Hunters: ALWAYS wear your safety harness, it saved my life today

[Bluestrike_2]

My harness saved my life this morning.

I got into the woods around 5:30ish this morning. Anyhow, after getting started up my tree, I ran into big trouble. In the span of twenty seconds, the bottom had falllen out. Sitting on my climbing bar, I managed to get the bottom wedged back in, but immediately after doing this BOTH parts slid out from under me to the bottom of the tree. Now I'm hanging up there around 12' high, hugging the tree, but still sliding down. Ouch. "Erick, Help" I screamed in a high-pitched voice, and in like 20 minutes he had climbed up high enough to give me something to stand on, with his dad there to help us. I lowered my strap, hugged the tree, and he went down a bite. We repeated this until we got to the bottom.

Afterwards, my entire body ached. But let me tell you - it really made me think. I was hangin from the seat o' my pants faster than you could every imagine. If you honestly feel that you'll be able to catch yourself, you're in for a big surprise - chances are, you won't.

For those hoping to use "turkey claws" or "screw in steps" to help you out in a jam hanging up there, it would be mighty hard. Morale of the story - don't even think of going out without a harness, and never hunt alone. The harness saved a lot of broken bones, possibly even my life today. I'm going to ALWAYS remember this morning.

[SpecialBlend2786]

Glad to know that you're alright.


-Derek

[TheDuelist]

So dig you bag one or not?

[Bluestrike_2]

No.

All I did was hang around .

[gc82000]

good safety tip, but I think your yelling might have scared all your posible prey away.

Glad to see you are safe.

[fire1811]

actually got a fire call today to help out a hunter. Fell out of his tree stand and messed himself up pretty good.

[punkncat]

A good friend of mine hunts from a wheelchair now due to the exact issue you are talking about. His tree stand gave way while he was about 20' up. He wasn't wearing a safety harness and fell from the tree.
When he struck the ground his rifle went off hitting him in the lower part of his spine at the hip. It instantly seperated his spinal cord and left him paralyzed.

Lucky for him a game warden was in the area. (He was hunting public land.) The warden heard the shot and went to investigate, checking for tags, found him and pulled him out.

[hardr0ck68]

I plan on wearing my harness at all times; not cause im afraid my stand will come apart (its built like a brick crap house), but because im afraid i will fall asleep and fall out onto the large rocks at the base of the tree....

I would probably wake up with enough time to think "crap im gonna die...." splat....

[Muzikman]

Hardrock, no offense, but I honestly can't imagine you sitting ina tree stand!

[Bluestrike_2]

good safety tip, but I think your yelling might have scared all your posible prey away.

Glad to see you are safe.

I wasn't really concerned about my prey. Lord knows I didn't want to test my harness, and wanted down as fast as possible. My life was kind of more important.

I plan on wearing my harness at all times; not cause im afraid my stand will come apart (its built like a brick crap house), but because im afraid i will fall asleep and fall out onto the large rocks at the base of the tree....

I would probably wake up with enough time to think "crap im gonna die...." splat....

Trust me - it happens so fast you'd be dead before you know it. Glad you're gonna wear your harness - its the right thing.

A good friend of mine hunts from a wheelchair now due to the exact issue you are talking about. His tree stand gave way while he was about 20' up. He wasn't wearing a safety harness and fell from the tree.
When he struck the ground his rifle went off hitting him in the lower part of his spine at the hip. It instantly seperated his spinal cord and left him paralyzed.

Lucky for him a game warden was in the area. (He was hunting public land.) The warden heard the shot and went to investigate, checking for tags, found him and pulled him out.

I'm sorry to hear that. However, I'm gald he's still alive and hunting. It shows the true love of the sport we have.

Thanks everyone!

[Lumberjack]

I've come pretty close to that a few times my self. My stand shifted and I bout fell out of it. My harness caught me and I regained my balance. It's easier to change your underwear after something like that than it is to heal from a broken anything.