I think this video was from the first year we used the crossbow. We've been back every year since and become more familiar with the advantages and limitations of that system. Perhaps we should update our footage...
It looks like you are skittish with that crossbow. I use a slingshot wristrocket with a fishingreal attached and shoot a lead weight. It works great and doesn't get cought up in the branches
@gpetleskov The answer is that this is...both. We are recreational tree climbers - not a job. However, even Arborists climb with a single rope - that is a job. This practice is reasonably safe because trees don't have sharp edges that might otherwise cut your rope, and the anchor points tend to be very strong. Once into the tree, having multiple connections is a common practice.
I was just really looking forward to seeing how well you did this. Obviously your students ascended without a problem. I was just expecting a more seasoned feel to this event.
You are right! The instructor (that was me) was nervous. After a few years of using the crossbow, I'm still a bit wary. However, I've worked in the outdoor industry for a couple decades with literally thousands of students, and I have an excellent safety record.
@BatmanProject777 Well...yes...I have seen the edges of cut /snapped limbs. However, even the worst tree edges that I've seen aren't bad compared to the broken edge of masonry or the edge of a cliff that you might see in an industrial rope access project. Also consider that we almost always use a tube style friction saver or separate anchor on a limb. Contact on a lower limb is tangential, easier to see, and you'd feel significant drag as you pulled up your rope.
I always have been wondering of a creation of a crossbow fishline combo, I am very glad to see this idea come to fruition. But how hard is it to get the line where you want it? And how often does it get stuck in such dense forest?
The accuracy is quite good. We typically don't take more than a couple shots at branches on the order of 150 to 200 feet up. The arrow does sometimes get stuck, but because we are using fishing line we can pull hard enough to break the line. More often than not, the arrow just falls to the ground and we reel in the line. Over years of using this system we have only lost a handful of arrows. We even found one in a subsequent year that we lost in a previous one!
Now really sorry for my dumb questions, but. this is a Job that you do, not just a sport? if it is a job, by this way you climb the tree using only one atached rope? By europe standarts for work at High and on Rope, it's absolutly nesessery to work on two independent atached ropes.please can you tell me what do you think about that. Thank you verry much. greetings from the balcans
@gordonkirschner We also use the bigshot with a mounted open face fishing reel and scottshot bags. Ultimately I think we can go higher with a crossbow, especially a powerful one. We didn't mention it here because this video was aimed at using the crossbow. Excuse the pun. If you check out our other Redwoods video you'll see the bigshot in use.
Wow...has it been that long? We've had almost a decade of experience with this method, and in my opinion, it is the way to go. The other launch methods aren't as powerful or reliable. These days I can usually set a line with 3 or 4 tries at most.
@@markholton8555 Hey, that's great info. I have a 370 lb CenterPoint crossbow I use for hunting. I was going to have to clear some land and was wondering if it would work for casting lines to treetops. Great video. Even though its a bit dated, the principles still apply. Thanks for the update, Mark.
@@sideshowbilly3755 370 would be too powerful for this application, I would guess. 180 lb pull gets us 2/3 of the way up a sequoia. Unless you are climbing coast redwoods, you could go with a lower poundage. For normal size trees (like 100 ft) we use a slingshot.
This is great. I want to build one of these for pulling up antennas in very tall redwood trees. How do you attach a fishing reel to a crossbow? What model or type of fishing reel is used?
It's pretty easy to attach one, as it turns out. There are sometimes tapped holes in the end that accommodate a mechanism for holding extra bolts. You can drill holes in your fishing reel and use screws. These days we just put the thing on there with zip ties. I can say three things that are probably important: 1)The reel should be large diameter spool. 2) The reel should be open face and 3) Use Berkeley Fireline, 20lb test. Feel free to contact us by email if you want close up pictures of our rig.
Good question. We're going for maximum height, so the minimum weight of line is key for us. I'm not sure how the extra drag would change the dynamics. It would certainly limit the range. You might make up for that with a higher poundage crossbow and potentially heavier arrow. Having the right spool to send the line off would also be important. I'd imagine that the higher speed of the projectile would make that a factor.
So how do you get your climbing rope attached to the tree after passing through all those limbs? My uncle and I use to use a similar method with a deep see fishing rod with a golf ball tied to the line to pull trees with his tractor . Always struggled with getting the loop up high enough to gain proper leverage because of the limbs! Would love to see that in a video
@CornellTreeClimbing Interesting answer......haven't you ever seen the edge on the end of a cut limb ?....kinda hard, jagged and sharp in some cases. Also some bark is horribly abrasive to ropes. As well, a tree may have a nail, or other various metal hardware pieces hunters possibly may use and leave. I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong, just that the premise that trees don't have sharp edges is a little short sighted. ( in my opinion ) By the way, why no nock on the arrow ?
Why not just use a big shot? I worked as a tree climber and found with a little practice and the right throw bag I could hit my crotch at about 220ft. I think it is a bit safer. i would think using a crossbow to go from tree to tree would be a great idea.
electric powered reel with heavy test line to pull a man straight up a tree or whatever! Might that work?? A shotgun though rather than a bow to launch a grappling hook etc ....I think it COULD work! Works in the movies! Mission impossible I think used something similar? Can not recall...
People come to your site for a reason . Might help a great deal if you tell us the name , make , model # of your crossbow and how many poundage is the pull on it and the minimum poundage pulled bow is require for the aborist tree business so I know how to select the right crossbow for the right job ? Thanks for reply greatly .
Good point. The crossbow we use is a 180lb pull. We have used 150, but for trees of this size, 180 is better. More than that is probably not necessary. I'll check on the make and model and get back to you shortly.
Well, the crossbow is currently locked up in the police station, but I'm pretty sure it was a TenPoint, basic bottom of the line model like the Warrior HL.
@@VBGRIMNo things with triggers allowed on the university grounds. Rules say if we have it on campus it has to be locked up safely. In the police station...
@@markholton8555 just get a compound bow with a bowfishing slider setup....no trigger and it's not as dangerous as a crossbow. (and cheaper...can prob get a compound for free)
We use binoculars to confirm that the rope is over the branch we were aiming for, then we bounce test the rope to be sure it will hold the climber's weight!
That "instructor" seemed very uneasy with the crossbow. If you look you can see him pull the trigger before he disengaged the safety. I wouldn't trust my life in his hands, just off the fact he seemed scared to hand his equipment.
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I think this video was from the first year we used the crossbow. We've been back every year since and become more familiar with the advantages and limitations of that system. Perhaps we should update our footage...
It looks like you are skittish with that crossbow. I use a slingshot wristrocket with a fishingreal attached and shoot a lead weight. It works great and doesn't get cought up in the branches
@gpetleskov The answer is that this is...both. We are recreational tree climbers - not a job. However, even Arborists climb with a single rope - that is a job. This practice is reasonably safe because trees don't have sharp edges that might otherwise cut your rope, and the anchor points tend to be very strong. Once into the tree, having multiple connections is a common practice.
I was just really looking forward to seeing how well you did this. Obviously your students ascended without a problem. I was just expecting a more seasoned feel to this event.
You are right! The instructor (that was me) was nervous. After a few years of using the crossbow, I'm still a bit wary. However, I've worked in the outdoor industry for a couple decades with literally thousands of students, and I have an excellent safety record.
@ihallow We never had the line get cut while firing. The line to use is expensive, but by far the best option: Berkeley Fireline, 20lb test.
Well...yes. I guess we were! We've used it a bit more now, but it was a new thing back then.
@BatmanProject777 Well...yes...I have seen the edges of cut /snapped limbs. However, even the worst tree edges that I've seen aren't bad compared to the broken edge of masonry or the edge of a cliff that you might see in an industrial rope access project. Also consider that we almost always use a tube style friction saver or separate anchor on a limb. Contact on a lower limb is tangential, easier to see, and you'd feel significant drag as you pulled up your rope.
I always have been wondering of a creation of a crossbow fishline combo, I am very glad to see this idea come to fruition. But how hard is it to get the line where you want it? And how often does it get stuck in such dense forest?
The accuracy is quite good. We typically don't take more than a couple shots at branches on the order of 150 to 200 feet up. The arrow does sometimes get stuck, but because we are using fishing line we can pull hard enough to break the line. More often than not, the arrow just falls to the ground and we reel in the line. Over years of using this system we have only lost a handful of arrows. We even found one in a subsequent year that we lost in a previous one!
Now really sorry for my dumb questions, but. this is a Job that you do, not just a sport? if it is a job, by this way you climb the tree using only one atached rope? By europe standarts for work at High and on Rope, it's absolutly nesessery to work on two independent atached ropes.please can you tell me what do you think about that. Thank you verry much.
greetings from the balcans
@gordonkirschner We also use the bigshot with a mounted open face fishing reel and scottshot bags. Ultimately I think we can go higher with a crossbow, especially a powerful one. We didn't mention it here because this video was aimed at using the crossbow. Excuse the pun. If you check out our other Redwoods video you'll see the bigshot in use.
So here we are 9 years later (it's 2019 now). What's the update?Any change of opinion or improvement on this method?
Wow...has it been that long? We've had almost a decade of experience with this method, and in my opinion, it is the way to go. The other launch methods aren't as powerful or reliable. These days I can usually set a line with 3 or 4 tries at most.
@@markholton8555 Hey, that's great info. I have a 370 lb CenterPoint crossbow I use for hunting. I was going to have to clear some land and was wondering if it would work for casting lines to treetops. Great video. Even though its a bit dated, the principles still apply. Thanks for the update, Mark.
@@sideshowbilly3755 370 would be too powerful for this application, I would guess. 180 lb pull gets us 2/3 of the way up a sequoia. Unless you are climbing coast redwoods, you could go with a lower poundage. For normal size trees (like 100 ft) we use a slingshot.
@@markholton8555 10-4. Thanks, Mark.
Kool, I'm working on a crossbow line setter myself.
@IkickPUPPIES4fun Unless you are pruning really really big trees I think it would be a lot easier to use a slingshot line launcher like the BigShot.
This is great. I want to build one of these for pulling up antennas in very tall redwood trees. How do you attach a fishing reel to a crossbow? What model or type of fishing reel is used?
It's pretty easy to attach one, as it turns out. There are sometimes tapped holes in the end that accommodate a mechanism for holding extra bolts. You can drill holes in your fishing reel and use screws. These days we just put the thing on there with zip ties. I can say three things that are probably important: 1)The reel should be large diameter spool. 2) The reel should be open face and 3) Use Berkeley Fireline, 20lb test. Feel free to contact us by email if you want close up pictures of our rig.
Found this video for that exact reason also. 73, w5diy.
I’m gonna try this with the ballista at the next SCA event.
thanks. any experience using throwline instead of fishing line? cut out the middleman?
Good question. We're going for maximum height, so the minimum weight of line is key for us. I'm not sure how the extra drag would change the dynamics. It would certainly limit the range. You might make up for that with a higher poundage crossbow and potentially heavier arrow. Having the right spool to send the line off would also be important. I'd imagine that the higher speed of the projectile would make that a factor.
Mark Holton ordered an 80lb one so will give it a go and post results
no luck with 300lb line, too heavy, 15lb line too light. just ordered 80lb
A
So how do you get your climbing rope attached to the tree after passing through all those limbs? My uncle and I use to use a similar method with a deep see fishing rod with a golf ball tied to the line to pull trees with his tractor . Always struggled with getting the loop up high enough to gain proper leverage because of the limbs! Would love to see that in a video
You can tie the rope off to the base of the tree it sounds and looks counter intuitive but it wors
@CornellTreeClimbing Interesting answer......haven't you ever seen the edge on the end of a cut limb ?....kinda hard, jagged and sharp in some cases. Also some bark is horribly abrasive to ropes. As well, a tree may have a nail, or other various metal hardware pieces hunters possibly may use and leave. I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong, just that the premise that trees don't have sharp edges is a little short sighted. ( in my opinion ) By the way, why no nock on the arrow ?
Why not just use a big shot? I worked as a tree climber and found with a little practice and the right throw bag I could hit my crotch at about 220ft. I think it is a bit safer. i would think using a crossbow to go from tree to tree would be a great idea.
@snakeman12ify Ours is an Eagle IV 150lb compound
If someone yelled "Fire In The Hole", I'd feel pretty safe up in a tall tree...
When firing, line cutting not?
electric powered reel with heavy test line to pull a man straight up a tree or whatever! Might that work?? A shotgun though rather than a bow to launch a grappling hook etc ....I think it COULD work! Works in the movies! Mission impossible I think used something similar? Can not recall...
What kind of line and arrow how to put line on bow
Berkeley Fireline 20lb test and a bowfishing fiberglass blank
People come to your site for a reason . Might help a great deal if you tell us the name , make , model # of your crossbow and how many poundage is the pull on it and the minimum poundage pulled bow is require for the aborist tree business so I know how to select the right crossbow for the right job ? Thanks for reply greatly .
Good point. The crossbow we use is a 180lb pull. We have used 150, but for trees of this size, 180 is better. More than that is probably not necessary. I'll check on the make and model and get back to you shortly.
Well, the crossbow is currently locked up in the police station, but I'm pretty sure it was a TenPoint, basic bottom of the line model like the Warrior HL.
@@CornellTreeClimbing huh? Locked up? Why? How? What?
@@VBGRIMNo things with triggers allowed on the university grounds. Rules say if we have it on campus it has to be locked up safely. In the police station...
@@markholton8555 just get a compound bow with a bowfishing slider setup....no trigger and it's not as dangerous as a crossbow. (and cheaper...can prob get a compound for free)
What do you use to pull the climbing rope up?
From the fishing line we pull up a thowline, like say Zing It, then with the throwline we pull up the rope.
Mark Holton Perfect thank you!
We are basically draping a rope over the tree rather than tying ourselves to the top of it.
1:42 This is not how to ever hold a crossbow.
This is how to chop your fingers off.
If that line shoots, it will cut your fingers clean off.
How did you know it was a good branch? It was so high!
We use binoculars to confirm that the rope is over the branch we were aiming for, then we bounce test the rope to be sure it will hold the climber's weight!
Thanks!
haha awesome
anyone else preppers?
Placing your thumb in harms way while loading is not acceptable, you might want to share that with the other professionals.
Indeed...I thought we edited that, but apparently not!
That "instructor" seemed very uneasy with the crossbow. If you look you can see him pull the trigger before he disengaged the safety. I wouldn't trust my life in his hands, just off the fact he seemed scared to hand his equipment.
Kool, I'm working on a crossbow line setter myself.