Get a Line in a tree

[sundance]

I'm looking at how to get a pull line in trees. I've seen it done with a weight and line, looks like it takes some skill/practice. Any other ideas? I'm thinking I could be trying for a while with a weight on a line. Sling shot with a fishing weight and line? Other suggestions? I've got maybe half a dozen trees that a puller from up in the tree looks like the best solution to.

Thanks,

 

[Uzi]

I built this for $73 from parts at the local hardware store. It runs offf compressed air and will shoot over 100ft. Takes so much work out of setting lines it’s very accurate. I just shoot a 14 oz throw bag with light throw line or paracord and use that to pull
the bigger rope up.

 

[ArtB]

I use a bow and arrow. Mono line on aluminum arrow with a chunk of 3/4 dia steel screwed on front end. Shoot over fork or large branch.

Pull a 1/8" nylon or similar cord with the mono, your rope with the cord. One step further, pull with rope - I've gotten 5/8" wire rope 80 ft up with this method.

Caution - a 100# standard bow will bend even a good aluminum arrow if the front weight over about 8 ounces (about 225 grams), compound bow is more forgiving. Never have tried a wooden arrow, probably break ?

 

[ArtB]

PS: I only use an 80# bow now, when I went past 72 YO could barely draw a 100# bow! Might have to just use one of the grandkids 30# bows in a few years.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

My sling shot has worked well up to 70 feet. 50 to 60 feet is more comfortable and common. If 70 feet and my sling shot will not cut it then get out the aluminum bolts with the cross bow. A 175 lb cross bow has done every thing I ever dreamed of tackling. With every tree comes better tactics. If a good rope saw is used then almost no tree is inaccessible. This only works well or is practical for trees I do not want to climb. Right now am working on a 250 LB cross bow which might be a little more accurate. Fishing line has not proved to work well for me. It gets too tangled too often. A woven nylon line has worked well for now. A couple of months ago I had a larger about 24 to 30'' Oak that I just did not want to climb, it took me about 4 days to get this thing properly rigged. When it finally came down it just broke apart into many pieces proving it was not safe to climb. Thanks






Thanks

 

[benjo75]

A throw line and bag doesn't take too much practice to get ok with it. It takes years to get good with and to be able to consistently hit and isolate limbs high up and in tight spots. But to just be able to throw it over a limb and get it to come back down doesn't take a genius. In brushy trees I'll throw it through the tree and let it drop on the back side. Pull up a 1/2 line. Then tie the rope to the trunk of the tree as high as I can reach from the ground. If you need a 3/4 then you will pull it up with the 1/2 rope. It's too hard to try pulling up a 3/4 rope with a throw line. You will need a longer rope this way or tie 2 ropes together because it will take about twice as much rope this way but you don't have to worry about isolating a limb. I find this way is easier to untie also. As long as you leave your knot on the back side of the tree. Most of the time it will pull right out since the rope is laying on top of the log. Isolating a limb and pulling up a running bowline usually lands the knot on the bottom or mashed into the ground.

Give the throw bag a try it's not as hard as it looks. Just spend a few minutes a day for a few days practicing.

 

[Del_]

I can hit 70ft. by hand tossing a one pound buckshoot bag with 1/8 slick line. I carry 3.

A little more with 'zing it' and a 12oz. bag but the zing it likes to tangle.

 

[Jackbnimble]

The last time I used my bow and arrow to shoot a line 25 feet, I hung upside down for 3 hours til WW3 got home.

 

[Mustang71]

I just posted about my crossbow throw line launcher and none of you commented. Lol I built a crossbow line launcher because I had the issue of I can't throw a weighted line up into a tree. I also did not want to buy a big shot.

If you want to buy a cheap crossbow or have an extra one then Google or YouTube crossbow line launcher and you will see what I built. I shot it once and it worked I have not shot it into a tree yet.

One of the members made an air cannon and one other bought a 22. Blank line launcher. Also one used a fishing pole with a weight and casted it.

 

[benjo75]

I like the crossbow launchers. They're too much for the trees I do though. I rarely come across a tree that's over 100 ft. Most of my trees are 70 to. 90 ft. I can hit 75 ft with a throw bag easily. Plus I'm around power lines a lot. That's the reason I hardly use my Big Shot. But if I dealt with taller trees I'd definitely look in to the crossbow.

 

[ArtB]

You guys that can throw over 75 feet up with any accuracy have quite the arms!

 

[benjo75]

It's more technique than power. Find the right weight bag for that particular shot. Once you get your technique and form down 75 ft isn't bad at all. I done 2 pines yesterday that was over 75 to the first limb. I was using 150' of 3 braid and the Masdam puller. I had to tie on an extra rope while pulling the first line down. That's how I know it was over 75ft. It liked about 10ft reaching the ground.

Richard Mumford has a good video on using a sling shot mounted to his foot to shoot a line in the next tree over. It would be the same mounted on the wrist as normal. You just can't expect great distances with it.

 

[Oldmaple]

Throwing a throw bag isn't in the arms. Pull a loop through the ring, then one hand on the loop, the other hand on the line and you throw it underhanded. A little practice and you'll be throwing 60 to 70 feet in no time. Plenty for putting a pull line in most trees.

 

[sundance]

12 oz bag or 16 oz recommended for a complete beginner?

 

[Mustang71]

The crossbow is more of an arch shot and I think I only have 150 feet or so of line on it. In the videos they show putting your finger on the spool to act as a brake and it does work. My trees are about 70 feet or less. I've tried throwing and could never get it. But I was just using some random weight on a rope.

 

[benjo75]

I would start with a 12 or 14. As you get better you can progress heavier. 2 things will happen with a 12. It will be hard to throw extremely high and when you do it won't be heavy enough to fall back down the other side. Especially in a rough bark tree like Hackberry, White Oak and even Pine. I keep a 10 on a fly reel in my climbing bag hanging from my saddle. I think there's about 60 or 70 ft of line on the spool. Perfect for advancing your climb line or throwing to the next tree for a traverse. I keep 14 and 16s in my cube for throwing from the ground. I prefer 14 unless I can't get it back to the ground. Sometimes it will fall straight down after throwing over 1 limb but if I start redirecting it then it will lock up. In that case I'll let it fall to the ground then clip on another bag and pull it back up then redirect then it has plenty of weight to fall through several limbs.

 

[Oldmaple]

I like the 16 oz since it is more likely to pull the line through to the ground.