Exocet77

Well I have been lucky so far I guess. I have been hunting in and out of treestands for 2 years now and have never used a safety harness before. I bought two new treestands this year that came with safety harnesses (gorilla), I actually thought about using one but thought it would be a hassle or poissibly clang a little the way the harness was made. Well.. yesturday morning I had just finished hanging a stand 28' in a tree. Wouldnt you know, i was stepping down from it after strapping it in and I slipped on the wet bark. I flung my hands out trying to grab anything and everything on my flight down. Took out a bunch of branches that semi-jersyed my jacket over my head. I was lucky though, I braced myself as much as possible to spring a little has I landed. I just layed there for a few minutes staring at the sky. and decided to try and get up. There was a bunch of branches laying ontop of me from my way down I had to get off. Managed to have a slightly bruised side with no broken bones and my life still intact.

Im sure theres gotta be a few guys out there that look atsome of the safety harnesses and think how much of a "hassle" they look like etc etc.. Anyways, I just bought the"Hunter Safety System Vest" and wont be going upany tree until it gets here.If its all the straps and everything that gets you deterred look into these vests, they got the clip on buckles rather then all the straps etc...

Im just glad I didnt smack my mellon on any of the tree steps and that. Would have been about a 15hr wait b4 anybody even would have started looking. Im on board now, sometimes it just takes things a little longer to sink into my skull.

Dampland

I have the Hunter's Safety System vest as well, and it has already saved me from a 25 foot fall once.

THat right there made it worth the $$

AF Hunter

Your lucky to be here. Last year we had a hunter go out to put up some tree stands. Never came back. Found him 3 days later dead from a broken neck. When I was younger, I was immortal, but now that I'm a little older, I'm mortaland a heckuva lot smarter.

Rhody Hunter

Always wear a harness you found out the hard way it could have been worse

cardeer

Very lucky ,Lesson learned

Mike Hill

I'm still looking for somthing that you can wear while going up and down the tree. A recent deer and deer hunting servay found that thats when most falls happen. I just wonder why no one makes somthing for that.

HAZCON7

I haven't fallen and hope I never do. I never wear a harness but I know I should... sooooo...
I had my wife sew my harness to a spare camo jacket I have.
No more hassle with trying to figure out how it goes on in the dark

I guess maybe I should start wearing it now. Glad to hear you are alright Exocet

mrfritz44

It's posts like this that keep me from getting lazy - every once in a while I get tempted to leave the harness behind.

A little tip for those who have the antiquated 4-point harness that come with most stands today:

Mark the inside of the "X" on the harnessthat goes across your back. Reach for this part of the harness when picking it up and orient that X towards your back as if you were putting on a coat. The thing magically seems to fall into place. So simple, but saves some time in the morning when getting up that tree is foremost in your mind.

KickerPoint79

Glad you are ok.

Finch

I put an X on mine too. I find the X, put on the right shoulder strap to hold the harness up. Then do the waist strap and then put on the other shoulder strap. I then do the legs and thats it. A minute tops.