BOW & ARROW TREE ENTRY
Derived from the article by Tom Ness in Tree Climbers International newsletter, Summer, 1997
What do you do when the lowest anchor branch of your climbing tree is out of range of your best hand throw? Here's how to place your climbing rope using Bow & Arrow Tree Entry, and why this method might be preferred to others.
Slingshots have the advantage of light weight and compactness, but unless they're modified, most will barely shoot higher than a strong hand-throw. They don't store enough energy to haul a monofilament line over a really high branch. The success that tall-tree climbers have had with slingshots in recent years is due to clever modifications of the tool, and the use of newer alternatives to monofilament line, like Berkeley 20 lb Fireline.
Crossbows have the advantage of easier aiming because they can be cocked while you do the targeting. They have two disadvantages, however. The standard models are bulkier than compound bows, so they're more cumbersome to carry into the field. The smaller pistol crossbows don't have this drawback, but all crossbows are at full draw each time you fire; you can't modulate the power of your shot.
The modern compound bow is a great all-around tool for big tree entry. Even an old clunker will hit about 150 feet. Some new bows can hit up to 210 feet. That will get you into any tree on the planet. Use solid (not hollow) fiberglass arrows with a rubber blunt target tip. You can use fletching if you like--it doesn't affect performance very much. Since these arrows are heavier than standard hollow-shaft arrows, they don't sit very well on the feathery arrow rest on the bow; a hard nylon rest is available for use with solid arrows.
 Most bows have a tapped hole on center-front for mounting a stabilizer device. This is a perfect place to mount a fishing reel for handling the line that you'll attach to your arrow. The standard threads on this hole match New Tribe's Reel Mount. When preparing to shoot, be sure to flip the bale on the reel before you draw, and always carefully check the path of the line to make sure it can flow smoothly and safely off the reel behind your arrow. The Reel Mount has a slot on the end that gently holds the line before firing, to help keep the line from jumping off the reel while you draw and aim. If the line is held even slightly too hard, the departing arrow will leave the line behind. Then you have to go find the arrow. Another way to set up your reel is for a second person to hold a separate rod-and-reel rig pointing at your target branch at the moment you fire. An advantage to having a second person help this way is better line control in the moments prior to firing.
Line is as important as any other component in this system. If you're using monofilament that is too light, it breaks too easily. Too heavy and it creates too much drag as it pays off the reel, and this reduces your range. A 20 lb test is about right. A full reel has less line drag as the line pays out, but fuller reels have more tendency for the line to jump off when you don't want it to. Don't tie the line directly to the arrow, rather tie an eye in the end of the line, pass the eye through the drilled hole in the arrow shaft, then put the eye over the nock end of the shaft and pull the slack back through the hole. This way you can easily put the arrow on the line or take it off without tying a new knot each time. You will be putting arrows on and taking them off a lot. Never try to pull an arrow back over a branch if you can avoid it; the arrow will rarely make it over without snagging. Let your unacceptable shots fall to the ground, take the arrow off, then pull the unencumbered line back over.
Once your first line is over the branch where you want it, it's time to tie on a stronger, secondary line and pull that back over the branch. This secondary line must be strong enough (like New Tribe's Throwline ) to pull your climbing rope over the branch. It has its handling problems, too. If you're using a bow that can make a 210-foot shot, you're going to need 420 feet (twice that length) of this line to complete your system. If you handle that much line in a coil, you'll end up spending a lot of time chasing tangles. A stuff bag of the right size can do the job. Better yet, a custom-made hand reel is the fastest way to manage this line. You can make your own hand reel using a plastic spool like Harris-Welco uses for their welding wire. Although it's bulkier than one you could make from scratch, this spool is rugged and can hold nearly 1,000 feet of Throwline. Ask at a local welding shop and they can probably give you one.
Once your Throwline is over the branch, tie on your climbing rope, pull it over, and set it. Now you are ready to begin your big tree climb. |
PARTS
Here
is Viola Brumbaugh's description of how she mounted a reel on
a Barnett Trident II Crossbow. 
