Yeah - that's right...

This weekend I scurried up my perch with PLENTY of darkness left. It was a good 20 minutes before legal shooting, just like I like it - enough time to let the woods 'settle down'.

My stand is 17' up an Oak in a steep ravine overlooking 4 trails that criss-cross directly in front of me - any critter leaving a specific part of the nighttime feeding ground & headed for a daytime bed passes within a 22yard poke. This is an excellent funnel.

I've never worn a safety belt. Ever. I've considered it but that 50 or 60 bucks for a decent one always goes to a new stand or targets or ? instead of in a belt.

I'm not certain of the time but I'm certain it was about 30 or 35 minutes before sunup - not quite 'legal' (never mind ethical) shooting and still real dark. I heard noises behind & below me & was peering around the tree I was sitting in, leaning way over & down, straining to make out a figure from the noise below & behind, when all of the sudden I heard a severe 'whooooossshhhh' at the same time a gust of wind hit me.

It was less than a heartbeat later that I felt the tremdous WHACK to the back of my head & my boonie hat went flying off. The pain wasn't severe but it was solid. I suppose it didn't hurt as much because I was now teetering off my stand about to fall head first some 19 feet to the earth below me. Luckily the Y of the Oak was in front of me & as I went over I grabbed the tree & caught myself.

Below me at a steep angle was the tail-end of some type of bird. It nearly hit the ground when it pulled up & lit in a branch some 40 feet from me. It sat there looking at me as I re-gained my composure. A second later it screamed & I knew it was a hawk. Another second later it was gone.

Today I'm shopping on-line for a 'fall restraint system'.

Money is no object.

I realized this weekend that it need not be 'your fault' that you fall out of a tree - if it weren't for the big Y in the oak I would have gone @$$ over tea-kettle & probably would have broken my neck.

Anyone have a safety harness suggestion?





Aim small miss small

SEAT-O-THE-PANTS is top of the line. Ameristep makes one for about $60 in most sporting goods stores, but Walmart has the same thing for $20....

All in all, be glad you didn't fall....a safety harness is as vital a tool in a treestand as is your bow. I would definetly avoid a waist type harness and opt for a full upperbody restraint system.

I'm sure glad you didn't become a statistic! At least you now realize the importance of safety and plan to do something about it.

Glad you have seen the light as far as safety restraints go.

I had a similar thing happen a few years, back in which a Red Tailed Hawk dove at me twice never hitting me but making me duck both times. As he sat there looking at me thinking about the third time, I took my arrow off the bow thinking about using it the next time. Have never had it happen again but it was very interesting. At least in my case I saw him coming as I was watching him for quite some time.

Happy to hear that you were able to catch yourself.

Similar thing happened to me with an owl.

I was lucky enough to see it coming, but not smart enough to yell and wave it off. Couldn't believe it went for me.

I just bought a seat of the pants system. Love it. Works well - I had to try it <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>. Does not hurt nearly as much as those chest-only restraints when your hanging there.

&quot;It's not the kill, it's the adventure and challenge! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>&quot;

Edited by - justinl on 09/30/2002 10:20:14

You are one lucky son of a gun that fork was there.
I have the Seat Of the Pants harness and reckomend it.
I wore mine for the first time on Saturday and boy does it make you feel safe.
The best thing is you really dont know you are wearing it after a while.

Strange how things happen to others too. I had this happen twice myself...first time was a Red Tail and I turned just in time to see the wings locked, talons locked and gaze focused on me! I threw my arms up just in time to make the hawk start back peddling and a near miss....scared the wits out of me...

Second time was a falcon, I heard his call and turned to see him in a dive and locked on me, again, I threw up my arms and he turned away only to come back on a dive a second time. I threw up my arms again and I guess he decided I was a little too big to carry away.

A safety harness is a must, no ones too cool or too safe to be wearing one.

<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>

<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>

Best choice you'll ever make is to wear the harness. A 20ft fall can end your hunting for ever. As many folks get injured each year from falls as due to weapon injuries. Bowhunter Magazine did a survey several years back regarding just his matter. It was found that the majority of accidents occur while climbing up or down to include getting in or out of the stand. They suggested wearing the belt from beginning to end. As for the hawk attack. I must be a sucker for them. Over the past ten or so years I have had it happen aleast five or six times. However for some reason my hunting partner has never had it occur? No doubt it scares me every time just like the first. I get real nervous when I see hawks/owls crusing the timber. Good Luck and wear the belt!

[Deleted by Admins]

Wow, I have never heard of this before, but learned something new.

Thats the reason I started using a saftey belt, I was &quot;attacked&quot; 2 times narrowwly missing having talons sunk into my face the last time. Both times it was a sharp shin.