just remember there are a lot of young kids on this site that can be easily influenced. Making it sound o.k. to not use a harnass is not a great idea IMO.

bjanakoswhy name call ? That is a rule violation and I should probably report you and ask you be banned because of it.

I'm not doing anything illegal or breaking any forum rules by stating I don't wear a safety harness. I feel very comfortable in a tree stand, I'm in good shape and can climb around easily. Could I fall ? Sure, I could fall. Should I wear a safety belt ? Yes I probably should. Young readers have read where I have said that before. If I really wanted to be "safe" I would use an ascender and wear a helmet wouldn't I ?

I just dont see falling out of a tree a great risk. Being fat is a great risk. Smoking is a great risk. Drinking too much is a great risk.

You should change your name from the Mind to "Genius"

I've often said that the SOLE reason "Most" deer hunters are successful (especially bowhunters.....the disease of which I am inflicted)....isn't due to the deer hunters' prowess. It's a solid case for good old fashioned natural selection.

Let nature take its' course........

I wish all of you safety, though.

Jeff

Yes, vc1111, you were the one that got me interested in the ascender. I didn't get the one you suggested though. I ended up talking to a rock climbing shop, and I guess they talked me into getting a Pretzl (spelling), that is suppose to release easier on descending.

I thank you for your threads and suggestions. Using an ascender really only takes a few seconds and provides safety for the high percentage of falls occuring upon climbing (up/down) and getting into the tree.

BTW, I can turn your 99.999999% into 100% by wearing a waist belt and harness for intsalling the portable stands and ascending rope.

The list of people that I know of falling from stands is increasing every year.

Once again, thanks again vc1111 for giving me the idea of using one. I'm starting to get a little older now, and I want to be around hunting for a long time to come.

Guys, if you are considering getting one at all, just do it. After you start using it, you'll ask yourself why you haven't used one all along.

The mind, here are some links for you, there are many more articles then this if you care to do some research. If you doubt the stats, take it up with the author.

http://www.dto.com/hunting/article.jsp?articleid=693

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports_headlines/19990926moyerfeat8.asp

http://www.deerhunters.net/articles/treestandsafety.htm

Mind,
So if I understand you correctly, your logic is that because smoking, being fat etc. are higher risk but don't apply to you and because not wearing some kind of safty restraint in a tree stand is low risk then you don't feel it is important enough to bother with. O.K. but here's another way to look at it. With regard to your safety.. being fat, smoking etc are not relevant so they shouldn't even be in your equation. What is in your equation is a low risk, high consequence situationthat takes very little effort on your part to greatly reduce the risk.So IMO it is foolish not to. I might tend to buy what you are saying it were very expensive and a great inconvenience to address the risk but it absolutely isn't. It's very little cost and very little inconvenience. What you are saying is that you don't value yourself enough to take a small action and cost to protect yourself from something that o.k. is low risk but is indeed high consequence.

Sometimes it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubts...

Enough said, time to move on...

-fsh

Yes, you will have to have your stand in place and attach the rope at the top (about eye level from the stand) and on the bottom. The rope should be somewhat taught. Use a waist belt for getting your stand and rope in place.

Mind< Don't worry they have a whole line of caslets with the hunter in "MIND"

Anything you do in life involves risk but why not do what you can to lower the risk. You can play golf in a suit of armour in a thunderstorm but why take that unnecessary risk.

Mind I don't know if you have children but if you do would you want them to hunt without a safety harness. The risk of a fall is much higher than you think. Its your life however and you can live it the way you see fit. You should just understand that others on here have seen or experienced falls and don't want other hunters to go through the same thing.