please wear a harness-i fell tonight
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I'm not sure of the tree but its off a T in and atv trail and they cruise the atv path a lot but it was logged so there is saplings everywhere. I was in a tree 20yards from this one last year sitting still as could be 20ft up and had several deer see me that I passed when they would walk south and turn east heading right at me they would look up at me. the tree I'm in now has 3 trucks at the top so I'm hidden in the trunks. I'm 6ft6 300lbs I need somewhere to hide. LOL. I usually only do 18ft or so but this one in particular needed to be in that tree at that height.
JeffG
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Glad you are OK. Falls are funny in cartoons, not in real-life.
Patocazador
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I still have my original Baker but with new plywood and straps. You had to assess the value of using it vs. the chances of it 'tipping' when your weight wasn't evenly distributed. The hand climber with the vinyl "seat" stretched over it was another tool that you had to have karma with. The nice thing about it was it folded flat very easily and didn't take up much space.
Before I bought my 1st one, I won a hunting trip and Mr. Baker was at the hunt. He never stopped smoking and was sickly-looking. I asked him about the climbing stand he had invented. He said, "I've never used one. I value my life more than that." However, I didn't take his advice and bought 3 before better models came out.
I haven't used mine in about 8-10 years and my triceps aren't strong enough anymore to do pull-ups all the way up a tree but I would use it again if I could since I've learned almost every way not to kill yourself with one.
DannyLandrum
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Great advice - I never go more than about 8 feet in a climber or hang-on without a harness, and never go more than 12 feet in a ladder or tripod stand without a harness (ladders are less likely to have a falling mishap).
I once had my climbing stand bottom half give out about 14 feet up and two things saved me: Yes, the harness caught me and yes, I had tied the top to the bottom with a small rope like you're supposed to, so that the bottom was hanging, too, and I was able to pull myself up into the chair in the top part, pull the bottom up and re-attach it. Please note three things about this situation with climbers .... first, had I not had the upper body strength to pull my self up into the chair, which wasn't easy, I would have been hanging until someone came out and found me (with all that that entails, including death if it has gotten cold enough while waiting), as there was no way I could maneuver to re-attach the bottom part while hanging. Second, the cause was the fact that my boot laces got caught up in the cotter pin retention loop (since the cable on the bottom half attaches on each side down near where the boot toes go under a strap to allow lifting with the feet). The loop swung open and the pin worked its way out as I went up. Finally, since the cotter pin was on the ground, had I not had a long straight piece of strong steel in my fanny pack (which was a tree screw-in hook improvised as a new cotter pin), I still could not have made a repair and climbed back down - however, I could have been at ease up in my seat rather than hanging and thus been able to call someone on the cell phone or whatnot, and even get into a position where I could have dis-attached the harness and shimmied down the tree - again, something I could not have done if I was just hanging due to lack of strength to weight ratio to pull myself up into the seat. So there's a LOT of bad stuff that can happen quickly even with a harness, but obviously it's much worse without a harness. Hang-ons are the most dangerous, followed by climbers. I recommend not using either unless young and/or in very good shape (or unless you stay at under 8 feet), and take that spare cotter pin up with you in a pocket or fanny pack with climbers.
P.S. I can't imagine going 30 feet up but to each his own. I only rarely go even 20 feet, and usually only 6 to 10 feet.
I once had my climbing stand bottom half give out about 14 feet up and two things saved me: Yes, the harness caught me and yes, I had tied the top to the bottom with a small rope like you're supposed to, so that the bottom was hanging, too, and I was able to pull myself up into the chair in the top part, pull the bottom up and re-attach it. Please note three things about this situation with climbers .... first, had I not had the upper body strength to pull my self up into the chair, which wasn't easy, I would have been hanging until someone came out and found me (with all that that entails, including death if it has gotten cold enough while waiting), as there was no way I could maneuver to re-attach the bottom part while hanging. Second, the cause was the fact that my boot laces got caught up in the cotter pin retention loop (since the cable on the bottom half attaches on each side down near where the boot toes go under a strap to allow lifting with the feet). The loop swung open and the pin worked its way out as I went up. Finally, since the cotter pin was on the ground, had I not had a long straight piece of strong steel in my fanny pack (which was a tree screw-in hook improvised as a new cotter pin), I still could not have made a repair and climbed back down - however, I could have been at ease up in my seat rather than hanging and thus been able to call someone on the cell phone or whatnot, and even get into a position where I could have dis-attached the harness and shimmied down the tree - again, something I could not have done if I was just hanging due to lack of strength to weight ratio to pull myself up into the seat. So there's a LOT of bad stuff that can happen quickly even with a harness, but obviously it's much worse without a harness. Hang-ons are the most dangerous, followed by climbers. I recommend not using either unless young and/or in very good shape (or unless you stay at under 8 feet), and take that spare cotter pin up with you in a pocket or fanny pack with climbers.
P.S. I can't imagine going 30 feet up but to each his own. I only rarely go even 20 feet, and usually only 6 to 10 feet.
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I don't go that high either but I know a guy who kills a lot of big deer yearly. 170-210'' and he says his best rut stand for old bucks is about 30ft. they logged this property years ago so everything is either too small or new growth and 15ft gets you a face full of branches of saplings or right in line with them. He put a hang on in a tree with 3 trunks (stand in middle trunk) at the 25ft mark so it hides me a little better. I was in a climber tonight at about 16ft cause I had good cover around me.
I'm going to throw this out to you guys as well. I found thirdhand archery.com and purchases climber stabilizer straps and I have to say its the best $ spent for a climber. no more shoe lace holding the top and bottom and its impossible to lose the bottom with these straps. Another purchase I am making as soon as I pay off a recent truck repair is treestand wingman. I used to say nah, I don't need that but after Friday I realized I do.
MCgunner
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Mine didn't require a PhD. But, I worked in chemical plants for a lot of years as lab tech, pilot plant tech, and operator. I had many occasions to put on a safety harness to climb up columns or pipe racks. So, I do kinda have a PhD in safety harnesses.
Patocazador
Member
I had many occasions to put on a safety harness to climb up columns or pipe racks. So, I do kinda have a PhD in safety harnesses.
I bought some cheap 15' ladder stands and they all came with a mass of straps they said was a harness. The 1st time I used one, it took me about 15 minutes of going through multiple combinations until I found one that worked. After that it only took me 12 minutes each time. If I had a heavy-duty sewing machine, I'd sew it once everything was in place.
I used one of the others to fashion a harness to haul deer out with my cart. It can also be used to walk a ladder into a remote spot after putting lawn mower wheels on the ends of the ladder struts. The 2 straps that go over the shoulders needs to be padded, however.
Anyone have any idea what proportion of tree stand falls are from portable/climber stands vs. ladder stands? I only use ladder stands and I never use a harness even though I know I should. As one poster stated, every harness I've tried is ridiculously complicated and I'm not sure how to connect it so it would help me while I'm climbing up or down, which is when I'm most likely to fall.
buy a hunter safety systems. the ones that come with stands are junk and put in there for insurance purposes so they don't get sued. they make a HSS lifeline that attaches to the top of the tree and you connect to it going up and down. In a climber i suggest a treestand wingman or HSS tree rope to attach to.
Newtosavage
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First of all, I'm glad you're okay. And thanks for the thread because it's easy to not be safe out there.
I started wearing a harness religiously about 8 years ago when it finally dawned on me what would happen to my wife and kids if I fell and died or became disabled.
But the real part that saved you is the HSS lifeline. And that's the tricky part. Because someone had to go up that tree (probably you) to hang that line, without a lifeline.
Again, how does it get there?
I have hunted public land with portable hang-on tree stands for decades now. The first set of a small hang-on stand is the most effective hunt you will ever have on public land. Trouble is, to get that stand up you have to go up without a lifeline. Sure, you can use a lineman's belt and sticks or strap on steps (what I usually do) but it's not the same as a lifeline that's already in the tree.
IMO, once you're on the stand you're usually okay. It's getting to and on and off and down that's the most dangerous part.
I started wearing a harness religiously about 8 years ago when it finally dawned on me what would happen to my wife and kids if I fell and died or became disabled.
But the real part that saved you is the HSS lifeline. And that's the tricky part. Because someone had to go up that tree (probably you) to hang that line, without a lifeline.
Again, how does it get there?
I have hunted public land with portable hang-on tree stands for decades now. The first set of a small hang-on stand is the most effective hunt you will ever have on public land. Trouble is, to get that stand up you have to go up without a lifeline. Sure, you can use a lineman's belt and sticks or strap on steps (what I usually do) but it's not the same as a lifeline that's already in the tree.
IMO, once you're on the stand you're usually okay. It's getting to and on and off and down that's the most dangerous part.
SoonerMedic
Member
The rope is hearty and long enough that you should be able to pitch it up and over a limb above or close to above your stand and secure it that way. If it isn't long enough, you can always fasten an extra 10-20 feet of paracord to allow it to reach the desired limb. No climbing involved.....
The liability is lifted from the company upon purchase. They have warnings on the box and on the products themselves. The harnesses that are included are not junk. They're probably not as simple to use nor are they as comfortable, but they are effective. The materials they use are good enough to save your life in a car wreck, they are certainly good enough to stop you from falling a few feet. I think you need to step down from your pedestal and get back in touch with reality. Stop being so negative with every single post. It seems like the world is out to get you with the things you post. Everybody else is encroaching on your space and ruining all of your hunts. Take some accountability and maybe entertain the idea that, perhaps, you are the one encroaching on their hunting spaces.
Newtosavage
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Personally, I have come to prefer the simple harnesses that come with the stands because they are so light and they don't make me hot in our Texas "fall."
I bought a HSS harness recently. It was labeled "ultralight" and it weighs nearly 2x as much as the harness that came with my stand. It's also hot, even though it's their version of a minimalist harness. I will be returning it.
I bought a HSS harness recently. It was labeled "ultralight" and it weighs nearly 2x as much as the harness that came with my stand. It's also hot, even though it's their version of a minimalist harness. I will be returning it.
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really!! go hop on a normal hunting site and everyone will tell you they are JUNK!. the one that came with my muddy stand has bungee material where the legs are and plastic buckles you feed the material threw. I've never seen plastic and bungee material on a seat belt have you? Now the one that came with my $350 summit is good and ive used it and actually gave it away to someone who didn't trust the one that comes with a $50 ladder stand. How about you go get private land, scout all summer and have a landowner tell you that its you, your buddy and one other guy hunting or you and a father and son and have someone else who apparently didn't get permission cause they feel entitled cause they are part of a hunt club tell you when, where and how you can hunt or go slap up 50 stands all over the place, drive their truck through the atv trail and park in the woods so they can walk 50yards to a stand because they are lazy, piss on your cameras, sit in your stands, constantly harass you, etc and see how you feel. Its actually kind of funny that when I hunted public I was a lot happier cause I didn't have to deal with hillbillies that think they have more right than you cause they are part of a hunt club.
its funny when the guy asks how long you have been on that farm and you say 5yrs and they say oh I've been here 6. its like a giant pissing competition. The last guy I talked to told me he got permission from the lady in the house and I said well she doesn't own the land its someone related to the farmer but not the actual owner. he says oh well I got a slip signed that's all that matters. Its that mentality that pisses me and a few others off and then argue with me that they talked to the landowners, brothers, cousins, sister and they said you don't have permission. The farm where I was clearly told they don't deal with the hunt club anymore because later finding out they hit his house with a slug has more than me, the father, son and grandson on it so explain that and finding out the guy running everyone out of there is the sons friend who according to the landowners son, father and grandson and me the friend doesn't belong but thinks cause hes had permission the last 10yrs he can continue to hunt and now police the property. Do me a favor, don't like whats posted don't read it and move on.
zb338
Member
I fell out of my nephew's home built wooden tree stand. I thought I died. There
are so many bad tree stand stories. It pay's to listen to the guys that talk tree
stand safety.
Zeke
are so many bad tree stand stories. It pay's to listen to the guys that talk tree
stand safety.
Zeke
SoonerMedic
Member
ScrapMetalSlug
Member
Ohihunter, I’ve read a lot of your hunting threads lately and you are having a rough year. I don’t hunt from a stand, mostly because they are stolen or shot out of the tree when I’ve tried to use them.
I’ve experienced some similar things you’ve dealt with when trying to hunt public land in Ohio, and that is why I am not going to hunt Ohio again for deer for a good while. Ohio deer woods are too crowded, exacerbated by the hunting magazines talking about Ohio Monster Bucks! I’ve seen deer season bring out the worst in people, which takes away some of the enjoyment for me.
With volleys of gunfire on opening day and people acting crazy on 4 wheelers, it can be frustrating. Certainly not an environment to teach kids about hunting and the outdoors.
Good luck this year. After all you’ve went through, I hope you get a nice one. Stay safe.
Ohio does have some very good squirrel hunting, with very little pressure....
I’ve experienced some similar things you’ve dealt with when trying to hunt public land in Ohio, and that is why I am not going to hunt Ohio again for deer for a good while. Ohio deer woods are too crowded, exacerbated by the hunting magazines talking about Ohio Monster Bucks! I’ve seen deer season bring out the worst in people, which takes away some of the enjoyment for me.
With volleys of gunfire on opening day and people acting crazy on 4 wheelers, it can be frustrating. Certainly not an environment to teach kids about hunting and the outdoors.
Good luck this year. After all you’ve went through, I hope you get a nice one. Stay safe.
Ohio does have some very good squirrel hunting, with very little pressure....
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I just try and be civil and work with people. I left a guy a note on his stand when it appeared a week before season letting him know who I was and I hunt there too cause I walked past his camera a few times on accident. At first the texts were a little heated over me not having permission and the farmers brother not knowing me. again he didn't get it from the actual owner. He began texting when he was hunting and me the same until one day he says ill be there in 10min to check cameras and we talked for over an hour and I even showed him my written slip so there wasn't any tension and now he texts me when he will be hunting and where. the other guy just wanted to yell and curse everyone and play game warden so I packed up and left.
I made this thread to try and help someone but some people grow an ego on the internet just like they do when they have a weapon in the woods and try and start trouble.
SoonerMedic
Member
I would hardly equate somebody on the internet pointing out the unfathomable amount of unfortunate events you've experience to having a weapon in hand and starting trouble. I don't have an ego. I'm rather humble, actually.
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