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After setting my sling and lowering pulley in a stout crtoch or around a secure leader, I bring the end of the rope to the limb that I will cut last. Many people use the clove hitch to tie off limbs but I prefer to use a running bowline. The running bowline is tied with a loop that is about two inches in diameter. By keeping the loop small I find that it doesn't move around on the limb and stays "choked".
Before going up the tree I assess how far from the lowering line the butts of the other limbs are. By using slings in various lengths I can get the cut limbs to "rack" on the main line neatly. My preference for small slings is to use one inch tubular webbing tied with a beer knot rather than the water knot. (Let me know if you want to know this knot.) For larger slings I use half inch climbing line tied with a double fishermans knot. Girth hitch the sling to the butt of the limb and attach the sling to the lowering line with a biner. If the limbs are light and not going to move through lower limbs on the way down I use steel bent gate non-locking biners. For ultimate security you should use some kind of locking biner, shackle, or screw link.
Now the dissecting begins. DEpending on how you have racked the slings you can take off limbs in any order. Soetimes I work from the furthes limb and then cut back to the tied off end. Soetimes I don't follow any order. You can attach as many small limbs to your main rope as you can conveniently get to the ground. Sometimes I just lower two but I have done as many as six, five inch butt diameter limbs. With care you can string together many limbs from top to bottom and only have to lower one bouquet out of the tree.
Like any technical rigging you have to be aware of the loads that you are putting on your anchors, rigging, and lowering devices. Also, I have to be careful when I start rigging because I can get caught up in using too much gear and sometimes it is just as quick to cut many small limbs instead of rigging one large one. I am a confirmed GEARHEAD and do like using the truckload of tools when I can. Sometimes its better to...
KKKeeep IIIt SSSimple SSStupid!
Strong limbs and snug ropes!
Merry Christmas!
Tom Dunlap
No white Christmas in Minneapolis this year!