.............. BUT, from all the posts lately I have considered giving it a shot again. I've been hunting for 20 years and never had an accident falling from a tree (knock on wood). I hunt mainly ladder stands that are easy to climb up, easy to climb down, and big platforms to stand and do the irish jig if you wanted to. I've always wondered how I would ever even fall out of a ladder stand.

Anyway I've come to realize that my thinking probably isn't right. Like so many posts have stated anything can happen. I have a wife and three boys that don't need to live the rest of their lives without dad because he fell 15 feet from a tree. So I'm going to try and start wearing one again.

My biggest problem and reason I don't wear one is I can't shoot my bow with the dang thing on. Seems like the tether strap is ALWAYS in my way. If I have to turn to the right or the left the thing binds me up.I have enough to worry about when a big buck is in front ofme than to be climbing under or over the tree strap so I can draw my bow. If I put the strap lower on the tree I can't stand all the way up. If I put it higher on the tree I hang myself sitting down. I'm assuming others have noticed this as being a problem. How do you deal with it?

My other problem is, I think it's more dangerous putting the strap around the tree everytime you sit. Pitch black in the morning with dew on the platform and you have to stand 15 feet in the air hugging a tree to strap the harness in, instead of just climbing up and plopping down.

I am NOT promoting not wearing a harness. I think it's great and everyone should. I just find them irritating and tough to hunt with. Anyone have any suggestions I'm all ears.