usmc1978

Only fall I ever had WHILE HUNTING was extremely minor...thanks to the harness. On the other hand, I was taking the top off of a pine tree. Was strapped in with the harness. Got done. Lowered the chain saw. Told my wife 'the hard part's done.' Unhooked and started down. Stopped on a branch about 6" diameter to step out and kick a hung-up chunk of trunk. Heard a crack, which was the branch I was standing on breaking off at the trunk (pine trees are a lot more brittle than you might imagine). Rode that branch down 23' feet (that was the height from the branch, where my feet were, to the ground). Miraculously unhurt. I think it was the years of pine straw combined with wet ground, combined with that branch slowing things down a bit. Scared the xxx outa my missus. It was all too fast for me to be scared. I was wearing the harness the whole time, but they don't do much good unless they're attached to something besides air.

Now, line up all the guys (and gals,Cupcake)who had accidents last week---any kind of accident---and ask 'em: "did ya think it was gonna happen to you?" What do you think the answer is? "Well, yeah. I had a schedule. Up at 0345. Arrive at the farm at 0425. Fall outta the tree at 0515..."

Be safe, not dumb.

dprsdhunter

Before i had my fall i talked about a few posts back i never thought it would happen to me. all I can say is that it can happen to anybody regardless of how safe they are.

On a further note--I was told of an accident VERY similar to mine where a guy fell with a climber,hung upside down and did the same as i did--cut himself lose and feel to the ground. He is paralyzed from the neck down.

usmc1978

The full-body harness is designed to leave you hanging head-up. I have to admit, though, I don't use the full body for hunting.

dprsdhunter

I never did either--i do now though

CupCake28

Kind of like me getting pregnant at an early age. Didn't know it could happen to me until it did.



So say YES to "PROTECTION"!!!!!

Dozen Arrows

It is also a good idea to use a belt while climbing and when you get to the top to fasten your safety harness before you get in to your stand if it is a hang on. Use the belt while climbing with a climbing stand as well. Also make sure there is no wear and tear. It may take a little longer and you may feel like you are over doing it but it is way better to be safe!

Thanks to the guy for the courage to give us fair warningand I hope that he gets well soon.

gregrn43

i have hunted for many years and i did not always were one. 7 years ago i was hunting out of a homemade stand and the bar around the back of the tree broke at the weld on the seat portion. trust me fellers no matter how agile you are there is no way to catch yourself. i had shot a buck and was climbing down the tree at the time, so i was lucky and was only about 7ft off the ground. i landed on top of the stand and the only injury i had was a lacerated right ear. it was hard to get out of bed the next day but i survived. i was very very lucky.when is was hunting that day i had been about 17 ft off the ground and by myself, there is no telling how long i would have laid there if i had really injured myself bad. im a ER nurse and have taken care of people from tree stand accidents. some of them are not pretty sights trust me. fractured arms and legs or worse yet spinal vertebre. so please for your and your families sake were one.

MarquetteMagnum

just bought a brand new full body harness yesterday for my lady, and me.

Canned Heat

If you hunt long enough without a harness....you will become a statistic of some sort. I've seen guys fall out of ladder stands with a gun rail surrounding them. You spend how much a year on hunting clothes, ammo, firearms/bows, maps, food...jesus, where do I stop? Spend another 100 skins max and be safe. If not for your hard headed hind end...at least for your family's. You guys and galswith kids, especially.

2of the guns listed belowwere bought from an older woman (through a guy I work with) whose husbandfell from 20 feet. He's 53 and has been paralyzed from the waist down since his fall. She sold the rifles and everything else they had to pay his medical bills....Think a little.