Wear your safety Harness

[702plmo]

I was on duty for about an hour today when I got a call about a deer hunter hanging from a tree.   He had called our dispatch and gave a location.   We finally located him and with the help of the local FD and another hunters climbing stand we got him down safely.    
    The pin from the stand came loose and the bottom feel away from him.   As he fell he knocked the handclimber down the tree.    He told us that within a few minutes he lost felling in his legs.   He also told me that was the most uncomfortable 30 minutes in his life.  
    As we were walking out I told him it was great walking him out of the woods compared from carring him out on a backboard.  He agreed!!!
    Just as a reminder to all,  once a safetyharness has been used in a situation like that, it is recommended to throw that harness away and get a new one.

[Crooked Stic]

Good advice. I never am in a tree without it.

[Hatrick]

Nice reminder 702plmo. A good story with a better ending.
 
I just bought a Loggy Bayou Transformer harness and really like it. Maybe a little pricey but well made and very easy to use so there's no excuse NOT to use it. As the saying goes.

Harness cost - $80.00
Cost of preventing fall - Priceless.

[Bucksnort101]

Great to hear he is OK. I would also suggest picking up a Linemans Belt if you are using a hang on stand with a ladder of some sort. Help in climbing the tree and hanging the stand. Mine also came with a short lenght of rope with a loop on each end. One loop hooks into the safety strap on the tree and the other is big enough to step into and take the weight off your harness if you end up hanging from it.

[Ak willy]

Jimmy. thanks for the reminder.
I had a good friend from MN. this year climb into his stand with his wife, as they have been doing for years now.
 The fellow leaned over to reach something and the double stand colapsed with both of them in it.
They fell about 13ft.
He has a compound fractor of the leg and she has 5 broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Bad fall for both.
He was in traction for 3 weeks and she has had a couple returns to the hospital.
Be Safe

[Stykbow62]

Bucksnort101,
That is good advice about standing on the other loop thereby taking some of the weight off if your hanging.

[Steve Kendrot]

Guess the cell phone helped too! 30 minute response..not bad!

[bentpole]

Great advice!

[Brian P.]

I just started using an ascention line this year. Been wearing a full body harness for years. I think they are called "lifelines" in the catalogs. Hunters Safety Systems sells em for about $40. Consists of a line that stays in the tree and goes all the way to the ground. Hook into the Prussic knot on the ground and climb up. You are connected all the way up and back down. Priceless piece of mind.

 I havent figured out how to use the line with a climber yet. They work great with hang ons though.

BP

[Pete W]

Don't just wear a harness, wear it properly.
 
Harneses that are not worn properly can cause severe damage in a fall or even death.Snug up those straps, and keep the slack in the tether to a minimum. Always tie off above you to minimize the drop.

[AkDan]

curious if anyone uses the prusik not for a climbing rope and attach it to your harness?

If so how do you have it set up?

I've seen it done, looking for some details on it.

[Brian P.]

AkDan,

Not sure I follow what you are asking. Do you mean using it as I tried to describe above, or as the attachment to the tree once you are in the stand? Or something else.

BP

[AkDan]

Sorry Brian,

I didn't see that post of yours, oops.

Yup, wondered if you could stay attached to this when you're on stand also.  I know about ascending and descending with them.  Are you in a harness or a vest when using this?   The body to rope hook up part is the confusion we were having.

Trying to get this info to my lil bro.  He's deathly afraid of treestands and neither of us cared for the two harness's that came with the stands I bought while I was home.

[jfish]

Not all fall stories have such a nice ending.  I have a friend who fell from a stand and we found after dark sitting at the base.  To this day we have no idea what happened and his mental state was reduced to that of a child.  That was 20 years ago...

[702plmo]

Jfish you are right, too many do not have good endings.
   I our area we have more hunters injured due to treestand accident than all other hunting accidents.    In our hunter ed classes we put special emphasis on using harnesses and using them properly

[Lost Arra]

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=82711

[BFinegan]

i just purchased a climbing stand. it came with a dvd as they all do. one of the suggestions was to keep some tree steps handy and a linemans belt. in case you cam out you put the steps in and hook up the belt until you were able to be helped. also keep the cell phone handy

[Brian P.]

AkDan,

 I put my harness on at the truck before I go in to my stand. Once there, I attach the carabiner on my harness tether to the prussic knot on the "lifeline". As you climb up, just slide the prussic knot up as well. Step onto the stand and slide the knot up to where you feel a bit of tension pulling on your harness as you set down on your seat.

 The prussic knot is tied with a loop on it for attaching your carabiner to. Quick, easy, and secure.

 The lifeline comes with good instructions for its use. Cheap insurance to use this set up. Give you piece of mind as well if your not so good with heights. The older I get, the lower I hunt LOL

BP

[AkDan]

THanks Brian,

I passed this to my lil bro.   Gonna try and find this harness for him.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

The story is also a good argument for carrying a cell phone with you.