PSA

[PatinPA]

I use a dump pouch and a second lineman's belt anytime I have branches. It's tedious, but reassuring that I'm always attached to the tree. With a ropeman you can adjust length with one hand and keep your hand on the steps or tree with the other. Super slick.

A second belt is a great idea. Always makes me nervous when I have to unclip to put the rope around a branch. Every year I clamp my rope in behind my treestand or one of the ratchet straps over it as well.

 

[chummer]

Yessir, I am a single Dad with Custody. I did have a friend fall on opening day of gun about 15 years ago, the last step into the tree was a dead branch and he broke his back, had no cell service and had to crawl to his truck. I know these kind of things happen but are an exception to the rule and not the rule. Out of everyone I have ever hunted with, or known to hunt he is the only one that fell out of a tree. I hear of 5'ish of these kind of stories every deer season here in NY, maybe more I don't hear about, but there are tens of thousands of hunters so the odds are small and akin to wearing (or not wearing) a helmet when riding a motorcycle. My early years of hunting I didn't have a treestand or pegs, I scaled the tree and stood on icy branches, THAT was dangerous lol

Like I always say, to each is their own and maybe at some point my old age will have me less comfortable on a platform and convince me otherwise but as of now I don't see me jumping into a harness.

my buddies deer butcher isnt far from you. I think Lansing area. He fell out of his tree and died Saturday. One of my wife’s clients fell out and died 3 years ago. It happens more than you think. I have started using hang on stands at ground level on side hills or ridge tops. it still gives me elevation, my climbing days are probably over. I think back to the stands I hunted out of 25 years ago and I am lucky to be alive. I started wearing a harness when my kids were born.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

A second belt is a great idea. Always makes me nervous when I have to unclip to put the rope around a branch. Every year I clamp my rope in behind my treestand or one of the ratchet straps over it as well.

Another good thing about the second linesman's belt is that it becomes your tether when you are climbing into the stand or platform from your top stick or ladder. I set up the second one before disconnecting the first or sometimes just use both when climbing to the stand. Like was mentioned before, most accidents happen when climbing into the stand. I normally do all of this when I'm hunting on public, which means up to miles away from access by myself, so I'm extra cautious. I don't feel like role playing as Hugh Glass if I don't have to.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Another good thing about the second linesman's belt is that it becomes your tether when you are climbing into the stand or platform from your top stick or ladder. I set up the second one before disconnecting the first or sometimes just use both when climbing to the stand. Like was mentioned before, most accidents happen when climbing into the stand. I normally do all of this when I'm hunting on public, which means up to miles away from access by myself, so I'm extra cautious. I don't feel like role playing as Hugh Glass if I don't have to.

What do you like about lineman’s belt as opposed to the lifeline system?

 

[Booner21]

I bought a tree saddle before the 2020 season to see what the hype was about for mobile hunting situations and now I just use that as my harness in treestands as well. A rock climbing harness would be a lot cheaper and maybe more streamlined. When researching I have found a lot of folks use black diamond rock climbing harnesses like this one: https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/product/alpine-bod-harness/?colorid=5118

Here's a video i found with a quick search:

I have that harness and much prefer it over a traditional one. I don’t have to worry about the tether getting in the way of a shot when turning around.


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[Hoytvectrix]

What do you like about lineman’s belt as opposed to the lifeline system?

The lineman's belt is much easier and safer when you are setting up climbing sticks for the first time for a set. I like the belt because you can hook it up with a ropeman (which is easier and safer than a prussic knot) and then You can use the belt as a support, freeing up one or both of your hands, when you are climbing up the tree the first time. Once you get the lifeline or climbing sticks set up, the benefits are probably marginal for the belt. Most safety harnesses have the loops for the linesman belt already, and this is how you are supposed to set them up when ascending the first time. It would just be a matter of getting the rope (if it didn't come with the harness) and the ropeman.

 

[buckdeer1]

I always wear a harness and everyone that hunts my land wears one or they don't go up a tree.Summit makes a good one and so does muddy.I have fallen twice before.First time was as lucky as I could get and broke a 1 inch tree off about 18 inches above the ground and then face planted on the end of it.Luckily it hit my cheek bone and slid up through my eye brow,only stiches.Next time was trimming a limb out of a ladder stand and fell 5 feet stopped on a limb then fell 6 more,tore the muscle off my shoulder blade.Figure that on cost me surgery and close to 10 grand out of pocket dollars.Makes 30 seconds putting harness on seem pretty cheap.Theres already been several people die this year.But don't worry the Fire Dept or the Sheriffs office will let your family know when they find you ar the bottom of your tree.Another thing I use is life 360 on my cell. It can locate you right to your tree if something were to happen.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

The lineman's belt is much easier and safer when you are setting up climbing sticks for the first time for a set. I like the belt because you can hook it up with a ropeman (which is easier and safer than a prussic knot) and then You can use the belt as a support, freeing up one or both of your hands, when you are climbing up the tree the first time. Once you get the lifeline or climbing sticks set up, the benefits are probably marginal for the belt. Most safety harnesses have the loops for the linesman belt already, and this is how you are supposed to set them up when ascending the first time. It would just be a matter of getting the rope (if it didn't come with the harness) and the ropeman.

Yeah I always wear a lineman’s belt hanging loc ons but I just don’t climb with anything unless I have the lifeline set up. And once I’m in the tree I’m always strapped in. Im going to set up my lifelines this weekend.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I bought some scentblocker bibs several years back that have a built in harness so I don’t even know I’m wearing one. Treespyder I believe is what they call it. I don’t think they make it anymore however.


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[Howboutthemdawgs]

Another good thing about the second linesman's belt is that it becomes your tether when you are climbing into the stand or platform from your top stick or ladder. I set up the second one before disconnecting the first or sometimes just use both when climbing to the stand. Like was mentioned before, most accidents happen when climbing into the stand. I normally do all of this when I'm hunting on public, which means up to miles away from access by myself, so I'm extra cautious. I don't feel like role playing as Hugh Glass if I don't have to.

When you hang and hunt in public, I’m assuming you use sticks, are you putting one up at a time and climbing down grabbing another and back up? I’m trying to figure out a system to carry multiple sticks up at one time and place as I go so I don’t have to go back down.

 

[PatinPA]

When you hang and hunt in public, I’m assuming you use sticks, are you putting one up at a time and climbing down grabbing another and back up? I’m trying to figure out a system to carry multiple sticks up at one time and place as I go so I don’t have to go back down.

Some of them have small loops on them you can hook on your belt. You could probably just tie a loop on the end of them and hook them with a carabiner.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

When you hang and hunt in public, I’m assuming you use sticks, are you putting one up at a time and climbing down grabbing another and back up? I’m trying to figure out a system to carry multiple sticks up at one time and place as I go so I don’t have to go back down.

I make little paracord loops through a hole in the sticks and then hang em from a carabiner on my Saddle/Harness while climbing. Most I'd use is 4 sticks so I climb with 2 or 3 hanging from my Saddle. I use hawk helium sticks that stack together so if I have 2 on one side they aren't clanging together. Stand or saddle platform and pack on my back and haul line hooked to my pack and bow so it's just one trip up the tree and i'm set with everything I need.

I haven't been in a while but the saddle hunter forum is basically an entire forum of dudes obsessing over the easiest, lightest, safest ways to get up and down a tree in hang-and-hunt situations.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

When you hang and hunt in public, I’m assuming you use sticks, are you putting one up at a time and climbing down grabbing another and back up? I’m trying to figure out a system to carry multiple sticks up at one time and place as I go so I don’t have to go back down.

What @PatinPA said. You can just tie a loop of Paracord to your vest or harness for the sticks to get hooked into.

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

If you guys have any questions on rope work or if something will work or is safe, shoot me a PM. I run a tower program at work and teach other climbers around the country.

I pounded public for the last 4 years, with a new set every time.

I used to help out quite a bit on the saddle hunter forum, then it got to be more about gear and less about hunting.

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

As for a double lineman’s belt around nastiest trees, you can use a second Prussik and make a little bucksqueeze.