Hunter_59

I thought maybe it would be great to hear some of the accidents that we all have experienced hunting from treestands. Maybe we can all learn from shared experiences and prevent a fall.

I've had a couple of lucky "breaks" that could've ended very seriously. Several years ago I was removing a stand and the screw in step broke. I was about 12 ft. up but luckily was in a forked tree and lodged in the fork before falling. Looking down all I saw was screw in steps looking back. I would be singing saprano in the shower for sure!
Another instance happened with my Lone Wolf stick this year. I was in a hurry to get into the tree and didn't quite get the loopall the way on. I was on the second stick so the fall was only about 6 ft.I learned tomake sure of the loop position before stepping on the stick from now on.

virginiashadow

Never had much of any problems other than in the mornings sometimes when I am tired....have a little sense of falling here and there but other than that...slow and sure up and down the tree for me....I am going to be moving part time to those tree saddles this year, so I may end up falling and that should provide a good story unless I break my neck.

BobCo19-65

I have had a few steps break in the past. But I use a 3 point climbing method, so nothing really happened. I also use an ascending system, so even if I lost my footing, I would have been protected. I do know people who have diedand people who have been seriously or permanately hurt from falls though.

shaggy1224

my best friends father-in-law fell out of his stand while climbing down one evening about 6-7 years ago. his calf caught on tree step and tore it open on the way down. unsure of the rest of the details but do know he spent the night in the woods. my first and last time using a climber i fell about 5-6 feet up. one foot stayed in the stirrup and there i was hanging upside down for about 10 minutes.

MeanV2

I have climbed up Trees to hunt for 40 years and have fell out a couple of times. Once I trusted a limb and it let me down, another time I had a step pull out. Bruised, banged, and a seperated shoulder but was very lucky in both instances. I have had friends that have fell and were not so lucky. I am much more careful than I used to be 15 years ago, but accidents do and can happen. It seems every year someone local falls and is badly injured.

Dan

WVSPORTSMAN

Firstly, I didn't get hurt, but this past gun season I was up 25ft in my climber and my girlfriend was 80yards away, in a ground blind we put together just before the hunt. I was facing away from her but i could lean out and see her off in the distance to check up on her every once in a while. well about one hour before dark i started to hear deer running from her direction. So i started to get excited for her and just kept waiting to hear the shot. Until finally i couldn't take it any longer and had to look. i turn around and see her surround by does( within 10 feet of her) I could tell she was nervious (which i thought was very funny) and i tried to set on the climbing bar and watch. well as i was turning, i bumpt the top section of the climber which caused it to loosen against the tree and when i sat down the whole top section fell with me. thank the lord i fell forward and not backward. but the does didn't even care. even thoughi made enough noise to scare a hippo. after the hunt i went over and talked to her and she told me she was going to shoot any deer that got any closer than five feet because she was afraid they were going to attack her....very funny. only wish i had it on film.

kshunter

Luckily, I've never had a close call... & i've always felt 100% comfortable.

waiting_for_a_gift

I've only fallen once, about 6 feet, while going up. A branch broke and I landed on my back in about 10" of fresh snow, no injury. Other than that, not even a close call. I've been using harness for almost 20 years, but not when I go up or down, the most dangerous time. When I use my climber, I'm hooked up all the way.

kwilson16

My hunting partner fell from a climber a few years back. The top chain broke and he went over back wards to the ground - 23 ft. He landed flat on his backbreaking his wrist and fracturing his pelvis. He was not wearing a harness because he was 'in a hurry' (mistake #1).

He got on his feet and began walking to his truck but started in the wrong direction. He realized his mistake and found his way to his truck and forgotten cell phone (mistake #2).

He's tough and lucky.



I use the saddle almost exclusively and leave the safety belt around the tree at all times. The video directions say to remove it but I feel safer with it attached. I may fall if thetree strap fails but I will only go a few feet.Might beskinned up but my wife won't be changing my diaper for the rest of my life.

Smluchtel

I learned at a young age to wear a safety harness, not only while sitting in the tree, but on your way out of the tree. When I was 14 I headed out on my family property for an evening bow hunt. I had been in a hurry since I had just gotten out of school. I got to the tree and realized I had no bow rope so I foolishly put the bow on my shoulder and went up the tree. On the way out of the tree I unhooked my harness, put my bow back on my shoulder and stepped off the stand. I had grabbed a branch that was next to the stand to hold myself while stepping onto the first step. The branch broke and I fell head first to the bottom of the tree (about 15 ft). The cam of bow went slicing through my ear and gave me a monster gash. I was knocked out for a few seconds and awoke with blood all over my face and a bleeding jaw. The walk home was one of the longest I've ever experienced in my hunting career. The doc gave me 10 stiches and basically attached half my ear back to my head. Ever since that accident I have not had a close call. I consider myself EXTREMELY lucky!