Thank you, The Mind. I appreciate that you'd at least listen to an idea even though you might need to think about it for a while. That's okay. You aren't the only person I've ever heard of that doesn't use any protection while stand hunting.

I'm now 53 years old. I guess I've lived long enough to know that I'm not really as invincible as I used to think that I was.

None of those that ever fell from a stand really intended to fall. They all thought that they could "handle it;" that it would never happen to them.

Mobowhuntr, I'm not sure I follow you. You see the rope would have to be secured at the top to climb up; even if you placed the rope after having climbed up (to use it as haul rope), you could then climb down with it, but you'd have to leave it secured to the top of the tree to do so. See what I mean? Or am I misunderstanding you? I apologize if I am.