Chapter 6: Use of Elevated Stands & Other Techniques
Raising and Lowering Hunting Equipment

Never carry your bow and arrows up the tree with you as you climb. Always use a haul line of heavy cord attached to your stand to bring up your bow, arrows, and pack or to lower them prior to climbing down from your stand. Tie a loop on the end of your haul line. With your quiver secured to your bow, pass the loop between the bow’s limb and the bowstring. Hook the loop over the limb tip—or the cam or wheel of a compound bow—so that the arrows point down when the bow is lowered or so that the arrows point up with the blades completely secured in a quiver when the bow is raised. After you have tied the line to your bow, place it away from your climbing route so that you won’t fall on sharp arrows if you lose your footing. After you are securely on your platform, check and adjust your attachment to the treestrap and your lineman’s belt so that there is no slack when you are seated. Then haul up your gear.