Photo: Phil Archdeacon — shown here with a great 10-pointer — sent us a very useful tip. The hunter from Rock Tavern, NY figured out a way to retrieve things he dropped from his treestand without having to climb down.
Have you ever gotten settled into your treestand only to drop something important, then have to go through the hassle of having to climb down, retrieve it, then climb back up again?
We’ve all done it. Not only does this take up precious hunting time, but you also risk spooking deer with all the extra noise and motion you’re going to make.
After having to do this one too many times, I decided to come up with something inexpensive and effective for retrieving dropped gear.
I bought a large, weighted treble hook and filed the barbs off. If you have a Dremel tool, you can also use a metal cutting wheel to remove the barbs quickly and safely.
There’s no need to carry extra rope. Simply tie the hook to the line you used to pull up your bow or gun. Make sure to buy one with an eye large enough for your rope to go through.
You’ll need to get into the habit of leaving yourself a little bit of extra rope so your hook easily reaches the ground and surrounding area.
Weighted treble hooks are cheap and much more economical than commercially available retrieval products designed to do the same thing.
I keep one in my backpack at all times, so the next time I drop my release, deer call or cap, I can get it back in a snap!
— Photo Courtesy Phil Archdeacon