It’s that time of year where many of us are out scouting various hunting grounds for placement of our tree stands for the upcoming year or hunt. I just want to remind everyone that it’s also time to think safety. Tree stand falls happen with an alarming degree of regularity, and the odds are not in our favor. The statistic is one in three hunters who hunt from elevated stands will suffer some type of fall. The consequences of a fall, even a relatively low one, can be dramatic and life altering. You can easily lose your life. I know because I suffered one of those falls in November 2016. I fell 25' while getting into a hang-on stand. I was in the process of trying to hook my safety harness to an I-bolt when the strap holding the stand to the tree broke. I had inspected that strap just the month before and deemed it “fit”. I broke my pelvis in 5 places, the proximal head of my right humerus, my tail bone, several vertebra, fingers, collapsed a lung, damaged my bladder, severed an artery in my pelvis, and suffered various other severe to minor injuries. I had 5 surgeries, spent 2 days in ICU, another 7 days in a hospital trauma wing, and a full 3 months thereafter at an inpatient rehabilitation facility either in bed or a wheel chair. After 3 ½ years of constant physical therapy-read literally daily exercise, stretches, and gym, I’m finally back to something very close to 100%. I’m still working on some minor range of motion and strength issues, but nothing that affects anything I do or want to do. I’ve already far surpassed every “optimistic” prognosis given me by every doctor or therapist involved in my care. A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as the saying goes. Use all available safety equipment and a heaping helping of common sense. That means using a fall restraint system that includes a lineman’s belt and life line every time without exception. Check each and every part of your equipment regularly and replace any old, worn, or questionable parts or equipment. Don’t be this year’s statistic. If you’re lucky enough to survive a fall without permanent injuries or paralysis, recovery can be long and full of pain and heartache. I was “lucky”? I made it to the other side, and I’m grateful for every day.
Thanks for the stark reminder. Can never be mentioned to many times. Your blessed to have made it back as successfully as you have and best of luck with the rest of your recovery. I'm 54 and still climbing every sit, and take all safety precautions. When i think back to when we were kids with homemade climbing stands, no harnesses, etc. hard to believe I've made it this far but glad i did!
Thanks for the post, and I'm glad to hear you've made a recovery from such a traumatic event. A safety line that runs from the ground to your stand is a critical piece of kit, in my opinion. While a lineman's setup helps, you need something in place that will protect you from the ground to the stand in the instance you slip while climbing or transitioning into the stand. With a safety line you can clip in before you ever leave the ground.
Tree stand safety certainly isn't our main focus. So, I remind folks about it. At least someone may learn from my lack of judgment and safety complacency. I'm not here to judge. We're all adults. But, there are consequences to out decisions and actions.
When I talk to hunters about tree stand safety I get many responses. Most hunters are safety conscious. Some are ignorant on the use of fall restraint systems, and some just can't be bothered with such nonsense. But accidents happen and can happen in unpredictable ways.
MIne was an equipment failure that I simply had no idea could happen. It was impossible that a ratchet strap rated at 4000 lbs would break. In over 50 years of hunting and the last 25 years using tree stands, I never had so much as had a close call. I like to think my record resulted from being careful. Yet, I fell. I was using a harness, but not a life line.
The point is that there are real consequences to our decisions and actions. If you survive the fall, you better be tough, have a survivor attitude, and dig deep for your inner warrior. You're going to need it. You will suffer physically, emotionally, and financially. You will, however, learn about yourself, strengthen your relationship with Jesus, and learn who really loves you.
Many hunting risks are avoidable or can be easily minimized. We can protect ourselves from a tree stand fall by using a fall restraint system. Face it. Hunting is not a "safe" sport. So, as for me I'll take all reasonable precautions for known risks. I also hope that by relating my story others may learn from my mistakes.
If you're not convinced and need more details, review the thread "Tree Stand Fall". It's not my thread, but I and others posted some gruesome details in that thread. I started a thread "Tree Stand Safety Revisited" last year. There are a lot of good posts in those threads. One verified that I hit the ground doing 25+ mph and generated 7+ tons of kinetic energy on impact. I didn't know that was even possible.
This needn't happen to you. I pray it never does. But one bad decision in the woods can mean the difference between life and death, health or paralysis.
This will be the 8 th year I'll be hunting without my hunting partner, he fell from his stand around 6 am on a Friday . Snapped his neck on the way down and laid at the base of his tree until Sunday evening at 5 pm . Two hours later the local police showed up at his front door to inform his wife and two little girls that daddy would never becoming home. We argued constantly about wearing a safety harness, and he always thought he was invincible , he was so very wrong. If you hunt from an elevated stand and you don't wear a safety harness, then you are a selfish fool and its your family who will suffer for the rest of their lives due to your stupidity, so, buckle up for your family and friends. If it makes you feel better, you can tell your hunting buddies that you don't wear a belt to act more macho.
Stand and strap tested one month before Season. Strap on climbing stick broke. Don’t understand why climbing sticks still only have one strap. Every stand has a lifeline now and every climbing stick has two straps.
I was able to hunt the season following my fall-badly-but I was in the game. For the last 3 years I've used a ground blind. Different strategy, but it works.
I got rid of all of my stands save one. I kept an aluminum Warren and Sweat portable ladder stand. It's about 12 feet at the seat, and I'm pretty comfortable with it.
I recently scouted a large area that is almost all swamp. I encountered 3 Moccasins within 30 feet, and I was just going through a short area (less than 50 yards) to get to the continuation of a road on the other side. I think I'll use that stand!
I'll check every nut and bolt and change out all straps. I'll also be fully hooked up even though I never before thought it necessary using that stand.
LBShooter, I'm sorry for your loss.
Others on this site have lost loved ones. Some have suffered crippling injuries.
I fell backwards from about 20’ when my boot slipped off a wet screw in step. Fortunately I was in a harness with a lineman’s strap around the tree. I got slammed into the tree trunk and the wind knocked out of me. Could have been worse or fatal.
Thanks for the reminder. When hanging a lock-on at a new location, I use a climber and strap to the tree as soon as I get in it. I'll slide the strap up as I'm climbing, then install the lifeline and pull the lock-on up and hang it. That doesn't always work due to the trees we hunters pick, but it's what I do when possible. IMO, there's nothing worse than being on that last ladder stick and trying to hang on with one arm while you tie-off or pull up & hang the lock-on stand. When using a climber to hunt out of, I used the same method of strapping in before starting to climb and slide the strap up as I go.
Some of the above might seem obvious, yet people die or suffer injuries every year due to falls. Tie-off before leaving the ground if at all possible.
One technique I saw with a climber is to install the life line above the stand. Tie your bow/ pack/whatever to the end of the line. Slide the life line and prussit (sp) up as you go. When you get where you want to be, pull up your equipment. On the way down, simply slide the prussit knot down as normal. At that point you can tie it off for your next climb and use a separate pull rope-or not.
Chief, we had a guy who helped run ASA shoots. His first name was Bill. I don't remember his last name. He fell doing just as you described. He ended up paralyzed from the neck down and was in a motorized wheel chair. He died 4-6 years later from complications caused by that fall.
I fell while climbing down last year after losing my grip on a climbing stick. It was about 12 to 15 feet and I broke 4 of the 5 transverse processes off the left side of my lumbar vertebrae. The one that I didn't break, I had broke earlier in life and hadn't noticed. I didn't require surgery but it was an eye-opener. I used a strap while in the stand but had no protection while climbing up or down - that is now remedied. Safe hunting to everyone.
I'm a Bowhunter Ed instructor, and have been teaching classes in TX for several years....when I begin the segment on treestand safety, I ask the group for a show of hands, "How many of y'all LOVE bowhunting?" All the hands go up.
Next question is, "How many of y'all are willing to die or get badly hurt bowhunting, when preventing death or injury is really simple and just takes a bit of gear and a bit of time?" No hands are ever raised.
There are lots of great safety products out there - use them!!
Millie (Lady Bowhunter) and I taught IBEP in S TX for about 15 years and were certified as treestand safety instructors.
Remember the 3 Rs of treestand safety Rescue, Relief, Recover.
Practice deploying the suspension relief device (to help maintain circulation and prevent suspension trauma) and recovering onto your stand (from low elevation). The practicing one or both will give you the confidence needed to help you minimize the severity of the event.
EMB, I take it that you mean that he fell while hanging on to the ladder or tree with one arm. I was guilty of doing that in my younger days. All it takes is that split second to lose your grip and you’re on your way to a hard landing. Glad you’re nearing full recovery.
I've had this happen once years ago when I forgot to hook up the straps to the bottom part of the Summit Goliath climber. Luckily I was only about 3 feet off the deck....teachable moment.