Sad lesson

[D]

A week or so ago Roy (Roy from Pa) put a post on here about wearing your safety harness.  I put a comment on it about coming out of the woods with my harness still on and seeing a 14 year old feller thats part of my girlfriends family and he hunts part of the same land I was on.  He looked at my harness and asked if I wear that a lot and I told him because of this site I have started religiously wearing it this year.  I asked him if he wears his and he said naw they are aggrivating.  I asked him how aggrivating would a wheelchair be, WEAR IT.  He said good point.  Anyway I was setting at a restaurant eating today and he texts me and says he will be wearing a harness from now on.  I naturaly assumed the worst and asked him what happened.  His friends dad fell out of his stand this morning and either broke his neck or back and at the moment is paralyzed.  I don't know the gentleman and I wish him the best but its so sad to hear these stories when they can be prevented so easly.  Thanks for all of the people on here that convienced me to start wearing mine.  Please everybody wear your harnesses.

[TNtrapper]

Very sad. I need to start wearing mine EVERY time Im in a stand. So far Ive hunted the ground this season...and might just stay that way.

[wtpops]

Out here in Cali i hunt hogs a lot and have never been in a stand except one time in Oklahoma on a hog hunt. I of course wore a harness, being over 50 and my first time hunting from a tree i was kind of nervous being off the ground.

I just don't see how anybody would do it with out one

I soon will retire and relocate to Arkansas where i will take up deer hunting again ( first time in over 20 years) I am looking at stands and harnesses with decent systems, this will be the only way i will be in a tree to hunt, Ive got to many grand-kids to play with to take a chance.

[dnovo]

My harness goesw on every time I go out and has for many years. I've heard about too many people getting hurt to chance it. Of course you could still slip getting in or out of the stand. I hang a stand and hunt it, then take it down and hunt a different spot the next time, so the systems with the line attached above the stand don't work for me. Just be careful out there!

[Roy from Pa]

His friends dad fell out of his stand this morning and either broke his neck or back and at the moment is paralyzed.  

D, so happy to hear that your wear a harness. So sad to hear about your friends Dad.

I only wish that I, We, could reach out to every Hunter. But it will never happen. Every year we read about these falls. I just keep on trying to make sense to as many Hunters as I can.

For anyone who uses a portable tree stand, and chooses a different tree every time you hunt, there are safe options out there. Wear a harness and use a tether when you climb. Sometimes you may need two tethers like if you come to a branch. Before un hooking your main tether, connect your second tether, then continue your climb. Another good idea is to carry screw in steps with you in case of a stand failure and you are left hanging there half way up the tree.

Tree stand falls happen all too often, I read about them every year. Do not think it will never happen to you.

[Hit-or-Miss]

I never used to wear one, until last year. I caught myself falling asleep, 15' up, and that was enough for me. Scared the &*@! out of me to be honest. If I'm hunting in a stand, even a ladder stand, I strap in good and tight.

[Whip]

A lesson we all can learn from.  Don't be the next tragic story on here - buy a quality harness and wear it every time.

Also remember that 85% of falls come while climbing up or down or entering or leaving the treestand.  So a harness alone is actually protecting you against 15% of falls.  Take the additional step of using a rope and prusic knot or other device to be strapped in from the moment your feet leave the ground.

[Rick Butler]

I agree with Whip, the rope and prussic knot are the way to go.

[jax]

A climbing stand is about the only way you  can be tied in as soon as you eave the ground. Otherwise you have to go up once to tie the rope on

[BBWV]

Well Fellows I started wearing the straps that come with a stand when you bought it. You know the ones that get all tangled up! The first ones was just a strap. And about 8 years ago when my son started climbing I bought him a good vest and made him wear it, so to keep me from being a hipocryte I went and spent the $$ and bought me the Big man Hunters safty Vest, I thought of it like a good life vest on the water and if it was comfortable i would wear it. Best thing I ever bought. I also have a safty line on every fixed stand, so I'm hooked up from the time I leave the ground until I get down. It has plenty of pockets and straps for binoculars.
It's just awful to hear these things happen that could be prevented

[D]

Roy thats a good point about the screew in steps.  Thats something that a lot of people don't think about how do you get back up to your stand or down once you do fall.  I've read of people falling and the harness catching them but they were stranded up in the tree and have dyed from the loss of circulation.  My harness has a little pocket that has a strap in it that has a foot loop so I can put a foot in it and take the pressure off.  Safe hunting everybody.

[Spinealigner]

I always wear mine.  I was chatting with my neighbors wife and she said that her husband never wears one.  I've seen his set ups and I wish him luck.

[AWPForester]

Praying for the boys dad.  I need to do better myself.  God Bless

[T-D]

I am a survivor of not wearing a safety harness. I now wear one every time I hunt in a tree stand. I don't hunt in hang ons anymore I only hunt in climbers I just fill safer. I have been looking at investing in the live wire that lets you down if you fall. Just a thought.

My prayers go out to this family.  I also pray that everyone will learn to wear their harness when in a tree.

[WidowEater]

I always wore one when in a tree stand.  I made it a point to get some sleep every time I went out hunting.  I could very easily fall asleep and out of any tree I was in so I wore mine always for that reason alone.

[SheltonCreeker]

Hate to hear these stories. We should all encourage each other to be as safe as we can. Safe hunting to all.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Always had fits with harnesses myself and would never one. I wanted to just couldn't find a comfy one.

 I dropped the string on a Guido's web and sold every climber and lock on I owned. I ain't got a choice now. Harness built right into my stand and this ol'boy is walking out every time and looking forward to making it home to momma and the girls.

[Kc kreger]

Prayers for your friends dad.  Sad to hear he fell. I'm praying for healing and for the Lord to provide for his family during this season.

Thanks for the reminders!  Not going up on a tree without mine again.  It's stupid of me to do it when I stop and think about it.  For the little aggravation they are they can sure change a life or save a life.  I've only hunted once since I saw the first post about using a harness.  That hunt was spent safely on the ground.  I much enjoy being down there with my two feet planted safely on God's green earth anyway.

K.C. <><

[mqqse]

This is very sad and I think it's very selfish and poor judgement of hunters not taking the proper precautions before heading up a tree.

[Roadkill]

Years ago we used thewrap-your-arms around the tree and climb clmibers.  Many of us did not, stuipdly, use belts.  Ido not climb out herebut saw my treestand in the attic and my safetyharness wasfolded up on it. Iwould not dream of using it witout a belt.  The harnesses today are fantastic.  Saw several st the natl archery buyers assn meeting this year.