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Tree Bolts Question

J

JCope

New Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
4
Good evening,

If I drilled my holes for bolts in August would they still be fine in late October ?

I'm thinking of using bolts this year. Would love to drill the holes in August when I set cameras out, then stay out out till late October.

I plan on removing the bolts and reinstalling when I hunt.

Thanks
 
Depends on the type of tree. I tried bolts this past season in the piney woods of east texas… holes in pine trees fill up with sap in less than a week. Only option for pine is to leave bolts in until you’re done hunting that tree that season.

I’ve not had the ability to test bolts in hardwood trees, but I expect drilling in august and hunting October will be no problem at all.


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Short answer...Don't count on it.

Not only will tree species will come into play, but grain characteristics of even particular sections of an individual tree can vary.

I've drilled trees that had very durable wood fibers in which it was a little difficult to insert bolts immediately after drilling. I doubt that I could have come back in 2 months and inserted a bolt without re-drilling.

Plus, depending on where you are talking about, August may not be the end of the growing season.
 
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My answer, based on my first season using bolts is no. When I was in that lease several years back, I drilled about 8 or 10 trees pre-season thinking I would be all set. They had partially grown in. This was in late July, early August time frame when I drilled. By October 1 they had to be cleaned out. Luckily, I had my hand drill with me. This was in the South. Depending on your region this may be different slightly. I would say a good rule of thumb is if you drill the tree after the leaves have dropped it will likely be fine until the spring green up. Once the tree greens up it is growing again and will do so until it becomes dormant in the fall. If you leave the bolts in it will be fine.
 
I leave my bolts in the tree . This is my first year using bolts but buddies of mine who leave their bolts in up here in New England usually the bolts are good for 3+ years depending on tree . Then you drill next to it and add a second
 
I found the the hand drill and bolts combo for a hang and hunt could be a pain. Drilling with a power drill and leaving the bolts in works well. I broke my bit in my tree hopper drill after about 15 trees and went back to my cranford steps.
 
John 35 said:
I found the the hand drill and bolts combo for a hang and hunt could be a pain. Drilling with a power drill and leaving the bolts in works well. I broke my bit in my tree hopper drill after about 15 trees and went back to my cranford steps.
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Where did the bit break? Was it at the tip, or back where the retainer screw holds it to the handle?
 
The tip. I think I was holding the drill at to much of an angle. Probably user error but I’d had enough of it regardless. I usually had problems getting all the wood chips out so I could get the bolt in.
 
John 35 said:
The tip. I think I was holding the drill at to much of an angle. Probably user error but I’d had enough of it regardless. I usually had problems getting all the wood chips out so I could get the bolt in.
Click to expand...
I've mentioned this on threads about bolts...guys should carry a spare bit and tape a little allen wrench to the drill body. There is a realistic possibility of hitting metal (old farm fence, etc) embedded in trees. Breaking the tip can happen and being a half mile from the truck with a broken bit will leave you dead in the water. I want to be prepared to fix the drill in the woods if the need arises.

The reason I asked where your bit broke was because some of the earliest prototype bits were not hardened where the retainer screw attached the drill body to the bit. I did have a couple fail during testing. The issue was corrected but I just wanted to make sure that you didn't somehow have one of those non hardened bits.

As far as clearing the hole of chips, there is a bit of a learning curve to clearing the chips. I pull the drill part-way out and continue cranking a few times. That usally clears the hole. With that being said, there are definitely some species of tree that drill better than others. The harder the wood the better. I'm amazed at how well the Treehopper drill bores into osage and honey locust. Those woods are hard as heck. Ive actually broken the lags of screw in steps in those species.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I've mentioned this on threads about bolts...guys should carry a spare bit and tape a little allen wrench to the drill body. There is a realistic possibility of hitting metal (old farm fence, etc) embedded in trees. Breaking the tip can happen and being a half mile from the truck with a broken bit will leave you dead in the water. I want to be prepared to fix the drill in the woods if the need arises.

The reason I asked where your bit broke was because some of the earliest prototype bits were not hardened where the retainer screw attached the drill body to the bit. I did have a couple fail during testing. The issue was corrected but I just wanted to make sure that you didn't somehow have one of those non hardened bits.

As far as clearing the hole of chips, there is a bit of a learning curve to clearing the chips. I pull the drill part-way out and continue cranking a few times. That usally clears the hole. With that being said, there are definitely some species of tree that drill better than others. The harder the wood the better. I'm amazed at how well the Treehopper drill bores into osage and honey locust. Those woods are hard as heck. Ive actually broken the lags of screw in steps in those species.
Click to expand...
I agree with all with all you said, I had just figured out the back the drill out and crank it some more to remove the chips thing. My personal favorite way to climb are the cranford double fold screw ins. But bolts and the tree hopper drill is really light weight and compact. I’d take that system over sticks any day.
 
How do you mark your pre-drilled holes…….so you can find them easily upon a return trip to the tree?
Especially in the dark….
 
I asked same question last year. Best answer I found was to leave 3/8” popsicle sticks in the holes. Easy to find in the dark with touch only. Replace popsicle sticks with bolts on the way up, and vice versa coming down.

Heads up though, this does not work with pine trees. Worked great right after I drilled holes, but the next week the sap had the sticks locked in forever.


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What I do is I always drill the holes the same way on the tree, I start on right side facing the tree and put the first bolt at knee level, then place my foot up on the right bolt and gauge where to drill the second bolt hole on the left side at knee level. Then I use my arm length on top of the second, left bolt to gauge where the third, right bolt will be. Then just hook up the lineman's belt and go from there. I started putting a reflective tack right by the first hole to get me started in the dark. If I can find the first one the rest should be spaced out where I should know within a couple of inches where to look.

Oh, and I almost never drill pines. The sap in terrible.

For presets the cordless drill and bit are way better than using the hand drill.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
What I do is I always drill the holes the same way on the tree, I start on right side facing the tree and put the first bolt at knee level, then place my foot up on the right bolt and gauge where to drill the second bolt hole on the left side at knee level. Then I use my arm length on top of the second, left bolt to gauge where the third, right bolt will be. Then just hook up the lineman's belt and go from there. I started putting a reflective tack right by the first hole to get me started in the dark. If I can find the first one the rest should be spaced out where I should know within a couple of inches where to look.

Oh, and I almost never drill pines. The sap in terrible.

For presets the cordless drill and bit are way better than using the hand drill.
Click to expand...
That's almost exactly how I do it.
Once I have my lineman belt on, I'm always drilling at face-level which helps me to really see the drilling angle. It also keeps my crank rotation well above the lineman.
And I leave the drill securely in the hole when I need my hands to reposition the lineman, or fish in my pack for the next bolt, or use pruners, etc. Leave the drill in the hole until you are fully ready for the next hole.

This is pretty basic stuff but it's good to develop a repetitive system and stick to it.
 
I have hunted the same pine for 10 years. All I do is clean up the holes come hunting season. The top ones I leave is during the season require a ratchet to remove
 
I drill at Knee Hip and Shoulder As i go up i always drill at my shoulder That is easiest for me I hate to feel like my lineman's is in the way I dont usually have a problem finding my predrills so i dont mark the holes
 
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