Hey all, it's that time again and I'm scrambling around getting stuff ready for deer season. Which leads me to the point of this post. For about 10 years, i've been hunting out of stands with no fall protection (i know, dumb mistake) and i have to stop. I'm not an "invincible" kid anymore, i now have a wife and family that depends on me to be alive and well. So what are you guys' recommendations on a harness? i'd like to stay under 100 bucks on one but if that's not enough to get a quality harness, i don't mind spending a little more. I have no experience with treestand harnesses, so any advice is welcome. Thank y'all.
Hunter safety system
Yes definitely get a harness. I have a couple and cant say the names at the moment. However the lighter the better. Also I have one that I put on the very last article of clothing and one that goes under the heavier clothing. Lots to choose from that are good. Just get one and use. My wife fell out a tree close to ten years ago while getting down for the night. The stand was 25 feet at the base. Thanks God she had a harness on. After that we upgraded our harnesses again.
I hunted without one until 2 years ago. Now I always have one on if I'm in a tree. I went to Walmart and got one I think it's made by Gorilla
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As a certified treestand safety instructor - I would highly recommend buying the best you can. It's priceless if you need it!
Go with a brand name, quality full harness like HSS, Muddy, etc. I personally like the HSS Hybrid - it's minimal on bulk but gives you some nice pockets -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073RWBXTP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HptWzbTWB4YQW
ALSO - please consider using lifelines in all stands that are fixed position. That way you are hooked in before you ever leave the ground.
Strapping "in" once you are up is dangerous. They stepping into and off the stand is the danger times in most cases.
http://www.huntersafetysystem.com/how-it-works/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea0S3oySXic
I was taught most treestand falls are:
Climbing up and into the stand.
Getting out of stand and climbing down.
Of course, use a harness in your stand, but be especially careful going up and down!
I never used one in my younger years. But like most people, with age comes a diminished sense of invincibility! I've been wearing a hunter safety systems vest for probably 10 years now and I'm so used to it that it would probably feel strange not having it on in a tree. Sure it seems like a lot of money for something that you hopefully will never need. But if you ever do need it, you're gonna need it bad!!
I admit I only use one with my climber, not other stands. I use the cheap one that came with my Summit Viper. It works decently.
My worst fall happened in a ground blind. Don't ask.
WOW LISTENING Too YOU ALL MAKES ME FEEL KINDA STUPID
IVE NEVER WEAR ONE I USE A SUMMIT CLIMBER
ONE TIME AT HAD A INCIDENT WITH A TREE LOUNGE CLIMBER , STILL HAVE BUT DONT USE IT
IT RAINED HARD FOR TWO DAYS , WENT TO MY SPOT AND STARTED TO CLIMB AND SLID DOWN , I WAS ABOUT EIGHT FEET UP CHECKED THE WING NUTS EVERYTHING WAS FINE TRIED IT AGAIN MADE IT UP TO ABOUT TWELVE FEET AND SLIDE DOWN AGAIN AND I HIT HARD AT THE BOTTOM, BUSTED UP MY BINOCULARS, MAYBE I SHOULD CONSIDER ONE ..........
Quote from: outdoors on September 19, 2017, 08:00:40 PM
WOW LISTENING Too YOU ALL MAKES ME FEEL KINDA STUPID
IVE NEVER WEAR ONE I USE A SUMMIT CLIMBER
ONE TIME AT HAD A INCIDENT WITH A TREE LOUNGE CLIMBER , STILL HAVE BUT DONT USE IT
IT RAINED HARD FOR TWO DAYS , WENT TO MY SPOT AND STARTED TO CLIMB AND SLID DOWN , I WAS ABOUT EIGHT FEET UP CHECKED THE WING NUTS EVERYTHING WAS FINE TRIED IT AGAIN MADE IT UP TO ABOUT TWELVE FEET AND SLIDE DOWN AGAIN AND I HIT HARD AT THE BOTTOM, BUSTED UP MY BINOCULARS, MAYBE I SHOULD CONSIDER ONE ..........
With the ease of use of the new style harness and harness vest systems, I really can't come up with a good reason not to wear one. They go on as quickly as putting on a jacket. Sure, they cost a bit more than a lot of us like to pay. But when you figure the time and money most people put into hunting, 150 dollars for a harness and less than 1 minute to put it on is really a small price to pay for safety. Like they say, people are counting on you to come home!
Here is a really good overview video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbWtE7N6RJM
I've spent 30 years investigating falls and locating dead and crippled hunters at the bottoms of trees. Without fail, every single survivor said the same thing - "I didn't think it could happen to me"
*** And have a recovery plan - you can't hang there too long. Have your phone handy in pocket, suspension relief strap, screw in step, or something. If you just slip out of the stand, you should be able to re-enter. If the stand fails and falls to the ground, that's when you'll need a plan. Worst case, a controlled slide down the tree sure beats a 20 foot dive to the ground.
When you do fall, that harness will grab you tight. Make sure it's adjusted properly and not just loosely buckled.
It's a lot easier to hunt safe these days. Just do it. :icon_thumright:
HSS is my choice.
MK M GOBL
3 stories
First a buddy was hunting an NWR about 1.5 miles in. He had just got to where he was going to be for the evening when something bad happened. He ended up falling 20 ft feet first. Shattered both his ankles. Luckily another hunter was within earshot and came to his aid.
My old high school football coach fell asleep in his stand and fell 15 ft. Nobody knew anything was wrong until he didn't come home. They found him at the base of the tree with a stick impaled in his leg. Missed his femoral artery by 2 cm.
Hunter fell out of his stand 2 years ago just NE of my house. No feeling below the waist and he was lifeflighted. Never heard the end.
Myself I use a HSS harness with a lifeline. Getting into my stand is sketchy and I feel much safer at least tied off if something happens.
Quote from: SteelerFan on September 19, 2017, 08:20:39 PM
When you do fall, that harness will grab you tight. Make sure it's adjusted properly and not just loosely buckled.
That is exactly what my wife said when she fell. She panicked and screamed for help. She quickly realized no one was going to hear her and got herself together. She said the harness was restricting breathing. She knew she had to get back on the stand and quickly. Luckily she is small and strong. That is why we upgrade to new harnesses. I hunted without one for many many years. Now if I ever forgot mine at home I would probably not hunt that day. They are a must. Seriously guys don't hunt without one. My sister is a nurse and had a patient last year that fell from only 12 feet. He was messed up.
Somewhat off the trail a bit, but still related. I'm not a big fan of heights, and used to opt for staying on the ground rather than climbing into a treestand. Even a rock solid ladder kept me on the ground. Now that I have and use a harness, I scurry up into a stand without any fear and it makes me a more effective whitetail hunter. It really did help alleviate my fear of heights. Just take the time to watch the videos Steelerfan posted and you'll have more confidence to be 20 feet up in the air.
Muddy harness is my fav.
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Take a look at the Summit safety harnesses. I just picked up the sport model to try out this year and so far, it is the best one that I have used. I've always been a fan of Summit and all of their stuff is top notch and a great company to boot.
Please wear a safety harness.
I lost a friend of mine in November of 2012. Him and his son were sitting in side by side loc on stands, neither wearing a safety harness. They were switching stands so the son could get a shot at nice buck. The steel support cable on one of the stands broke and they were both thrown out. The son suffered a broken hip requiring surgery, a concussion and other cuts and bruises. Jeff, the Dad, landed on the side of chest, rupturing his aorta and killing him within a few minutes of the fall. Not only did the son suffer his injuries, but watched his Dad die on the spot.
Accidents happen and can be deadly. Not wearing a harness is risking everything.
Hunters Safety System makes a very good harness. A couple of years ago I switched to A Scentblocker Tree Spider Micro harness(right at $100). It is much lighter than any of the HSS harnesses I have worn in the past. One thing abought the micro harness is it uses 1" straps instead of 2" like most others. In m event such as a fall, I'm guessing it will "bite" more than than a 2" model.
A lot of camo companies put a slit in the back of the jacket so the harness can be worn under the jacket. My harness and jacket go on at the same time ...like they are a one piece unit.
Like others have mentioned, probably the most dangerous time is when you are transitioning to and from the stand/climbing sticks. I don't use a lifeline, but I ALWAYS make sure I'm hooked to the tree strap before entering/exiting the stand. I purposely set the tree strap at the height I can reach it from the top of my climbing sticks.
Lots of good info out there about treestand/harness safety. A lot of people don't know/understand that there is more to be being safe than just throwing on a harness....there are does and don'ts.
If you hunt from an elevated stand, PLEASE, for your safety and your family's sake, wear and learn about treestand/harness safety.
I've made the switch from a typical tree stand harness to a Rock Climbing harness.
I'm not going back to a tree stand harness.
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We have all moved to rock-climbing harnesses and will not be going back to the full body harness. In fact, I just set up my 13 year old with his rock-climbing harness and he loves it. PM me if you want specs or details but after seeing what can happen after a 20 foot fall -- wear something. When I was your age I never wore anything and never listened to anyone -- good for you wanting to make it safe. From 20 feet it takes less than 2 seconds to hit the ground.
I use the hunter safety system. I learned the hard way. I fell 13 feet out of a treestand back in 2006, I was lucky, I suffered a cracked hip socket,it could have been alto worse. Which ever one you get, where it climbing in and out, and while in tree
HSS saved me from serious injury or death a couple of years ago. I will not go up a tree without it. I paid around $50 on ebay for it.
Rock climbing harness....it keeps you upright, stable and able to recover. Youtube has some videos on it.
A lot of good information and experience posted. I use the Hunters Safety System actually have two. One I wear when hunting the other when hanging stands as that can be sweaty. I also use a linesman rope which allows me to free up my hands while hanging my stands. I like the Hunters Safety System because it has a strap that you can step into to relieve the pressure on the crotch area. Hanging from your harness may stop your fall but not the danger of dying. The straps cause all kinds of circulation issues. As stated previously, plan ahead: your tree strap should be at a height that will arrest your fall but still allow you to climb back in the stand. A spare tree step will allow you to buy time and relieve tension on the arresting strap so that you can cut it and slid down the trunk. I use lifelines on my higher fixed position stands.
I would suggest that you go into your backyard and try hanging from you safety harness and practice climbing back into a tree stand a couple feet off the ground. The experience may save your life.
Once you fall you will be in pain and need to get back in your stand quickly. However, it will take a lot of effort. Heavy clothes, equipment, being out of shape or over weight will make the task difficult. It takes a lot of upper body strength to pull yourself back into your stand if you have set your tree strap too low.
One of the smartest things to do is insure your are awake, alert and not tired prior to getting into your stand. Hunting hard for days on end can wear you down. When I notice that I am starting to struggle getting into my stand I switch to ground blinds. I use a summit climbing stand, hang-on's and ladder stands as well as a portable ground blind.
I love deer hunting but love living much more. Tree stand safety sounds boring but it will have your full attention if you fall. The pain from the harness and incredible difficulty getting back into your stand or relieving the weight on the leg straps to restore circulation or to cut the strap and slide down the trunk is serious stuff. Don't take it for granted. Just my two cents.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to my post. There's some great information and advice in this thread, and much of it from experience. I've got a HSS system headed my way and a lifeline and i will for sure get in the yard and check everything out when it gets here. Thanks everyone and be safe out there.
Quote from: blake_08 on September 26, 2017, 08:52:08 AM
Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to my post. There's some great information and advice in this thread, and much of it from experience. I've got a HSS system headed my way and a lifeline and i will for sure get in the yard and check everything out when it gets here. Thanks everyone and be safe out there.
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