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

[Dewey]

Since we are getting close to the hunting season I thought it would be a good idea to get treestand safety back on everyone's mind again.

If any of you have ever had a treestand accident I was wondering if you could share your story and if you had any injuries as well. Were you wearing a safety belt when it happened and if you were not did you start wearing one after that accident? Sometimes hearing real stories from others makes a guy think a little about how they do things and maybe make some changes to be safer in the future.

Here's my story.....................................

Back in the early 90's I hunted out of a Loc-On Limit strap on stand. Being young and stupid I used to climb trees by using branches instead of tree steps most of the time. Many times branches broke while I was climbing but this still didn't deter me! One day my Dad and I headed out bowhunting during the rut and I did the same thing, climbing branches like a monkey way up at least 20 feet up a tree along the edge of a cornfield. Towards dark I had the largest buck I ever saw (at that time) following a doe. This buck was a beautiful 10 pt and he stood broadside at 35 yards. After a hard decision I decided to let him walk being I wasn't comfortable with that far of a shot. When the buck was out of sight my excitement and adrenaline kicked in and I couldn't wait to get back to the truck to tell my Dad about the encounter. In my haste I was climbing down the tree very fast and next thing I knew I slipped and was falling headfirst bouncing off of branches on the way down. After falling about 15 feet I suddenly came to a stop because my leg caught in the crotch of one of the branches stopping me 5 feet from the ground! I was able to get myself upright again and climbed the rest of the way down. Unbeliveably my only injuries were a few small bruises and a sudden realization that I probably could have had a life changing injury in that instant or worse.

That day scared the crap out of me and changed my life. I have been wearing some type of safety belt or harness ever since. The early ones were not that great but I still did wear some type of lineman belt anytime my feet were off the ground and used them way before they were popular for bowhunting.

Anybody that says a safety harness is too much hassle obviously has never tried one of the newer ones on the market. They are all well designed and very lightweight plus simple to use.

Everybody always thinks that it will never happen to them but the fact is if you don't use one it's just a matter of time before you have an accident. I have had a few accidents since my original one in the story but thankfully my safety belt worked just like it was designed and I was fine.

Do you and your family a favor and make this year wearing a safety belt at all times your top priority.

[GRFox]

Yep, when I was 15 years old I used to use an old steel Summit Bushmaster. I was climbing a tree, when all of the sudden the bottom platform slid about 5 feet down the tree from under me. I was hanging about 15 feet off the ground.....to be completely honesst what happened next, well I just don't remember.

All I know is I somehow managed to get hold of my two way radio that we would use to communicate with each other and try to call for help to my uncles or cousin or who ever would hear me, but no one had they're radios on yet. I somehow managed to drop down and land on the platform and was able to reach my seat up above me. I climbed the rest of the way and secured my self to the tree with the Waist belt that I used to use at the time.

Apparently I didnt learn my lesson because it wasn't until last year that I started climbing with myself harnessed to the tree at all times. It would say when using a climber it takes no more than an additional 2 minutes to stay teathered at all times.

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[Stanley]

Yep, when I was 15 years old I used to use an old steel Summit Bushmaster. I was climbing a tree, when all of the sudden the bottom platform slid about 5 feet down the tree from under me. I was hanging about 15 feet off the ground.....to be completely honesst what happened next, well I just don't remember.

All I know is I somehow managed to get hold of my two way radio that we would use to communicate with each other and try to call for help to my uncles or cousin or who ever would hear me, but no one had they're radios on yet. I somehow managed to drop down and land on the platform and was able to reach my seat up above me. I climbed the rest of the way and secured my self to the tree with the Waist belt that I used to use at the time.

Apparently I didnt learn my lesson because it wasn't until last year that I started climbing with myself harnessed to the tree at all times. It would say when using a climber it takes no more than an additional 2 minutes to stay teathered at all times.

[ Post made via Android ]

Great point stay safe.

[RaisedByWolves]

Thanks for the reminder Dewey.....I've never had an accident where I got real hurt but I've had a few close calls that got my attention....i had some screw-in tree steps in a tree for 1 season, the next season i went back to check the stand and when i started climbing up, one of the steps pulled out of the tree with hardly any pressure! luckily it was only about the 3rd step up but i sure learned a lesson...the tree had rotted around where I put the step in.....
A couple years ago during gun season I had just shot/dressed a deer and was getting back into my stand to sit the rest of the day....I didn't have the harness attached yet and i held onto a 2" diameter branch to support myself while i leaned slightly back and "snap!" the branch broke and i was gonna fall backwards off the stand about 18'....but i quick reached around the trunk and stopped the fall, if my tree had been any bigger around, my arm wouldn't have fit around it, i have no idea what would have happened.....

[JRM6868]

No injury but got the crap scared out of me. The old baker stands. I was climbing a tree and almost to 20' and the platform slid down the tree 15' and caught.I fell off backwards and wondered what the heck just ahppened. If that don't scare you nothing will. Lessoned learned and I always wear my safety belt.

[jlh42581]

I gotta be honest, when I watch Dan setting up a stand I have to wonder how fatigue doesnt set in trying to manage all that with one hand around a tree. Dan... you scare me. Ill give you a harness surely you can be stealthy with one on.

[Stanley]

I gotta be honest, when I watch Dan setting up a stand I have to wonder how fatigue doesnt set in trying to manage all that with one hand around a tree. Dan... you scare me. Ill give you a harness surely you can be stealthy with one on.

Was actually thinking the same thing. One slip can mean the season is over. Two kinds of hunters, that don't buckle up, "those that have fallen and those that will fall". Stay safe my friend.

[kenn1320]

I voted no, but did have the platform on my old man climber fall till the rope between them caught it. I was about 20ft up and sitting on the upper portion. Had it been a hand climber, I don't want to think what might have happened. Ive got 3 stories for ya.

My cousin was using a viper climber and didn't have the strap attached that holds the upper half tightly to the tree(goes on the side you sit on). He was standing and started to lean against the rail and it twisted and fell to the platform. Somehow he managed to get caught up in it and not fall. He said it scared the crap out of him.

My brother and his friend were out trimming a stand. My brother was on the ground and his friend was up in the tree pointing out things on the ground that needed trimming. My brother wasn't looking, but said he heard a Huuup, then a thump! His friend leaned out from the stand to "reach" a branch and said he realized he had reached to far and started to fall. He jumped towards a tree about 6-8" in diameter and tried to grab it like a fireman's pole. However it didn't work out so well and he slid down the tree. It tore up his arm and his face pretty good and he now has scars to remind him. Luckily he didn't get more serious injury's or die.

Friend of a friend was out gun hunting 2yrs ago. He called his wife and said he shot a buck and was going to come up to the house. He got to the house and his wife asked about the deer and he asked what deer? He didn't know who or where he was, and I think he broke his arm. She called my friend and asked him to come over. My friend went out and found the deer and found where it appeared his friend had fallen out of the tree and hit the ground. To this day he doesn't remember falling out of the tree, but he did.

Man I remember those younger days of no fear. I used to climb 30ft up with no harness like it was nothing. I even built a few hang on wood stands that you wouldnt catch me sitting 5ft off the ground in one now days.

[Zap]

Slipped going up two years ago.
HSS lifeline caught me.

[blackwolf]

About 20 years ago, I was coming down from a stand that I had tree steps up to. I was in a hurry, used a limb for a hand hold and fell backwards down the tree head first. The 2nd tree step from the bottom caught the backside of my left knee and stopped the fall . When I went to try and lift my leg off the tree step I realized it was badly hurt. Got it off and gingerly stepped on it and realized it wasn't broken but even with 2 pair insulated underwear and jeans, my pant leg turned red from back of the knee to boot within a minute. Now, I knew I was in trouble. I was hoping the tight jeans and long johns were putting enough pressure to try and control the bleeding. I limped back to my truck about a quarter mile away and headed for the nearest ER about 35 miles away. After surgery to sew my calf back up to the back of my knee and a night stay in the hospital I was done for that year's hunt. Luckily the main artery was totally exposed but had not been cut or I wouldn't be here today. I now use ladder steps, no more screw ins for me! I also Use a Summit Safety rope up and down from stands

[Stanley]

No injury but got the crap scared out of me. The old baker stands. I was climbing a tree and almost to 20' and the platform slid down the tree 15' and caught.I fell off backwards and wondered what the heck just ahppened. If that don't scare you nothing will. Lessoned learned and I always wear my safety belt.

Been there done that. I got all the way up and my hat fell off. Back down and got my hat. Got all the way back ups and the Baker slipped all the way down again. LOL Did I mention I didn't see a deer that hunt.

[GRFox]

Anyone have a picture of an old Baker? I have heard all about how dangerous they acre but never actually seen one.

I heard there's an old saying "if youve never fallen from the tree, then youve never hunted out of a Baker."

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[blackwolf]

Oh Yeah, I have taken a slide or 2 down a tree in a Baker! Remember coming 15 feet down a tamarack in a hurry! Ouch! Legs and hands took a beating!

[jlh42581]

heres a baker, this isnt my photo however theres a place i hunt that has one still hanging in a tree. they actually bolted it in, lol

[headgear]

I voted no, but did have the platform on my old man climber fall till the rope between them caught it. I was about 20ft up and sitting on the upper portion. Had it been a hand climber, I don't want to think what might have happened.

I had this happen on an old summit climber but I didn't have a rope tying the two sections together and the platform fell all the way to the groud. So there I sit in my summit chair, 20 feet up, harnessed to a tree with nothing but dangling boots between my and the ground. I ended up sitting there for a good 10 minutes trying to plan my escape. I ended up standing on my seat hugging the tree, I then slowly climbed down with my legs around the tree. I shimmied my way down slowly moving my harness and top half of the stand a little at a time. Talk about feeling stupid, never made that mistake again. I did manage to shake it off and climb up the very same tree and shoot a doe that night.