Scouting today and some advise....could have been bad!!

[ron w]

I went out to do a bit of scouting today. I brushed in a few blinds, looked for some deer activity and even had my bow and some arrows in case a tree rodent wanted to become dinner. In the process I thought I would move my ladder stand.......I unstrapped it, looked it all over and the carried it about 100 yards to more productive spot. I found the perfect clump of 3 Ash trees to put it on....nice spruce background......looking good. I set it up, tied the bottom and the middle off and went up to strap in the top. Got it all done cleared a few limbs and started down. About half way down [6-7 feet of the ground] I looked down and the stand was bending like a wet noddle. In slow motion I was right against the tree and just hopped down. This could have been a real bad thing in the dark or half way through a sit. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR STANDS AND STUFF OUT CAREFULLY!!!!!!! Have a safe and happy hunting season.......  

[RedShaft]

yes! also replace those braided thin cables on your lock ons with chain. good habit to get into esp on those cheap hang ons. like the ones i buy and leave out most the year.

[wooddamon1]

I hunt the ground most times, but good reminder for everyone! Be safe out there, others depend on your return...

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Ron, Glad you survived. Now was there any squirrels?

[ron w]

LOL.....didn't see any squirrels, lots of turkey sign.......and it looks like a few deer are in the area. Even with the rain we have had it's very dry.....Let me add that the ladder stand was old and the reason it collapsed was that it rusted thru at the center joints.

[huntsfairchase]

Thanks for the reminder. Always good to keep up on stand maintainance!

[Sam McMichael]

Glad you were not hurt.

[kawika b]

Gotcha... check equipment and start a diet. Glad you're all good Ron.    

[ron w]

Thanks,......I'm glad one of my friends didn't go there on my say so and then got hurt.

[grouseshooter002]

Ron,
Another, "glad you are safe". Hope you have a great and safe hunting season.

Regards,
Grouse

[ron w]

Thanks Grouse......     I hope you do also!!

[KSdan]

Glad you are ok.  I never leave a stand in the woods. Weather, animals. . . and just not that efficient in my mind.  I find it easy to climb up and down every time- one time up, quiet, 10 min. or less, fresh set every time, mobile, strategic, and you only need one stand and sticks!  

[Robertfishes]

Glad you made it down safely. almost 20 years ago I had a 2 year old chain on stand fail on me(my fault), the cables that held the bottom up slipped thru the clamps and I free fell 18ft..I broke my back(T-12) and spent the next 3 days in the woods by myself paralyzed from the waist down..3 weeks later I had a spinal fusion (T-10 thru L-2) that releived the pressure on my spinal cord and after 2 months of therapy I took my first small steps with a walker..at 3 months I was walking without a cane..Now I walk OK but I cannot jog or run..Now days I always use a harness when I climb, any stand I have that has cables I run a piece of good rope along with the cables, I don't fully trust straps so I also use 3/8 ropes to tie stands to trees..I change out ropes and straps every other year or more often. I just looked over some of my metal ladder stands, most of them are 5 years old...they are going to the scrap yard, lots of internal rust at the joints, I saw a few pin holes and it didn't take long for me to decide trash them..my life is worth more than the $450- $500 I'm gonna spend on 3 new ladders..looking at the 17ft Rivers Edge with a flip up seat..I gave all my newer chain on stuff away 3 years ago, I found a nice set of rivers edge sticks in my barn today, no rust.

[Robertfishes]

two of my friends left their expensive name brand 20 ft ladder stands out all year in our Hunt Club.. both were rusted thru in less than 1 year..One of the guys is a dealer for these stands and the company replaced both of them. I think the company changed steel vendors, the new stands are in good shape after 2 years in the woods.

[AWPForester]

I had a similar event about three weeks ago except it was with a new one.

I put it up and strapped it on the tree.  I climbed on up and did the normal check out of shooting lanes etc...  well the bar that goes from the ladder portion to the tree came off the tree on the way down.  The thing bowed way in.  scared the heck ooutta me to say the least.  So don't forget to tie that thiing around the tree too!  God Bless to all

[ron w]

I'm thinking I'm glad I got a Waldrop Pac-Seat,I have never fallen from a chair!!I guess we all need to be reminded to check our equipment now and then!