How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
- Dhurtubise
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How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
I have experimented with variations of the technique I am posting about for the last two years. Many of you are familiar with Cbigbear's one stick method (which is the single most important tree climbing skill in my ). This is the basis for the method I am writing about. Others such as bowhunter15 have been using equivalent methods to the ones I am presenting. In total, the method allows you to lose 2 sticks for every 5 you normally would have needed, a significant weight and bulk reduction, plus it gives you the flexibility to climb with one stick (then the tree's summit is your only limitation).
EQUIPMENT
3 sticks. 1 minny stick and 2 big sticks will get you as high as 3 big ones (22'). 3 minny sticks get almost 20'.
1 three or four step climbing aid and two 24" - 30" slings (or rope or webbing loops). You can use 3 slings and you only lose about a foot of total elevation, negligible if you are using all 32" sticks.
Although not necessary, I like to climb with a rock-climbing (BOD) harness, and I use a prussic knot attachment as a linesman belt, or a climbing aid if I climb with one stick. (See video at the end of the post)
The following pics show the progression of the set-up against an 8 foot 2x3 for perspective.
You attach an aider to the first stick. If you use a mini stick, you would use 4 steps as opposed to 3 for a 32" stick. Both will get you as high and thus I usually walk in with the mini stick. With the 1st section installed, your standing height is already 7'8". The immediate significance of this height is that you can now comfortably install/check equipment (such as trail cams) at a height of approximately 14 feet- out of sight and reach of your average thief.
The next stick will top off at a little more than 15'. I have a 30" step to a 30" sling to a 32" stick for about 7'-7'8 elevation gain. This could already hunt at about. 16' with a hang on or 17' with a saddle (you could install the platform up to an extra 2' if required/desired). This stick could be left in the tree if desired. You would fold the steps and remove the sling. The bottom of the stick will be at about 12' and with the folded steps, the strap is at about 14'. It's completely out of reach, even for Lebron James.
The last stick tops off at about 22 feet. This one is also easily left up in a tree. A nice cheap 32" stick such as the 30$/3 sticks from guide gear would suit this purpose nicely.
http://www.amazon.com/Pk-Guide-Gear-Qui ... ing+sticks
I can be hunting at up to 24' with a saddle with only 3 sticks, 23' with a hang on.
When I leave, I take the sling with me and this leaves a 4 - 5 foot gap between sticks with the first stick, steps folded and at greater than 12' high, rendering them unusable and difficult to spot.
In this short video I shot with my son last night, you can see the ease of the climb and elevation gained at every stick.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/jO1VH7L6qS4[/bbvideo]
THE BENEFITS
1. Insurance against theft. Whether it's leaving sticks or cameras behind, the difficulty of removing and spotting your equipment is likely to prevent theft in most situations. Whatever is left in the tree will be higher than 12' with only one stick removed.
2. Weight and bulk reduction. If you are hunting a preset tree, you can walk in with a 1.8 lb mini-stick and 7 oz aider. If you're hunting mobile, you are trading 2x2.5 (5lbs) of weight and bulk for 11 oz of slings and aiders.
3. Versitality. Should you decide to pair the sticks with a BOD harness (1lb) and a prussic knot attachment (you should be wearing a harness anyway for safety considerations), you are walking in with 4 1/2 pounds, ready to climb any height with cbigbear's one stick method; you could choose to hunt any number of preset stands; it lightens your load considerably if hunting mobile with a hang on and sticks;it allows you to hang cameras easily out of reach of thieves. I regularly bring it in one stick in the harness with the Prussic knot attachment even while still hunting, just in case I find a good spot to hang out for a couple of hours over fresh sign.
4. Ease of climb. It's an easy climb which can be tailored to your fitness and length by adjusting the heights of the slings and spaces between top steps and the sling. This might reduce your total elevation, but not by much.
Notes: Although not necessary, I find a stick with double steps (especially on the bottom), instead of alternating, to be quite helpful at getting higher. You can see why this is in the video as I get both feet on the stick, the "squat" is easy, not so much if I had to do it with one leg. The sticks I used in the video are leverage sticks which in my opinion are good. The sticks can be modified so that they attach to the tree the same as muddy sticks and weigh less than LW sticks after the modification, just as quiet. Thank you Jeff G for those sticks they worked out great.
Leverage stick modification video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/kNNTmXsIVDQ[/bbvideo]
OTHER RESOURCES
1. Cbigbear's one stick method. I believe that this method should be experimented with by all mobile hunters, especially those who hunt big woods.
Video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NcroPLbzPc[/bbvideo]
Discussion: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20108
2. 715Bman (AT) Climbing with an aider. The video displays a technique which allows you to climb without any sticks (just a rock aider attached to a sling). It also shows clearly the pitfalls of not using a stick. First, because the aider is tight against the tree, it is very difficult to get your feet in the loops of the aider. Second, you cannot even get your foot on the last step of the aider because it is right tight against the tree. This leaves your foot a full 12-15 inches below where it would be if the aider was attached to a climbing stick.
Video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/9xl2or4IFr8[/bbvideo]
3. bowhunter15: This video shows how he built his own slings and aider. Although I have been using this method before I came across his video, I consider this a significant improvement, both in functionality and in cost.
Video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/pPU6UtQHNbc[/bbvideo]
EQUIPMENT
3 sticks. 1 minny stick and 2 big sticks will get you as high as 3 big ones (22'). 3 minny sticks get almost 20'.
1 three or four step climbing aid and two 24" - 30" slings (or rope or webbing loops). You can use 3 slings and you only lose about a foot of total elevation, negligible if you are using all 32" sticks.
Although not necessary, I like to climb with a rock-climbing (BOD) harness, and I use a prussic knot attachment as a linesman belt, or a climbing aid if I climb with one stick. (See video at the end of the post)
The following pics show the progression of the set-up against an 8 foot 2x3 for perspective.
You attach an aider to the first stick. If you use a mini stick, you would use 4 steps as opposed to 3 for a 32" stick. Both will get you as high and thus I usually walk in with the mini stick. With the 1st section installed, your standing height is already 7'8". The immediate significance of this height is that you can now comfortably install/check equipment (such as trail cams) at a height of approximately 14 feet- out of sight and reach of your average thief.
The next stick will top off at a little more than 15'. I have a 30" step to a 30" sling to a 32" stick for about 7'-7'8 elevation gain. This could already hunt at about. 16' with a hang on or 17' with a saddle (you could install the platform up to an extra 2' if required/desired). This stick could be left in the tree if desired. You would fold the steps and remove the sling. The bottom of the stick will be at about 12' and with the folded steps, the strap is at about 14'. It's completely out of reach, even for Lebron James.
The last stick tops off at about 22 feet. This one is also easily left up in a tree. A nice cheap 32" stick such as the 30$/3 sticks from guide gear would suit this purpose nicely.
http://www.amazon.com/Pk-Guide-Gear-Qui ... ing+sticks
I can be hunting at up to 24' with a saddle with only 3 sticks, 23' with a hang on.
When I leave, I take the sling with me and this leaves a 4 - 5 foot gap between sticks with the first stick, steps folded and at greater than 12' high, rendering them unusable and difficult to spot.
In this short video I shot with my son last night, you can see the ease of the climb and elevation gained at every stick.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/jO1VH7L6qS4[/bbvideo]
THE BENEFITS
1. Insurance against theft. Whether it's leaving sticks or cameras behind, the difficulty of removing and spotting your equipment is likely to prevent theft in most situations. Whatever is left in the tree will be higher than 12' with only one stick removed.
2. Weight and bulk reduction. If you are hunting a preset tree, you can walk in with a 1.8 lb mini-stick and 7 oz aider. If you're hunting mobile, you are trading 2x2.5 (5lbs) of weight and bulk for 11 oz of slings and aiders.
3. Versitality. Should you decide to pair the sticks with a BOD harness (1lb) and a prussic knot attachment (you should be wearing a harness anyway for safety considerations), you are walking in with 4 1/2 pounds, ready to climb any height with cbigbear's one stick method; you could choose to hunt any number of preset stands; it lightens your load considerably if hunting mobile with a hang on and sticks;it allows you to hang cameras easily out of reach of thieves. I regularly bring it in one stick in the harness with the Prussic knot attachment even while still hunting, just in case I find a good spot to hang out for a couple of hours over fresh sign.
4. Ease of climb. It's an easy climb which can be tailored to your fitness and length by adjusting the heights of the slings and spaces between top steps and the sling. This might reduce your total elevation, but not by much.
Notes: Although not necessary, I find a stick with double steps (especially on the bottom), instead of alternating, to be quite helpful at getting higher. You can see why this is in the video as I get both feet on the stick, the "squat" is easy, not so much if I had to do it with one leg. The sticks I used in the video are leverage sticks which in my opinion are good. The sticks can be modified so that they attach to the tree the same as muddy sticks and weigh less than LW sticks after the modification, just as quiet. Thank you Jeff G for those sticks they worked out great.
Leverage stick modification video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/kNNTmXsIVDQ[/bbvideo]
OTHER RESOURCES
1. Cbigbear's one stick method. I believe that this method should be experimented with by all mobile hunters, especially those who hunt big woods.
Video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NcroPLbzPc[/bbvideo]
Discussion: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20108
2. 715Bman (AT) Climbing with an aider. The video displays a technique which allows you to climb without any sticks (just a rock aider attached to a sling). It also shows clearly the pitfalls of not using a stick. First, because the aider is tight against the tree, it is very difficult to get your feet in the loops of the aider. Second, you cannot even get your foot on the last step of the aider because it is right tight against the tree. This leaves your foot a full 12-15 inches below where it would be if the aider was attached to a climbing stick.
Video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/9xl2or4IFr8[/bbvideo]
3. bowhunter15: This video shows how he built his own slings and aider. Although I have been using this method before I came across his video, I consider this a significant improvement, both in functionality and in cost.
Video: [bbvideo=425,350]http://youtu.be/pPU6UtQHNbc[/bbvideo]
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
Nice work! I like it.
- justdirtyfun
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
Thanks for sharing. Its the offseason and time to practice and try new things.
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
Don't forget to tie off......
"Forged in fire lit long ago. Stand next to me and you will never stand alone".
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
Nice. This year I found myself using 3 mini sticks with double stirrups more than anything else. Now that I have acquired 3 full length LW sticks it's time for some more experimenting. I'm thinking I should be able to make 2 full length sticks work for most of my setup, doing very similar to what you've posted.
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
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- Dhurtubise
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
bowhunter15 wrote:Nice. This year I found myself using 3 mini sticks with double stirrups more than anything else. Now that I have acquired 3 full length LW sticks it's time for some more experimenting. I'm thinking I should be able to make 2 full length sticks work for most of my setup, doing very similar to what you've posted.
I don't own a Lonewolf miny, but if it nests well into the full-length Lonewolf sticks then you would be able to shed a little bit of weight that way. That first mini stick gets you just as high as the full llength stick. You just make a stirrup that is slightly longer. Thanks for posting your videos on YouTube, I will be making a bunch of those things over the winter. I bought webbing on eBay for $17/100 feet but it's white so I have to dye it.
How do you find the climb with the second step when going from the second to third stick? Do your feet want to slide to the side of the tree on the furthest step?
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- dkoy85
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!
- UPbowhunter
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
When I was younger I would have been all over this. But for me, I have never fell. I canoe into places. If I fall it's gonna be a long time before someone gets to me. For the weight of 2 sticks (4lbs) why not have something solid to put your foot on? I'm a monkey climbing trees, I stretch a 25' pull cord with 4 sticks. What are you gaining?
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Go Go Epic Stuff, Seek Wilderness
- Dhurtubise
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
UPbowhunter wrote:When I was younger I would have been all over this. But for me, I have never fell. I canoe into places. If I fall it's gonna be a long time before someone gets to me. For the weight of 2 sticks (4lbs) why not have something solid to put your foot on? I'm a monkey climbing trees, I stretch a 25' pull cord with 4 sticks. What are you gaining?
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If you're canoing, your weight considerations are less than if you are walking in a mile or so. Oftentimes on my hunts, I don't even know if I'll even take a stand- then I'll just have the one stick. As for your concern about secure footing, one sling feels very secure, the long aider at the bottom, a little less if there is a slant in your tree, but still good as you have 3 easy points of contact. As for what is gained, I think I already covered that in the benefits part. If I have a prepped tree, other hunters can't get to my equipment or likely see it and I only have 3 lbs on my back, no bulk. If I just want to hang for a couple of hours over fresh sign I climb up with one stick, no more weight or bulk required, I can hang in the BOD harness for that amount of time. It's the versatility you gain from only needing one stick and an aider.
I too ALWAYS hunt where I wouldn't be found if something happened. I do things slowly and methodically, and I would have to do that even if I brought an extra 5lbs of climbing sticks because of where I am and because of my family obligations.
Try to hang a 30" loop on one of your steps at the base of a tree and see how comfortable it is. You might be surprised. I could see my foot slipping off of a step much sooner than out of a webbing loop once my foot is in it.
If you're getting 25' up with 4 sticks, (6'3"/stick - those are giant steps by the way and wouldn't be safe for me at any height (43")). I'd say you gain the reduction of the weight and bulk of at least one stick and also the safety of not having to make a step greater than 30". No sense knocking it before you try it, especially considering how simple the method is to augment the one you're already using.
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- mag1
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
I've got a ? on using the aiders. I made some using B15's video, I made them 3 steps. When trying to use them, they swung away from the tree and it was hard to try and climb. Are there any tricks to using them, do you need to have your weight centered any particular way? I was almost thinking I might be able to use them by attaching a single strap on step (cranford ezystep rope) hooking the bottom loop on the aider around it, so it would stay put, then go from there. You seem to be able to climb pretty easy. must be something wrong with my setup. Just switched to a RC harness, haven't tried it yet.
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
mag1 wrote:I've got a ? on using the aiders. I made some using B15's video, I made them 3 steps. When trying to use them, they swung away from the tree and it was hard to try and climb. Are there any tricks to using them, do you need to have your weight centered any particular way? I was almost thinking I might be able to use them by attaching a single strap on step (cranford ezystep rope) hooking the bottom loop on the aider around it, so it would stay put, then go from there. You seem to be able to climb pretty easy. must be something wrong with my setup. Just switched to a RC harness, haven't tried it yet.
The key to using straps or aider is to keep your foot against the tree. Let the strap ride right in the arch of your foot & make sure your whole foot toe to heel is in contact with the tree.
- mag1
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Re: How I climb up to 22' with only 3 sticks.
thanks for the tip. I don't have any decent sized straight trees in the yard, only one that leans. :) will have to do some practicing.
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