Post by Woody Williams on Jul 3, 2010 7:37:20 GMT -5
Since it is getting time to hang treeestands I thought the folowwing would be good to post.
First off I have found that the easiest way to hang treestands is to have my son do it for me. He is 23 years younger than me.
IF I have to hang them myself this is the way that I do it:
It is imperative that I am tied off in one form or another whenever my feet leave the ground. When going up the tree to hang the stand I use the line man’s rope that came with my Summit Seat of the Pants full body safety harness. The lineman’s rope is around the tree as I go up.
I have two pull up ropes in use. One is tied to me with the other end tied to the treestand. The other rope is tied to the treestand with the other end tied to my Summit Climbing System Rope.
If I am using screw in steps I put them fairly close together as I am somewhat short legged and it can be a real stretch in heavy hunting clothes. My usual 20 to 25 foot up will take as many as 14 or 15 steps. The amount of steps I use is also determined by the position of my starting step and what step will allow me to step into the stand at the top.
When I get to the height that I want to go to I screw on two steps at the same height. That way both my feet or on the same level. I then either use a pulley type device to pull the stands up or just use the pull up rope. If I use the pulley type device it will hold the treestand in place while I hook it up to the tree. I have found that much easier and safer.
Woodmaster and I are phasing out our screw in steps for the easier to use and much safer climbing sticks. We still use the line man’s rope to go up the climbing sticks fastening them as we go up.
Either way I hook the treestand to the tree below where My lineman’s rope is fastened to the tree. That way when the treestand is in place I can climb into without unhooking the lineman’s rope. When the treestand is in place I unscrew one of the top steps and screw it in a little higher up so that can step DOWN into the treestand instead of trying to step UP into the treestand. A lot of falls occur when a hunter is stepping into and out of the treestand. This makes it much safer.
Once I am in the treestand I will pull up the Summit Climbing System Rope. I will install it on the tree high enough that when I am hooked up to it in a sitting position almost all of the slack of my tether is taken up. Having too much slack in your tether can allow you to fall below the level of your stand. Falling below your treestand will make it more difficult to get back in it. It is imperative that you can get back in as people have died from being suspended in their fall protection harness.
After the Summit Climbing System Rope is in place I then hook up my Summit Seat of the Pants full body safety harness tether to the Summit Climbing System Rope. I can then unhook my lineman’s rope. At no time am I ever not hooked up to the tree.
I then climb down using the Summit Climbing System Rope Prussic knot.
For hunting - I tie a small looped rope on the bottom end of the Summit Climbing System Rope to use as a pull up rope for hunting. When I get to my stand for hunting I loop the small rope around the stirrup of my crossbow or gun and the weight of the crossbow or gun will hold the Summit Climbing System Rope in place as I climb and I slide the Prussic knot. I then pull up the Summit Climbing System Rope with my crossbow or gun attached. That way the rope is in the treestand with me so that the deer cannot smell it or see it wiggle if I move in the treestand.
This is the way I do it.. YMMV..
First off I have found that the easiest way to hang treestands is to have my son do it for me. He is 23 years younger than me.
IF I have to hang them myself this is the way that I do it:
It is imperative that I am tied off in one form or another whenever my feet leave the ground. When going up the tree to hang the stand I use the line man’s rope that came with my Summit Seat of the Pants full body safety harness. The lineman’s rope is around the tree as I go up.
I have two pull up ropes in use. One is tied to me with the other end tied to the treestand. The other rope is tied to the treestand with the other end tied to my Summit Climbing System Rope.
If I am using screw in steps I put them fairly close together as I am somewhat short legged and it can be a real stretch in heavy hunting clothes. My usual 20 to 25 foot up will take as many as 14 or 15 steps. The amount of steps I use is also determined by the position of my starting step and what step will allow me to step into the stand at the top.
When I get to the height that I want to go to I screw on two steps at the same height. That way both my feet or on the same level. I then either use a pulley type device to pull the stands up or just use the pull up rope. If I use the pulley type device it will hold the treestand in place while I hook it up to the tree. I have found that much easier and safer.
Woodmaster and I are phasing out our screw in steps for the easier to use and much safer climbing sticks. We still use the line man’s rope to go up the climbing sticks fastening them as we go up.
Either way I hook the treestand to the tree below where My lineman’s rope is fastened to the tree. That way when the treestand is in place I can climb into without unhooking the lineman’s rope. When the treestand is in place I unscrew one of the top steps and screw it in a little higher up so that can step DOWN into the treestand instead of trying to step UP into the treestand. A lot of falls occur when a hunter is stepping into and out of the treestand. This makes it much safer.
Once I am in the treestand I will pull up the Summit Climbing System Rope. I will install it on the tree high enough that when I am hooked up to it in a sitting position almost all of the slack of my tether is taken up. Having too much slack in your tether can allow you to fall below the level of your stand. Falling below your treestand will make it more difficult to get back in it. It is imperative that you can get back in as people have died from being suspended in their fall protection harness.
After the Summit Climbing System Rope is in place I then hook up my Summit Seat of the Pants full body safety harness tether to the Summit Climbing System Rope. I can then unhook my lineman’s rope. At no time am I ever not hooked up to the tree.
I then climb down using the Summit Climbing System Rope Prussic knot.
For hunting - I tie a small looped rope on the bottom end of the Summit Climbing System Rope to use as a pull up rope for hunting. When I get to my stand for hunting I loop the small rope around the stirrup of my crossbow or gun and the weight of the crossbow or gun will hold the Summit Climbing System Rope in place as I climb and I slide the Prussic knot. I then pull up the Summit Climbing System Rope with my crossbow or gun attached. That way the rope is in the treestand with me so that the deer cannot smell it or see it wiggle if I move in the treestand.
This is the way I do it.. YMMV..
