Screamin Steel

I love my summit climber and feel as safe as a babe in her mother's arms while in it. I also hut high. Twenty to twenty five feet is the norm....often higher in rifle season. Today I was approx twenty seven feet. I wear my harness religiously, as well. Only drawback with the summit is it's TOO cozy. I fall asleep in it all the time. Many guys don't bother to tether the top and bottom sections together, and that's when you get into trouble. A four foot length of parachute cord on each side solves the problem, and it only takes a few extra seconds to attach. If you are ever in a climber that starts to slip, Don't jump! Just like with a ladder or scaffolding tipping over you have to ride it down. Good chance it will only slip a few feet, not the whole height of the tree. A harness will help you regain your balance. Don't give the climbers a bad rap. I'll take it over my hang ons any day. If you are geting too old and prefer a ladder stand or ground hunting, that's all fine and good. Just remember that THOUSANDS of hunters use good climbers every year and only a small handful ever have an incident...and most are due to inexperience, negligence, or failure to use a harness.

sproulman

going up stand at 5.30 am in morning,you are asking for it.

coming down in dark at night,same thing.

if we all were in good shape and not in hurry, i agree, climbing stand is real nice.

my only question is, i have been hunting for 47 years here in pa.

I NEVER HAD TO GO ABOVE 15 FT.deer walk right by my stand.

why do you need to go so high

2 Lunger

This is why we wear harnesses with a retractable lanyard.

4evrhtn

Sproul, you want to sell any of those summit stands you don't use?

4evrhtn

I agree, I have a Summit Goliath, absolutely LOVE that climber. Wouldn't buy anything but a summit climber- light, quiet, easy to use, and COMFORTABLE. I also hunt high, same range as you. My take on it is this... I spend alot of money on being scent free, spend alot of time scouting, spend alot of hours in the woods. If I can get 25 or 30 ft up and out of a deer's sense of sight and smell, I have him beat instead of him busting me. Nothing sucks more (except seeing no deer) than to sit all day waiting for the moment a good buck walks in front of you only to have him smell you or see something isn't right(6ft tall mass growing out the tree just a few feet of the ground), blow and run off just out of range.
I watched a young 4 pointer come from downwind of me. I was 28' up an oak tree. He noticed the shape of the tree wasn't right and kept looking. He would look away briefly only to make quick glances at me trying to catch me moving, he must have done this at least 30 times. If a young deer can pick me out from that height an older more wise deer will definitely bust you if you hunt only a few feet off the ground. Being high beats their two most acute senses (smell and sight). Overcome them and you increase your chances at success.

Mr. Longbeard

Lucky man!!!

I usually only wear my harness while in the stand... I will start wearing mine up and down now...

Champlain Islander

Statistically one in 4 hunters will fall out of a tree sometime in their hunting life. Some of those falls are fatal and others are life changing. Bad odds and caution must be used as well as all appropriate safety devices. the older we get the more likely we will have a problem. I never use pegs anymore and all my loc ons are via climbing sticks. I do use one Summit and always use the harness.

pipecrew

Anyone that hunts in a treestand is foolish not to have a safety harness. I admit I've done it dozens of times. A good friend of mine fell about 8 feet and broke his wrist a few years ago. Had to have pins put in to let it heel properly.

I went out and bought a Loggy Bayou safety harness and a Fall Guy Retractor safety strap. I love it. The retractor (once strapped to the tree) allows you to be hooked while climbing in and out. The Fall Guy system works like a seat belt, one quick move and it locks in place. In my opinion worth every penny.

If anyone ou there isn't using a harness, please go get one and use it!!!

Mike

chazspot

I would tend to think that most falls occurwhile climbing or descending. I fell once while climbing on 2 x 4 's nailed to a tree. They were in terrible shape and I was young and stupid. Got to the top step and it came loose. I hit the ground before I knew what was happening and landed very hard. I was shaken just like you.

You should follow the advice of going to get Xrays taken. Dont procrastinate.

NJheadhunter71

One fall out of a climber,one fall out of a ricketty old wooden stand and twomotor bike accidents by age 26= NO MORE CIMBERS FOR ME!I used a safety lanyard once and IT SAVED MY LIFE but ya knowI was so shaken as i tried to get back to the halfspun climber that my hunt was over and I went home. I now use a lader stand. I hear guys say that it isinexperience or a newbe using one that mythoughts on that is if I have to perfect a stand, hunt a certain way and just can't move freely worrying than its not worth it.