Another hunter falls to his death

[trimman83]

I read another hunter fell from a tree stand, in Monroe Co, on Saturday. 57 years old. If he was like me, he might have kissed the wife goodbye while she stayed in a warm bed that morning. Maybe he told her he would catch up with her that evening. Hate to hear stories like that when harnesses now days should be the rule rather than exception.

Had a friend ride his face down a rough-bark tree once because he thought a 1/4-20 aluminum bolt was a good link for his boomerang arm on a climbing stand. I introduced him to Grade 8, and he never again went without a full body harness.

Has anyone a story of a harness having saved a life? Or at least a fall? Firsthand or secondhand story? I have never heard of the happy endings, only the bad endings. I'd like to hear about someone who made it home that night due to a safety system.

 

[yetti462]

A couple years ago I was saved from a 20' fall with my lifeline. I climbed up the tree the week before and visually inspected everything. Morning of the hunt I stepped from my stick onto platform. The straps broke and the stand went to crashing to the ground, I thought I was to until I hung from the lifeline.

Climbed down and then it hit me, I was a shaking mess. Every stand is equipped with a lifeline and all straps are replaced yearly. I never hunt elevated without a harness.

 

[trimman83]

A couple years ago I was saved from a 20' fall with my lifeline. I climbed up the tree the week before and visually inspected everything. Morning of the hunt I stepped from my stick onto platform. The straps broke and the stand went to crashing to the ground, I thought I was to until I hung from the lifeline.

Climbed down and then it hit me, I was a shaking mess. Every stand is equipped with a lifeline and all straps are replaced yearly. I never hunt elevated without a harness.

Yes! A happy ending.

 

[hooky]

Sad story

Hunter dies in fall from tree stand in Monroe County

 

[snorko]

I used to teach Hunter Safety classes for the IDNR. I can't remember the exact numbers but the vast majority of injuries and almost all of reported hunter deaths were due to tree stand accidents. That, and telling someone where you are going and when you will be back, is something I stressed a lot.

 

[Goodcat]

I don’t have any save stories, but for the love of God at least wear your harnesses folks! If you are one thinking it’s fine because you’ve been doing it 39 years, stop thinking that way.

 

[cosermann]

Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide (per the WHO). Mostly, if not almost entirely, preventable. Be careful out there, hunting or otherwise.

 

[two70]

I fell once in my younger days. I had been hunting a ladder stand most of the season without any problems until I climbed it the night I fell. It felt a bit loose as I climbed and the longer I hunted out of it the looser and more wobbly it felt. I finally decided to climb down as something was clearly not right. I made it about half way when the stand decided to rotate around the tree tossing me off in the process. Luckily, the stand was not very high and I was halfway down so I wasn't injured. Still, it knocked the breath out of me and I had to lie there for a bit to contemplate life. Turns out that the straps had loosened up over time.

 

[johntheplinker]

Friend of mine was saved from a nasty fall by his harness. He was trying to get a shot on the back of his tree, shifted his weight and fell out of his stand. His stand was only about 12' up but was on the edge of a very steep rocky slope.

 

[Mgderf]

Friend of mine was saved from a nasty fall by his harness. He was trying to get a shot on the back of his tree, shifted his weight and fell out of his stand. His stand was only about 12' up but was on the edge of a very steep rocky slope.

12' is more than enough height to die from.
I read a news story a few years ago about a man trying to change the gauge on his propane tank.
He was sitting on top of the tank and lost his balance.
Slid off the side of the tank and landed on his head, breaking his neck.
Dead after a fall from 4'.

 

[johntheplinker]

12' is more than enough height to die from.
I read a news story a few years ago about a man trying to change the gauge on his propane tank.
He was sitting on top of the tank and lost his balance.
Slid off the side of the tank and landed on his head, breaking his neck.
Dead after a fall from 4'.

Yep, it doesn't take much some times.

 

[trimman83]

I try to always have my safety line rigged all the way from the ground to above my platform ever since I had to jump from a ladder stand. Before season one year I wanted to check my view from the stand. I stepped up the ladder fairly quick and got eye level with the platform. That's when I saw the very active and angry wasp nest. I tried to retreat before they knew I was there, but several wasps were on my hands in a hurry. My reflex was just to do a cat jump backwards. From a 12' footing I landed on my feet, but one foot caught the stump of a 2" sapling I had cut off prior. I limped my way out of the woods. With zero insurance and lack of funds, I dealt with it for about a year until it seemed to iron itself out.

Now I always look for wasps from the ground before climbing in early season, and I tie off my safety harness from ground to platform.

 

[Walking Bear]

Any more I only use a ladder stand. Days of hang on and climber are long gone. Sad news

 

[pappyon]

i have not worn one. Yes it is a good idea but restricts movement with a bow. I dont believe in legislation to save us from ouirselves. I ass 10 feet to my ladders on a 2 man stand. I get high as i can. Secure the stand with straps or chains...a lot of them. never climb with a weapon. saftey bar in place. I have seen stabnds i would never get into. One little strap holding it. I use 2 braces from the ladder to the tree. No f;lex that way. and if it sits fpor a few years as the tree grows pressure is put on the stand. Just be careful. I think many guys fall asleep and go down. There the strap would surely help.

 

[Willie]

Most falls occur when getting into and exiting the stand. That is when we are most vulnerable to a fall IF we are not tied off to a safety line. The harness and tree strap are great when you are in the stand but does very little when climbing in and out and up and down the ladder/sticks. If you are not tied off from the ground up, while in the stand and all the way back down you are taking an unnecessary chance.

 

[jcole123]

I read another hunter fell from a tree stand, in Monroe Co, on Saturday. 57 years old. If he was like me, he might have kissed the wife goodbye while she stayed in a warm bed that morning. Maybe he told her he would catch up with her that evening. Hate to hear stories like that when harnesses now days should be the rule rather than exception.

Had a friend ride his face down a rough-bark tree once because he thought a 1/4-20 aluminum bolt was a good link for his boomerang arm on a climbing stand. I introduced him to Grade 8, and he never again went without a full body harness.

Has anyone a story of a harness having saved a life? Or at least a fall? Firsthand or secondhand story? I have never heard of the happy endings, only the bad endings. I'd like to hear about someone who made it home that night due to a safety system.

During my hunters safety course, the ranger from Putnam county told a story that just occurred a few weeks ago. The hunter had worn his harness and when the legs on his stand snapped due to rust over the years it caught him from falling 20 plus feet. There’s a reason there’s safety equipment for the stands.

 

[Emo66]

Fell once when a ladder stand broke, and did the “Baker slide” many times in my younger days. I keep a baker stand on the wall in my man cave to remind me and the guys who hunt my farm how stupid we used to be. I use a rock climbing harness now, as I like the attachment point to be in front.

 

[bwframe]

Lest we forget what can happen...

 

[TheGrumpyGuy]

Lest we forget what can happen...

He's lucky to be alive, for sure

 

[bwframe]

Lest we forget what can happen...