Be Careful and Safe While in and While Moving Your Tree Stand.

[The Keymaster]

Hate to see accidents like this happen. Fortunately the individual will survive. Always use proper care when moving your stand.

Deer hunter falls 14-plus feet in Porter County

 

[nascarfantoo]

Friend fell earlier this week from his stand. Very fortunate that he only broke ankle/foot. Use that harness.

 

[The Keymaster]

Friend fell earlier this week from his stand. Very fortunate that he only broke ankle/foot. Use that harness.

This is unfortunate. Here are individuals that will miss the rest of the season. These accidents were likely preventable.

 

[clfergus]

I went out and bought a lifeline too for this season after all these fall stories

 

[snapping turtle]

Be safe out in the woods.

 

[hysteria]

I went out and bought a lifeline too for this season after all these fall stories

That's the climbing rope w/ the prussic knot? I've looked at those, especially for when my nephew starts hunting with us. Do you put it up and leave it up at that tree?

I fell from a relatively low stands a couple years ago thanks to carelessness and the merciless recoil from an H&R Ultra 12ga. I don't recommend it.
I immediately started wearing a harness after that, starting with the generic ones that come with stands, but finally bought myself a good one. Having one that fits RIGHT makes a huge difference in putting it on and feeling secure.

 

[cyprant]

Yes, the lifeline stays on the tree all season.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

If this was a ladder stand, that's the problem with ladder stands. I recommend the prussic knot long rope for ladder stands and lock-on stands so the harness may be attached at the ground. However, if moving a ladder stand one must remove the harness rope from the tree at the top, usually after removing the stand attachment strap, then climb down. Most ladder stands now come with criss-crossing back straps or lines that hold the ladder to the tree aiding installation and removal, but these are not perfect. There is danger installing or removing a ladder stand.

 

[Hookeye]

I'm more worried about driving to and from my hunting spots.
JD Byrider, and I phones make it a veritable mine field.

 

[UK2K]

Good post to the OP. I always wear mine and everyone needs to no matter how experienced one is.

 

[Willie]

I this case of taking down the stand the injured hunter should have used a "line man's belt" around the tree and full body harness.

 

[mom45]

Hunter in Marshall County Airlifted Following Fall « WKVI Information Center

Another one....this was in our local news the other day

 

[The Keymaster]

I am beginning hunting season is more dangerous for the hunters than it is for the hunted.

 

[whipfinish]

I created my own safety line with a prussic knot and mountain climbing ropes. Not a cheap solution but given the risk, there is no excuse for anyone to fall from a stand .

 

[FishnHunt]

Had a climbing stand shift under me a few years back as I was lowering my bow & pack, scared the crap outta me. I won't ever climb a tree without some sort of fall protection, and I'm still a little sacred of that climber. Hope y'all stay safe this year.

 

[Adrian8]

All my stands have the safety ropes with the prussic knots, they stay all season. I run them tight right down the middle of the steps and tie around the tree about a foot over my head when standing, and tie the bottom end on a step at the bottom....can be made very reasonably...a 75 foot rope will make two... as you have to cut off about 108 inches to make the two prussic knots..I have hunted from stands for 40 years, and this year put up the safety lines and it really is reassuring when you are hooked up from ground to ground.

 

[Willie]

All my stands have the safety ropes with the prussic knots, they stay all season. I run them tight right down the middle of the steps and tie around the tree about a foot over my head when standing, and tie the bottom end on a step at the bottom....can be made very reasonably...a 75 foot rope will make two... as you have to cut off about 108 inches to make the two prussic knots..I have hunted from stands for 40 years, and this year put up the safety lines and it really is reassuring when you are hooked up from ground to ground.

That's good BUT... you are making a mistake making the Prusik knot out of the same rope.. It should be a smaller diameter rope to catch properly..This one says no more than half the diameter of the main rope.

http://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/prusik-knot/


.

 

[whipfinish]

Good catch Willie. You are correct. Once hooked into the prussic knot, a hunter should never need to disconnect until back on the ground.

 

[Mark 1911]

A friend of mine used to be an avid deer hunter. He fell asleep in his stand and he wasn't wearing a harness. He fell out of the stand and he was 16 or 17 feet off the ground. He had a severe back injury from the fall and he also fell on his broadhead which was a less severe injury but nasty just the same. He is lucky he didn't get hurt worse than he did. Although the accident was almost 20 years ago, his back injury still affects him to this day. Sadly, he won't get into a deer stand, so he doesn't deer hunt anymore.

Always wear a harness in your stand. And... Be careful!!

 

[Adrian8]

Thanks for the info...never seen that before about the smaller diameter rope...every time I have "checked" to see if the knot will catch it did..but maybe in a dire situation it would not