quiksilver

I was hunting with my uncle once, and it was an afternoon bowhunt. I told him where to go set up, and about 25 minutes later, I heard him screaming. I got over there a.s.a.p. and found his climer was broken sitting at the base of the tree, and he was dangling about 15 feet up with his safety belt up around his chest. He's this overly dramatic little fat guy, so it was almost kinda funny.

I had to get up in there and cut the belt. He was okay, broke 2 ribs, and it left a nasty looking bruise. He has a horrible fear of heights these days.

I guess that's why the safety harness is better than the single-loop safety belt. They distribute the weight of the fall between 5 points, as opposed to transferring all of the shock to your belly/ribs.

HAZCON7

GUILTY as charged I spent 45 minutes 30 feet up (without a harness) trying to get the bottom of my climber hooked back up. The only smart thing I did that day was tie a rope connecting the top and bottom.

Allseasonhunter7

avoid screw in climbing steps?
my dad broke 3 ribs from one slipping out on him

have a rope hanging from the tree clip it around you then climb put your saftey belt around the tree then tak the clip off

max the dog

I only feel out of a tree once. That was enough for me. I wasn't hurt, just very sore for 3 weeks. After I got to the stand I turned around to attach my safety strap to the tree and at the one point where I'm attached to nothing, the stand slips 6 inches. Some people may think that they'll just grab a limb and catch themselves but trust me, it just don't work that way. I fell 15 to 20 feet back flat on wet mud. I'll call that the good part. When I looked up I say all the branches I tore loose on the fall coming down on top of me.
I'm very carefull now. I have mountain climber D-ring clips attached to the tree every 2 feet so I can stay clipped on at everypoint of the climb. It makes for a slightly slower climb but how many of us have slipped on a frost covered step.
I use a full body harness that straps to my legs, chest, and arms.

throwingStarr

almost seems to make as much sence to go out and rent one of those ^hi-lift boom trucks,,you certainly could cover a 360 pattern with one of those and it may be somewhat of a safer hunting technique.

HAZCON7

Nuff Said

Zoomer

I have come out of fixed stands twice. First time I didn't fall but managed to grasp the tree and slid down to the ground mangling my face arms and belly on the bark the whole way down. I was lucky that time because I only fractured my arm and had a 2nd degree shoulder separation (not to mention the scrapes all across my face and body). The second time I fell I was not so lucky. After climbing into the stand I leaned over to grab my "uphaul" rope to which my bow was tied. I heard a loud snap and immediately started falling to the ground. The side rail had sheared from the tree. It was pitch black (either from my eyes being closed or that it was 5 am - not sure which) I must have tried to grab the side rail and failed as my body was swivelled 90 degrees and I was now falling horizontally. This stand was built over an old swamp that had since dried up so the "root balls" of the trees were 12-14"above the ground. Upon impact the ribs on my left side snapped and my sternum separated from my ribcage in the front. As I lay on the ground face down heaving the milk crate I sit on in the stand proceeded to fall and weld me in the back of the skull driving my face a second time onto said rootballs causing a massive blood loss from my face and the need for extensive dental work. I lived, but now climb only in my Loggy Bayou - and I dont got much past 10 - 12 feet. Heed the warnings and be safe!

drstalker

I have had a few close calls.Once I stood to grab my bow to let it down and my stand shifted to where I almost flew off the side of the stand.Fortunatly I did catch myself,and did have my harness on.If I would have fell that way I don't know if I would have been able to get back into my stand.I now use a prusic knot on a fall line that stays in the tree and doubles as a haul rope for the bow and gear.Also to keep the stands from shifting I use an extra ratchet strap on the stand.I climb for a living as a lineman and theres an old saying that kinda relates to all this, the saying goes like this"I know a lot of old lineman,and I know a lot of bold lineman,but I don't know a whole lot of old bold lineman".Just thought I would share..Theres nothing like cutting out on a pole, and burning all the way to the ground, and have pick splinters out of your chest and arms for the next couple years

liquidorange

2 words- tree lounge for me its heavy but worth its safety features. i do like to catch a NAP ONCE IN A WHILE

Zoomer

Yea that tree lounge is awesome but I sneak in on my friend at least 3 times every year because he is fast asleep in the thing. Besides it's way to heavy to cart around and has too tiny a platform to be useful for a bowhunter IMHO. I've sat in it in gun season on an all day hunt, sunup to sundown and must say it is without question the most comfortable stand I have ever been in.