# Woodpecker Drill/TreeHopper



## ngabowhunter (Sep 5, 2011)

Anyone here ever make their own wood pecker drill or tree hopper system? It looks like I could save some money and make my own set up. From what I have seen, all I need is 10ea 3/8 x 6" Grade 8 bolts and a 3/8 augor bit with a stop collar on it. I found some 3/8 -24 x6" grade 8 cap bolts at home depot for 1.67 ea and they have a 3/8 x 4 1/2" auger bit for 12.99. I could use this with a cordless drill for the easy to get to trees. For the hand drill, I can probably find some scrap aluminum at work to machine something out of. What do yall think?


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## 7Mag Hunter (Sep 5, 2011)

Just don't drill pine trees...Timber companies frown on damaging
their money trees.....


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## rapid fire (Sep 5, 2011)

It won't hurt pine trees, but they are too soft and your bolts will angle out on you.  I have wanted to expirament with one of the mini cordless drivers.


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 6, 2011)

I like my woodpecker drill. I can go up any tree with it and put my Loc-on stand on. As far as pine trees, I will drill them if nothing else available. I just angle the bolt higher and sometimes have to drill a couple holes to get right. The bolts get sticky and are hard to pull out due to the sap. Sweat Gum and Yellow Poplar are another soft wood tree to drill but doable. mIKe


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## markland (Sep 6, 2011)

Yep used that setup with a Mikita cordless drill for many years and still do, when I don't use my tree ladder sticks.  Works great and can step a tree and hang a stand in about 15mins or so.


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## T.P. (Sep 21, 2011)

Do y'all folks like this better than screw in steps?


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## robert carter (Sep 21, 2011)

oh yea TP. Much easier. If I`m gonna hunt a place all year I leave the bolts. They are cheaper than steps. Take them out before the sap rises though.RC


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## markland (Sep 21, 2011)

Yeah I do, in fact I don't even have any screw in steps anymore, got rid of all of them, had a couple of pins break with them and just dont use them anymore.   I only use the drill and bolts on land that I can drill trees, but you can remove them so really there not bad to use.  Very easy to pack the stuff in along with a light stand and get setup anywhere you want quick and easy!


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## NavyDave (Sep 21, 2011)

Does anyone know why simmons stopped making the woodpecker drill.  I had their link in my favorites for a couple of years and checked it periodicaly to see if maye they started sellin them again.


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## T.P. (Sep 21, 2011)

What kind do y'all have?


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## robert carter (Sep 21, 2011)

Simmons woodpecker drill for me. There is another outfit making them with bolts and climbing belt. It was on here once I think Mr. Wommack posted it. Do a search you should find it.RC


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## markland (Sep 21, 2011)

Tree Hopper is the name of the belt and system I have, Buster Greenway is the man that was selling them, I guess he still has them, but got mine from him directly.  He use to be at alot of deer shows around, but not sure if he is still doing those or not.


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## ChrisSpikes (Sep 21, 2011)

NavyDave said:


> Does anyone know why simmons stopped making the woodpecker drill. I had their link in my favorites for a couple of years and checked it periodicaly to see if maye they started sellin them again.


 Just so y'all know, Dave has plans to bring the Woodpecker back in the near future.  I'll be glad to see it.


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## markland (Sep 21, 2011)

http://www.treehopperllc.com/

Found this on-line, it is the belt system I use but I just got a auger bit from hardware store, put a depth coller on it and use in my cordless drill along with some grade 8 bolts. I have use standard bolts as well, but you need to be careful climbing as they will bend, but with my weight they work fine!
I normally just drill the holes about 3-4in deep and use 8-10in bolts and that works well.


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## T.P. (Sep 21, 2011)

What diameter bit are you using for a 3/8 bolt? 3/8? 7/16? 1/2?


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## markland (Sep 21, 2011)

I have a 3/8 and 7/16 and mostly use the 3/8!


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## rapid fire (Sep 21, 2011)

I have the woodpecker drill and like it, but I am on my second bit.  I got the very last bit he had.  When he sent it to me, he said they were stopping making them b/c the bits they were getting were of poor quality.  Sounds like they may have a new supplier.  I like mine, but can't wait to get a new cordless drill and go that route.


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## WarrenWomack (Sep 22, 2011)

When Simmons quit offering the Woodpecker drill I searched for a back up drill and came up with this:

http://www.woodyhunting.com/Drill.html

The E-Z Kut drill is basically the same as the Woodpecker drill but has the options to remove the bit and use it in a cordless drill motor. It's a little bit lighter, drills a little bit deeper and hinges open more.  

The starting tip of the bit is the weak point of the Woodpecker drill and the replacement bit was half the price of the unit. You have to really be careful until you get it started good then you can crank away. 

The E-Z Kut drill bit has a lifetime warranty. Buster Greenway told me that if it breaks just send it back and he will replace it with a new one. 

With that said I still use my Woodpecker (I'm old and set in my ways) and have the E-Z Kut for a back up.


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## rapid fire (Sep 22, 2011)

Mr. Warren, the tip is the part that I had trouble with as well.  Simmons said they were having a hard time with getting good bits and it just wasn't worth the hassle.  I'm scared to hike in and depend on mine so I usually just carry in my climber, but man it's bulky and heavy.  I will be drilling a tree Monday, so hopefully all will go well.


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## markland (Sep 22, 2011)

I've had good luck with the regular auger bits and just sharpen up the cutting tip when it gets dull, but man the cordless drill is the way to go, it is so easy and not hard to do and quiet as well.  Only problem is when you walk in 1/2 mile to step a tree to hunt only to find your battery  half dead, that sucks!


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## RogerB (Sep 22, 2011)

rapid fire said:


> It won't hurt pine trees.



Having a degree in forestry and 32 years practicing same, I disagree. It certainly does damage the quality of the wood. While it might not damage pulp wood, most of the trees one would climb would be in the pole or sawlong class (high value products that holes would damage). 

Do what you want, but drilling holes in trees on ALL federal land and most state lands (which many on here hunt almost exclusively) is a violation of the law. It wouldn't be so unless there were a reason (decreased timber value and saftey). Also most timber companies will cancel leases of if anyone is caught damaging trees. Further, leaving bolts in trees is an extreme saftey hazard, I have seen what happens when a saw mill hits a spike in a tree and pieces of metal go flying like bullets. If a sawmill is lucky enough to see the bolts/spikes before the saw hits them, they just roll the log off and let it rot (most of the time they don't and both a tree is lost and a saw blade is destroyed).

While the chance of getting caught is small, just the possession of a device to drill trees is enough evidence to get a ticket and it will stand up in court.

There is no argument here, just fact!

As I said do what  you wish, but using one of this IS breaking the law, so do you make decissions by what is right or  wrong or by if you think you may get caught.

Ask yourself, what would you do if you gave someone permission to hunt on your land and then you caught them doing something you had asked them not to.


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## rapid fire (Sep 22, 2011)

Roger, I appreciate your concern and appreciation for our forests.  Perhaps it degrades the quality of lumber, but I don't recon there are any documented cases of a woodpecker drill killing a tree.  I don't drill where I'm not supposed to.


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## ChrisSpikes (Sep 22, 2011)

RogerB said:


> Do what you want, but drilling holes in trees on ALL federal land and most state lands (which many on here hunt almost exclusively) is a violation of the law.


Concerning state lands, I just looked through the entire 2011-2012 regulations guide and saw nothing forbidding it. Perhaps I overlooked it.

I've drilled exactly ONE pine tree in the 20 years since I started using a Woodpecker drill.  Pine tar gets on everything you own.  There are better methods for getting up a pine.


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## gtfisherman (Sep 22, 2011)

RogerB said:


> Having a degree in forestry and 32 years practicing same, I disagree. It certainly does damage the quality of the wood. While it might not damage pulp wood, most of the trees one would climb would be in the pole or sawlong class (high value products that holes would damage).
> 
> Do what you want, but drilling holes in trees on ALL federal land and most state lands (which many on here hunt almost exclusively) is a violation of the law. It wouldn't be so unless there were a reason (decreased timber value and saftey). Also most timber companies will cancel leases of if anyone is caught damaging trees. Further, leaving bolts in trees is an extreme saftey hazard, I have seen what happens when a saw mill hits a spike in a tree and pieces of metal go flying like bullets. If a sawmill is lucky enough to see the bolts/spikes before the saw hits them, they just roll the log off and let it rot (most of the time they don't and both a tree is lost and a saw blade is destroyed).
> 
> ...



Whether or not any of this is true... 

I'd recommend this. If you hunt on a hunting club. Check your lease agreement. 

Other than that I don't care but our agreement on several different pieces of property is very strict about no screw in steps.


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