- 1). Inspect the work site thoroughly. Check for rot, often identified by the presence of mushrooms growing at the base of the tree, cavities in the tree, cracks, dead branches or hornet nests and other pests in the tree.
- 2). Strap on the spurs with pads to your climbing boots, and put on the saddle and other equipment. Toss one end of the flip-line around the tree, catch it with the other hand and connect it to the D-ring located on the side of the saddle opposite the adjuster.
- 3). Use the spurs to gain elevation on the tree. Your knee should remain at about 8 inches from the tree with the gaff planted in the tree at a right angle. Otherwise, the gaff could tear out of the tree when you place any weight on it.
- 4). Adjust the flip-line by moving it up with every two or three steps to avoid falling backwards. Continue this process to climb the tree.
- 5). Descend the tree by climbing back down slowly in small increments. Stab the gaffs securely into the tree at a right angle and readjust the flip-line as you descend.
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