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Author Topic: suspension trauma  (Read 509 times)

Offline jax

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suspension trauma
« on: November 09, 2011, 02:13:00 PM »
I wonder with all the talk about treestand safety how many people are saved by their harness but then die of suspension trauma. Seems it would do no good to be caught by your harness and unable to get back to the stand and die this way. I bought a CDS harness because I hunt in the mountains by myself.
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Offline Doc Nock

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2011, 03:06:00 PM »
Deer & Deer Hunting did a research project many years ago on that very topic. If (?) memory serves me, you had 2-3 min in any type strap or chest harness...

Recent research, albeit provided as a handout by "Silent Glide" belt harness, at the H-burg PA Sport Show, reprints a University study that showed people in 5pt harnesses still only have about 5 min till damage occurs and less than 10 min till people pass out from lost circulation!

If you hit your head and are knocked out... it doesn't matter cause till you recover it might be too late.

If I were to fall and not be unconscious, using Rapid Rails, I'm pretty sure with the Climbing rope/safety belt around the tree, I could get to the steps to continue down...

Buddy uses the life line system and then screw in steps... I'm not sure impailed on one of them in a fall any "device" would make much difference.

Being elevated for fun in the wee dark and cold has risks.

Be careful out there... think twice, move once!
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Offline bowmaster12

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2011, 03:10:00 PM »
according to tma there has not been one reported incident of a hunter dieing of suspenssion truma i do know some harness come with a strap that can be used relieve the pressure
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Offline Rod Witkos

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2011, 03:19:00 PM »
Here's an OSHA bulletin sent to me:

 http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib032404.html
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Offline MikeW

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2011, 03:22:00 PM »
You should have your safety line setup so you can't hang in the first place unless of course your platform fails but then you should be able to get back to your seat or steps if you have them.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2011, 03:31:00 PM »
I keep a small, sharp knife permanently attached to my SOP in a convenient location but out of the way, just in case...!
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Offline tecum-tha

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2011, 03:32:00 PM »
Well, I know of a close call. This happened to a hunting buddy of one of my friends who is a game warden. He climbed the tree, attached himself with his treeline to the tree and sat. The strap holding the treestand up broke suddenly and the stand was tumbling down. The guy was hanging in his harness on the tree and couldn't do nothing in his thick clothing. The guys carried a two way radio and he reached the game warden with it. Luck had it, that he was close and had his climbing treestand with him. He rescued him with his climber. If he would have not have radio contact he would have passed out and possibly died.When he rescued him he was in "pretty " bad shape already....
I think the CDS II is a very good system and needs minimal further improvemments. I got me one as well (same price as a vest system without rescue system) and I like it pretty good.
Especially when using a climber it can be a life saver. And it can reused 1 times for a full fall arrest.That is two full falls.
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Offline Arrowest

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2011, 03:34:00 PM »
One of the keys to regaining a footing and being able to save yourself after a fall, is to place the strap around the tree at a height that will prevent you from falling below the level of your stand platform at your knee level.  The tether between you and the tie-off point has to be the right length.  This allows a person to turn themselves and regain the platform by grabbing it and placing their knees on it.  This should also prevent impalement on steps.  If the tether line is just starting to snug up when you are sitting on your stand seat, then that should be about right.  If falling, you will gain less momentum over the shorter distance as well and therefore hopefully suffer less internal damage.

Just some pointers I've learned thru teaching the IBEP course and personal experience.....!!!
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Offline Winterhawk1960

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2011, 04:02:00 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Arrowest:
One of the keys to regaining a footing and being able to save yourself after a fall, is to place the strap around the tree at a height that will prevent you from falling below the level of your stand platform at your knee level.  The tether between you and the tie-off point has to be the right length.   This allows a person to turn themselves and regain the platform by grabbing it and placing their knees on it.   This should also prevent impalement on steps.  If the tether line is just starting to snug up when you are sitting on your stand seat, then that should be about right.  If falling, you will gain less momentum over the shorter distance as well and therefore hopefully suffer less internal damage.

Just some pointers I've learned thru teaching the IBEP course and personal experience.....!!!
That is exactly correct........BUT......what would happen if the strap or chain holding the treestand to the actual tree breaks and there is no base to even attempt to return to ???

One could only "hope" that the person that hung the stand put "something" into or around the tree that would allow you to reach it with your feet. I have seen quite a few treestands that were hung by other people that make it a REAL LONG step up onto the stand itself. I like to make the last step very close to the base of the stand for exactly that reason.

Winterhawk1960
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Offline BobCo 1965

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2011, 04:10:00 PM »
Very good thread. This is certainly something to think about and have a plan beforehand in case a fall does happen.
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Online rastaman

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2011, 04:23:00 PM »
i like to put up my stands to where i step down onto the platform.  My ladder (or climbing sticks)is put up at an angle that (if i am conscious) i can reach easily if the stands platform fails.  
Be safe out there!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
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Offline jax

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2011, 04:25:00 PM »
I had a buddy in a ladder stand have it break and actually fall away from the tree. He called a buddy to come get him. I hunt in very remote mountain areas and feel good about having the CDS sytem. I even tested it out. Worth the money to me.
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Offline Onehair

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2011, 04:26:00 PM »
I think your overlooking the obvious. A well made harness will keep your carcass from coyotes and other predators. You have to look on the bright side.
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Offline Gray Buffalo

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2011, 04:49:00 PM »
I'm staying on the ground.
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Offline J. Holden

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2011, 04:58:00 PM »
I have 2 tree stands and have not had an accident in the fews I've been hunting.  After reading this though and all the thing's one should do I'm starting to think Grey Buffalo may be on to something... the ground.

-Jeremy  :coffee:
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Offline McDave

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2011, 05:05:00 PM »
In my rockclimbing days, we carried two loops of 7mm line in our pockets from which we could fashion prussic ascenders.  If we found ourselves dangling in mid-air 20' below a cliff, we could laborously, but surely, work our way back up the rope to the edge of the cliff.  It was easier to do using a rockclimbing harness, as we were facing the rope, but it should be possible to do this in a treestand harness if you can reach the rope behind you, and if it dangles far enough below you that you can work with it.  If the rope dangled all the way down to the ground, you could use the same prussic ascenders to first ascend enough to loosen whatever was holding you to the main rope (probably another prussic knot using larger diameter rope), and then descend to the ground.
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Offline getstonedprimitivebowhunt

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2011, 05:34:00 PM »
....one more reason too hunt off the ground !
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Offline Flingblade

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #17 on: November 09, 2011, 05:43:00 PM »
I bought the Rescue One CDS this year and it is the only harness I'll use now.  No worries now.  I have practiced with it in my backyard and it works great.  If I fall I'll just quickly lower myself to the ground.  
Falls from treestands are not reported as hunting related accidents which is probably why the tma does not have record of a hunter dying from suspension trauma.  There was a bowhunter here in Ottawa county that died from suspension trauma about six years ago.  His climber broke.  He was found hanging dead in his full body harness with his boots kicked off.
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Offline Beanbag

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #18 on: November 09, 2011, 05:55:00 PM »
Had a friend who had a friends home made stand give out from about 15'. bad news. two broken legs spine issues and two years of rehab. Still not back to normal. Be careful guys.It happens.
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Offline gonzoso

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Re: suspension trauma
« Reply #19 on: November 09, 2011, 07:21:00 PM »
I bought a climber, tried it a half dozen times in the yard, and I even shot from it.

But I have yet to take it out to hunt with.  I hunt alone and it seems like a pain to haul it into the woods every day, set it up, climb the tree and then I read threads like this one!

I was gonna take it today but I had a nightmare of me falling out of a tree so I left it home:)

I'm still digging the ground for now!
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