I wanted to share this close call that I had this morning. I tookmy annual4 day weekend to bowhunt here in the NY southern zone. I go to the stand I wanted to hunt, hook my bow to the lifting rope that is there and begin my climb up to the hang on stand that has screw in steps.

near the top, the spacing on one of the steps is quite far apart . I carefully get my foot on the next step up,securely hug the tree, lift my lower leg and transfer my weight to the upper leg and my FOOT SLIDES OFF THE STEP! My feet were at least 10-12 feet off the ground and I fall and hit the ground HARD. I landed on my side and there I lay not able to catch my breath and in pain!

I was hunting alone and finally managed to get my breathing under control after about 30 minutes. I get my gear and slowly make my way back to my jeep and come back home.
I think i may have broken or bruised some ribs underneath my arm/back area. I have quite a bit of discomfort when i move certain ways. I also got a small cut on the side of my chin.
In addition to hurting myself, I tore my hunting pants, ripped the laces on the top part of my boots, tore my left glove to shreds and broke the top of my arrow quiver. I think i hit that with my foot when I fell.

So my message to everyone is BE CAREFULL!! This shook me up pretty good and I dont think that I will use that stand anymore. I think I will repalce it with a Ladder Stand. Im not sure if I can pull my bow back in my current condition. Im going to play it day by day and hopefully I might be able to get out tomorrow morning (and use a different stand!)

MIKe

Wow, that sounds pretty frightening! I hope you recover quickly. Tree stands are simply dangerous in my opinion. Too many people get hurt falling from them. I would never use one of those climbing types or screw in steps. I will only use stands that have aluminum or steel ladders or ladders made out of treated wood that is thoroughly inspected every so often. Ruining oneself for life is simply not worth any deer be it a trophy or the smallest of does.

WOW, very scary. Glad you're o.k.

Wow...You are lucky that you are not in the hospital. I no longer use tree pegs other than to hang my backpack or bow off of. I had my feet slip off pegs several times but never fell. I only use ladder stands now. I just feel much safer ascending or descending and while I am in them.

Wow! Glad to hear that you are ok though. Man you should atleast get to a hospital and get checked out though.

After falling that distance, I would notbe surprised if you have a compression fracture of a vertabrae. Been there, done that. No fun. Glad you made it out alive.

Thank goodness you seem to be OK. How come you weren't wearing a harness?!

Did that a few years ago from over 20+feet. Still dealing with a problem in my back that the doctors do not know what it is.... At least I am alive.

Oh Had my harness on...just not correctly.

I recommend heading to the hospital for some X-rays.. just to be sure. Glad your able to write about it.

my basement has SUMMIT/TREESUIT/LOGGY stands.

i dont use them.

i went to all LADDER STANDS and i go no higher than 15 ft,no need to go any higher.

those steps are very dangerous.

so are climbing stands.

its just matter of time before you get hurt with climbing stand.

also, if hunting alone, carry a cell phone if it works in your area,that a big help.

i just talked my brother who is 53 out of his summit stand, i bought him a ladder stand for 49 dollars.

climbing a tree in dark, wind blowing,ice on trees, cold out, feet cold, hands cold,in hurry,out of shape,YOU ARE GOING TO GET HURT.

heck, he fell once and bro. his bow in half and had to have his shoulder operated on.

you are right on.

at 18, no problem,over 50 ,big problem.

i see hunters 60 years old running down pipelines to get ahead of me with their summit treestands on their backs.in the dark too.

its just a matter of time before i hear in woods,ohhhhh,ahhhhhhhhhh,ughhhhhhhh.

over i will go and the there they will be laying.

safety is not issued when hunter has to get that meat,i see it every year.

greed will kill you.............