Better hope you've got some monkey in ya if you don't have steps in the tree. I had to untie while wrapped around the tree with my legs and one arm then shinny down the tree holding on for dear life. The scarier thing was that my tag line for the bow was attached to the stand so I had to drop my bow out of the tree...
I spent 8 weeks recovering from shoulder surgery after falling.I was lucky.There are several good harness's such as seat of pants by summit and the muddy.Check out the safety harness review on bowsite.com.Anyone one that doesn't wear one because they don't think they will ever fall better go get some life and disability insurance so their loved ones will be taken care of.Theres just no reason not to wear one
I'm actually buying this one in the next couple weeks. It's made by Guardian and is OSHA certified. I figure if I'm gonna buy a harness, I'm getting one I can use for hunting and bridge work!
I'm also going to keep a bundle of screw in steps in my backpack in case I need them. I'm a pretty patient hunter so I figure 20 minutes for safety is worth 5-6 hours of hunting. You've all made me a believer...my wife and little daughter thank you!
not proud or bragging and not ashamed. Just stating a fact. I figure I've been up and down a zillion trees in my life with no injury. I have a better chance of being hit by a bus crossing the street. Should I never cross a street again? I tore ligaments in my ankle, fell and hit my head on a tree giving myself a concussion walking of a tee box playing golf. Stepped in a deep hole from a sprinkler head. Should I not golf or drive a cart on the tee? My point is based on actual facts I have as good a chance (or more) getting seriously hurt doing anything I do in my life. Why take extra precautions in hunting and not everything else that you do in life?
But why take unnecessary risk? There are risks worth taking and then there are those that aren't. Does not wearing a harness gain you more than the possible losses as a consequence of your actions? In other words do the gains outweigh the losses? There are no gains from not wearing one and very high potential consequences. It just doesn't make logical sense not to do it. Do you wear a seat belt when in a car?
I don't view hunting as risking my life. I guess the gains would be one less thing to bring in the woods. Not having to deal with strapping myself in and out every sit. Also I could never get comfortable with certain shot angles without the strap wrapping me up in a knot. Yes. It's against the law not to. Also I don't trust the other people. If I was the only one on the road and wasn't illegal probably not.
NY, it is your choice and i would never bash another based on that fact...but you stated the added hassle of strapping in and out during every sit. Loc ons are a cinch and take no time, climbers (muddy style) take another minute or 2. Imagine if you have to strap yourself in every sit (in a wheelchair). Again, NOT A BASH, ARGUMENT or anything of the sort...it's just the fact they have made it so easy to strap in now. I enjoy reading your stories too much about deer to read one about you falling...same to all of you on here.
My coworke's fiance is a gunsmith (booooooo). Summer of 2009 he was out trimming lanes FROM his stands. To this day I still do not know why the heck he was trimming that tree. He had a chainsaw in a hanger. He was cutting a tree and it kicked back on him. Knocked him clear out of the tree/stand. Unconsious for who knows how long he luckily made a phone call. The call made no sense and so a search began for him. When they found him he had a broken neck, back, and all sorts of lacerations. It's been six months and he's still in a neck brace, but he's luck that he's not paralyzed or dead. Since then I'm much more cautious about trimming and I always use my Hunter Safety System Harness.
I do the same but I keep the caribener on my harness. Make sure you're using one rated for climbing and not a typical hardware store one. The one's you get at a hardware store can either shatter or straighten in a fall.
There was a guy in S TX a few years back who refused to wear a harness. If he did then he would be alive today, the fall did not kill him tho, be broke his back and couldn't move. The unfortunate thing is he landed on a fire ant mound they attacked him and thats what killed him, they say every square inch of his body was covered in fire ant bites. Not exactly the way I want to leave this life. Personally I don't leave the ground without a harness thats hooked to a climbimg rope.
I just talked to another guy that his dads friend fell from a tree and they were calling the family in because they didn't know if he would make it.I have another friend that fell 25 years ago and laid on the ground from daylight till dark when his brother found him.Still suffers from issues with broken back and he spent 99 days in hospital.That alone is probably equal to taking the time to hook up a safety belt about 10 million times.I have a couple of friends that I can't get them to wear one and I think about what if I get the call that they didn't show up and have to go find them.Being an EMT on the FD I will also have to treat them.If a safety harness is hooked up correctly it WILL NOT interfere with shooting.I would check out the bowsite.com test before buying one,as the hunter safety system didn't get high marks,but anything is better than nothing.This year they added a good write up on how to get down in case of a fall.
I will charge to the sound of guns for a living...but I am somewhat afraid of heights. I have established my system that I am connected to the tree the entire time, lineman on the climb up, before I take the off, I hook up my overhead and then disengage my lineman. These stories scare the crap out of me, thanks....keeps you alert.
