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What is your Drt setup ???

B

Brandonallgood

Member
Joined
May 5, 2020
Messages
46
Im new to saddle hunting in general and have only bow hunted for a year. But I love the low entry cost, and minimal equipment needed to get into drt saddle hunting. I'd like to know everyones dry climbing and sitting equipment including rope length (rope, saddle, platform or ros, etc.).
 
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Brandonallgood said:
Im new to saddle hunting in general and have only bow hunted for a year. But I love the low entry cost, and minimal equipment needed to get into drt saddle hunting. I'd like to know everyones dry climbing and sitting equipment including rope length (rope, saddle, platform or ros, etc.).
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Have you tried DRT? The hip thrust is not as easy as a person who has been doing it for 30 years makes it seem. I tried it and could not climb hanging from a branch in free air. I later realized having your feet against a tree would make it easier. Once I went to SRT, I had no trouble and continue with that. I tried DRT later with a foot ascender but I could see no advantage over SRT.
 
I've tried drt with rock climbing rope. Never while hunting, but the movement didn't seem too hard or exerting but I'm also 18 and 150lbs
 
Brandonallgood said:
I've tried drt with rock climbing rope. Never while hunting, but the movement didn't seem too hard or exerting but I'm also 18 and 150lbs
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I understand. I am 61 and 170 lbs. DRT does seem a little quieter although I don't really make much noise aside from throwing the throwball over a limb. I used a method using an Electrical Conduit Push Pole to push a girth hitched rope up a limbless tree but that would not work for DRT unless you girth hitched a friction saver. I posted most of the things I've done on here starting last summer.
 
If price wasn't an issue, I'd spring for srt but for now I'm going to try 75 feet of 8mm sterling oplux
 
I've always thought that twice as much climbing rated rope nearly makes up for the cost of a belay device and ascender with half the rope.
 
I Just looked at a few prices from Amazon.
Beal Birdie $65
New Doar ascender $36
32 feet Sterling HTP from @DanO $27
Total $128

75 Feet Sterling Oplux from @DanO $142

I bought a Birdie from a member here and it worked the same as my GriGri and Madrock Lifeguard and Safeguard. I used all 4 of them and they all work the same. I got a generic ascender from a member here last year and later got a Petzl ascender. The Petzl is lighter but the generic one always worked the same. If you are willing to wait for sales or someone selling used the prices would be better. These prices are all current although @DanO seems to be out of Oplux at the moment. He is at doublesteps.com. He nearly always has the best prices on many items. He has the Safeguard at $90.
Here is my setup. I just wind the rope back and forth through carabiners as a backup. It is not as complicated as it looks.
 
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Many of the people on the treebuzz forum said that the length of rope for both set and dry would be the same length
 
Brandonallgood said:
Many of the people on the treebuzz forum said that the length of rope for both set and dry would be the same length
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If you use a base tie for SRT that is true. If you girth hitch around a limb or trunk you only need about half the length. You need some paracord to get your rope back down after you descend in that case.
 
Brandonallgood said:
Push pole? What is that
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Here is my story. It works well. I get my head to about 20 feet. I realized last fall if I went any higher my head was surrounded by leaves and I could not see so about 20 feet was about right for where I hunted. I later used a throwball just for practice and to try to get a buck. I never saw a buck but did see more does but I only had one license so they walked.

Electrical Rope Pusher Pole Success

I used my 10 foot electrical conduit rope pusher to push the rope up a tree. It worked. I shot a doe. Now I can try for the buck. My tether was set at 17 feet which seems kind of low but the leaf canopy was around there so I could not see as far if I went higher. It was so thick in there at...
saddlehunter.com
 
Last year was the first time I've hunted from a tree and thought it was unfair to the deer. They mostly don't seem to notice you and when they do they wonder what this lump is up in the tree. The visiblity down through the canopy is fantastic compared to at ground level.
 
You will need a few carabiners at around $12 each.
1. Belay device atachment
2. ascender top attachment - this gives 3:1 mechanical advantage - you don't really need a pulley or carabiner with built in pulley. It is just smoother.
3. You need a foot strap. I used a nylon tie down strap I found on the road. Even a piece of rope will work for a foot strap. I just tie it to the bottom attachment point of the ascender.
4. I tie my ascender to my bridge with a climbing sling, about $10. Many people don't do this but I want to have backups on backups. I am attached to my bridge to the belay device and the ascender. If either one fails the other will hold me. Climbing equipment is professional quality so is the best available and should not fail.
 
I can't remember anyone here repeatedly extolling the virtues of DRT. In fact, Joe, from NY Saddle hunter on Youtube has started climbing, as he stated, about half SRT and half DRT. Scott has been doing DRT for 40 years so it is easy for him. If I didn't SRT I would one stick climb. I was able to do it when I tried. It was slow and I had to get used to sitting on a saddle hanging in a tree which is disconcerting at first. If I did it more I am sure it would get easier. SRT was easy at first for me. I could do it with my eyes closed now.
 
I learned drt from scratch this spring and feel pretty comfortable with it. I have 80' of predator rope,a throw bag,one biner and a predator platform and phantom saddle. Drt without a foot ascender is damn near impossible if you dont have your feet on the tree. If you do have them on the tree it is easy after a few tries.
I will have to come up with a climbing system for early morning hunts,and i think i may try something i saw on you tube. I think diy sportsman has a clip on it,he uses a homemade one step aider to stand on and then raises the tether,climbs up a bit and then raises the aider and stands up in that. Rinse and repeat.
 
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