Len in Maryland

If this is a failure by a Lone Wolf treestand, this is not the only failure by Lone Wolf treestands. One of my employees had a 'lock on' fail. From what I remember the buckle that held the treestand to the tree failed due to what was deemed inferior metal being used. He fell to the ground with many broken bones, a broken neck and spine. If he hadn't had a cell phone to call someone, he'd be dead right now. After many years of unbelieveable legal hassle by Lone Wolf's lawyers, he won a lawsuit but is now damaged for life.

I had a personal experience with a Lone Wolf where the base cracked in two. It was a 'lock on' as well, but was about 10 years old. I luckily was not hurt in the incident and decided to destroy the treestand rather than try to have it fixed. I thought age was the culprit until I found out about my employee's experience.

I'm sure there are many experiences/mishaps that we don't hear about.

MATTHEWS

Wow, I definetly will be saying a few prayers for your friend 5-shot. You really just sank it home for me though. I am that one who usually only wears his harness when completly settled in my stand. I will now be using all the time while climbing to my stand.

GR8atta2d

Good question? I don't know how to use my hunter safety vest, while climbing either? Anyone??

mjqood0

For all those with a climbing stand, there are ways to be harnessed while climbing...

If you use the same set of trees, all you would have to do is get up safely once, put in a nice heavy duty eye bolt and then you could use an ascender type system. Just leave a rope in the tree looped through the bolt. When you get to the tree, attach one end of the looped rope to your harness and the other to some sort of locking mechanism (i forget what they are called but any rock climbing store will have many to select from). As you climb, pull more rope through the one-way locking thingy and you will be nice and safe.

I really wish I could remember what this is called. I used it on a trip where we went rock climbing and they were really nice. I think it may be a self-balay (sp?) system.

Mick41

VC1111 posted a link for a rope ascender device at campmor.com.
Thanks for posting the link to this device. I have some other
questions about the use of it. I'm assuming you take this device with you to
each stand and attach it and unattach it to the rope each time.
Correct?

What about the rope that you have tied to each stand/tree? What type
of rope? Diameter? What is rope made out of? Where is the best place
to purchase this type of rope? Does anyone have an online source for this as
well?

Thanks so much for your help.

vc1111

mjgood0, you are getting the idea.

You wear a full-body harness and use a "caribiner" to clip your harness onto the ascender, which is attached to the rope. The ascender only goes "up" the rope; if you pull down on it (which you will if you fall), it locks. It has a release that you use periodically to slide it down the rope when you are done hunting and are climbing down from your stand.

This system is far, far superior to a prusic knot system and in fact, most mountain/rock climbers will not rely on a prusic not because it can fail. Instead they use an ascender whenever possible.

Describing this system is like trying to describe how to use a can-opener....while its tough to describe in writing, it is a very very simple thing to use.


I received several emails asking about what type of rope you use...

I use what the rock climbers use. "Dynamic" rope which stretches up to about 6 or 7% if you fall, thus absorbing the shock.

You can find it online by searching for "climbing rope." It costs about 50 or 60 cents a foot. But remember, as I said, the whole system is much cheaper than a wheelchair.

tealboy

That's an interesting device. It's hard to envision how it works but I trust you, it must be good. I am however surprised that the Prusiac knot is not a favored method. I have been very pleased with mine and its ability to lock up. I know it is key to be sure the knot has 6 wraps and that you occassionally pull on it to make sure it's tight, but I do that anyway, just to feel good about my safety. It always locks up immediately.

jrsower

I'm usually one of those guys that reads these kinds of threads, nods politely, sympathizes with the poor guy that it talks about and then goes on my merry way.

But this one got to me...probably because I hunt out of a Lone Wolf stand and love it.

Anyhow...went yesterday to Bass Pro and bought this...

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catal...=SearchResults

I'd been considering it for a while now and even posted a thread asking about them on this board. Got to thinking and decided that I've been lucky up til now. Hunted all my life and never fallen or even come close to falling out. (I'm 32 now.)

So I'm not planning on trying to tempt death or disability. Love my wife and kids too much.

I'm wearing one from now on.

tmcj

a few of the guys that work for me are with a local fire dept, and twice already this season, they've ventured into the woods to retrieve a fallen hunter. one with no harness, not good, and 1 with, but wasn't a full body harness and it about strangled the guy, besides a dislocated shoulder.

i love to hunt from my stand, but i love coming home to my wife and 2 yr old daughter safely even more, so it's the full body harness up, down, and in the tree. ALWAYS.

eightwgt

I was thinking about getting a lone wolf but after careful thought I passed.... I simply do not like the idea of my well being resting on a cast aluminum stand... I was looking at the hang on as Im not a climber fan and it looked way to easy to break to me... so I stuck with my Gorilla's....

5Shot - I hope your friend makes out ok and has a speedy recovery. May God bless him and all of us hunters..............