From a local TV station:
By Roslyn Anderson
[email protected]
Two hunters died after falling from tree stands last week and Mississippi wildlife officials are urging the use of safety harnesses.
Neither hunter was wearing a harness when they took the falls.
Deer hunters headed to the woods this season would be wise to carry safety harnesses with their tree stands.
Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks officials say five tree stand falls have been reported since October first.
Two resulted in fatalities.
Forty three year old Rudy Walker of Monticello died Thursday night after falling 16 feet from a tree.
Earlier that day 22 year old Christopher Spradley of Jones county died from injuries suffered in a fall at a hunting club in Jasper county.
Major Steve Adcock, Director of Educational Services with the Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks said, "A recent statistic said a grown man falling 12 feet is going about 25 miles per hour when he hits the ground."
Adcock says safety harness use is imperative.
He said, "We also had another incident Saturday in which a 64 year old male fell from his stand and hung from his foot until around 2 o'clock in the morning until he was found."
That hunter survived, but keep in mind over 60% of deer hunting accidents in the state involve tree stands.
Adcock added, "Usually the person is either ascending or descending the tree. We have had instances where a person has fallen asleep. Typically they are not wearing a safety harness."
Statistics indicate 80% of all tree stand incidents in Mississippi involve homemade wooden stands.
Experts say use a good stand, a soft bark tree and always wear a safety harness.
Gun season starts November 20th and the agency reminds hunters that carelessness can lead to tragedy.
