So, getting more into the saddle deal and have got a scotch auger and some grade 8 1/2x 6 bolts. Who's used the bolt method for getting up in a tree? Once February gets here I'm gonna devote some woods time to setting up a bunch of trees on the farm and at few other places. Has it been a quick and easy way once the trees are preped? I've heard of putting q tips in the holes to find them in the dark, any other tips and tricks I need to know?

1/2 inch is overkill, but fine. 3/8 is lighter and does just fine. Wrap glow in the dark vinyl tape just below the bolt head so you know where to put your feet climbing down in the dark. Set your stand sites up and leave bolts in the upper area in. You can carry a half dozen in a pouch and YOU can climb up but others, not so much. It is VERY easy once set up. At the end of the season, pull all your bolts and jam branch pieces from the same tree into the holes. It will keep water and ice out of the bores, and help prevent disease. During the season, qtips do work for finding holes. If you go with this method a chippewa wedge loc stand really shines, as does a very lightweight loc on such as the windwalker or spirit from loc on lem. This method requires a rock climbing harness that has an extra carabiner to double as a linemans belt. Climb up with the linemans, tie off with the RCH. You can set up dozens of sites as weight of the stand plus 6 bolts aint jack to carry. Another trick is to bury remaining bolts to get up in the duff at the base of the tree. Just pick a side and keep it common to all sites.

I used the bolt/ woodpecker for years. Not a fan. Unnecessary work plus in spite of what you hear it can kill the tree. I have had that occur more than once. Best of luck with whatever method you choose.

You said you are gonna start prepping in February ? I think that is too early to hunt the fall. I would mark the trees I want to drill and then drill them in late summer or early fall before season. The holes will close up in 7-8 months time where I live.

I have drilled most of my trees the same day I hunt them. I started using a rope with a loop on my left foot and only drill half the holes.

I have used this system for many years. Yellah Nocks has stated good advise. The grade of the bolts used is more critical than the size so get the highest grade you can find. I would recommend you buy the bolts from Treehopper.

The Simmons system used to use grade 6 I think, their deal was that you want the bolts to not be threaded where they exit the tree, as it is an obvious stress riser. But some thread is good at getting a bite.

By the time they sold me a system, they had upped the bolts. They were whatever cap screws are. The one downside is those come oiled, and stinky, and prone to rust once you strip the oil, but they sure are strong. You can use a drill driver to make the holes, but they shouldn't be too deep. I have the drill and go by that if I am using a drill driver. I keep meaning to glue a pipe over the bit so it will only go in so far, just like the hand drill has a stop. Another option is to cut some off the butt, so that when chucked into your drill it will only stick out as much as the hole goes in.

Bowlim is correct. The drill bit I bought was on sale at 8.99, but then I added a metal drill stop at 2.5 inches. A friend tack welded it for a cuppa joe and I was in business. I had a new treehopper equivalent for half the price. I still have a military belt pouch, and the bit somewhere. Pouch holds up to 18 steps I think. I used a Dewalt 20volt drill driver.

I've been using the tree hopper setup all season. So far I really like it especially being that shotgun opens Monday and all my sets are missing the first 4 bolts. As mentioned earlier if you drill in February most likely your holes will be grown over coke fall. At least that was my experience. Also what's good is they are threaded and when you want to move a set you can back em right out with a Allen wrench. Best of luck! I really like the system and it works great for my hunting needs

I've used this system for a long time. Old shoulders got tired of screw-in steps and if you're fond of beech trees that hold their leaves for cover you may save yourself a shoulder replacement. When I started, I think they were called case hardened 3/8th" hex- head lag bolts are some such. But I noticed like everything else, the options are way more complicated now. I pretty much agree with everybody's consensus. I prime/paint mine very few years, but some materials may not need it. I retired the woodpecker for a high-end electric drill. Also mark the holes at season's end with the reflective thumbtacks and plug with branches.

Maybe explain what you're talking about. Never heard of it.

JusPassin, Tree bolts= drilling trees and using grade 8 3/8 bolts put in the holes for steps to get up a tree either for a hanging stand or a saddle. You put and pull the bolts each time.

Can that be legal on public land?

No. Private land with permission only.

Hmm... Killing the tree and creating a disemboweling or castrating hazard, what could go wrong? Some of you guys amaze me.

Never was or will be allowed on my place.

Not good for health of any trees I would look into another way.

I used such techniques 50 years ago, but not nowadays.

Unreal. Guthooks. I had a buddy that ripped his arm open on one. There are better methods to get up a tree. Some of the stuff guys do to kill

A deer amaze me

Don't screw my trees and don't even ask.

Not sure how guys like Chris Spokes do it. If you watch his videos (I love his videos) he uses a woodpecker drill. He hunts a lot on public land. Would not think it would be allowed .

Not sure how guys like Chris Spokes do it. If you watch his videos (I love his videos) he uses a woodpecker drill. He hunts a lot on public land. Would not think it would be allowed .

illegal to leave stands etc overnight on some mgt areas. that would prob apply to lag bolts etc as well. i've read that some states don't allow ANYTHING that damages the tree on public property, so it would be ladder stands or climbers that don't cut the bark...

I may be wrong, but I think Warren used the method before Chris and that's where he learned it. Those guys are the real deal, probably have killed more deer than all of us combined. Chit can happen any time you climb a tree, but I like them better than screw-in steps because those have the pivot pin which can fold the step upward if you inadvertently kick them/snag a lace, etc. Missing a step isn't an automatic catastrophe if you're maintaining three points of contact. But I'm old enough I don't like "surprises" and the steps can be easily removed deterring theft.

I don’t use them anymore as I stated but you don’t put any steps other than WE facing your jewels. A little common sense even when climbing a tree maybe.

Just from my personal experience. It depends on how you use it. Honestly, I know a lot of people that I respect in the hunting community uses it, but it not my preferred method compared to one sticking or SRT climbing. The issue is people are removing the bolts, that leave holes in tree that let bacteria and other things get access to the internal of the tree, bypassing the protection that the barks in providing. I have a tree house in my back yard that the pervious owner built 40 years ago and there are dozens of bolts in the tree but it still look healthy. Use only grade 8 bolts on private land only. Not legal in most states on public.

I have been using it for many years and never have had a tree I use die. In fact when the bolts are removed the tree bark covers the hole very quickly, and the holes need to be redone in the next season for certain. An arborist will tell you that girdling a tree with a rope, cable or chain will do more damage to the tree than a bolt sent straight through the truck to the other side. As for the naysayers, The system gives me the incentive to stay in shape as I get older. YMMV, TLM

Private land only, dudes and dudresses. My buddy had some hang-on steps, that had the bent ends, and slipped one day and caught his belt on one. You can imagine his relief, and his haste after that to gather those things up and get rid of them. You do dumb things when you're young, but you should get a little smarter as you age. I see that doesn't always happen though.

Just be careful out there with any tree stand, humans weren't meant to play in trees, and the outcome at some point won't be pleasant if you do. Been there and done that, by golly.

For you guys that are against it what is the difference between a bolt and a treestep being screwed into a tree? If you plan on leaving them up look into galvanized as they won’t rust.

True about getting smarter as we age. I am so cautious now.

From what I understand the bark may grow over the holes but the wood in the tree is damaged. Form a timber/lumber company aspect, this devalue the timber, makes weaker lumber plus any metal accidentally left is hazardous.

It's not just a matter of the bolts causing an injury to the tree, and that includes screw in tree steps.

There's also the issue of people not coming back to get the upper bolts and leaving them. Then when you cut the tree for timber the bolts can and do in some cases cause damage to chain saws and potential injury to those running them. And even if you see them they have to be removed prior to the log being sawn up.

As was said above, private land only and not on my private land.

I’m guessing when they harvest the timber the saws will cut enough away and it won’t matter. Some of the bigger trees have like an inch thick of bark.

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