JW

Doesn't matter what stand it was. A harness and a tether should have been used whether it was a climber or a ladder stand.
There are safety harnesses and safety straps that will tether the hunter in for both from the ground up and back down when using either.
AND THE ONLY SAFETY VEST TO USE IS A 5 POINT VEST!
For a ladder stand tthere is a system sold now that is a rope which is tied to the bottom rung and then tied up above in conjunction with the prusik knot which slides on that rope and is attached to your safety harness strap and is the way to go. That is what we highly stress now in all of our hunter safety classes. Can yo fall off a ladder stand? You betcha!
Yes it takes more time but it is your life.
Safe Hunting is NO Accident!
Tree Stand Accidents is a Leading cause of hunting accidents in today's world and why it is stressed so heavily on part of the tests to pass Hunter Safety courses.
JW

Game Stalker

I'm hardly naïve, Maine. Human nature does lead people to do careless or egotistical things. On the flip side of that coin are stories similar to this one. The real question is: how many examples does it take to make people realize they aren't invincible?

Game Stalker

[QUOTE=JW;4220142]Doesn't matter what stand it was. A harness and a tether should have been used whether it was a climber or a ladder stand............/QUOTE]

Very well said!

rockport

You will have to excuse me but the details of the stand and why it fell do matter to me as I'd prefer not to fall harness or not. While a harness is great taking the proper steps not to fall or have your stand give way certainly matter.

gjersy

Thats a terrible accident, i had a stand fall once, i was young and spry and got lucky. He died with his hunting boots on, RIP George.

Champlain Islander

Terrible accident. Any time you leave the ground there is a chance of an accident. Using all the safety equipment that JW pointed out really reduces the chance of getting hurt. Todays stands and HSS vests are very good as compared to models from years ago. OT my old baker is still up in a tree all grown in with that plywood platform long gone. What a dangerous concept that one was. If you didn't fall the abdominal hernia you would eventually get was almost certain.

Oldtimr

I assumed it was a climbing stand because the news article said the stand fell from the tree. Every ladder stand I helped put up had several points of being fastened to the tree. I guess it could have been a home built stand in a tree that was rotten or poorly built.

olsaltydog

Always sad to hear things like this.

Stands whether a climber, ladder, fixed or wood all start to wear out, wear the safety equipment and check your gear annually and throughout the season. Many issues here in NC have been experienced due to people building stands into the trees. Great for the first year but many people forget the wood most of the time is not treated, the nails are regular nails that will start to shrink as they rust and it is just a recipe for a disaster. Not saying this is what happened to him but many people forget to op check their gear and assume all is good.

Got a guy in down the street who does rock climbing, he purchased one of those rockwall climbing safety tether/reel and loves it Lag bolted through his trees. It is adjusted enough that if his stand went out from under him or if he fell out he would be lowered to the ground at a slow pace.

JW

One other thing about those Safety Harnesses - the 5 point vests.
Inspect Each yr and look for wear and tear. And if you should fall.

They are a ONE TIME USE if you should slip and fall! The arrest system will be used up. Go buy another.
What is your life worth to you?
JW

BrushyPines

Prayers for his family and friends. What a sad thing to hear. It truly shows that you never know when your last day and breath is. RIP bud.