I wish I could find some titanium bolts. Anyone work for a company that might have 2nds or 3rds that we could use for our steps?

Thanks,

Paul

Thanks for all the info, I haven't heard/read anything but praise for the Simmons system, I'm gonna have to give it a try, and I'll report back with my thoughts on it's ease of use. The titanium bolts are a great idea.....damn sure wouldn't leave them in the tree when I wasn't sitting in it though.

Titanium would be a bit pricey wouldn't it? I can get bolts built, but wow! If I was going to spend money on custom climb bolts, I would use an aluminum alloy of some kind----light and very tough. Less money than titanium too.

I would not use them in our neck of the woods. The amount of Oak wilt we have up here drilling anything in the tree is asking to kill your best stand sites.

I would not use them in our neck of the woods. The amount of Oak wilt we have up here drilling anything in the tree is asking to kill your best stand sites.

Nocam- I do drill at a slight upward angle, but with pines and poplar, the tree still "gives" a bit and I wouldn't want to use the same hole twice.

BCD

There are some screw in tree steps that are small enough that one can hold 8 or 10 in the hand.  Don't know if they're made anymore, but there was a place here in Wisconsin that made/makes a step they call the "Happy Hunter."  Very compact, very strong and very stable.  The screw was housed inside a u-shaped piece of metal which folded out to act as a lever in turning in the screw into the tree and then , when it's lower end was pressed back into the tree bark, it served as a jib (I think that's the right word) holding up the screw part.  The protruding part of the housing even provided a little lip to keep one's boot from slipping off.

One of the problems my hunting partner ran into with using bolts in trees in November and December is that the bolts either froze into the trees, or when he took them out, the holes filled with water/sap and froze, so it wasn't just a matter of slipping the bolt in them when he came back.

Orion,
Thanks for the info. I have not had that problem yet. I do not leave my bolts in the tree.

Paul

Guys, I can't remember who asked me recently if I knew of any place that had the Simmons Woodpecker Drills anymore and I told him that I did not know, but if I came across any I'd let him know. As most of us know, Woodpecker Drills  are getting to be as scarce as hens teeth.

To make sure I'm following Tradgang's guidelines, I will not post the name of the business because they are not a sponsor here. They are located in Baton Rouge,LA though. Please PM me and I'll send you the name and phone number. The manager over the archery dept. said they can take payment over the phone and ship them to whoever buys them.
Merry CHRISTmas, and a happy new year to all !

I also have the name of a company that sells a system much like the woodpecker. You have your choice of a hand drill like the woodpecker or one where the drill bit can be removed to use in a cordless drill. I've been using it for a few years now and it beats screw in steps. email or PM me and I'll provide you with the website. I believe they are located in Illinois.

Orion, is correct been using this system for over 25 years -- started with an old fashion hand drill. In Wisconsin when the weather turns cold if you remove -- holes fill with ice, if you leave in they freeze and can not be removed until spring with a great deal of difficulty. Early season only in wisconsin.Thanks Jerry, good luck.

I have very few private lands to hunt, so I'm mostly public.   those that hunt on public land, check your state regs.....many places have restrictions on drilling into the bark of a tree (it invites beetle and disease infestation)

i have on private land used and old bit and brace and 3/8" x 8" grade 8 bolts occasionally and it is pretty quick.

Fallguy,

As long as you only place steps beginning in October you don't have to worry about Oak Wilt.

I sent the info to everyone that PM'd me, anyone else interested ?

I use one some every year.I use it in long walk places and leave the bolts in for the next trip.It also works great for sticking an eye in the side of a tree to skin out something if you are far from the truck.A good tool that does just what you expect when you get one.