Gambling with injury or death!
 

Voted on a poll on another forum and I was very surprised. Surprised because I really thought I would be in the great minority. So far 47% voted they always climb with their harness attached, 46% never climb with their harness attached, and the rest sometimes do. Well, I am going to admit it.....I started bowhunting in 1977 and have always used stands as part of my regimen. I have never worn a harness, safety belt or anything while climbing a tree. No matter if its in a climber or using steps. I have always waited until I am situated in the stand, then attach a harness. I know, tell me I am stupid and its hard to break old habits but this is one habit I will change next season!

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

I always climb with safety harness attached while using my climber but never use one when climbing into a fixed position stand.

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

When it comes to your life , don't gamble with it .
Doesn't matter if your using a climber or a fixed , even if your putting one up or taken one down.
Always use your harness / lineyard or some type of safety system , you'll regret it if you don't.

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

change your habits always wear your harness the whole time while in a tree you never know it could just save your life

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

AMEN!

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

Same here, I do use a harnes once up in the fixed stand though. I don't use a harnes while in my ladder stand which i don't use much. It has rails

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

I use exclusively hang on stands and have ALWAYS used a harness hanging the stand and taking it down, until this year I never was attached when climbing it to hunt, or coming down. However this year, with my sons and wife getting more into it, I invested in climbing ropes from a guy I "met" on archery talk. For $30/setup, I am now connected the entire time and so are my wife and kids. Basically its a rock climbers rope that attaches to the tree above the stand and at the ground. On this is a prussic knot that I attach to me. The knot is designed so that when its loosened a bit, it slides up and down the rope with you, if you pull on it, it instantly tightens and will catch you in a fall.

I figure this slows me down climbing the 15 or so feet, but about 3-5 seconds total. Since my one and only fall was while coming down from a stand, I figured for $90 I outfit 3 stands and my family is safe.

summit also sells this setup.

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

I use a climber primarily and am wearing a harness from the minute I step into the stand until I'm back on the ground. The few times I have used fixed stands, awkward as it is, I used the harness from my climber while climbing and then attached it to the tree when I got to the stand. While not attached 100% of the time, I guess its safer than not wearing anything until you get situated. What I did was after every step up, I'd move the loop that usually attaches to the tree up to the next higher step. I guess if I slipped and fell I'd be dangling by one of the steps, unless it happened while I was repositioning the harness.

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

genraly I allways use one going up and down, and while in the stand . There is 1 style stand I own that I dont use one with , its a gunslinger stand that you face the tree with , I probably should though hence the signature line .

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

I haven't figured out how to climb up or down my ladder stand with a harnes attached. How is it supposed to be done?

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

I do not use a safty harness at all. I would jump out befor i use on of thoughts

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

What?

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

Here is how I do it,I posted this a while back
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1769137&mpage=1&key=&#176967 6

RE: Gambling with injury or death!
 

Hopefully you're single, have no children, are debt free and have no responsibility to anyone because when you fall and hurt or kill yourself, you will be the only one that is out anything.