Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Have you ever had a treestand accident?

Yes
79
35%
No
147
65%
 
Total votes: 226
Waymore
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 4:40 am
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Waymore » Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:52 am

I had one while climbing. Did something stupid and used a branch.

I would say if you are using a climbing stand coupled with a rock climbing harness and the stabilizer straps that Dewey listed you should be completely safe. The stabilizer straps are unreal how they lock in the stand. I have a Sumitt Viper. Also if something was to go wrong with the stand I would be facing the tree and could use one of the sections to get me down. Another thing you could do is use a rope and girth hitch around tree and tie in a loop for foot to shimmy down tree. There are some videos out there that show climbing a tree just using this process.

If using sticks use a climbing belt to get up the tree and then tie into your tree tether before stepping onto stand. Only safe way to do it


tysonhunter
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:51 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby tysonhunter » Thu Sep 08, 2016 9:22 am

I am curious how many have had a accident with their harness on??? Many on here explained scenarios where they fell without the harness which is eye opening (I always where harness and tie off on way up and down with tree rope) BUT who can explain what it's like to use their harness in action and how they recovered?

Also I wonder if statistically speaking folks who are harnessed in are naturally safer and have less accidents? OR does their harness prevent the accident by retaining them to the platform before the accident can occur whereas if not harnessed you would be on the way to the ground?!?

Either way I appreciate everyone's participation on this thread. Don't be fools people wear a harness!

Last thought, to those who have fallen and survived, both with and without the harness, how was or is the emotional recovery?

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Horizontal Hunter
500 Club
Posts: 2936
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:08 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Thu Sep 08, 2016 9:45 am

Waymore wrote:I had one while climbing. Did something stupid and used a branch.

I would say if you are using a climbing stand coupled with a rock climbing harness and the stabilizer straps that Dewey listed you should be completely safe. The stabilizer straps are unreal how they lock in the stand. I have a Sumitt Viper. Also if something was to go wrong with the stand I would be facing the tree and could use one of the sections to get me down. Another thing you could do is use a rope and girth hitch around tree and tie in a loop for foot to shimmy down tree. There are some videos out there that show climbing a tree just using this process.

If using sticks use a climbing belt to get up the tree and then tie into your tree tether before stepping onto stand. Only safe way to do it


I too have the stabilizer straps from Third Hand Archery. They are awesome.

Summit makes. Product called the Tree Descender which is supposed to get you down in the event of a treestand failure. It is a rope and Prussic knot system that allows you to inchworm down the tree.

http://www.summitstands.com/seat-o-the- ... -descender

Instructions can be found here:

http://images.ebsco.com/pob/summit/cata ... cender.pdf

I have often thought about making one or picking one up. It is probably lighter and more efficient than the Cranford folding tree steps I carry.

Bob

[ Post made via iPad ] Image
Vegetarian: vejiˈte(ə)rēən/noun: old Indian word for lousy hunter. :o

Excalibur Exocet, GT Laser II, 2" Bhoning Blazers 125g NAP Spitfire
utstrat03
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 2:55 pm
Facebook: adam.holt.3386
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby utstrat03 » Thu Sep 08, 2016 1:03 pm

tysonhunter wrote:I am curious how many have had a accident with their harness on??? Many on here explained scenarios where they fell without the harness which is eye opening (I always where harness and tie off on way up and down with tree rope) BUT who can explain what it's like to use their harness in action and how they recovered?

Also I wonder if statistically speaking folks who are harnessed in are naturally safer and have less accidents? OR does their harness prevent the accident by retaining them to the platform before the accident can occur whereas if not harnessed you would be on the way to the ground?!?

Either way I appreciate everyone's participation on this thread. Don't be fools people wear a harness!

Last thought, to those who have fallen and survived, both with and without the harness, how was or is the emotional recovery?

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


My first year hunting with a tree stand I was between 10 to 15 ft off the ground and bark broke away from the tree and the bottom platform fell about 4 ft before the rope tied between the two platforms stopped the bottom platform. I was getting ready to move the tether up the tree so there was slack in tether. In this case I didn't have to recover. I was in a summit viper climber. Tethered to the tree with a HSS harness. It was early in the morning before it was light out. This year I switched to the rock harness (thanks to DIY Sportsman for the ideas) with a rope tether and prusik knot. Although I haven't tried a simulated fall I feel much safer being in tension tree and not having to move the tether after every step with climbing sticks to maintain the tension in the tether (switched to LW assault and Hawk Helium sticks). As far as injuries nothing minus my ego was hurt.
User avatar
Dewey
Moderator
Posts: 36724
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Dewey » Mon Sep 11, 2017 2:47 pm

Bump
User avatar
tgreeno
500 Club
Posts: 4770
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:06 am
Location: WI
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby tgreeno » Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:47 pm

Looking back at my youth...I'm lucky I didn't end up paralyzed! Home-made stands to, no safety devices and very little common sense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt
User avatar
Ashreve93
Posts: 229
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:44 am
Location: Pennsylvania
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Ashreve93 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:55 pm

I once placed my stand 40' in the tree then fell out of the tree. Luckily I was only in the first step..

In all seriousness though, I did climb about 20' up a small birch with an old steal climber when i was 12. Once I got to the top, the climber lost its grip and i slid the whole way down the tree. I had never been so scared in my life! Luckily I didn't get hurt, but i definitely learned there's nothing compared to a lone wolf. Not just the hang ons, but the climbers especially.
It's not the destination, it's the journey getting there!
hambone
500 Club
Posts: 523
Joined: Sun May 14, 2017 2:10 am
Location: Missouri
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby hambone » Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:09 pm

I just needed to trim that one...little...limb. I woke up later, after landing on my head from 20 up feet in a Hackberry. Thank God I lived. I continue in my recovery.
User avatar
MN_DeerHunter
500 Club
Posts: 1344
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:00 pm
Location: MN
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:21 am

Never really had an accident but came close to falling out of a homemade wooden stand with 2x4's as steps on the tree. It was late season and the steps were covered in ice. On my last step I tried stepping into the wood platform and slipped on the ice, almost fell. I'm not sure how I caught myself but was really lucky.

I remember using that stand because it was already set up and didn't want to go through the hassle of setting up my lone wolf in the bitter cold. I'll never get lazy like that again!
User avatar
Jonny
500 Club
Posts: 5753
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:11 am
Location: In a van down by the river
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Jonny » Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:23 am

Used to climb up 30' in my climber with no harness on. Slipped a foot and had enough of that. Went home and bought a harness, hated it, and got a rock climbing harness instead. Other harness is just a back up I leave in the truck in case I forget my rock harness somehow.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
User avatar
bowfreak8
500 Club
Posts: 599
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:58 am
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:12 am

I'm one that is guilty of not wearing my harness as much as I should. Now that I got a wife and a baby at home it's time I don't only think about myself. I will be wearing one this year at all times.
User avatar
Dewey
Moderator
Posts: 36724
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:35 am

I always like to bump this thread each season as a reminder to be safe.

Any new stories to add?
Bowhunting Brian
500 Club
Posts: 4138
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:13 am
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Bowhunting Brian » Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:19 am

Does pooping your pants count as a tree stand accident? :lol: I've been close a time or two. :shock:
mheichelbech
500 Club
Posts: 4188
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:00 am
Facebook: mheichelbech@gmail.com
Location: Charlestown, IN
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:54 am

tysonhunter wrote:I am curious how many have had a accident with their harness on??? Many on here explained scenarios where they fell without the harness which is eye opening (I always where harness and tie off on way up and down with tree rope) BUT who can explain what it's like to use their harness in action and how they recovered?

Also I wonder if statistically speaking folks who are harnessed in are naturally safer and have less accidents? OR does their harness prevent the accident by retaining them to the platform before the accident can occur whereas if not harnessed you would be on the way to the ground?!?

Either way I appreciate everyone's participation on this thread. Don't be fools people wear a harness!

Last thought, to those who have fallen and survived, both with and without the harness, how was or is the emotional recovery?

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

Stan Potts has a show where he had fallen, had black eyes and all scraped up but not permanently injured. He talks about how his safety belt saved his life, etc.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
Tennhunter3
500 Club
Posts: 7865
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:54 pm
Location: Medon Tn
Status: Offline

Re: Treestand accident.......have you ever had one?

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:32 am

My dad was moving a ladder stand the ladder fell backwards and he broke 3 bones in his neck and his shoulder. He now has a plate and screws in his shoulder.

Ladder stands are the most dangerous kind of stand.

I've had a climber slip out of under me and bear hugged the tree to the ground. The top fell hit the bottom and both were gone down the tree. I was dumb I had no harness.

I once had a tree cracking while sitting 15 feet up in my summit viper it was below freezing . I climbed down real slow and came back a few weeks later it snapped in half. Was a healthy looking sweet gum tree or so I thought.
Never give up Freedom for imagined safety.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 83 guests