Comments on: Tree Crotch Tree Stand http://treestandguide.com/tree-stand/tree-crotch-tree-stand/ Advanced hunting tree stand techniques. Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:11:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: jim http://treestandguide.com/tree-stand/tree-crotch-tree-stand/comment-page-1/#comment-101 jim Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:17:28 +0000 http://treestandguide.com/?p=17#comment-101 were can i buy crotch tree stand were can i buy crotch tree stand

]]> By: Kelly Hawkins http://treestandguide.com/tree-stand/tree-crotch-tree-stand/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Kelly Hawkins Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:00:12 +0000 http://treestandguide.com/?p=17#comment-87 Thanks for your respectfull reply Scot. The platforms on my crotch stand designs range from a "mini" 10x20" to 17x28". The fold down seat I sometimes incorporate is only 8" deep by 14" wide. While not as comfortable as the "armchair" designs so prevalent nowdays, they allow more "useable" platform, and are not so conducive to falling asleep. I doubt if those large seat designs have more useable platform than my larger designs. Often I don't mount the seat, but stand most of the time, sitting on the platform momentarily as needed. I suspect I'm like most people, and have a slight fear of heights, which usually goes away after a few outings on my crotch stand. This is helped by the extreme stability of footing, and the fact I have two to three tree trunks within reach to instill balance and mental security. This elimination of fear may be the biggest factor in tree stand safety, and I don't mean be over confident. How many of us have almost lost our balance, for no apparent reason while standing still on our tree stands, and get the shit scared out of us? This NEVER happens on the ground. It's caused by fear. With nothing in front of me, I NEVER get used to standing on my hang-on stand, so, like most people, prefer to sit. This forces one to stand and turn to take an "off-side" shot...at a time when you are NOT focused on safely doing that! I'm quite sure this scenario is big in the accident statistics, along with falling asleep in your "armchair", and stepping on to a laterally unstable hang-on stand, with too much lateral(sideways) pressure, which, with many designs, can cause it to disloge severely enough to cause a fall. With my crotch stands, if the full-width piano hinge fails, and you are NOT properly harnessed,(like most people in stands) you have the tree crotch underneath you, and two or more trunks for support, increasing your chance of extraction from the situation. Not so if a hang-on or climbing stand has a mechanical failure. You are on the ground before you know what happened! The 3/16" pin in the piano hinge I use would have to shear in 12 places at the same time to produce a sudden failure. It's more likely that failure would occur slowly. I weld each loop that captures the pin to eliminate them opening up. I haven't felt the need to test them, but suspect they would easily hold 1000 lbs. The hinge placed on the bottom causes the stand to "pop" over center hard enough to make removal difficult. They won't "fold-up" prematurely. Like I stated previously, we have NEVER had any type of failure in over 15 years of use! From long experience with my crotch mounted stands, I submit that they are SAFER than the average hang-on stand, using equal safety precautions. The main factors here summarized are: unequaled stability underfoot, having a crotch below your position, and being surrounded by two or more fear-reducing tree trunks. I don't suggest that it be the only type stand in one's arsenal, but most people should find a use for one or more, depending on the types of trees encountered in their hunting areas. If you want to view my design, I have an embarassingly amateurish video clip on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKxR1a5faLI Next time I'll get someone to help me! LOL Scot, I would like to know of other similar types of crotch mounted stands such as the one you refer to. I have not found any in production in my searches. Years ago Cabelas' offered the "Bear River" but they seem to be out of production. That design DID look unsafe! Thanks for your help. Kell Hawkins Thanks for your respectfull reply Scot. The platforms on my crotch stand designs range from a “mini” 10×20″ to 17×28″. The fold down seat I sometimes incorporate is only 8″ deep by 14″ wide. While not as comfortable as the “armchair” designs so prevalent nowdays, they allow more “useable” platform, and are not so conducive to falling asleep. I doubt if those large seat designs have more useable platform than my larger designs. Often I don’t mount the seat, but stand most of the time, sitting on the platform momentarily as needed.
I suspect I’m like most people, and have a slight fear of heights, which usually goes away after a few outings on my crotch stand. This is helped by the extreme stability of footing, and the fact I have two to three tree trunks within reach to instill balance and mental security. This elimination of fear may be the biggest factor in tree stand safety, and I don’t mean be over confident. How many of us have almost lost our balance, for no apparent reason while standing still on our tree stands, and get the shit scared out of us? This NEVER happens on the ground. It’s caused by fear.
With nothing in front of me, I NEVER get used to standing on my hang-on stand, so, like most people, prefer to sit. This forces one to stand and turn to take an “off-side” shot…at a time when you are NOT focused on safely doing that! I’m quite sure this scenario is big in the accident statistics, along with falling asleep in your “armchair”, and stepping on to a laterally unstable hang-on stand, with too much lateral(sideways) pressure, which, with many designs, can cause it to disloge severely enough to cause a fall.
With my crotch stands, if the full-width piano hinge fails, and you are NOT properly harnessed,(like most people in stands) you have the tree crotch underneath you, and two or more trunks for support, increasing your chance of extraction from the situation. Not so if a hang-on or climbing stand has a mechanical failure. You are on the ground before you know what happened!
The 3/16″ pin in the piano hinge I use would have to shear in 12 places at the same time to produce a sudden failure. It’s more likely that failure would occur slowly. I weld each loop that captures the pin to eliminate them opening up. I haven’t felt the need to test them, but suspect they would easily hold 1000 lbs. The hinge placed on the bottom causes the stand to “pop” over center hard enough to make removal difficult. They won’t “fold-up” prematurely. Like I stated previously, we have NEVER had any type of failure in over 15 years of use!
From long experience with my crotch mounted stands, I submit that they are SAFER than the average hang-on stand, using equal safety precautions. The main factors here summarized are: unequaled stability underfoot, having a crotch below your position, and being surrounded by two or more fear-reducing tree trunks. I don’t suggest that it be the only type stand in one’s arsenal, but most people should find a use for one or more, depending on the types of trees encountered in their hunting areas.
If you want to view my design, I have an embarassingly amateurish video clip on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKxR1a5faLI
Next time I’ll get someone to help me! LOL
Scot, I would like to know of other similar types of crotch mounted stands such as the one you refer to. I have not found any in production in my searches. Years ago Cabelas’ offered the “Bear River” but they seem to be out of production. That design DID look unsafe! Thanks for your help. Kell Hawkins

]]> By: Scot http://treestandguide.com/tree-stand/tree-crotch-tree-stand/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Scot Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:56:35 +0000 http://treestandguide.com/?p=17#comment-83 The reason I term them unsafe was becuase of the small platform. If the hunter does not securely mount them it could cause serious injury,. But I agree if you take the time with proper safety you can hunt in them safely. But with the current number of hunter injuries being so high I would only recommend them for the advanced hunters that are proficient at practicing safety first. If you wish to write an article for here with a rebuttal I would be glad to post it I can also edit this original entry put in the pros of them from your point of view. I value your opinion thanks for sharing your thoughts. The reason I term them unsafe was becuase of the small platform. If the hunter does not securely mount them it could cause serious injury,. But I agree if you take the time with proper safety you can hunt in them safely. But with the current number of hunter injuries being so high I would only recommend them for the advanced hunters that are proficient at practicing safety first.

If you wish to write an article for here with a rebuttal I would be glad to post it I can also edit this original entry put in the pros of them from your point of view.

I value your opinion thanks for sharing your thoughts.

]]> By: Kelly Hawkins http://treestandguide.com/tree-stand/tree-crotch-tree-stand/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Kelly Hawkins Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:19:58 +0000 http://treestandguide.com/?p=17#comment-80 I take issue with your characterization of crotch-mounted treestands as being unsafe. I and my friends have used a design I developed for over 15 years, and have had no structural or mounting failures whatsoever. After experiencing how much more solid they are to stand on, the typical hanging stands scare the shit out of me. Hanging stands have poor lateral stability, and someone with a slight fear of height like me, find them difficult to adjust to. A crotch stand instills confidence because of the presence of tree trunks beside and/or in front of you, not to mention the solid footing underneath. For many, the elimination of fear is a huge factor in safety. Properly installed they can't dislodge straight down, they can only dislodge in a twisting fashion. To eliminate this issue in less than ideal installations, such as a vertical trunk on one or both anchor points, we sometimes use lagbolt "stops" on top and bottom of the points where the teeth dig in. I've never used a climbing stand so I can't relate to their stability. Here in Kansas it's difficult to find suitable trees for their conveniant use. We also tend to leave them up all season, especially hunting private ground. Even in public hunting areas we have only had three stolen in the 15 years of use. Security chains will discourage that activity. I am having difficulty finding manufacturers of crotch stands to compare my design to, as I would like to market them. They should fullfill a need in every stand hunter's experience. I've worked as a Tool and Die maker for over 17 years, so I know how to build stuff right. Could you refer me to the type you are familiar with? Respectfully, Kell Hawkins I take issue with your characterization of crotch-mounted treestands as being unsafe. I and my friends have used a design I developed for over 15 years, and have had no structural or mounting failures whatsoever. After experiencing how much more solid they are to stand on, the typical hanging stands scare the shit out of me. Hanging stands have poor lateral stability, and someone with a slight fear of height like me, find them difficult to adjust to.
A crotch stand instills confidence because of the presence of tree trunks beside and/or in front of you, not to mention the solid footing underneath. For many, the elimination of fear is a huge factor in safety. Properly installed they can’t dislodge straight down, they can only dislodge in a twisting fashion. To eliminate this issue in less than ideal installations, such as a vertical trunk on one or both anchor points, we sometimes use lagbolt “stops” on top and bottom of the points where the teeth dig in.
I’ve never used a climbing stand so I can’t relate to their stability. Here in Kansas it’s difficult to find suitable trees for their conveniant use. We also tend to leave them up all season, especially hunting private ground. Even in public hunting areas we have only had three stolen in the 15 years of use. Security chains will discourage that activity.
I am having difficulty finding manufacturers of crotch stands to compare my design to, as I would like to market them. They should fullfill a need in every stand hunter’s experience. I’ve worked as a Tool and Die maker for over 17 years, so I know how to build stuff right. Could you refer me to the type you are familiar with? Respectfully, Kell Hawkins

]]> By: Climbing Tree Stand : Tree Stand Tips For Hunter’s http://treestandguide.com/tree-stand/tree-crotch-tree-stand/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Climbing Tree Stand : Tree Stand Tips For Hunter’s Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:36:23 +0000 http://treestandguide.com/?p=17#comment-4 [...] Hang On Tree Stand Tree Crotch Tree Stand [...] [...] Hang On Tree Stand Tree Crotch Tree Stand [...]

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