Be Careful Hanging/Removing Stands...

[Muy Grande]

On October 29th at around 6 am my right foot slipped off my stand as I stepped from my stick ladder to it. I fell an honest 25 feet to the forest floor. I am no rookie at stand hunting. I have hung hundreds of sets and made that step a multitude of times. I own a quality safety harness and in 20 seasons, my first order of business once that step is made has been strapping in. Every single hunt, no question. Tonight, I am getting ready to head home tomorrow morning. You see, I have been at Vanderbilt Hospital almost 2 weeks. When I hit the ground, I shattered my pelvis and could not move. I had to use my cell phone to call for help and get air lifted here. I laid there over 90 minutes waiting for help. I had surgery last Monday to put my pelvis back together with metal and screws. My season is over before it really got started. But, I am very lucky. The road to recovery is long and hard, but I will recover. I could be paralyzed. I could be dead. I am a "gear head" when it comes to bowhunting. However, the only thing on my list at the moment is a lifeline for every set I have. I urge you all to do the same. Hooked up 100% from the ground up is the only truly safe way, and is the only way for me from now on. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone in a flash. Please learn from my mistake and be safe in the timber. Someone is waiting for you to come home safe.
---November 10, 2010 post by Muy Grande on Archerytalk


About this time two years ago, I had been laying in the leaves for some 90 minutes waiting to be rescued. I wrote this http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1352809 a couple of weeks later. It has been a trying two years at times, and I have learned a lot about perseverence, the good will of people, and how to be as safe as possible in the tree. I was unable to put weight on my leg for 3 months, and I was out of work for 7 months. Medical bills pushed upwards of $275,000. I very easily could have never made it off of that ridge if not for my cell phone. Today, I get around almost as well as I did prior to the fall. I have a small limp, get sore and stiff at times and can't really run or jog very well. But, it could have been a LOT worse. I could be unable to walk at all. I could be unable to climb back in to our beloved treestands. I could be dead. I got lucky. This post isn't for sympathy or to pat myself on the back for the recovery I have made. This is a reminder. It can happen to ANYONE. No matter how proficient you are climbing, no matter how many stands you have hung or taken down, or whether or not you always wear a harness once you get into the stand. My friends use to joke that I was like a squirrel in the treetops. Even a "squirrel" can slip and fall. I climb now 100% of the time connected to a lifeline from the moment my feet leave Mother Earth until the instant they step back on her. I slipped and fell transitioning to the stand itself from the ladder. Again, this can happen to anyone. A lifeline would have saved me a lot of heartache and pain. Trust me, I would not wish that experience on any of you. Hook up from the ground up, guys. We all have people waiting and depending on us at home. Be safe.
---October 29, 2012 post by Muy Grande on Archerytalk


This is the time of year when a lot of guys are in the woods trimming lanes and putting up or taking down stands. It can happen now just as easily as it can during the season. Those two posts above tell only part of the story of how bad hitting the ground can be. Truth is, it could be worse. Those posts may have never been made. Luckily for me, that fellow survived because I am that guy. I'm not posting this to preach at anyone about whether or not you wear a harness, linemans belt, or use a lifeline. I just wanted to put this out there in a way that might get someone to think a little differently for themselves on how they can be safe in the trees and continue to be able to enjoy the outdoors and their families. Feel free to ask any questions or whatnot. The story isn't as vague as those two posts made it seem. The entire experience is one I would not wish on any hunter. Be safe out there.

[whitetail007]

first off im glad your here with us, always good to be reminded of how fast things can change in our lives. keep it safe guys

[Edcyclopedia]

Oh my!
Good reminder of safety first.

I hope/wish you continued improvement as time moves on...

[Ghost Hunter]

I'm glad you are going to make a full recovery. I too know the feeling of falling from about 16 feet. I landed on my shoulders, broke collar bone an sore for many weeks. Deer season can take a sudden change real fast.

[BassBoysLLP]

Glad you are OK. Excellent reminder to all.

[dan]

I was invited on a hunt with an outfitter friend of mine whom invited a bunch of celeberty hunters to hunt at his new camp hoping to put the place on the map... There was about 2 dozen hunters in camp and someone whom had a bad limp saiod he was hurt in a bad fall from a treestand... Then someone else spoke up, and told about his bad fall, and pretty soon eacjh and every hunter in the room told a story about a bad fall they took... Really an eye opener to know how many people fall from trees. Its real easy to get hurt really bad in a fall from a treestand.

[Black Squirrel]

Good reminder. No matter how safe you think you are, there is always a risk. I fell from a ladder stand, when the ladder portion seperated from the top seat portion. I fell 15 feet, only broke a finger and I think I sustained a concussion. Most hunters think the ladder stands are the safest, I know I do.

[Stanley]

There are two kinds of hunters, those that have fallen and those that will fall.

[keb]

I slipped climbing a cedar tree 3 feet of the ground, I over extened my arm to catch myself which resulted in a sever slap tear in my labrum. It required surgery and 6 anchors. 6 long months of rehab. Its been 15 months since the surgery and my shoulder is still not the same. It does not hurt like it did, but flexablity and drawing much weight on a bow are never going to be the same.

So you can get hunt just mere feet from the ground.

[Milk Weed Seed]

Two years ago my mud covered boot slipped off a climbing stick. Lucky me my harness snagged a step and I was able to bear hug the tree to prevent a complete fall. Take your time climbing up and down especially when it is slippery and /or dark.
Great post, glad you are recovering.

[basspro05]

What is the safest solution for a mobile hunter? I am just curious.

If I pack my stand in and out every hunt, and use a hang on stand with sticks, and I find a new tree every hunt, what is the safest solution?

I would assume the lifeline would have to be permanently installed on a tree, but I have never seen one so I don't know?

[Dewey]

What is the safest solution for a mobile hunter? I am just curious.

If I pack my stand in and out every hunt, and use a hang on stand with sticks, and I find a new tree every hunt, what is the safest solution?

I would assume the lifeline would have to be permanently installed on a tree, but I have never seen one so I don't know?

I use a lineman belt on my Hunter Safety System harness so I am always connected to the tree anytime my feet are off the ground. If I have to go over a tree limb I attach another strap above the branch before I disconnect the lower one.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[cbigbear]

What is the safest solution for a mobile hunter? I am just curious.

If I pack my stand in and out every hunt, and use a hang on stand with sticks, and I find a new tree every hunt, what is the safest solution?

I would assume the lifeline would have to be permanently installed on a tree, but I have never seen one so I don't know?

Staying connect to the tree 100% of the time is the only safe way, & this can be done with or without a lifeline. See this post for examples all three are 100% connected.

viewtopic.php?t=20108

[Zap]

I have some to take down this spring, then I am pretty much done with climbing trees.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

Yup, it can be dangerous doing what we do. I try and use two linemans belts if possible; If you encounter a limb, you can use the secondary one to always stay attached to the tree. If I had an area where I could afford to do a bunch of lifelines at pre-sets I would. However, my mobile hunting makes this very tough. A Treesaddle, or good rock climbing harness would be ideal used with a secondary Linesman belt. Stay safe guys.