Archery Talk

I looked at those, mostly because they weigh like 14 pounds, but wasnt sure about the adjustability on different sizes of trees.

 

Be better if it was cables instead.

 

Maybe so. My API has something like bicycle chains with a thick rubbery/plastic coating, they're heavier than the Lone Wolf bands, but they never get hung up.
I dont like to think about things when I climb a tree (like...will it fit around this tree, or.....will I be able to lift the platform or is it gonna be stuck?) I guess I'm old and stuck in my ways.
But I will say, that LW stand grips a tree like there's no tomorrow.

 

Oh **** that! I have the hand climber that goes with. And the two are connected with a strap. Some years back, my BIL was screwing around with his Loggy. Same one as mine. He typically goes up 20'-25'. Said he was sitting the hand climber trying to reposition the stand and it slipped off his feet. Said it ratcheted the whole way down. It's funny now. Wasn't then. Basically had to lift himself up, let the hand climber drop and inch, make sure he didn't tip back. Took an our to get down.

 

Went about 25 yards and I watched him drop!

 

Wilcam: This is what he didn't like.

 

I usually put on safety belt to tree from bottom all the way to where i would go up. Well one day i was going up and didnt...i got about 6' up and the platform slipped straight down with me on it! I didnt fall off but was a weird feeling. Didnt mess the stand up. Put the safety belt to the tree and went up no problems. Just a weird once event.

 

I always use my safety harness from the time I climb till I'm back on terra firma. I started to connect the climber to the stand after I tried repositioning on a wet smooth bark tree. Didn't lose the stand, but it did stretch be out pretty good. Connected, it can't drop more than 3 feet.

 

Yea the crew I hunt with dont use harnesses or anything. its insane to me cause ill take every piece of safety equipment that I can get. To the point that I am putting safety lines in thier trees this year when I go up to buffalo to hunt.. then planning on leaving them up in hopes that they use them

 

Sad, only takes one mistake

 

Not gonna lie, I dont hook up until I've climbed up.

 

I just don't understand it. I can't fathom the thought of not getting to go home to my family after a hunt or becoming paralyzed and completely dependent on my family to live. I know its inconvenient at times, but I've never climbed without being tethered to the tree. Way too many stories of horrific hunting accidents, and I just don't want to be one of them. Same goes for telling someone where I'm at/where I'm going each time I hunt, especially if hunting alone. I always tell me wife or hunting buddy the area I'm going, drop a pin to them when I get to my tree, text that I'm climbing up, and text that I'm up and settled. Don't always have service, but my people know when to expect me home/back at the truck, and know a very good general area to start the search.

 

100%

 

Yep couldn’t have said it better

 

If any of you guys keep up with "Seek One" on Youtube, you should check out their recent video where they took a guy hunting, who fell from a stand a couple years prior, and paralyzed from the neck down bc of it. They have a podcast as well if you're a podcast guy, talking about the event. The guy has an incredible outlook on life, and now hunter's safety, and we could all learn a little something from his experience.

 

My very first time using a climber (home made by me) didn't realize you had to angle it pretty good toward the tree as the higher you climbed the more level it got (due to taper of the tree).......anyways, climbing a smooth-barked hickory in short sleeves (had to hug the tree to do it - no hand climber or seat) I got about 15' up the tree when it slipped due to angle and I slid straight down the tree to the ground -HUGGED THE TREE THE ENTIRE WAY!!!!! Natural reaction, I guess. Tore the skin off both fore arms and biceps. Re-adjusted the stand to a sharper angle and climbed right back up that sucker again!!

Used that stand and a commercial one for several years by hugging the tree to climb up/down. Eventually got one that had a seat/hand climber.

NO more tree stands for me after 5 back surgeries as I cant sit still for more than 10-15 minutes or so without having to get up and move around.

 

So, humbling experience and looking for some thoughts, advice, explanation, or the same experiences perhaps. Last night I was able to get out for the first time this season. Now typically I sit in a stand, or a semi-natural blind up on a small "mound/hill" in the woods, but last night was the first time I sat in an actual ground blind. (Last-second decision to go out and didn't have my fall protection). I had about 5 of the most perfect shots over a span of 30 mins on several Doe that just chilled out right in front of me, a hunter's dream come true as far as the line of site/ clean shots, etc. goes.

Spoiler, I didn't get to tag anything. The nightmare started on my first draw, verified my distance, set up, and went to pull back on the bow and came about an inch shy of hitting the drop-off point. Que frustration, to the point of tears over and over. I've been using this bow for 3 years and never had this issue where I could not fully draw the bow back. I thought maybe it was a mental thing of having the blind over my head, so I dropped off the chair to the ground and tried some Hawkeye shenanigans, but no luck. Que the tears.

Fast forward to walking out of the woods empty-handed, out of frustration I took it out on the target block, standing I have zero issues drawing and firing the bow, multiple times. As soon as I sit down, the issue repeats itself. A friend thinks it may be body mechanics, another said maybe the weight.

I figured I would ask here, risking jokes and shenanigans to see if anyone else here has ever had a similar issue personally, or if their wives/ girlfriends/ daughters/ etc have ever had a similar issue, and if there was a solution to it.

Appreciate any help or recommendations!

For Ref, I shoot an APA Mamba 28 at 50#s.

 

I have no explanation other than (for me) sitting and drawing my bow is much tougher. It's also the value I use to set my draw weight....if I can comfortably draw my bow while sitting (and draw it straight back without having to yank on it and cause alot of movement)....that's where I'm happy.
I'm confident if you practice shooting from a sitting position, you (and your body) will get use to it.