Safety 1st...
I have a freind named Bernie, He is my Mom's 77 (I think) year old neighbor, who is always hanging around at Ma's asking questions about hunting. I took him hunting a few times in the last couple years... He is a pretty cool dude. Well he came over before rut and said he was going up to Black river falls to bowhunt and was asking some advice as well as just wanting to talk hunting. I asked him about his safety harness cause he uses one of those old one strap deals that will kill ya if you fall... I told him about the vest that Whitetail Addictions gave me and took him out by the truck and showed it to him... After hearing they were over $100. he said he could not afford it on his retirement budget... I asked him what his life was worth... That was the last thing I said to him... I was notified he fell out of his stand and his harness failed. He broke 5 ribs and punctured one lung. It took 1 1/2 hours before any body came looking for him.... He is in the hospital in Black river, he has been in Intensive care for about two weeks now... Those words I last told him keep ringing in my ears....
This is the second good friend who was severly injured this year from a treestand fall.
PLEASE be safe out there!