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near fall

Old 08-11-2007, 04:44 AM
  #1  
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Default near fall

I went out the other day to hang some stands with a friend of mine. I was useing my climber to get up the tree and then pull up a hang on and attach it to the tree. When i was most of the way up the bottom plat form slipped and dropped two feet . Not enough to tighten the fall harness tether strap buti banged the hell out of my left arm on the seat and pulled a muscle in my neck.this got me thinking as to what do you do if you did fall out of your stand and your hanging there ? I don't know if i would of had the strength to pull myself back up to the seat orwhat if there is no standthere to get back on ? I want to be prepared in the event there is a timethat it could have been worse. Whatwould you guys do if you are hanging by your harness ?
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Old 08-11-2007, 04:59 AM
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Default RE: near fall

Glad to hear that you are okay.

I've have the bottom fall out on me before but I was able to lower myself using my arms to pull the platform back up. I think its MoBow that carries a tree step in his pocket or something (correct me here) in case he is hanging by his harness. That way he can screw it in to the tree and try to take some weight off the harness.

If I'm ever in that situation I guess I would try hugging the tree with my arms and legs and try to make it back to my top climber. Once there, maybe unhook my harness, throw the prussic hitch rope around thetree, and shimmy on down.

I don't know. One of those things I would have to figure out in the heat of the moment.
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Old 08-11-2007, 10:00 AM
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Default RE: near fall

I carry a sharp knife (Neck knife/serrated edge) to cut myself loose and shimmy down.

This is not as easy as it sounds- You have your legs wrapped around the tree, hanging on with one arm, whiletrying to reach behind your head to cut the strap (serrated edge knife A MUST !!!)

I strongly suggest to anybody who hunts out of a tree totry a dry run.

Hang by your harness (1-2 feet off the ground) and see what you are going to be dealing with.

HAVE SOMEBODY WITH YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Years ago I decided to test a saftey harness (old strap style) and jumped off the treestand about 6 feet off the ground.

I almost knocked my self out when everything came tight and I slammed my head against the tree, bruised up some ribs, twisted my back all upand had to undue the harness one handed and drop to the ground.

That old style harness was almost as dangerous as the fall.

From that point I used a modified parachute harness for a couple of years.

It was a pain with too many straps and too many adjustments.

I bought the first "Hunter Saftey System" I saw and never looked back.

I now use the HSS Pro-Series and reccomend it to anybody.

Guys when you fall out of a tree you are in deep trouble !!!

I really don't reccomend jumping off your stand like I did.

But, if you can rig up a test to hanga foot or so off the ground , it is valuable experience on how to adjust you harness and to get an idea of what you will be facing if you do take a header.

Just another quick tip.

ALWAYS tie the top and bottom of your climber together.

I actually have two ropes on mine (one on each side about 2" long) .

I learned this from a Sycamore tree in OHIO, very slick bark.In total darkness thebottom section slipped down 12-15 feet.

And yet another learning experience began.

LOL

Leo

"The worst part of experience, is that you don't get it till AFTER you need it"

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Old 08-11-2007, 02:48 PM
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Default RE: near fall





Those are good ideas . The bottom did have a rope on it so it wouldn't crash to the ground but it got caught on a bump on the tree i didn't see and the bump broke off and then it re caught 2 feet down just before the rope and my fall harness strap got tight . i will heed your warning and not test it jumping out of a tree( this would never cross my mind to do that anyway). I will try it just off the ground a foot.
I like the idea of a foot peg but i don't know how practical that is to make sure you always have it with me.
I always have a knife with me but i could see it being tricky to get out of my pocket while hanging.I could see some rope be ng a great help if in that situation.Any other ideas or lets hear from those of you that havebeen hanging there before or the near fall




[/align]
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Old 08-11-2007, 08:22 PM
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Default RE: near fall

I have used two knots and 65 feet of 3/8nylon rope for years to lower myself to the ground,the bowline on a bight to make a saddle to sit in and the tautline hitch (safety belt hitch) to slow my decent. I have almost never climbed down in the dark. Always feel safe and never have to worry how will I get back to the ground should something go wrong.

http://www.animatedknots.com/bowlinebight/index.php

This second link scroll down and look to the right at the safety belt hitch that is what I use.

http://www.animatedknots.com/rollinghitchclimbing/index.php

I will be glad to explain moreif anyone is interested.

Paul
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Old 08-12-2007, 04:54 AM
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Default RE: near fall




surf62 that is a cool sight for knot tyeing. I'm still not sure how you are using the rope and those knots to descend ? If you couldexplain more that would be great I'm sure there are others besides me that are interested


[/align]
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Old 08-12-2007, 09:00 PM
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Default RE: near fall

Hi Bob, first let me say I have been doing this since I was 16 that is 29 years of climbing trees with 22 yearsof doing it every day to make living. This is not an easy thing to learn but once learned it makes tree stands a breeze.

I will try and explain at least the basic knots. When tying the bowline two things must be accomplished, first the double loops must be big enough to go up the legs and over the butt. One loop just below the cheeks the other about 5 or 6 inches higher. If you investigate this knot they say slide one loop up each leg, well I can tell you this is not good[:@]. Both loops up both legs is more comfortable not that you will want to hang this way for long either but it gets the job done. The second thing that must happen when tying the bowline you must end up with 2 to 3 feet of tag end, this is what you will tie the tautline hitch in.

In recap you should now have a bowline on a bight tied in your rope with double loops large enough to slide over the butt and a tag end of abouit 3 feet with the rest of the rope on the ground.

Nowtoss the working end of the rope over a limb and around the trunk and pull it down(never trust just the limb always around the trunk). Step into the loops and adjust as stated before, pull the working end till you are ready to lift yourself up of the ground. you now take the tag end and tie the tautline hitch around the working end of the rope that you are pulling down on . Tie a simple half hitch in the tag end after you tie the tautline so it does not slide out, like in the second pic.

This iswhat it would look like except instead of the nice wide web saddle this guy is sitting in you have 2 loops of rope cutting into your legs

http://www.treeclimbing.com/photos/037.jpg

http://www.treeclimbing.com/photos/055.jpg

This is hard to explain without a visual aid, if I could show this to you it would make more sense. If you need a hand let me now and we can at least talk on the phone. This is the site I got the pics from.

https://www.treeclimbing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Hope this helps.

Paul

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Old 08-12-2007, 09:05 PM
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Default RE: near fall

so do you use that only or iin conjuction with steps or what...would it be practical to use that and steps and have that be a back up or something??
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Old 08-12-2007, 09:26 PM
  #9  
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Default RE: near fall

Paul[/align][/align]Inormally use what is know as climbing gaffs(spikes) to go up the tree, you see them in the timber sport contest where the contestant races up a 100 foot tree trunk and basically falls back down touching every 10 or 15 feet on the way down. Some say they injurea tree, I have been climbing the same trees each season to prune them for over 20 years and have never had a tree die from climbing spike injury. [/align][/align]To answer your question yes you could use steps or a climber, the rope makes for a easy safe decent in the dark that is the best thing about it, and it acts as a safety harness that will do more than leave you stranded hanging in a tree if you can't get your footing or back onyour stand[/align][/align]Paul[/align]
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Old 08-12-2007, 09:35 PM
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Default RE: near fall

im really thinking of trying this...so is it hard to pull your self up...and out of curosity how did you find this way...and when you get up to your stand do you take your spikes off? i would assume so???
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