Mathews Inc.
Safety Hareness Advantages?
Whitetail Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Hunt98 12-Nov-17
Shuteye 12-Nov-17
Whitey 12-Nov-17
MK111 12-Nov-17
Bowbender 12-Nov-17
TGbow 12-Nov-17
Hunting5555 13-Nov-17
tonyo6302 13-Nov-17
MT in MO 13-Nov-17
bad karma 13-Nov-17
PECO 13-Nov-17
Fivers 13-Nov-17
HA/KS 15-Nov-17
elkmtngear 15-Nov-17
Owl 16-Nov-17
From: Hunt98
12-Nov-17
Besides the obvious of not falling to the ground. Is there any other advantages to using a safety harness and safety line?

From: Shuteye
12-Nov-17
It will make you feel better when you have to make one of those off to the side leaning shots. You will be more concentrated in making the shot. Get a good safety vest instead of those (Free) jobs you get with a ladder stand or climbing stand.

From: Whitey
12-Nov-17
I imagine it reminds you that you are not really hunting but ambushing the animal.

From: MK111
12-Nov-17
Living after a fall is enough reason for me.

From: Bowbender
12-Nov-17

Bowbender's Link
Posted this on the PA forum last Monday, Nov. 6th.

Well, you're gonna hear it a thousand and one times. Use a harness and life-line. Stay attached from ground to stand. My son and I decided to hunt this afternoon in spite of the lousy weather. We got to our stands around 2pm and started to get ready to climb. The tree my stand is in is not the straightest and my climbing sticks follow the contour. Any how, I'm climbing and up to my third stick, next thing I know I'm swinging around the tree. My foot slipped of the step causing me to drop maybe 8-10". My right hand had already gripped the next step of my Muddy Sticks, but it wasn't near strong enough to stop me. The life-line did it's job, prusic knot tightened right up. I was able to turn around and face the tree and get my foot on one of the steps. I feared what my right hand looked like as the steps on the Muddy Sticks are really aggressive. My son came running over as I worked my way down the sticks. Blood was running from the base of the fingers on my right hand. After some clean-up with water and some paper towels I could see that I removed a lot of skin and lacerated the joints. Not deep, but hurts like hell to bend my fingers. Pulled some muscles in my arm as well. I was up about 12'. Needless to say, it was a sobering experience. And it happened so quick. No time at all to react.

Some take aways...

1. Use a lifeline. I do have several stands that have the shorter line at stand level to hook up to once up. They will be replaced with 30' lifelines I ordered on Amazon. 3-pak $77

https://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Safety-System-Reflective-LIFELINE/dp/B00QQNVGIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510017692&sr=8-1&keywords=hunter+safety+system+life+line

2. Check how your sticks are positioned relative to the tree and ground level. When I looked closer it was evident the step was not parallel to the ground or perpendicular to the tree, but actually sloping down. Add in wet boots and it was an accident waiting to happen.

3. This goes without saying, wear a harness.

Fortunately this had a "good" ending. My hand is sore, arm hurt, oh yeah, forgot about the nice bruise on my stomach from steps. But, I should be ready for Friday and Saturday. Temps are supposed to drop considerably and I'm excited. Wiser as well.

It's not a matter of "if" you fall, but when you fall.

Stay safe all.

From: TGbow
12-Nov-17
I've not hunted much out of a treestand, a little..mostly climbers. This yr is my first time using a hang on stand. I will be using a rock climbing harness. I will have to use a linemans belt setting sticks, I know it wont actually prevent a fall but hopfully I wont hit the ground if I do fall using a linemans belt. I do know I will be hooked up 100% of the time.

From: Hunting5555
13-Nov-17
Not being dead seems like the best reason to wear one to me. But that's just me.....

BTW, a guy from Georgia just died after falling from his deer stand here in Southern Illinois 2 weeks ago.

From: tonyo6302
13-Nov-17
We had a fatal tree stand fall this year in Virginia, too. Sad, and preventable.

From: MT in MO
13-Nov-17
Not being crippled for life is a big enough reason for me. There used to be a guy who posted around here who had that happen to him. One or two conversations with him should convince anyone to wear one...

From: bad karma
13-Nov-17
Gadan fell out of a tree, and is in wheelchair. Good fellow, don't see him much here anymore.

Just having the ability to walk back to your truck is enough of a reason.

From: PECO
13-Nov-17

From: Straight —» Arrow
13-Nov-17
you can drag deer using a harness pretty easy. I have knownpeople who rig them real tight and take a nap sitting up waiting for it to get light.

From: Fivers
13-Nov-17
There was a guy that died from hanging after a fall this year in northcentral WI. I don't think he had a vest on, I heard he was hanging upside down. I remember the old waist belts from years ago, you could end up with your feet above your head pretty easy with those.

From: HA/KS
15-Nov-17

HA/KS's Link
Royals manager Ned Yost nearly lost his life in a tree stand fall.

From: elkmtngear
15-Nov-17
Um, less death and paralysis?

Seriously, less panic when you nod off, and being able to defy gravity and hang out for weird shots.

Best of Luck,, Jeff

From: Owl
16-Nov-17
The primary function need be the only function. However, as Straightarrow asserts, my harness makes a fantastic hands free drag mechanism. So, the secondary function is almost worth including a harness in its own right. I can walk a doe out with my hands full of bow and gear. A buck is not so simple depending on the thickness of the brush.

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