header image for pull up rope

Hunting problem solved! | DIY tangle-free pull-up rope for your gun or bow

It’s an issue affecting a deer stand hunters that rarely gets talked about but can be very frustrating…

It’s getting your bow or gun up to you in the deer stand.

A pull-up rope or paracord is often the method of choice; tie the rope to the bow or gun and then pull it up to you in the stand. Easy enough, right?

Well, in theory, yes. But here’s the problem… You stuff the rope in your pocket and when you pull it out, it’s all tangled.

Stop this madness!

tangled paracord
I needed a tangle-free pull-up rope solution!

So, I’m going to show you how to make a tangle-free pull-up rope for your bow or gun that will easily unwind and not get tangled.

Hunting gadgets can be problematic

I bowhunt… a lot.

I used to hate having my pull-up rope tangled when I pulled it out of my pocket. There is nothing more frustrating than needing to quickly and quietly get up in your deer stand and then have to spend extra time untangling your pull-up rope.

Something had to give.

So, for years I used a gadget called a hunting hoist. It worked well enough, But, it was an extra 1-2 pounds of gear that I didn’t want to be weighed down by when walking to my stand. Also, the thing stip-like nylon material made a very unnatural noise when retracting.

hunting hoist for pulling up bow or gun to deer stand
For many years I used a hunting “hoist” like this, but the weight and unwanted noise made me look for other alternatives.

It’s hard enough to kill a deer. I don’t need any extra noises making it more difficult.

So I made another change.

Click to learn all the parts of a compound bow

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I needed a pull-up rope for my bow that wouldn’t get all knotted up

I wanted to get rid of the unwanted noise as well as the extra weight. So, here’s what I use now and it works like a charm.

No tangles, no mess, and I don’t have to deal with any unwanted noise.

So, why is ammo so expensive? Read THIS!

How to make your own tangle-free pull-up rope for your bow or gun [step-by-step]

So the first thing you’re going to need is some paracord. I like to use 1/8-inch paracord. It’s big enough to do what I need to do, but it’s also not so bulky that it can’t be handled easily.

1-8-inch paracord for tangle free pull up hunting rope
I prefer using 1/8″ paracord for my pull-up ropes. It’s strong, but also not too bulky.

Now, I cut the paracord to 30-feet, simply because when I’m using a climbing stand, I like to climb a bit high in the tree when bowhunting. The last thing I want is to have 20 feet of this rope and climb to 25 feet in the tree and have my bow hanging 5 feet off the ground because I didn’t have enough rope.

So, keep in mind how high you typically climb or how high your fixed tree stand is when making this rope.

I like to carry a waist pack to hold a few extras, like spare broadheads for the hunt, a rangefinder, a few extra lighted nocks, and some other odds and ends.

So, in this example, I’m going to show you how I incorporate that pack into making my pull-up rope.

Time needed: 2 minutes

Here’s how you can make your own tangle-free pull-up rope for your bow or gun so that you can easily and quietly raise your bow or gun to your deer stand.

  1. Tie a knot in one of the tag ends

    Take one end of your paracord and tie a small overhand knot.

    paracord tag end for tangle free pull up rope

  2. Put knotted end between index and middle fingers

    Take the knotted end that you just tied in step 1 and put it between your index and middle fingers. This will serve as somewhat of an “anchor.”

    putting paracord in between fingers for gun and bow tangle free pull up rope

  3. Begin the “figure 8”

    With the knotted end anchored between your fingers, take the paracord and wrap it around your little finger first and then around your thumb and back around your little finger.

    paracord figure 8 for pull up rope

  4. Continue “figure 8” to desired length.

    Repeat the process from step 3 until the rope is at the desired length for what you will need to lift your bow or gun up to your tree stand height.

    wrapping paracord in figure 8 for bow pull up rope that wont tangle

  5. Remove “figure 8” rope from your hand

    Once you have come to the end of your rope (pun intended), pull the it off your hand, keeping it in the same “figure 8” form it was while on your hand.

    removing rope from fingers for pull up rope

  6. Wrap remainder of paracord around the center of the “figure 8.”

    Once you have removed the paracord from your fingers, take the length that is left and wrap it a few times around the center of the “figure 8” bundle of paracord.

    wrapping tag end of tangle free pull up rope around itself

  7. Put paracord bundle in your hunting pack pocket

    Take the neat bundle of paracord that you have and tuck it into the pocket of your hunting pack. Be sure to leave both tag ends handing out of the pocket.

    putting paracord in pack pocket

  8. Tie the non-knotted end of the paracord to the zipper or other part of the hunting pack.

    Take the non-knotted end of the paracord and tie it to the zipper of the hunting pack pocket and zip shut, leaving a small opening for the knotted end to hang out.

    ends of paracord when in pocket

  9. Knotted end is ready to be pulled out of pack.

    Tie the knotted end of the paracord to your gun or bow. As you are climbing the tree or ladder stand that you will hunt from, the paracord will begin to come out of your bag, TANGLE FREE!

    pulling pull up rope out of hunting pack

  10. Putting the paracord back

    When your hunt is over and you have descended from the treestand, simply repeat steps 1-8 and your tangle-free pull-up rope will be all ready for your next hunt!

    wrapping paracord in figure 8 for tangle free pull up rope for bow

more DIY! click here to learn to make your own euro mount
Do you know all the various types of deer? Find out!
Video instructions on how to make a tangle-free pull up hunting rope.


Final Thoughts On Pull Up Ropes For Hunting

So, there you have it. A tangle-free pull-up rope for your bow or gun that will neatly stow away in your pack and easily unwind without the tangled mess.

And maybe the best part? You can do all this for a couple of dollars.

Now you can focus on harvesting a deer without getting all tangled up!

Giles Canter of N1 outdoors with archery buck
Giles Canter of N1 Outdoors
traditional archer in camo pulling back a bow

Gear Up | The Basics of Traditional Archery Bows

“Hardcore” is the best word to describe Traditional Archery.

It not only takes an archer that has skills, discipline, a keen sense of direction, and environmental awareness. To shoot a traditional bow, it also requires strength, endurance and patience.

Traditional Archery is a motivating and challenging activity that has been around for thousands of years since the late Stone Age and was prominently aided as a main tool for providing food, protection, and recreational purposes.

man holding traditional bow with head looking down

“The archer is the true weapon; the bow is just a long piece of wood.”

-Sebastian De Castell

Apollo, The Amazons, and Clint Barton are some of the legends in the field of Archery and have proven to be super-efficient in using one of the most supreme portable weapons man has ever made.

So, What Is A Traditional Bow?

A traditional bow is a bow that does not use any special equipment or accessories like most modern and compound bows do. You will not find components like sights, manufactured arrow rests or stabilizers on a traditional bow.

Traditional bows are often made from a single piece of wood, while some are made of wood that is laminated together.

Tricks Of The “Trad” | Traditional
Archery Bow Types

To be a fulfilled traditional archer, you would first need the tools to get set and ready to shoot.

Basic traditional archery gear may consist of a bow, and arrows. However, there are certain variations of bows to fit an archer’s preference, along with style of shooting or hunting.

Recurve bows

A Recurve bow is a bow composed of limbs that curve away from the archer.

A recurve bow is designed to store more force, which delivers more speed compared to straight limb or longbows.

Recurve bows are made in different lengths and draw weights to fit individual archers.

3-piece takedown bow

Three-piece takedown bows are composed of a riser, and a pair of limbs are the most common among today’s traditional archers.

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Longbows

Longbows / Straight limbs bows / One-Piece bows were the first and most basic bows crafted.

Formerly, these bows were made of a simple piece of wood, shaped to be accurately balanced. These beautiful pieces of art were originally made out of necessity, for hunting. Today, they can be found in a variety of wood, which adds strength, character and color.

They are now an art of tradition, but still able to be shot for fun, as well as for hunting.

scorpion longbow from southwest archery usa

Today, longbows can be found in a variety of beautiful woods

Click here to see traditional bows from Southwest Archery USA

Parts Of A Traditional Bow

So let’s talk about the parts of a traditional bow.

Risers

Risers are the middle part of a bow where the grip is located. Traditional bow risers are almost always made of a variety of preferred wood material such as dymond wood, padouk, tigerwood, and white oak.

Risers are also available in different lengths, and typically range from 13” to 27”, with most adults using a 23 or 25” riser.

risers of trad bow

The riser is the middle part of the bow where the grip is located. Risers on trad bows are typically made of high-quality wood like white oak.

Some of today’s bow manufacturers now use carbon, aluminum alloy, or magnesium alloy. Selection is limited on wooden risers, but they are usually the preferred choice for those wishing to shoot traditionally.

On the other hand, alloy and carbon risers take advantage of modern technologies and are used for modern competitive archery.

Southwest Archery 62 Spyder Takedown Recurve Riser - Left Hand
Southwest Archery 62 Spyder Takedown Recurve Riser - Left Hand
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Limbs

Limbs are basically the “arms” of the bow, which are mounted and bolted onto the riser.

The limbs function by flexing when the bow is drawn, which helps to store energy which is then passed to the arrow upon release.

Limbs are calculated in different draw weights, depending on an archer’s physique, skill level and purpose (hunting, etc.). The stronger the archer, the higher the recommended draw weight.

man pulling back recurve bow

The limbs of a traditional bow store energy that is passed to the arrow when the archer releases the string.

Draw length measurement made easy!

If choosing to hunt with a bow, the archer would want a higher draw weight and possess the ability to maintain accuracy with that higher weight in order to to maintain hunting integrity. Bow hunters pride themselves on maintaining ethical hunting practices, while providing for their families. (Many states even have draw weight minimums written into their hunting laws to protect the animals and to reduce chances of wounding versus success of harvesting an animal.)

bow limbs on southwest archery traditional bow

Traditional bow limbs are usually made of combination of high-quality wood material and a core made of carbon or fiberglass.

Traditional Archery Gear

Now that you have a reference for what a traditional bow is composed of, let’s talk accessories.

Traditional bows, although known for being a basic stick and string, have options to upgrade.

For example, an archer can add an arrow rest, a sight, a stabilizer, and a quiver. Those looking to get the most out of their bows can also add a bow fishing reel to their traditional bow to be able to enjoy archery in all forms.

Modern Archery: Compound Bows

In modern archery, compounds bows are more complex bows that are designed using cams, pulley, and cable systems.

Unlike traditional archery bows, compound bows grant archers a machine-driven advantage which reduces stress when drawing the bow.

A compound bow’s let-off can reach up to 80% or even 90% depending on the bow model. A 90% let-off means that an archer only holds 7 pounds of weight at full draw on a bow that has a 70 pound maximum draw weight, enabling arrow speeds of 250 to 370 feet per second.

What Are The Parts Of A Compound Bow?

A basic compound bow is composed of a riser, top and bottom limbs, a string, cables, top and bottom cams, a string stop, a cable guard, a grip, a string silencer, a stabilizer, top and bottom dampeners, a sight, an arrow rest, top and bottom limb pockets and a D-loop.

compound bow parts diagram
As you can see, a compound bow has many more parts than a traditional bows, and even similar parts are typically made of differing materials.

The parts of a compound bow vary significantly from traditional bows.

For example, while traditional bow risers are made of wood, compound bow risers are generally made of aluminum, magnesium alloy, or carbon fiber. More specifically, most of today’s compound bow risers are made using 7075 aluminum alloy.

The limbs of a compound bow are usually made of composite materials such as fiber glass or are carbon fiber-based, and are adaptable in enduring extreme stress and pliability.

woman shooting a compound bow

A compound bow has many parts and accessories that traditional bows do not, such as sights, cams, string stops, stabilizers, etc.

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Modern and Traditional Archery: Accepting The Differences

Contrary to what some believe, shooting traditional archery bows is actually not inferior compared to shooting compound bows. they are, however totally different instruments, both still have distinctive extraordinary functions and qualities.

One difference between traditional bows and compound bows that many people notice is the use of a sight. Most compound bows require the use of a sight to hit the target due anchor slipping.

recurve bow in case with arrows

An archer with his/her arrow in some ways is like a pitcher that must be able to throw a fastball, as well as a curveball, accurately and at the highest speeds possible.

However, on the other side of the archery realm, traditional archers use their basic instincts in determining the hows, the wheres, and the whys when hitting their targets. Their brains and their eyes are the main tools to make calculations and determine the distance in complicated angles where the environment plays a huge role in how the arrow reaches its mark.

A traditional archer also needs to be aware of how they are pulling, holding and aiming at 10-20 yards to adjust to shooting even further while maintaining accuracy.

Think of it this way… it is somewhat like a pitcher throwing a fastball or a curveball accurately at the highest speeds possible. This is why consistency is the key to becoming a great archer.

Calculate the FOC of your hunting arrows FAST!

So, Which Should You Choose?

Both traditional and compound bows can be used for indoor and outdoor target shooting, hunting and bow fishing. So, it’s really just personal preference when deciding between a traditional bow and a compound bow.

turkey decoy sitting on log with 2 recurve bows

Traditional bows can be used for indoor and outdoor shooting, and competition as well as for hunting.

The expanding community of modern and traditional archers is astonishingly widespread, and is continuously growing in many categories such as target, field, clout, flight, or recreational archery.

The sport of archery not only improves an archer’s patience, sharpness, strength and hand-eye coordination, but it also provides wisdom, as archers share their knowledge and experiences with other archers.

man shooting trad bow at round target

The sport of archery not only improves an archer’s patience, sharpness, strength and hand-eye coordination, but it also provides wisdom, as archers share their knowledge and experiences with other archers.

For us at Southwest Archery USA, the greatest part of archery, whether it be target archery or bowhunting, is the time we spend enjoying the sport with our family and friends.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced archer, the truth is, archery is for everyone, from young kids to older adults.

How many types of deer can you name? See a list!
Eric Ravenna of Southwest Archery USA
Eric Ravenna, of Southwest Archery USA
recurve bow vs compound bow

Recurve vs Compound Bows | Learn the specific differences

When it comes to bow hunting, unless you shoot a long bow, there are two options to choose from: compound bows and recurve bows.

But what’s the difference between the two? And which one is right for you?

Well, I’ve taken a close look at both compound and recurve bows and put together this article to help answer those questions.

Let’s get started! First, let’s take a closer look at both types of bows.

On a basic level, a bow stores mechanical energy in it’s limbs as you draw back on the string, and then releases that energy when you let go of the arrow. Traditional longbows are limited in their range and power, which is where recurve and compound bows come in.

Recurve Bows

Simply put, a recurve bow is a longbow where the limbs curve away from the archer at the tips.

recurve bow diagram

The limbs of a recurve bow curve back away from the archer; thus the name “recurve.”

This additional curve allows for a higher draw strength, which in turn increases your range and power with the bow versus longbows with no “re-curve.”

With a recurve bow, all of the draw weight is held by the archer. So, a recurve bow with a 70-pound draw weight requires that the archer holds that 70 pounds back until they release the arrow.

man holding recurve bow at full draw

At full draw, the full weight of the bow’s draw weight is held by the archer. (Photography by Southwest Archery)

But, compound bows are a bit different…

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Compound Bows

Prime Nexus2 compound bow

Compound bows, like this one pictured from Prime Archery, have “cams” that look somewhat like wheels on either end of the bow.

Compound bows use a system of wheels (known as “cams”) to literally compound the force of the draw.

Basically, this means that once you get the string about 3/4 of the way drawn back, the cams take over and do the heavy lifting for you. Unlike recurve bows, you aren’t left holding the full draw weight while you aim a compound bow. This reduction in draw forces is known as “let-off.”

cam of a compound bow

The cams of a compound bow, like this one pictured above, literally “compound” the force of the drawback by the archer and also provides “let-off.”

Let-off works like this:

Let’s say you have an compound bow with a 50% let-off that is set to a 70-lb draw weight. This means that you’ll draw back 70 pounds, but once the let-off of the cams engage, you’ll only be holding 35 pounds. Then, when you release, the bow will fire at all 70 pounds because of the cams.

man shooting compound bow

A compound bow’s “let-off” allows the archer to keep the bow at full draw without having to hold the full weight of the bow’s draw weight.

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X-Stand Treestands The Comrade X 18' Two Man Ladderstand, Black
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Click here to learn all the parts of a compound bow [Interactive diagram]

Compound vs Recurve | Which Is Better?

The answer to which bow type is better depends. So, let’s break it down by category.

Accuracy

Repeatability is important to accuracy in any shooting sport, and archery is no different. This means that the archer must replicate factors like draw distance and release, and these can be tricky to get right on a recurve bow, since the archer is holding the full weight of the draw while trying to aim.

For that reason, compound bows are much easier to be precise with.

Winner: Compound Bow

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Power

Generally, most recurve and compound bows top out at 70 lbs of draw weight. You’d think this means they would both have the same amount of power, but actually, the sudden acceleration from the cams unwinding on a compound bow adds a little bit more power to the shot.

Winner: Compound

Weight

On a long hunt, a lightweight bow will be your best friend. The cams and extra string to run them make compound bows heavier than their more traditional counterparts.

Winner: Recurve

Maintenance

Since they don’t have any moving parts, recurve bows require very little maintenance to stay in top working condition. On the other hand, compound bows require more maintenance to keep the cam wheels working correctly.

Winner: Recurve

Accessories

There are all sorts of gadgets and doodads out there for the prospective archer to add to his bow. Not all recurve bows are made to allow for attachments, although some are.

On the other hand, compound bows are built to accept all sorts of accessories like sights, stabilizers, quivers, and more. Compound bows are sort of the AR-15 of the archery world: you can trick them out with all kinds of fancy add-ons, if you feel so inclined.

Winner: Compound

Cost

Recurve bows are generally less expensive to buy than compound bows. This is because the moving parts and additional assembly required to make a compound bow increases that cost.

Winner: Recurve

Click here to find out why the quartering away shot is magic

Best for Stand Hunting

A compound bow will be easier to maneuver up in a deer stand but heavier to climb with. A recurve bow, on the other hand, will be lighter, but the longer limbs may make it trickier to line up the perfect shot while up in the trees.

Winner: Tie

Bet you can’t name all these types of deer…

Final Thoughts on Traditional vs. Compound Bows

So, maybe you’re a bowhunting beginner, or just interested in trying a new method of shooting a bow. At the end of the day, I can’t tell you which kind of bow would be best for you. It really all depends on what you want to use it for, and on your skill level as an archer.

I can tell you that my aging shoulders prefer the assistance of the let-off of a compound bow these days. But, there’s something to be said for the feeling I’d get as a youngster, stalking prey through the woods with nothing but my recurve and a handful of arrows.

Shoot straight!

In addition to bow hunting, if you’re also interested in rifle hunting and are looking for a good hunting rifle for beginners, check out this handy guide. Then head over here to learn how to sight in a rifle scope.

view while sighting in riflescope view
Richard Douglas, of Scopes Field