How-to Saddle Hunt with Climbing Ropes - DRT & SRT Complete Guide 

We now sell everything you need for DRT/MRS , SRT, and single stick climbing on our website : www.newyorksaddlehunter.com/

I realize this video was filmed over three years ago, however, the fact that Scott K is an arborist with over 30 years of climbing experience speaks volumes to me. The arm chair quarterback's have flooded the saddle hunting communities with piece meal information. I like being taught climbing technique by some one who has a vast amount of experience and knowledge doing just that. Thanks for the great content.

I watched a lot of youtube videos prior to finding this one and so I bought a lot of tree climbing gears that I don't know how to use. Anyway, after watching this video, I found out that I already have the suggested climbing devices. I also found that I bought a lot of unnecessary gear. I could have saved some money if I found your video earlier. On the brighter side, I now have two fail-safe ways of climbing a tree with the gears shown in this video. Thank you for sharing, much appreciated.

Great video! From the lightweight SAR world ... Regarding SRT - you can drop some serious weight/space by going to 8mm mains, which is generally rated around 14kN*. If you're worried about ultimate strength, look at things like the 8mm Bluewater Canyonator (expensive, but awesome to work with and you need more wraps due to Technora awesomeness) Also, you can save more weight (and cost!) by dropping the ascender and the Gri-Gri for 6mm friction hitches (Blake's/Distel/Bachmann/VT/etc) which work well on 8mm rope. Also swap your footloop for 6mm cord and run a double-figure 8 on the end (so the single 6 doesn't put too much pressure on your boot if you're not using steel-shanks. Good 6mm is usually around 7.5kN. Could probably shave a couple pounds off your hike-in weight! (I won't comment on the popup cube vs a standard throw-bag or tarp. =) It's also much quieter, and you can just clip them on to your harness without the clicking and clanking and reflections of metal gear. If anyone has issues with the Blake's not biting on a system (such as in the DRT demo), you can run your second bridge in smaller cordage...the smaller diameter on the friction hitch will help bite into the larger rope. Big guys (like myself) sometimes have to swap down if adding more wraps doesn't work. The ideal ratio is 60-80% for prusik-to-mainline so 6mm-8mm is a nice 3/4 (75%) ratio for good hitch lockups. If you do transition to smaller lines, make sure your hard-gear is able to handle it! For example, the Gri-Gri+ is only good down to 8.5mm. * 1kN = 224.81 lbs, and this is static/ascension system so no fall-factor. Most people need approximately 1-2kN of actual load bearing, and everything above is safety factor. At 6'6" 240 I'm fully confident in 6/8 (and do run it for my personal high-angle SAR kit.) Really liked the style and completeness of your video. Good luck out there! Cheers!

Great Video.. An index in the description (time stamp) would help viewers to review key points or you could edit the footage by subject. You can paste the timestamp below into the description of the video. or Pin it at the top of comments section. 00:00 Overview 4:39 Throw ball 8:26 Ready for Rope 9:58 DRT with a Saddle 22:26 SRT Demonstration ** 23:30 Alpine Butterfly 25:58 Petzl GRIGRI Belay Device 28:33 Petzl Hand Ascender And Foot Loop 30:50 What to do at top of climb 32:35 Coming Down - Descending 34:15 Using Shorter Rope \ Paracord and 35 feet with loop 35:10 Retrieving Gear \ Getting Gear up in tree 38:30 Exiting the tree 38:45 Preset Paracord Loop 41:56 Thanks for Watching Thanks for the video 😊

I have been looking for a laid-out, to-the-point video on climbing with minimal equipment, as I have. With being new to climbing and in-tree chainsaw-ing, I have been able to get to climbing after this video. I hope this comment gets to you guys because I want you two to know how much I appreciate your help with this video. Great job and thank you!

Been following this channel for a long time now and its nice to see how far you guys have come, channel growth ect. Finally got into saddle hunting and i love every second of it. Thanks for all your help fellas.

Awesome video guys, great details and explanations of every part of the process, I am looking at SRT climbing for tree work but couldn't really find a good video explaining everything as clear as this video, thank you!!!

Awesome and informative video, newly coming into saddle hunting and with a minor background in tree work, it helped answer a few trial and error questions/scenarios I was having. Great video 👍

Nice work, gentlemen! The information flowed logically and the production quality is really good.

Fantastic video Joe and Scott!!! Thank you very much guys. This will be my first season saddle hunting so I’m absorbing as much info as possible. I found your channel right after you launched it and y’all really helped me out with another tool for the arsenal with the first DRT video and I bought the kit from Wesspur. Since I work away from home, I have only been able to practice it a few times. And this video, I would say, although a great watch for someone seeing it for the first time, will help me fine tune my technique.

Nice to see this, been doing saddle hunting for years, still have and use my original tree saddle, with belts instead of ropes, have ascenders and descender, good rope, will upgrade my saddle to make it lighter by replacing heavy belts and buckles with rope tethers , etc

Awesome video I’m undecided on which style I want to go with but you guys made both ways look easy and I’m looking forward to ordering a kit for next season!!!

Great intro video to this system and instruction on both methods. Thanks for introducing me to this method, it's been a great tool to add to the system!

Great video. When using a Grigri recommended to always have a hand holding tension in rope below Grigri device or tie backup knots below Grigri. The Grigri does not always lock rope in itself if your weight is removed from Grigri (like if removing lanyard and returning to GriGri as support) unless you sufficient tension in the rope below the Grigri - ie not guaranteed to lock. The Rig or ID devices do lock rope and are more suited for hands free positioning without need for locking off with knot on device or below device.

Awesome video guys! they keep getting better and better. Ive wanted a saddle for about two years since I came across your videos and finally just ordered the Phantom, and your DRT kit... thanks for the promo code! I can't wait !

So glad I found you guys. I've been piecing this together for myself over the years and am elated to have found this summary! Great info and can tell a lot of thought and effort went into this!

Well I'm definitely pointing people to this video whenever they ask about srt/drt. This is very well put together!

great video! I was so confused after watching 10+ other saddle hunting vids (because those don't show the complete process)... this one video made everything make sense... going to try this right now!

This is absolute INFORMATION GOLD for new climbers like myself. Thank you for making this. Great job.

Nice production guys. Glad to see the channel growing and the benefits from it. Been here part of the “NY Saddle Squad” since the early days 😎..... in Michigan but still part of the NYSS lol

Great video guys! The new edit and mic are on point. Your videos have tought me everything I’ve wanted to know about DRT/saddle hunting. Hope you shoot a stud this year!

Used my srt kit for the first time today with the flat branch saddle. Been looking forward to this for months. Had a great time. Wouldn’t have been able without your instruction. Really appreciate it! Hunting, recreational climbing, tree maintenance, the list goes on. You guys are awesome.

Great, thorough coverage of the topic guys! Thank you.

Thanks guys for this video. You convinced me to take the plunge into saddle hunting and now my son is considering it too. Ordered my equipment today and hope to have both of us practicing with it soon.

Hunting for over 45 years and now this! Wow!

Been watching your videos and have been very curious about this system. This is an awesome series and very educational. Will definitely try to integrate these methods into my arsenal for future hunts. Thanks for the info!

Awesome Video Guys! I tried DRT this past weekend finally, been very busy and absolutely loved it! You guys were right this Trophy Line Saddle gives bad hip hinge, gonna have to replace it with an AeroHunter Kestrel for the DRT method. I should’ve asked the first time and now I know. Great Editing of the Video, keep it up you guys are gonna grow.

Thanks for tagging this video for me in a previous video comment. Definitely a wealth of information and a resource worth watching a couple more times. Especially when I am able to get my system. Still not sure which one that I would prefer. Might have to try both out multiple times if I could before making a decision.

Amazing video!! I haven't done any saddle hunting yet, but this gives me the confidence, the know-how and what equipment is relevant versus not. Extremely practical, thank you for taking the time to put this together. I love the channel!! Keep it up

Great instruction and tutelage! thanks for taking the time to share your information and experience

Excellent demonstration of both methods. Really great video.

Great video guys. Appreciate your time with all the content.

I really like how you all broke the video down, and made it easy to scroll to certain topics. I already have a saddle, so I didn't watch the history, and I am only interested in DRT. Great Videos!

Impressive video guys! Great instruction and quality!

Been waiting all day to get the chance to watch this.

Awesome video guy's. Keep the A+ content coming.

What a wholesome video! Thanks for showing these ways and techniques!

Well-filmed and informative. I learned a lot from this video - Thank you!

Scott, Joe EXCELLENT! I am a saddle hunter and have been following your videos from day one. Give yourselves a pat on the back. Nicely edited and very professionally compiled.

Guys.... Hands-down that is the best, most informative saddle hunting video that I've seen! Every time I see a video of yours I learn something new, and I learned a ton about SRT. Excellent work, gents, and on behalf of all of us newbie saddle hunters, THANK YOU!

Great video 👍

wow what an awesome system. video I enjoyed watching. Thank you guys.

We appreciate you guys too. Best thing to come out of NY.

You guys did a excellent job of explaining, and demonstrating all the tree climbing techniques. I enjoyed watching this video.

Agree with below. Very well done video and very thorough. You guys obviously have experience with these techniques.

Very Informative video! Loved it. You guys are awesome instructors! So glad to find this video.

Joe and Scott, I am very excited to get into the woods again this year. At 73 years young, I'd like to stay safe. Love the SRT method! Thanks for a great video explaining the "how to". Good luck to both of you and enjoy some tasty venison.

A very informative job by both you guys. Keep up the good work.

Amazing video Gents! Thanks!

this is excellent!! thank you for putting this together and sharing. the time and effort you boys put into this is very much appreciated. bravo!!

As an old tree guy and cell tower, tech this is awesome. Great job explaining and braking it down , and great idea with the 550 cord for mutual sets 🤷‍♂️👊🍻

Elegant simplicity!

Best video you guys have done! You guys covered a bit of everything involving SRT/DRT systems and you added extra bonus material, Great job guys!

awesome video. I think I am going to give SRT a try. You can probably cut down on metal by using a prusik or other progress capture knot instead of an ascender. The prusik can be tied to a long loop of 4mm cordage for your foot loop, eliminating the need for an aider. if you really wanted to use a pulley to pull the slack through the grigri, you could tie one in to your prusik, or just use a carabiner instead (a little more friction to pull through but it would work). Or you could just pull the slack straight up with your left hand, instead of pulling down through the pulley.

You guys really knocked it out of the park with this video! Destined to become the most watched instructional video on saddle hunting/DRT,SRT climbing in RU-vid history.

You guys are legends. I'm an Australian deer hunter who has been looking for a system to start utilising tree blinds. I ended up getting all the gear for SRT from your links because things like hunting saddles etc are non-existent in this country. Have just set it all up and started practicing climbing. The spot I go the deer kind of move down out of the higher denser forest to the pasture land near the fringe during the night, then make their way back up as the sun rises. I think setting up in the saddle a reasonable distance from the trails at sun up or sun down is going to work extremely well.

Very good presentation! Thanks!

Great video guys !!

New to saddle hunting. Great information and video. Thank you guys.

Awesome info, thanks so much!

Wow guys, great video! Thanks for all you have done. Definitely sharing the video. Thanks for getting the coupon codes. Keep up the great work.

That’s an awesome video and I’m about to Order the solitude 2.0. Thanks guys for all the info

Just did my first drt climb in the big oak in my front yard using the tips you guys have given in your videos. I was actually somewhat shocked at how easy it was. I definitely need to add a shorter bridge to my tetherd mantis saddle for climbing though. As well as get some practice with the throwball. Gonna try to get some paracord loops out this weekend!

Great video guys, thank you!

Good job on the video guys. Well done.

thank you guys for that excellent ideal.

Great Video Guys !! 👍👍

Great instructional! Thanks mates!

Awesome video! Thank You.

Great video Boys keen to see more

Great video

I think that all climbers should know how to use basic friction knots for self rescue. I was out in the tree hunting and when I ascended the tree I was using a Jumar hand ascender. Normally I remove my mechanical devise right away. this time for what ever reason I did not. So at the end days i put on my figure 8 with a prussic back up to descend the tree. When I got back down to the ground I looked up and seen my ascending device still up by my stand. Now what..... well I used the 2 prussic knots and a foot loop strap and ascended the tree so I could retrieve my ascender. I use SRT and it is always good to know different ways to ascend and descend. Just in case you drop or loose your mechanical devise. Good job Guys..

I'm sold... I live in upstate NY and used to climb poles to put up fiber optic line and always thought of how to use my equipment for hunting but for sure would have problems climbing with spikes on public land. This method is the s- -t ! No more sticks and stands for this cat.

Thank you very much, that was very informative.

Great complete climbing tutorial. Amazing camera quality too

I purchased both. Thanks for the video

It's a great video .. Less talk going straight to the point.. Thanks 🙏

Really good video.

❤ Great! Gots to drop a 75ft Pine. So was looking at spikes. Loved climbing as a kid. And will say this Vid. Is articulate, to the point shared by a profesional arborist to boot!! and no fancy gadgets to scare off a Newby. I have no reason to climb but for fun...and that old pine, (with spikes) Great job you two!!😁

Really good stuff Guy's........... Keep it up

Great video guys 👍 👍👍👍!!!!!

Bought SRT setup, thanks guys.

Small tip on srt ascent, thrust your hips when you pull and keep both feet planted on the tree

Well put together video men.

I am loving the upgraded production quality

Excellent job on teaching your techniques most people are so boring and explain it .

Well done guys!

Good demo

Good job guys!!

Great content guys thanks for your help..

Nice editing. Stepping up your game for sure. Hopefully u can help a few hundred people. My Twist saddle will be here in a couple of days. I would have had it already but it turns out that the New Tribe & Aerohunter computer system don't recognize each other. I ordered the Twist on New Tribe & ordered my Kestrel flex months ago on Aerohunter. No promo code discount on New Tribe but that's OK. They probably aren't doing as well as I am. Waited until the 1st major cold front Sunday to visit a preset I put up in March. I wanted to wait until the woodvine was done blooming b4 I pull it through the loop on my DRT system so all is good. Keep passing the good word.

Thank you for the excellent video

wow!! I'm really impress, thank u, is really help full for beginner like me!!!!

Great info thanks

Very nice job guys. Put it altogether in 1 video. Gotta get me a shirt or hoodie. Go in light come out heavy!😁

excelent job keep up good work

I am so glad this didn't have any midroll adds. It would have been 3 hours long. I will probably listen to this video 10 times to have some decent add free content 😉

I do SRT hear in Sweden hope we will be able to hunt white bow soon. Ty for your cancel just found it 🙏🇸🇪

Very well done 👌