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Thinking about presets for next season... Advice?

TNbowhunter

TNbowhunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
1,021
Location
Middle Tennessee
My season just ended in Tennessee, and I'm already looking forward to next year. With this being my first offseason with a saddle, I've never preset any trees for saddle hunting specifically. What exactly do y'all like to do, and what do you like to use? I have a set of bolts, three Hawk Heliums, around 30 screw-in Ameristeps, and a Predator platform. I'm envisioning doing a combination of trimming vines and such for climbing sticks, pre-drilling trees for bolts, and setting a couple screw-in step trees (all presets will be on private). Thoughts?

Are there clear advantages to setting up trees for bolts versus screw-in steps or vice versa (e.g., not leaving open holes by placing and leaving screw-in steps will help tree health)? Should I purchase additional screw-in steps?

Basically, I'm asking how y'all think I should invest my time, energy, and money this offseason in terms of presets. Thanks in advance!
 
my plan for areas I know i can leave presets are using a few of these,


The nice thing about a stick like this is its easily moved and doesn't weigh a ton. In areas I worry about theft I am going to do sticks and use the 2 bottom sticks like I normally would and take them in and out and leave the top 2 or 3 where they are.
 
RRussell said:
my plan for areas I know i can leave presets are using a few of these,


The nice thing about a stick like this is its easily moved and doesn't weigh a ton. In areas I worry about theft I am going to do sticks and use the 2 bottom sticks like I normally would and take them in and out and leave the top 2 or 3 where they are.
Click to expand...
That looks awesome, but not sure I want to invest $70 in each preset tree... Any cheaper options I'm missing other than what I mentioned above (other than maybe SRT, which is still a bit too adventurous for my liking as a newbie saddle hunter)?
 
preset everything with bolts. ORder a pile og grad 8 from ebay. 4 for ROS. Pull bottom 4 or 5 when you leave. when you come back to hunt, carry the 4 or 5 needed for the bottom and you;re good!
 
Bolts or screw in steps are great for presets, but climbing sticks/tree ladders are arguably much easier to setup. Cost-wise screw ins/bolts are probably marginally cheaper than the cheapest climbing sticks, but far more effort to install. With bolts and screw ins you're really not limited by the type of tree you can climb with them, but with climbing sticks/tree ladders you will be. With screw ins/bolts some people like to remove the bottom 3-4 steps to prevent others from climbing their trees, but if there's not a stand in them they're not likely to hunt them anyway. You also have to take care to pilot the holes generously enough so that they don't close up narrower than the step diameter before season starts.

You should decide if you want to try and use your screw ins/bolts as a platform or haul your predator in for each hunt. Screw ins/bolts are generally the least comfortable platform option simply because of their narrow profile. The last few times I hunted presets I brought my predator in with me and was much happier I did. You might be OK with standing on bolts / screw ins - be sure to try it around the yard first to see if you like it.

With screw ins I am generally able to use about 10 steps to get to at 20-25ft depending on the tree and 2-3 more for the platform if that is what I am using for the platform.

When you goto prep your trees I would bring the following gear and plan on 30min-1hr per tree depending on how much work needs to be done:
  • saddle with linemans belt (it really is the best piece of tree prepping gear out there)
  • 12ft extendable pole saw
  • small folding hand saw
  • small set of pruners
  • compact cordless drill with 1/2" or 5/8" drill bit and a fresh battery OR one of those tree step sledge things. There is also a woodpecker drill that is popular with bolt users, but i've never used it.
  • rubber mallet
  • heavy duty gloves
  • heavy fanny pack or backpack to store most items
  • large 64oz nalegene water bottle
  • 30ft+ of bow pull cord
  • small accessory hooks
It may seem like a lot but this will allow you to completely prep your tree and not have to come back until the season starts.

Start by identifying the tree you want to hunt out of. Taking your cordless drill pilot a hole 1-2" deep so you can get the step inserted but not so deep that you don't leave anything for the threads to bite into. Install your first step however high from ground level as you need to match the height of legs as you climb, generally about foot to knee, though if you're a little more flexible you might be able to get away with them spaced more generously.

Continue installing until you've gotten to the height you want to hunt at. If you are installing screw ins/bolts for a ring of steps then proceed to pilot holes around a tree 6-10" above the last step you installed. Take some care that they are somewhat on the same 'plane' because if one foot is higher than the other it can cause some discomfort.

Don't forget about the rubber mallet you brought too if you need to turn your screw ins a few extra turns but lack the elbow grease to do so.

Once you've got your ring of steps/platform installed you can step up and figure out where you want your accessory hooks to go. Install those based on your preference, but one on each side of the tree will give you a place to hang your weapon and your pack. I like to hang my pack a little lower so I can reach into it without having to stretch up, and similarly with my weapon hook I want to only have to extend my arm outward slightly to grab my weapon.

Next mentally flag any trees/limbs you will need to remove for shooting lanes. If you remembered to bring your hand saw and pruners you can trim up your tree while you're still up there as well, or on the way down. On the ground use the pole saw to continue trimming up shooting lanes.

Now since you probably worked your tail off already sit down and have a slurp or two of H20. Hopefully you remembered gloves and your hands aren't raw and you want to go and prep another one right after this one, right? :D

Good luck! Prepped trees are the best once you have them set.
 
TNbowhunter said:
That looks awesome, but not sure I want to invest $70 in each preset tree... Any cheaper options I'm missing other than what I mentioned above (other than maybe SRT, which is still a bit too adventurous for my liking as a newbie saddle hunter)?
Click to expand...
SRT is really pretty easy. It really comes down to what you have experience with. With a preset loop of mason's twine in each tree you would only need rope, a toothed ascender, a few straps and carabiners and a Madrock Safeguard. The security of hanging from a rope at all times sold me as well as ease of climbing with weak legs. Standing on one foot at height was unnerving with sticks or steps.
 
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TNbowhunter said:
That looks awesome, but not sure I want to invest $70 in each preset tree... Any cheaper options I'm missing other than what I mentioned above (other than maybe SRT, which is still a bit too adventurous for my liking as a newbie saddle hunter)?
Click to expand...


I would only preset 2-3 for next year at most, the rest I will pack in sticks when I hunt
 
One thing I really like about preset bolts is set em and forget em. Not straps to check or change, no noise from the sticks, nothing. This is just my personal experience, but those 20' ladders can get LOUD. That and a bunch of ratchet straps gets expensive fast.
 
rakbowhunter said:
One thing I really like about preset bolts is set em and forget em. Not straps to check or change, no noise from the sticks, nothing. This is just my personal experience, but those 20' ladders can get LOUD. That and a bunch of ratchet straps gets expensive fast.
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Exactly! squirrels, birds and chipmunks dont fancy the taste of the grade 8 :cool:
 
I use screw ins for the whole preset, been doing it forever. If it's on private land and the spot is good, it gets preset. Even though i use the LWHC for limbless trees often, I'm actually a ROS guy. I find it more comfortable for me. I'm old school though annnnd I may have really hard feet.
 
DaveT1963 said:
I don't like to leave any trace of my presence.
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This is a reason I almost never trim branches. I have located so many other guys spots that I would never have otherwise noted by the presence of out of place green leaves on the forest floor from the cuttings. If there's absolutely no openings where I locate a prime spot I'll move up or down the travel corridor slightly to find a spot with an opening.
 
I have a few spots with screw in steps but I'm looking to shift more to SRT. SRT seems like it would be safer being tied in the whole time. The though is always in the back of my mind that if I slip, I could get gouged.

I run a lone wolf hand climber but I'm either going to get a JX3 or DIY something (search "Preacher Seat" in the search function here) and have a screw in step ROS. I've toyed with it in the yard and it ain't bad at all.

My advice would be, whatever your going to go with, test it in the yard a lot before going in the woods.
 
Dave makes great points. Hiding a set should be a priority.
I would ask just how private is the property? The answer to that will dictate the amount of pre setting that you dare to do.

Next question is how accessible is the tree? It makes no sense to preset trees that are not realistic for a low impact access.

Then decide how much of an access trail you can make without other hunters finding it. Clearing the trail can be an art in itself. Prune cuts should be inconspicuous. I avoid tacks. I often lay out logs, branches, etc that help guide me in the dark.

Once you determine that you can reach the spot, then analyze the tree. Walk out to the trails deer will approach and look at your tree. Are you hidden? How about sky lighting? Sometimes its better to place a preset 5 feet lower to avoid skylighting. Guys get too hung up on thinking they gotta be ~20 feet.
Check the surrounding trees. A backround canopy of oaks is much better than species that drop leaves early.
Same with the stand tree...I like to be among trees that give me cover thru the entire season.
And speaking of species...some grow like crazy and can make a stand too tight on the tree because of growth. We had trouble with Iowa trees...they grew so much over one summer that we had trouble removing the stand after our Nov hunt.

Heavy pruning... do it early so you don't need to do it pre season. Heavy prep in late winter and dress it up with light pruning in late summer.

Hide the stand...from people and deer.

Fold the stand up.

Hang the haul line and tie it so it doesn't blow up out of reach.

I'm sure I left out a few details.
 
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If you are planning to prep lots of different areas, I have found that lightly trimming lanes and tying a string around the tree at platform/ros height is all the prep work that needs to be done. It is very easy and efficient to use one set of light climbing sticks and practice your setup routine in the off season. You can easily be to hunting height with one trip up the tree in 3-5 minutes when you get your routine down. I will often move around to new spots based upon deer movement with little or no prep work. I have found that the less I disturb, the more successful I have been.
 
Lot of good suggestions in here.
Presetting trees is one of my favorite hunting related activities as well as scouting and shed hunting.
I’m a big fan of bolts and a cordless drill for off season presets on private land. If I had any screw in steps I’d use them up and go with bolts from now on. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve preset trees with climbing ladders or climbing sticks that were nice and silent but turned into squeaking hunt busters when the cold weather came.
On trees where a lineman’s belt isn’t possible to use I install a lifeline. I don’t take risks.
Dave T’s idea of a log book with all your sets is a good idea if you have a lot of them and they aren’t all set up exactly the same. Funny how we can forget. Nothing like getting to a set and realizing that I needed to bring a bow rope for this one, or 4 bolts for the bottom holes, or...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
On private I will use rapid rails or pre-drill for bolts. I’m the only one bow hunting the property so I don’t have to worry about others finding my sets. They are often close to our box stands anyway.

On public I am primarily prepping for one sticking or the occasional WE steps application on really limby trees. My primary area is hadwood river bottoms. My main goal is to get the tree clear of vines and other major obstructions. I will take a machete in and go around the bottom to cut all of the vines, particularly looking out for poison ivy. Then I will come back a few weeks later to climb once all the vines have died and pull them off.

I do like the idea of putting a tack at platform height. I will likely add that to the routine.

like others have mentioned, I rely on familiarity with the land or gps (OnX) as opposed to marking trails with tacks or flagging. Once I have an area prepped, I will mark it and make notes in the waypoint as to how it is set up, what species of tree, what direction to face, etc.
 
kyler1945 said:
I wish someone would go in the offseason to every tree I might hunt next year and pull poison ivy vines off of them for me...
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I made the mistake of climbing one on Tuesday morning that wasn’t prepped. FYI...even though the leaves die off, the vines are still poisonous. Got it all over my hands, neck, some on my left inside elbow, a random spot on one of my thighs, and worst of all my nether regions. I ordered some ivy-x pre and post exposure towelettes to keep in all of my packs.

Next step is to wash all of my ropes, gloves, clothes, etc.
 
Deerinthawoods said:
I made the mistake of climbing one on Tuesday morning that wasn’t prepped. FYI...even though the leaves die off, the vines are still poisonous. Got it all over my hands, neck, some on my left inside elbow, a random spot on one of my thighs, and worst of all my nether regions. I ordered some ivy-x pre and post exposure towelettes to keep in all of my packs.

Next step is to wash all of my ropes, gloves, clothes, etc.
Click to expand...
If you get enough poison ivy exposure it can become systemic and pop up in spot that have not been in contact with the oils. If it gets that bad you should see a doctor and get a steroid shot.
 
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