Last night I was climbing down out of the stand after dark. About half way down the tree I stepped onto a Lone Wolf stick and the bottom foot kicked out off the tree and the stick spun 90 degrees. Now while I will be the first to admit I don't always tie off climbing in and out of the stand I was fortunate I had my linesmen belt around the tree. I dropped a good foot or two before the rope took hold slamming me into the tree. I was in the process of tearing down so I had the tree-stand on my back, fanny pack around my waist and a LW stick on each hip. I have say If I would have fallen I would have been in real trouble with all that crap on me. To make matters worse I was on pub ground, a mile off the road, in really thick cover. I am not sure anyone would have been able to find me in there! I really had to just hang for a minute or so and gather my composure enough to figure out how to get down to the next stick. Which was really uncomfortable BTW! Something I had never really put much though into before.... I am a little beaten up today but more mentally shaken then anything. I can't for the life of me figured out why it happened as it was a near perfect rough bark tree. I've probably went up and down those sticks a 1000 times and never had a issue. I just wanted to take opportunity to re-enforce that you should always lock in! First thing I did this morning was order another linesmen belt!
A lot of people don't realize how dangerous hunting off the ground really is. I encourage everyone to use a harness and a lifeline system. Im glad you're okay.
Curious, what do you guys prefer for harnesses and belts? I've hunted for 10 years without anything but the older I get the more worried about falling I become.
This is exactly the reason I posted this! Get a harness and wear it! HSS (Hunter Safety Systems) and Muddy would be my choice!
Glad to hear you're ok heckler. I think next year my big hunting investment is going to be lifelines on all my sets. My wife is regularly in the tree now and I cringe thinking about something happening to her or myself. I take all precautions now that it's not just myself using the stands.
The life line is certainly the cats meow for "permanent" tree stands. It is of no value for mobile sets where you are packing in/out after every sit.
Glad you're ok, unfortunately if you do this enough something us going to happen. All we can do is be as safe as possible.
Wow glad you're OK brother! I had a similar incident last week in Illinois. I was climbing up the Lonewolf steps, my boots were muddy, on the third stick my right boot slipped off while I was stepping up with my left foot. Luckily I had just slid the prussic not up all over my head, and I only fell less than a foot. I was an inch away from my jaw hitting one of the steps. As I hung there for a few seconds I looked up to the sky in the dark and said out loud thank you God. This stand was only 12 feet off the ground, and I almost almost did not put up a lifeline. Glad you're OK! It happens when we least expect it buckle up because it's not about you, it's about your family your loved ones, Who are counting on you to come home. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I use a gorilla harness and a cheaper brand of lifeline that's not hss but works perfectly. All it took was a look at my two little boys for me to get a harness and lifelines.
I enjoy the outdoors, life and my family too much to ignore the warnings that have been around for years.
I dont tie off when hunting from big ladder stands with shooting rails. I know i should but dont. Anytime i use my climber or anything else i climb up with lineman belt and coming down just loosen tree strap and slide it down as i go. Glad your ok man! I think i might buy some lifelines for my ladder stands (which i only use shotgun season)
