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Who climbs stealth like Sam Potter?

Wolverinebuckman

Wolverinebuckman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
591
Location
Southern Kentucky
I watched a video made by Sam Potter called Sam's Stealth Climb. I want to learn this style. I love the climber I used last year for this "style" of climb, and am very intrigued by the thought of only using two ropes to climb a tree. All of this is new to me.
Sam, do you still use this method, and any input you would care to give?
Does anyone else use this climbing style?
How do you get around branches?
What are your tether lengths?
What are the equipment basics needed to make this work?

Thanks in advance for the info!
Chris
 
I've watched the video and tried to make it work I think its viable if you have straight climber type trees
 
There are several people that have been messing with climbing with two tethers, we talked about it in another thread. I played around with it one time this winter but, used webbing loops for my feet and added two Ropeman 1's to the set up along with a couple other modifications that allow you to easily go around limbs. I was at 20' in around 5 minutes. If it ever stops raining/snowing/sleeting I will post a video.
 
I still think Dan Infalt's early videos showing him sneaking in on a buck bed and setting up (simulated) is still the most viable method of climbing a tree undetected. There are three things we must consider to remain undetected - Noise, Movement and wind direction.... All three of these can and do alert game to our presence.


While I value chasing the lightest climbing tools possible - I value stealth above all. If you cannot get in undetected nothing else really matters IMO (unless you are happy with any random deer that just happens to walk by). I honestly believe that approach to a stand should be the #1 priority when hunting a tree. And then getting set up as quietly and without detection being a close #2. If you make a lot of quick movement, any deer or any other animal for that matter, is going to detect you and alert others. Staying as close to the tree, on the far side from where you expect deer to come, and moving SLOWLY should be IMO the primary goals of a climbing system. I often wonder how many bucks live to see another day, because they detected me approaching and climbing, that I never knew had caught me. Being careless and noisy during approach and climbing is probably educating and saving more bucks then we realize. I know for me, my success climbed significantly when I learned to SLOW way down and to try to climb a tree with as little movement as possible...... and staying behind the tree while doing so.

Perhaps a good meme to tape to our bow limbs should be "Become The Sloth!"
 
GCTerpfan said:
There are several people that have been messing with climbing with two tethers, we talked about it in another thread. I played around with it one time this winter but, used webbing loops for my feet and added two Ropeman 1's to the set up along with a couple other modifications that allow you to easily go around limbs. I was at 20' in around 5 minutes. If it ever stops raining/snowing/sleeting I will post a video.
Click to expand...
Great! I would love to see that.
 
DaveT1963 said:
I still think Dan Infalt's early videos showing him sneaking in on a buck bed and setting up (simulated) is still the most viable method of climbing a tree undetected. There are three things we must consider to remain undetected - Noise, Movement and wind direction.... All three of these can and do alert game to our presence.


While I value chasing the lightest climbing tools possible - I value stealth above all. If you cannot get in undetected nothing else really matters IMO (unless you are happy with any random deer that just happens to walk by). I honestly believe that approach to a stand should be the #1 priority when hunting a tree. And then getting set up as quietly and without detection being a close #2. If you make a lot of quick movement, any deer or any other animal for that matter, is going to detect you and alert others. Staying as close to the tree, on the far side from where you expect deer to come, and moving SLOWLY should be IMO the primary goals of a climbing system. I often wonder how many bucks live to see another day, because they detected me approaching and climbing, that I never knew had caught me. Being careless and noisy during approach and climbing is probably educating and saving more bucks then we realize. I know for me, my success climbed significantly when I learned to SLOW way down and to try to climb a tree with as little movement as possible...... and staying behind the tree while doing so.

Perhaps a good meme to tape to our bow limbs should be "Become The Sloth!"
Click to expand...

DaveT1963,

Have to say .... I like this post !!
You know what your doing my brother and I am with you.

Stealth mode sniper style hunting.

You can with me anytime ...come on down to Ohio !!!
 
I watched that video and had to stop 3 mins as soon as the guy said this will only work on trees with no limbs and whatever else about the bark of the tree....or something to that effect.

That's when I ruled that climbing style out the door.

Doing that at 5am in the dark of night doesn't seem appealing to me.

I want to be off the ground and climbing up asap , quietly , efficiently , not using a lot energy building up a sweat, and done with my set in 5 to 10 minutes.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks,
Josh
 
Josh- I think each method has its benefits. This seams potentially perfect for those run and gun days where your 10 miles into the woods and randomly find a great funnel, or spot with ton of activity. Don't want to haul a ton of gear around all day and not use it. Tis would be perfect and if carrying cordollette for a drag, would probably be carrying pretty much everything you need already anyway...
 
Vtbow,

I hear ya and see a valid point but 10 miles?

I guess if we are on an elk hunt in the mountains all good.

If I got 10 miles to cover I am going to find a different way in hopefully..whether it be canoe or kayak ECT if we are hunting for deer.

I can't imagine how much game would be bumped and educated doing all this walking around unless we are hunting mountainous terrain.

I would use my topo maps, satellite , and aerials to better pin down the areas I would want to scout ...then go and find the easiest way in and out , go for a quick prescout , drop a couple cameras and let them do my recon for me.

Couple weeks later get the cameras , check the Intel and make adjustments accordingly for another scouting session.

Nothing better than putting boots on the ground but every time you do you add pressure, and believe me they know your there or will find out via scent left behind.
 
I see that canoe in your pic ....use it much for slipping in the back side of some state or public land ?

Other guys gotta park at the road and walk in ...slip in from the back early get set up and harvest the booner they bumped up coming in.

I
 
Saddle and Straps-
When I hunt rifle with 3-4 other guys we easily cover 10-15 miles in a day. We go in then it is dark and come out when it is dark. We're talking seriously mountainous terrain in Vermont. And we're not talking 10 miles to "get to the spot" we're talking hunting ridges, saddles, ponds, draws and walking with intermittent stops at pre-hunted spots, or areas with hot spots or good view. generally half the guys start on one side of the mountain and half on the other. The whitetail population in VT is not that dense so in order to search out the big ones you generall have to put the distance in.
 
Not a ton of water accessible land to hunt in the Vermont area unfortunately. Good fishing though:)
 
Got it then yes by all means I understand the hike and miles and sounds awesome !!!

That's the real deal hunt to me ...rugged mountainous terrain, calves burning , heart about pound out of your chest.

Come out from a days hunting and feel like you left 3 yrs of age back on the mountain lol.
 
"Come out from a days hunting and feel like you left 3 yrs of age back on the mountain lol." You got it!!!!! have to keep changing which direction you are traversing the steeps because your hip flexor on one side hurts too much :)
 
Oh I definately understand.

It's funny how some guys like the going up the mountain and some like the going down.

Hip and calves vs knees, ankles and joints.
 
DaveT1963 said:
<snip>

While I value chasing the lightest climbing tools possible - I value stealth above all. If you cannot get in undetected nothing else really matters IMO (unless you are happy with any random deer that just happens to walk by). I honestly believe that approach to a stand should be the #1 priority when hunting a tree. And then getting set up as quietly and without detection being a close #2. If you make a lot of quick movement, any deer or any other animal for that matter, is going to detect you and alert others. Staying as close to the tree, on the far side from where you expect deer to come, and moving SLOWLY should be IMO the primary goals of a climbing system. I often wonder how many bucks live to see another day, because they detected me approaching and climbing, that I never knew had caught me. Being careless and noisy during approach and climbing is probably educating and saving more bucks then we realize. I know for me, my success climbed significantly when I learned to SLOW way down and to try to climb a tree with as little movement as possible...... and staying behind the tree while doing so.

Perhaps a good meme to tape to our bow limbs should be "Become The Sloth!"
Click to expand...

How does a non-metal rope-based method of ascending a tree have a negative affect on stealth? Isn't it fair to suggest a guy committed to ascending via ropes could be just as stealthy, if not more, than a guy using sticks? He's lighter, and there's less metal to clunk around. I've read your post a few times and all things being equal I'm not getting what you're opposed to.
 
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