tree stand hunters

George Ackley · September 18, 2007, 09:25:01 AM

Browning,
I haven't read the hole thread and maybe someone help you out but if I can get my 350 lb up 25' I shore you can pal.

See if this helps,
First thing I always do is pick the right tree by pre scouting the area.
then I get my tree stand squared away for caring it. I have found that some short extra tie downs around my stand help with the noise it makes caring it on my back.
I also put the tape the kid use for there skate board decks on my bottom plat form of my stand.
sometimes a long peace of pipe installation around my shooting rail or just a short peace that you can move around to were your going to need it.
A short peace of rope that you can attach your top part of your stand to the bottom of your stand , this will help prevent you ever loosing you bottom stand on the way up a tree. why practicing with your stand see just how much of a movement you make while you inch worm your way up the tree and make the ropes length to
fit your movement and add about 10'' this way if you loose it the bottom will only fall as far as the rope lets it.
I DIDN'T SEE were you posted your style of climbing that you used but here is what big old me dose,,,,
first a tree get smaller as it go's upward so you must MUST set your stand on the tree at a angle that when your at your desired height the platform will be 90% from the tree trunk. I axially like my platform to still point up a little when I am at my height I find it a little more comfortable to sit with my feet at a small angle .
most of my setups I start off at the bottom of the tree with my seat and platform at a little more then 45%
but it will depend on the tree you pick. A little thing to remember when picking a tree is MAKE SHORE the tree you pick and the tree's around it are in good shape nothing like havening your tree start to brake while your ascending it, or having another tree brake and fall into you. tree's with leaves are good trees with no leaves are bad....
ok now I have my stand around the tree, I will raise the seat part of my stand as high as it will let me.
this way I can use it to help me get my boots into the bottom of the stands climbing straps.
Also mike shore the straps fit snug! most are mad so you can get a hunting boot in them so when you try and use a worm weather or thin boot there may be slack.. I like them to fit good and snug .
Ok your in your stand, I am guessing but I hope at this time your are facing the tree and sitting on your rail.
if so then you almost ready to start inch worming your way up,,, BUT FIRST NOW IS THE TIME to attach you safety harness to the tree before you move a inch up!!!!!! IF your using a total harness witch you should be!! attach it to the tree right in front of you face high it will not need to be tightened up all the way to the tree you can leave it loose with it just snug enough to keep it in place. there is always something that you should keep in the back of you head that being HOW DO I GET MY SELF DOWN IF ALL GO'S BAD AND I FIND MYSELF HANGING IN THE TREE!!!! I carry a good heavy tree step and a length of rope just in case.
I myself all ways leave a map to show were I am hunting,,, some kind of nose maker so people can hear you.. this is something that you should have in your pack anyway while out hunting or just out in the woods.
you wouldn't Bellevue how fast you can loose your voice , so a small wissile is good to have.
Ok your ready to climb,,,
Now your sitting on your rail that is front of your seat(shooting rail)your facing the tree with your feet in the straps and your safety harness hook to the tree , all I do from here is,, stand up,,move my rail up to it is right under my butt ,,, then I sit down on it and then pull my legs up,,,how I do this is ,I point my toe's down witch will release the pressure of the strap that go's around the tree and I pull up on the platform of the stand,,,
I move it up about a foot to 16'' then put my weight back on it ,,, then I stand up and repeat the prosses
moving my safety harness with every move.
try and hang your bow and pack with enough rope that you never move them from the ground till your at you desired height.. know sense in trying to work the wight of them up the tree while you are climbing
Also as you are climbing, your stand will start to work it way level ...
Now that your at your hunting height, first thing is to drew your safety harness titer to the tree,
I like mine to be head height if I were sitting down.. 2 thing is to make shore all is well with your stand give it a good looking over.. know for your seat ,, I like my seat to be set were my butt is a little lower then my knees when i am sitting down.
this can be done by making your seat set at a little bit of a upward angle .. I find this to be the most comfortable way to sit ..
HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU GO? what ever your comfortable at is the best height ,, height will come in time
pick a good tree that will give you cover is all you need to do if you don't go high

I know I mist some stuff , and you may need to read this a couple times to hear what I am saying
THE BOTTOM LINE IS

BE SAFE & HAVE A GOOD TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

here something to also keep in the back of your head as your working your safety strap up the tree

Better to loose a minuet in life then life in a minuet,,,,,

so take the time and use your safety equipment please

George

sorry about the spelling

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 10:05:37 AM

Thanks for the tips, I am gonna go out in a little bit and give it another try.

studabaka · September 18, 2007, 10:14:17 AM

My summit came with a strap with an alligator clip on it. Once you get to where you want to be and before you bungy your seat back to the tree, use that strap to hold the seat portion of your climber tightly to the tree so it won't come loose or wiggle when your moving around.

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 10:19:22 AM

mine has the same strap. sounds like a good idea.

studabaka · September 18, 2007, 10:41:14 AM

Oh.... and try practicing on a nice straight ash. You get a pretty good latch on to their bark. Some species bark can be a bit challenging.

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 05:54:08 PM

tried it again on a big ole. red oak. I was able to climb but it took me a while. Everyone says how comfy the summits are but I found it weird.

The seat seemed small and like I was just waiting to drop. Maybe I will angle the seat into the tree more for that reclined feeling.

THO Game Calls · September 18, 2007, 06:39:40 PM

So you got up the tree - and once you sat down, you had that "what the hell was I thinking buying this thing this aint natural and it's a long assed way to the ground and I must be CRAZY damn I hope no one sees me up here looking like a squirel the neighbors will call the cops" feeling?

Yup, been there done that. You get over it. Mostly anyway.

Glad you are making progress. Wont be long now before you get up there, sit down, pour yourself a cup of coffee, lean back, relax and just enjoy the view. It's not so bad once you get the hang of it.

Al

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 06:49:08 PM

the feeling of being up there was pretty cool other that the "is it ok to scream like a girl if I fall" thought in my head.

like I said is was ok but I need to angle it so I am more comfy.

That was the best part of the day, My brother in laws shotgun got messed up, I ran over my E-caller with my 4-wheeler

(it still works fine) and my brother in law hit a dog on his way home!!

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 07:11:22 PM

does anyone recommend a different safety harness? the harness that comes with the climber is kinda goofy.

it is like a bunch of seat belts thrown together. it works fine but I am sure there is an easier, less goofy that works well.

cb223 · September 18, 2007, 07:20:05 PM

My safety harness is an old one, I bought it years ago. Just a belt with a rope attached to it. On the rope is sliding hook type of thing. You wrap the rope around the tree, hook it back to itself and pull tight.

It is not up to today's safety standards but I'm here to you, LITERALY it did work!!!

I've been looking at the newer body harness type.

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 07:25:22 PM

a body harness would be fine, just maybe a better one.

studabaka · September 18, 2007, 08:05:52 PM

I really think Al hit the nail on the head..... you just need to become acustomed to the harness and all. I used a climber 30 years ago and the summit is way better than what I remember. I've been using mine pretty steady every day for the last week and a half and have become very comfortable with it. I suggest you stick with it and see how ya feel at the end of the season. There may be other full body harness designs, but I'm guessing they all amount to pretty much the same thing. I don't even notice I have mine on anymore.

Had a nice big doe walk right under my stand tonight..... came in from the down wind side and never noticed my bow which was about half way down as I was breaking watch.

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 08:28:14 PM

your probably correct. I will give it more time. I hope to climb more trees soon. and then LOOK OUT CRITTERS!!!

THO Game Calls · September 18, 2007, 08:31:26 PM

Summit made it's reputation not by having a great stand, which they do, but by haveing the best fall restraint in the industry. The Seat of the Pants harness you got with your stand is one of if not the best made.

To tame the loose straps, get some big rubber bands. Undo one side of your harness at a time and slip the rubber bands over the buckle up the straps. When you get your harness on, and tightened up. slip the loose ends of the harness under the rubber bands. They will keep them from flapping around on you and looking goofy.

You can get a fancy body harness or even a vest harness. But off roader have a saying "chrome don't get you home"

That goofy looking harness will save your life. and let your kids have a father who can play catch, go to the beach, kick a soccer ball, and do a host of other things you wont be able to do in a wheel chair, or a casket.

Besides, you're still young. You will "grow" into that harness over time LOL

Al

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 08:42:39 PM

is that a skinny Joke??

The good thing about me is, if I do fall outta a tree, I will float down like a feather!!

THO Game Calls · September 18, 2007, 09:00:24 PM

No skinny jokes. Those harness straps are pretty long, even for me. But the Seat of the Pants harness system is the best you can get. Just like anything else, there are little tricks and tips you pick up over the years that will make life easier.

I climbed into my first tree stand before you were born. We didn't even know what a saftey strap was back then. We didn't even have seats. Just a platform. You wrapped your arms around the tree to climb up and down. Shot a crap load of deer in those old stands. Never had a problem. Looking back on it, I'm just glad I CAN look back on it.

Al

browning204 · September 18, 2007, 09:08:24 PM

hahahaha, just like cars with no seat belts or no one used baby seats. ya'll were crazy.

I wanna climb more trees but the g/f will be out all day. I will be on baby duty.

HaMeR · September 19, 2007, 02:28:44 PM

There is a vest with a safety harness sewn into it. It is camo/blaze orange reversible. The straps around your legs are seat belt style buckles & are actually made from metal. The sternum strap is still plastic tho. The harness vest is heavier but it is much quicker & I feel safer wearing that then I do the one that came with my climber. HTH

Here's a link to Cabelas with a few different styles.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/index/index-display.jsp?id=cat20053&navAction=jump&navCount=1&cmCat=MainCatcat21424&parentType=category&parentId=cat21424

KySongDog · September 20, 2007, 05:22:19 AM

I can relate to what Al says. I started out 30+ years ago with a Baker stand, no seat, hug the tree, no safety belt, and if you got your weight too close to the tree, the stand would drop like an elevator. Ask me about climbing wet Sycamore trees some time.

Today's stands and fall restraint systems are light years ahead.

weedwalker · September 20, 2007, 05:47:37 AM

Quote from: Semp on September 20, 2007, 05:22:19 AM
I started out 30+ years ago with a Baker stand, no seat, hug the tree, no safety belt, and if you got your weight too close to the tree, the stand would drop like an elevator. Ask me about climbing wet Sycamore trees some time.

I tried my old Baker on a sycamore too about 30 years ago. I was 20' up and been setting there for an hour before it fell down the tree. When I hit the ground I thought I broke my back and it knocked the wind out of me. After 1/2 hr the feeling came back to my legs and I could get up.

WEAR YOUR SAFTEY HARNESS !!!!!!!!!!