WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=22012

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

I NEVER get in my stand without my safety harness. I do not want to end up like that gentleman. I pray for his family.....

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RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

Seems like the harness is like the seatbelt issue. Except I never heard anyone say "If he just wouldn't have worn that harness he would be here today".

I'll be wearing mine.

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That is truly sad I never am without mine

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It's a simple matte of common sense. You might be temporarily inconvenienced by wearing it ---I don't care what your training, how old you are, whether you think you won't fall or not or have ever fallen before and nothing has happened or whether your 'military and civilian\fire rescue experience' has made you comfortable with being at heights,etc.etc......
It's very simple---you fall\you die or get seriously injured--permanently. So......take your choice. Wear it or not.

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

The problem is that it really doesn't matterhow much experience you have or how careful you are. Mechanical parts are prone to failure, or come apart, no matter how well made they are, or how new they are. Maybe an owl comes flying along and decides to strafe you.Maybe you see the buck of a lifetime and just try and stretchto get that shot.Also, somebody may come along and sabotage your stand to "get even" with you, or simply because they are a radical anti hunter. Sounds ridiculous I know, but the problem is that dead men tell no tales. You have a right to hunt without a safety harness, but if you are married or have children, someday you might be very sorry for being careless. I'm willing to bet every other guy who fell, felt comfortable up there as well.

I used to feel the same way, until one day I had a ladder stand just separate on me while climbing. I didn't get hurt, but that was the point when I realized that it is better to be safe than sorry.

Ps I edited this post, was in a bad mood earlier today and it came out harsher than I intended.

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

Droptine, I don't mean this in a disrespectful way, but man it is just plain stupid of you not to where a safety harness when you are 20-35' up a tree. I hope I don't log on to huntingnet one day and read a thread stating droptine falls 35' out of tree. For heaven sakes, wake up and smell the coffee. Go buy a damn harness. I currently have four hang ons and a climber in the woods. Every stand has a harness connected to the tree as we speak. It's 50.00 bucks that could save your life. IMO, its just plain ignorance not to be the safest that we can be. Not only that, most treestands come with a free harness. That's what I use. So there is really no excuse not to have one and wear it.

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Yeah man, it's easy to say "I'm the big, brave, macho Alpha Male - who isn't afraid of heights. I don't need a harness."

Fast forward to the day after your platform slips out and you fall 26' and crush 3 lumbar vertebrae - paralyzed from the waist down. Then, you can look your wife in the face while she sits in your hospital room and tries to figure out how she's gonna juggle work and family and changing your diapers for the rest of her life.

I really don't feel bad for guys who hurt themselves through their own ignorance. Truly though, I do feel horrible for their friends and family, whose collective lives will never be the same.

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

Amen quicksilver!

Droptine, no disrespect but you're a fool not to wear a harness, as is anyone else who hunts from a stand and doesn't wear one. One day, you just might find out why and we'll be reading about you.

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I had the foot portion of my climbing stand fall from under me 3 times while my son and I were hunting in IL. The first time was rather tramatic. I fell forward against the tree, cut up my right ear in a couple of places and the tree knocked the hearing aid in my right ear out. I did have my safety strap on my vest harness connected to the tree.

I looked down through the grate on the foot portion of the stand and I saw my hearing aid laying the only place it could readily and quickly be found. It was laying on top of a rope strap used to secure the top and bottom of the stand together for carrying. The hearing aid land on top of the coiled up rope strap at the base of the tree. The Lord put it right where I could find it.

I was so shaken at that point that I finished the hunt at the base of the tree. I got busted by some does coming onto the oak flat from below me, but I did get to see 5 deer and I calmed down from the near fall. The other two times it fell, I pulled it up using the two straps connecting the foot portion to the top. When I got it high enough, I inserted my feet and continued to climb. It fell each time as I was bent over and reaching across my body and turning the crank handle to level the foot portion of the stand.

Bill

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

I love my family too much to not wear one. Droptine, if you promise to use it you can have a spare I have. I gave away 2 harnesses last year I don't mind giving away another. PM your address to me and it is yours. I only use one out of all of my stands. It travels with me.

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I know a guy who fell out of a treestand and broke both wrists....His told me you will find out how much you wife loves you when she has to whipe your a$$ for 6 months!

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Really surprized to hear you say that Droptine. I have worked on poles for years and would never think to NOT tie myself in. Too easy to take a little nap or whatever.
I like your posts (usually) so how about strapping one on so to speak so we can hear a little more from you.

I was gonna post about 2 local tree stand accidents but we all know what the results were to some degree..

PS.. I have a harness still in the package. Love to send it to you.

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Droptine.... you may be the greatest climber and high wire guy going but if equipment fails you suffer. I once bought a new stand and practiced with it in the back yard 3 or 4 times to get comfortable with it. I had owned climbers for years. This was back before full body harnesses but thank God I was wearing a belt. Both sections of the new stand failed at once dumping me from somewhere between 14-15 feet up. Fortunately my blet caught me and I ws young and strong enough to survive, right myself from an upside down position and safely extend the belt and drop to the ground with only a tummy ache. If I had gone all the way down I would have landed head first. The best highwire man in the world couldn't have avoided the fall. Do your macho thing.... we'll send flowers.

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

thats sad sorry to hear it, A buddy and archery proshop owner fell out of treestand after stepping on a treestep which wasnt secure. he stepped on it, the step popped out, he fell and hit the steps below him ripped his side wide open. had to get 28 stitches so just a reminder check those steps and wear the safety harness

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In my opinion it`s like a seat belt whichhasjust recently becomea law in Mn. if you don`t wear it you take a chance like walking down the street with your back to traffic,you might get hit,in fact the odds are probobly about the same if you know how to use a climber.Let me say I have used a climber for years and have never even slipped,I have a harness my wife baught me but have never used(also still in the package) When I get to my tree I have enough to do,not to sound lazy about it but it has never bothered me.If you want to use one do it and the odds are it will never help you,but don`t knock people who don`t??? I don`t wear eye protection when using my chain saw,we could go on and on about the unsafe things we do but if we had to wear a harness they would sell it as a package deal and I still would`nt use it.

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He's a MACHO MACHO man.[:-] As quicksilver posted earlier, If you don't do it for yourself do it for your loved ones. If you fall and get hurt or killed I won't feel sorry for you. However, I will feel extremely sorry for your loved ones. JMHO.

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We'll send flowers to your family as well then.

YOu have "enough to do when you get to the stand"? Give me a break!

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LOL!! my thoughts exactly. It takes all of 30 seconds to get my harness on. If need be, before you go to bed the night before be sure to set your alarm 30 seconds earlier to allow time to put on your harness when you get to your tree.

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

Just did some math. I climb approximately 35 times per year. That's 1 trip up, 1 trip down every time. I've been hunting that much since I was 14. So, 70 trips up or down the trunk per year x 14 years = 980 runs in my lifetime.

Out of my estimated 1000 trips up or down the trunk, I've had1 major episode where my safety belt saved my hide. That's a .1 % chance of an accident if you know what you're doing. I consider myself a seasoned, experienced climber.If you climb enough trees, it will happen to you - and the bad ones will come when you least expect it.

Mygut-check incident was around 1998 - was hunting a thicket with very few trees to pick from. Well, I was tied off in ain a mapletree that was a touchtoo smooth and a touchtooskinny. A buck approached from behind, and when I stood and leaned around the tree to get a better look, the whole platform swung out to the right, right out from under me.I dropped my bow approximately 25', but the safety belt snatched me up, or I was a goner. No broken ribs or anything, just a bruised ego. Icrushed my sight bracket and ruined 4 arrows.

I've had a bunch of episodes where the platform or the seat seems to have a good, solid bite, only to have it kick out later. Bumps and bruises, but no major injuries to speak of. If you're not tied off - it's only a matter of time before fate comes knockin'.

Climbing trees is no joke. At 25' - a freefall could easily be fatal or leave you in the Produce Aisle at the local trauma center.

I plan on being able to hunt for another 30 years... So that's at least another 2000 climbs.If the past is any indicator of the future- that tells me that death will come-a-knockin' two more times. Either be ready or be prepared to pay the piper.

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It's a no brainer for me. I've got kids 2, 3, and 5 who need me.

I feel so much more stable and balanced when I have my harness on. It's hard for me toshoot accurately without the harness because I have to devote a portion of my concentration to keeping my balance and not falling. I'd rather have 100% of my concentration on making a great shot.

When I wear a harness, I don't think about balance and falling to my death. I just execute the shot. So wearing the harness actually makes me shoot better.

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It's 2007, the only reason for an adult not wear a harness is because they choose not to... I'm out of tears.

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Droptine, I have to side with the other guys here. Don't be stupid, send Planter your address and get a harness.

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RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

As one who came close to becoming a statistic I won't "EVER" be up off the ground without my safety vest on. I was fortunate to only suffer a broken wrist and some busted ribs, but it was a definite wake up call for me. My new Safety Systems Vest is probably the best piece of equipment I've purchased in a very long time. There's no excuse for not wearing one!!!! I truly hope all my fellow bowhunters take this issue seriously, and be "SAFE"!!!!

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

I never go over 12' whit no harness

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i will admit it i do not wear a harness i am to big snd think it would hurt me more then i helps

but and i say but i am only 12 feet high no limps below me if i fall i fall 12 feet to the soft dirt no limps or nothing on the ground with that said i am lossing weight and when i get low enough i will have a harness on .

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Why are you so worried about your brother wearing one but you refuse to wear one. Sound like a hypocrite to me. Sorry to be so harsh here but you're not really making much sence. I am really surprised that so many people don't wear a safety harness. And for you bigtim, they do make harnesses for big men. It's really gonna hurt when you hit the ground. As you guys can tell this topic really urks me. Just put the damn thing on and start getting use to it. They really aren't that big of an inconvenience. A harness has never cost me a deer or even a shot at a deer.

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Love heights, love thrills, danger and all of the others....... but i wear a harness.falling hurts

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A 10 foot fall will hurt you as much as a 30 foot fall. Its all how you hit the ground. Only a 12 foot fall onto soft ground!! Head first it might as well be concrete.
Nice of you to think of your brothers well being Droptime but please think of your own too..

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RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

I haven't ever warn a safety harness. I tried it out once and figured it was more hassle than it was worth for me since I was only hunting on a ladder stand and I had a bar in front of me that would keep me from falling out. (And I verify regularly that the ladder is secure to the tree.

However, having recently acquired a climber stand and planning to hunt Saturday in a tiny chain-on/strap-on stand that is 20 or so feet up, I'll most definitely be using my harness. It also helps that the new climber came with a much nicer and easier to use safety harness than my ladder stand did.

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RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

If you love and care about your family you'd wear a harness!! Not to mention ifwe love hunting as much as we all do we would all have 'em on. I work in the medical field and I've seen people who have fallen and they don't get around very well let alone hunt!! A fall from just 12' is considered a level 1 trauma whick is the most serious!!

BE SAFE GUYS....PUT 'EM ON...............

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ridge...1 out of 3 fall....1 out of20 die....increase your odds... strap-on

RE: WV Hunter Dies In Treestand Fall
 

I always wear mine you never know