Bowhunting safety & survival

[longbowman]

So I was talking with a group of bowhunters a few nights ago and the topic of safety/survival came up.  The conversation was concerning a mutual friend who had his tree stand break this fall and when he hit the ground it drove his leg bone through the hip socket shattering all the bone there while smashing both ankles to boot.
     I know the guy personally and if it hadn't been for a couple God sent blessings he may not have made it out.  I then made the commit that got me responses that sorta shocked me.  I said that was exactly why I carry emergency items in my pack and leave the pack at the bottom of the tree when I go up.  Everybody looked at me as if I was crazy.  I then asked them what sort of emergency were they expecting while still "in" their tree stands?  The only "emergency" item I take up the tree is my cell phone.  The pack stays where I hopefully can get to it just in case I would ever fall and need them.  Why have them hanging in the tree?

[ron w]

Sounds like you have given it some thought.....They have not. It always amazes me the folks who think.......it can't or won't happen to me. And then are surprised when it does. Going in the woods for the day with bow in hand is a great thing. Pretty nice coming out at the end of the day also.

[Chuck from Texas]

Ground Blind!

[hvyhitter]

Play it really safe..........stay home. You have to do a risk assesment on everything you do and find your level of acceptable risk vs probability of an accedent and plan accordingly. If you look at the sats I have a greater chance of being hit and killed while riding my harley than falling out of my tree.............going to keep doing both by the way................

[bartcanoe]

Safety tip #1 - Don't climb trees if you're over 12 years old      

Seriously though every time I go in the woods, I have as a minimum a compass, fire starter, and some cordage.

[KSdan]

Curious. . ???  Not sure what emergency stuff I would need for midwest whitetail hunting?  A knife, compass, and clothes are standard.  Maybe a whistle??  If I am out all night someone will be looking for me.  What else is there?

[jax]

How did he fall with his safety belt on?

[LB_hntr]

Great post longbowman!!!
 I never really gave that much thought as I am always connected to the tree with harness or lineman belt. You have a great way of looking at it.
  As for emergency stuff I also agree anyone in the woods should have what they need for a night in the woods and emergency stuff. I also know that the better your skills the less you need. So the content of that kit will vary from just a loin cloth and a tooth pick for the most advanced to 10 pounds of stuff for the less skilled. Regardless of where anyone falls on that scale they should plan and pack accordingly.
 Many people just hunt "behind their house". But many also hunt very remote locations. And mother nature can kill you in 2 hours 10 feet from your porch....happens every year.
  Great post thanks for sharing!

[Sixby]

I stay out of trees. That stuff is for people that are a bit more agile than I am now. However I carry , cordage, firestarter, space blanket, cup, sometimes one of those cup of noodles, candy bars, . Never go on any hunt without a compass. Get fogged in like we do here in Oregon and you are lost unless you have your bearings. Been there, done that and only a miracle saved me. Fully whited out in a snow storm and ran into some other hunters and we got out when we ran into some other hunters in a pickup truck. LOl all of us lost but the pickup followed its own tracks out.
I walked several hours before I happened on them.
So I go prepared now., Never needed it again but its a comfort.

God bless, Steve

[tracker12]

I keep a space blanket, whistle and a small flare gun if out west.  I want to be found if I can't walk or crawl  out myself.  Two years ago I was in CO on a solo elk hunt.  I had a reaction to the contact solution I was using that had peroxide in it.  It burned both my cornea and I was pretty much blind.  All was blurry and sun hurt my eyes so bad I could not open them.  I had just driven two miles back on my ATV and hiked down into a canyon.  Took me three painful hours to get back to camp.  Then took me a hour to finally get cell service and get emergence help.  Sure made me reconsider my decision to go solo again at 60 year of age.

[Caughtandhobble]

I have lock on style stands that are pushing 20 years old, if not older... Until this year I never gave them more than a quick look over at the beginning of season. A friend of a friend did basically the same thing and it almost cost him his life last year. If you get in the trees be careful with lock on stands and climbing stands!!!

[2nocks]

When I'm by myself I generally stay on the ground. I feel better when others are within earshot. I also went with lifelines on all the stands last year, being connected from the ground all the way up was the way to go for me especially in the dark and first thing in the morning.

[Larrydawg]

I open the google earth page and show my wife the exact spot I will be, I also "pin" it and the parking area I park my truck, then I leave one of two walkie talkies laying on the seat. put other one in my back pack. I tell my wife if im not home 1 hr after dark to come and check on me.
  my buddies used to laugh at me because I carry 3 day supply of food and water, extra jacket, emergency blankets (3 of these don't take up much space!)I carry my cell phone also. (paranoid?) maybe over kill but I used to hunt with fella, his wife called me and asked me if I knew where he had his tree stand, I told her yep and she asked me if I would go check on him for her ( they had new baby) I found him laying on the ground unconscious with broken arm and ankle. he had shot nice buck and un hooked his safety harness to get down and slipped amd fell. I dragged him almost 1/2 mile on his deer sled and got him to hospital. he hunts out of ground blind now!! Yall might think it is Silly but You never think it could happen to you.
Larry

[Larrydawg]

[Brock]

depends on location and time of year for me...

if in tree stand...i keep phone on my body rather than in pack on tree...if you fall or something you need it where you can reach it...though I always wear harness in tree stands.

I also have in my haversack (warm weather) or pack (cold weather) a compass, small first aid, 550 cord, spare bateman tab, carbide sharpener, fire piston, firestarter cotton balls.

On recent hog hunt in very remote areas only accessible by boat...I carried my Badlands Sacrifice due to low weight and being able to expand it out for full 4 days of gear and food...or compress it down for day pack.  I carried every day rain gear, rubber gloves, spare knife, rain poncho and 550 for improvised shelter, glow sticks, compass, GPS, signal mirror, fleec jacket, wool socks, marking tape.  My phone was around my neck in waterproof case...wallet with license and one of those plastic fire starting lenses was in ziploc in backpack.  I also had two Mountain House meals and my backpacking burner to boil water....hydration bladder full plus had a nalgene on pack.  Seems like a lot but really isnt when you are out for a planned 8-12 hour hunt in middle of nowhere...and weather is unpredictable.


When weather can go from balmy to freezing..then you add in some rain...and an overnight stay with or without injuries...you need to be prepared.

[Curmudgeon]

All of the above are good ideas.  If you're headed off to the wild and wooly or too far from home to have the wife check on you an EPRB is really cheap insurance.

[-snypershot317-]

even though where i hunt you can walk to a house in a matter of minutes, i still go out prepared. even when im just small game hunting. the contents of my pack varies a little (depending on the hunting season and time of the year) but i always have an ss water bottle, magnifying glass, lighter, water proof matches, ferro rod, high carbon steel knives, clothe, tinder bag (full of tinder) cordage, ducttape, a tarp for make shift shelter, space blanket. then ammo or archery supplies given the season and if its trapping season some 110 conibears (these because theyre light weight and dont take much room and are almost a given food source) i also tend to carry some form of fishing kit because i usually always hunt by water...all this fits into a back pack and doesnt weigh more than 15lbs...no matter the trip into the woods i go prepared because ive been lost and needed my pack and didnt have it so i would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it...just my opinion.

[Wild Bill MCP 808]

I have used many and like posted above they all are good. I enjoy them. Personal preference I guess. Shoot Straight!