82. Treehopper hand drill & bolts & Cranford's screw in steps (3 models) for big diameter trees
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- The more hunting tools you have to work with, the more opportunities you will receive over a lifetime of hunting and this video shows several tool options that you may not have.
Part 1: There are times when a DIY hunt requires gear that takes up the least amount of space and weight and there is only 1 piece of gear that fits that need and it's something that I've been using on the right occasions, since the early 1980's, the TreeHopper hand drill in conjunction with grade 8 bolts. In the first portion of this video I show the hand drill being used and then sticking a grade 8 bolt in the hole as a solid step, and the ring at the top is also made with the drill and bolts and everything will easily fit in a small portion of a Hauler pouch.
Part 2: The second portion of this video addresses climbing big diameter trees using screw in steps. You can't use sticks on large diameter trees because they are simply not safe and tend to kick to the side, if in fact the rope will even go around the tree. Same with a platform, the straps will not go around some large trees.
You also can't use conventional screw in rod steps on deep barked trees because the side panel of the step will not allow the threabetween ds to bury deep enough into the meat of the tree because the deep bark will only allow the step to go in so far.
With Cranford's EZY screw in folding steps you can screw in a step in the creases between the bark so the threads bury all the way into the meat of the tree. Cranford offers 3 models of screw in folding steps and I use all of them for different purposes and show why in this video.
Cranford steps start and screw in easily because they are sharp, poiuntedm and are not painted. Ameristep rod steps for instance, are painted and they start and screw in extremely hard and by the time you prep a tree, you're to wore out to hunt. And like I said, you can't use rod steps on deep barked trees like big cottonwoods, poplars, white oaks and a few shaggy barked trees.
I show using all of these steps in a deep barked tree and I've killed bucks from such trees where no other method would work.-
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John I use 3/4" schedule 40 pvc instead of conduit for screwing steps in. Its silent
Have used the Cranford folding for many years and agree they are THE best. Some that I have are at least 35-40 yrs old, and still VERY sharp and sturdy. Folded up they fit nicely in a shotshell belt to carry them with tape where screws fold in and worn over the shoulder with steps across my chest, are very quiet and easy to get to. Also have twigs in my side pocket to put in the holes coming down makes them easy to find in the dark going back up another time.
My brother used to put twigs in the holes so they would be easy to locate.
Lowes it a big Irwin dealer if anyone lives by a Lowes.
What T-post do u use in big trees to tether into ?
With oak wilt moving through the Midwest and threatening to decimate our red oaks, consider prepping oak trees outside of the growing season. The fungus that causes oak wilt is carried by beetles that fed on sap from fresh wounds on trees.
Man you have to be a fellow arborist? Great advice! Especially in 2022. Can’t or shouldn’t be doing this on public land here in Michigan anyway but good on you for spreading awareness
@@nicod1886 Definitely not on public but I've done a lot of oaks in the past and have never had a tree die from it. But I imagine things change and you guys say there are beetles now that will kill the oaks by boring into the open meat of the tree that the drill made and that is good information to know. The bolts come out when you come down the tree so the open wound is there. I will keep that in mind and not use the drill on oaks. Thanks guys.
@@johneberhart4062
Thank -you John! Been using Cranford and the treehopper for years, I do on occasion carry sticks into the woods, but the truth is they are cumbersome and require a minimum of four to get over twenty feet if you don't wanna get picked off by pressured deer. Every tree I've drilled had completely healed holes by the following season, in fact at times I'll hunt the same tree year after year and they are still thriving. Some trees heal faster than others, and some trees die from natural causes, ie pest invasions, multiple pathogens, and nutritional deficiencies. Use your best judgment.
Are you sure that one step isn't upside-down?
I use Cranky tree steps and I haven't found a tree that they won't go into yet. They even go into thick walnut trees and they are very easy to screw in with a wrench that comes with the steps. They are also much larger surface area then the Cranford which makes is much easier to get ahold of and safer for your boots to stay on!
I’d like to caution anyone thinking about drilling spikes into trees, because I’m a safety first hunter. One fall and you risk being unzipped like a can of sardines. In the 90’s I actually had two screw in steps snap off. They were my last. I exclusively hunt public land, and exclusively use LW climbers. I don’t consider them “archaic”. Killed a 140” & 195 2/8” last season. I exclusively hunt straight trees attached with safety harness at all times, or don’t hunt. I’d encourage all new hunters to make safety their priority. My sister, a nurse, once had no less than three quadriplegics in her hospital at one time, all from tree stand falls. A deer is just not worth risking your life for. I enjoy hunting when I minimize risk & feel safe.
I bought my treehopper set at woods and waters show about 30 years ago! No regrets..one thing I do is use foundation bolts, they have a little L shape on the end and there good hard steel. Don't know how they compare price wise cuz I bought a big bulk box at a sale a long time ago.
I think that 99.9% of us have learned several things from you since the explosion of saddle hunting. It’s probably 100% to be honest. I’m not very familiar with social media but I see alot of TH-cam channels have a “Patreon”.
I know that’s not what you’re in the game for but it’s like a dollar per patreon per each video released. I know you’ve left a mark on us Michigan boys and we appreciate you!
lol I’m not trying to undervalue your knowledge either, by saying that….
I’ll be looking for that Halloween MI buck tomorrow, good luck.
Thanks Nico and I definitely do not do this for money, just to help hunters become more proficient. I had a great job and a good life and am not in this for the money like most hunting personalities are and it is beginning to show.
@@johneberhart4062 O we know you’re not in it for that. I think that most of us have the mindset of “it’s the least we could do”, and we’d like to support your online platform. Either way, your brand is going to continue to boom and you’ve already secured a bunch of life long supporters. One clear sign of that is when you get that single clown who comes to your channel, steals your knowledge, and then writes some ignorant statement lol. Likely a hefty fella that drives a golf cart to the door of his deer blind out west and snipes farm deer 😂. Keep up the good work!
@@nicod1886 Thanks Nico and that is so true
Jerry Simmons Woodpecker drill. That man was an excellent Bow Hunter.
Amen, that was what it was. I couldn't remember the name but Woodpecker is the old drill I have and it still works great.
Illinois Public, we can't install diddly squat if it screws into the tree, not even a bow holder. Some public sites require setup & takedown every single hunt (nothing left overnight) and other places allow 1 stand or blind per hunter that can be left overnight but you can only put it up 2 weeks before season opener. I put up nothing because others see it and assume you know something and start hunting there all the time. I wanna know more about Jon killing a nice buck on Michigan public every year, i know he is running the scouting services now too.
All public lands in every state are like that, no screw in anything. Nothing that breaks into the meat of the tree.
If you was to put a 90 bind on your piece of conduit but then add another little short piece it would make a perfect 90ﾟ handle just like the drill bit
Jerry simmions made that old one I have the same thing for 30 yearss..he called it the woodpecker
You wanna sell it?
Yes, someone else in the posts mentioned it and mine is a Woodpecker. I couldn't remember the name and remember buying a Wizzard of the Woods fanny pack in the early 80's and thought it may have been the same company.
I only use bolts on private land. I wrap them in hockey tape to provide extra grip on boots and takes away shine.
Yes, and the grade 8 bolts don't rust so if you noticed in the video, I painted mine.
@@johneberhart4062 I hunt a lot of giant oaks , black walnut trees etc. & I can't tether around the giant trunks so what T-screw do u anchor into the tree with ???
Do you remember the ameristep screw in device from the late 90s? It's a hand crank
Yes and I have a tool & Die maker that makes them for people and sells them for $35. His are better than the Ameristep step starter was.
John, last week I had to go poo in the woods cause I had refried bean tacos the night before. I was way back and in a good spot so I couldn’t leave. I had all my scentlock on. Should I have put my waste in a ziploc bag, buried the poo, or just went poo in my pants to seal the odor. Love your stuff John thanks
That's your call. I use a gallon ZipLok
@@johneberhart4062 now that would be a hell of a TH-cam video!
@@jeffboutilier5075 Yes it would.
Make sure you have your scent locker underwear on first..Bonus the poo will keep you warm... 💩 🔐
I hate the double folds because when you try to get it started it will collapse on you and cut/pinch the crap out of your finger
They are the hardest to start for sure, for exactly the reason you said.
During the late season when I’m geared up for the cold I weigh about 240ish so I was thinking about using 1/2 bolts vs 3/8. Is there a big difference between the two?
I do the same thing except I use a 20 volt drill. Much easier when I'm preseting trees. Also, I've noticed the trees grow around the spikes after a few weeks. How do you get them out?
You can get them out with a wrench. I took some out of a cottonwood tree this fall. The tree had grown so much in a couple years that only a couple inches was still visible. You can wrench them out to where there is 3.5” exposed again or take them all the way out. Sometimes you can just pull them out but usually not after a growing season.
Ive seen squirrels bury acorns in the holes
The Treehopper drill and bolts are not for pre-sets, they are strictly for DIY freelance hunting. I use a cordless 24 watt drill with spikes as well for pre-sets and have a video on it. Have to have permission to use spikes though because they are permanent.
I bought a tree hopper this year and some of the bolts tree hopper sells the drill is fantastic but I have broke a bolt off. Had to use my lineman’s belt to slide down the tree to the next bolt. Now I’m scared to use them.
Were they grade 8 or grade 5? Grade 5's are soft steel and they bend very easily, even I can bend them and I only weigh 160. Grade 8's are hardened steel. Don't blame you for being a bit scared of them if you broke one, did it break or bend?
How do you stay connected to the tree the entire time with a linemen belt with trees that huge?
I have a special long 1/2 inch white nylon rope I made for these large trees.
John..this is a totally unrelated question, not pertaining to this video. You had mentioned before, that ALOT of your bucks you have killed, have had previous injury from bullets, arrows and what not. I was hunting an extremely large buck last hunting season ( pushing the 200" mark), and he was wounded by another gun hunter. He disappeared until the very last days of season when I got his pictures again. But at least I knew he survived. I just now found him on camera again this season. I can plainly see the damage done to his front shoulder by the 12 gauge slug he was hit with last season. So far he isn't showing up in the areas I used to get him on camera at. He seems to be confined to an area of CRP / standing corn. My question to you is, will a buck having an injury such as his, participate in the rut like they used to? Can I expect him to cover as much ground in his same old haunts as he used to? What are your thoughts? I know you have years of experience with battle worn bucks. Thank you
Yes, they will continue to breed and will typically keep the same core area, but from year to year they may be in a different portion of that core area depending on crop rotations and natural mast and fruit production. He will be much harder to get and will likely move less during daylight.
@@johneberhart4062 thank you for the reply. The crop rotation comment is very interesting to me. The last two years I had been seeing him in person, or on camera, the spot he is staying in now, was beans bordered by overgrown pasture. The farmer did not rotate the beans out, instead keeping them for two years. This year, he has corn, which is still standing. So it's corn bordering overgrown pasture. The camera in there is the only camera I now get pics of him on, though ive only checked it once, not wanting to overpressure the area. And he is not in any of the other areas rutting, that I seen him in the last two years, when the farmer had the fields adjacent to the pasture, in beans. So that crop rotation obviously changed things and I did not think about that. He must crave the extra security cover of the corn. Thanks again
Just have your saddle or stand on the opposite side of the tree ......if you ever fall .....they will rip a hole in ya .....For the bigger guys use steel gate screw- in hinge pins or telephone pole steps.............Been using a brace and bit for 55 years
You should be tethered to the tree so you can't fall if your in a saddle. Must admit, bigger guys do have issues with things bending and breaking. I have a couple friends that are over 250 and they use 1/2 inch rebar.
People are still screwing into trees🤔
I've used these drill and bolt steps for a couple of years in the past, but then stopped. all the trees start to die young. you could actually see it. even tried to fill holes with branches from same tree. bugs start homes, get filled with sap, dirt,etc... today its even getting worse with all the invasive insects so I will try to save as many trees as I can. so not to hunt only from ground blinds in meadows.
I've used screw in steps on a minimum of 500 trees and have yet to see the first one die from it.
What size spikes are those? Great idea. How many for 22’?. Usually a climber guy but do have a saddle.
Those are grade 8 bolts and are 3/8 diameter X 8 inches long and the hole the drill makes is 3 inches deep. There is a stop on the drill bit.
@@johneberhart4062 thanks.
My fellow Saddle hunters where do y’all buy your rope to make a tether for a tree of that size?
You can double a couple tree tether ropes together by tying a loop on one end of one of the ropes (that will give you a loop on both ends of that rope) and then slide it through the loop on the other tether rope and then pull the other end of the double looped rope back through the tied loop and pull it through. Will double the length of the rope. Or you can go to a marina and buy a 1/2 inch nylon docking rope or just a length of 1/2 inch white nylon rope (that's what I use). Make sure the nylon rope isn't a cheap rope with the poly core. You want a full nylon rope.
@@johneberhart4062 thank you!!! Been watching your videos an that’s one thing I can’t find on here is what u used to get in those big trees I have a lot of them where I hunt ha
@@Louisiana8critter_getter They are tough to get in but you can get away with murder once you are in one.
you can't really use that system on public land can you?
Sure you can, as long as the public land has trees.
They won’t let us in TN on public unless they’ve changed the rules again. No personal issue regardless. Like the tie ons or the sticks but grew up with the screw ins.
No
@@johneberhart4062 Yes you can, you’re just not allowed to.
@@russelllangworthy8855 Can't argue that.
John, what is the name or brand of the pouch you keep your grade 8 bolts in?
That is an old Trophyline pouch that went on their saddle. I designed the Trophyline Ambush saddle in around 2000 and that was the pouch it came with. It was a single panel saddle and I only used it hunting once and went back to my 2 panel.
@@johneberhart4062 OK thanks
Do those hold scent ?
Does what hold scent, the metal bolts or steps, no, not when they have been wiped down with a wipe and put in with ScentLok gloves on.
Novix sticks are way faster and quieter than this method.
Yes, sticks are definitely faster and I use sticks all the time and have a couple videos on that, speed is not what these items are for and I thought I mentioned that. These are for pre-sets, huge trees that you can't use sticks in, and for freelance hunting while carrying the least amount of bulk as possible.
Not relevant for Michigan public land.
Why not?
@@russelllangworthy8855 can't use screw in steps.
@@100american5 Yes you can.
@@russelllangworthy8855 You can not use screw in steps legally on public land. If you want to be a poacher then you can.
@@100american5 Legality? In Michigan? Haha. Michigan is a joke. Screwing steps into a tree doesn’t make one a poacher.
For a guy who hunts mainly public, why are most climbing tips/info tailored for private? Never saw a video of you carrying climbing sticks or how you set up on public…either that or your laws on what you can and can’t do differ from where I am (I.e. drilling into a tree, cutting branches, etc.)
What’s the single longest tree you’ve ever hunted?
I've hunted well over 500 trees and probably closer to 1,000. The tree I've hunted the longest would be 18 years and it's a huge tree I can only use screw in steps in.
@@johneberhart4062 so you n that tree have had some good times lol
@@danweaver5787 Actually I killed a good buck from that tree on my very first morning sit in it and have yet to kill another there to this day.
“you’re not hearing steps, you’re not hearing stands”… you’re just hearing a rattle bag of bolts
When hunting, the bag of bolts isn't handled in the same manner as for a video.
S u p e r 👍 👍👍👍👍👍👍 😻😻😻😻😻 😻😻 💯💯💯 👏👏👏👏👏
that probably was a great climbing method back in the 90s but i believe the one stick climbing method has replaced that climbing method. Plus I believe the majority of your followers are public land hunters .
Totally agree that sticks are much faster and I have a video on that. These are for very specific things like big trees and for carrying as minimal as possible. I don't one stick and many others don't either. I do use sticks with aiders and only need to carry 3 of them and they are Tethrd One Sticks that weigh 15 ounces each.
How can you flat out bash one company, turn around and praise another and preside to say you're not getting paid by them. Weird. Stealth strip supporter.