same way.

 

[Jammintree]

Agreed, presets.

don’t we all at least scout locations before we hunt ?

how many of you just walk into a brand new place not scouted ahead of time ?

I do hunt new places with DRT sometimes. But the conditions have to be just right. It’s a viable option for evening hunts, particular on days where there’s a fair amount of background noise, like wind or rain. You need to be damn good with the throwball, which is reasonable with some practice.

 

[The_Fit_Ness_Monster]

Arborists DRT is the main reason I moved to saddle in the first place then I discovered JRB, throw all can be a con for some but no matter how much research and try I give I can’t bring myself to trust sticks at all. Big thing about ropes is they don’t kick out… ever lol but I can see how the throwball aspect can put people off. In the same token though, I walk in find sign and get up, I throw every time, I’ve set 2 presets in 2 seasons of using this method and have never gone back to them so I just throw every time, if you’ve ever played baseball or have a slight understanding of physics and trajectory it isn’t rocket science max I throw for is maybe 40’, ezpz.

 

[Jammintree]

Arborists DRT is the main reason I moved to saddle in the first place then I discovered JRB, throw all can be a con for some but no matter how much research and try I give I can’t bring myself to trust sticks at all. Big thing about ropes is they don’t kick out… ever lol but I can see how the throwball aspect can put people off. In the same token though, I walk in find sign and get up, I throw every time, I’ve set 2 presets in 2 seasons of using this method and have never gone back to them so I just throw every time, if you’ve ever played baseball or have a slight understanding of physics and trajectory it isn’t rocket science max I throw for is maybe 40’, ezpz.

I’m in the same boat. I used to work in the arborculture world and already knew DRT.

I’ve got somewhere around 30 presets, which I tend toward using for morning hunts, and sometimes evenings too . Every year I remove some and add others. I rarely sit a tree more than 2x in a season. Many of my presets won’t get used through an entire season; if the deer aren’t there that year I don’t feel like I have to hunt it just becomes I prepped it.

I do occasionally carry and use sticks, but I’ve grown accustomed to being securely tied in all the time. I’ve never slipped while relying solely on a lineman’s belt, but I’ve seen it happen to fellow climbers. It’s not something I ever want to experience. I love being on a rope with no slack, it feels nearly foolproof if done right. With sticks it’s so tempting to free climb at least periodically.

Over the last few years I’ve tended toward letting the location and situation dictate how I hunt it, rather than imposing a method and approach.