Well, deer season has GOT to get better. I found a place last weekend on my all-time crappy muzzle loader opener that looked great. I tried to set up my ladder stand there, but the ground and the trees were not made for ladder stands. I decided to take my climber in and set up this past Saturday. I have an Ol' Man climber with the hammock style seat. This thing is comfortable enough to fall asleep in... trust me. I did some trading last year and got a Hunter Safety System vest for hunting out of a stand. I attached the linemans belt around the tree for my climb up the tree (about 20'), while I sat in the stand and then for my climb down. I actually ended up higher than I expected, but the view was great... just not as open as I had hoped. I sat for several hours and saw nothing but squirrels. I did hear one deer blowing about 70 yards or so out, but he never came in.
I decided to move my setup and just sit on a ridge above a small creek that offered more open viewing. I hooked my linemans belt up and started down the tree. All was going well until my foot platform was about 5' from the ground. My stand is probably 6-7 years old, but seemed in good condition. As I lowered myself down and was about to dig the foot platform into the tree, the strap that connects the foot platform to the climber broke. I had my arms positioned over the climber, but my harness caught my weight as the foot platform gave way. The strap that goes over you feet to allow you to pull the platform was still intact, but slipped off of my left boot. It was not uncomfortable hanging in the harness facing the tree, but I could feel that it was supporting my weight. I made several attempts to get my left foot into a part of the cable system on the foot platform and finally got it straightened. It was a stretch, but I was able to get on my tiptoes and then lower my climber so that my harness was no longer supporting my weight. I thank God (and took the time then to do so) that I was as close to the ground as I was, and that the harness did its job. I am now a firm believer in using the climbing harnesses going up and down the tree as well as while sitting in my stand.
Please, if you hunt from a stand and don't have a safety harness, don't go back into your stand without making the investment in a good safety harness. No trophy deer is worth the risk. Use the vest/harness as instructed by the manufacturer and hunt another day.
I'm going to have to replace the strap that connects my stand and climber together. I suspect I will also use an additional piece of accesory cord or something between the two as a back-up in case this ever happens again. Even at 5 feet off the ground, this could have been a lot worse. Without the harness, I likely would have slipped through the climber bar. With only one foot under the climbing platform strap, I suspect I would have fallen backwards away from the tree and ended up with the one foot still attached to the platform... uggh! Not a pretty thought.
Next weekend is youth season, so I may be up a tree with my bow... the only way an adult can hunt deer during youth season. (Bowhunters may hunt during the youth hunt, but must wear hunter orange; - AGFC website) I'm still looking to put meat in the freezer. :icon_thumright:
Glad you were wearing it! It is always worth the extra time and effort to be tied 100% of the time! It's just like a seat belt in your car.
Quote from: drenalinld on October 31, 2011, 09:59:59 AM
Glad you were wearing it! It is always worth the extra time and effort to be tied 100% of the time! It's just like a seat belt in your car.
:cross2: :agreed:
Thank God you are safe. :jesus-cross:
A good fall restraint system is worth it's weight in gold! Glad you had one on buddy!
God was with you that day.
:icon_thumright:
That is a scary feeling! Glad that it all worked out well for you and you were not hurt :icon_thumright:
Quote from: Basser69 on October 31, 2011, 11:24:36 AM
That is a scary feeling! Glad that it all worked out well for you and you were not hurt :icon_thumright:
I have a feeling I would have been just as safe at 20 feet up, but there would have been a lot more air between me and the ground. ;D I don't consider myself to be afraid of heights, but the same situation at 20' might have included a bit of panic. :o
glad you thought about safety
You took the time to prepare for a fall and as a result you are okay. Glad it ended well for you and hope any tree climbers here do the same.
Glad to hear everything turned out ok.
My dad and I just invested in safety harnesses this year. It's probably stupid that it took us so long, but we got them now.
Please listen to Wendell's advise folks.This is the alternative. From 8 feet. I thank God you are ok my brother.
(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg311/redarrow51/scan0007.jpg)
(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg311/redarrow51/scan0009.jpg)
(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg311/redarrow51/scan0001-1.jpg)
Glad you were wearing it!
Wow! Glad things went the way it did Wendell. I have the same stand and love it. Always wondered if one day something might give way, like the fish net seat. Redarrow,..............dang!
Glad you're ok, Wendell. That's a scary event for sure!
Very happy you were able to walk through the front door to your family.
Glad to here your ok. Just ordered new cables for my summit . Good heads up post.
Thats scarry brother. Glad your ok.
TRKYHTR
Glad your ok Wendell, thats not the way you want to end a season
Thank goodness for your harness. It never ceases to amaze me how many people don't wear a harness. My uncle fell from a cottonwood a few years ago, broke his ribs, internal bleeding, broke his hand, tore his rotator cuff and still has problems. The year before his nephew fell from a cottonwood. My neighbor's boy fell from a tree while gun hunting. My friend and I took our climbers and his exact words were 'just so you know, I'm not wearing my harness. On a windy day I want to have a chance if the tree snaps'. He had a similar situation as you were his bottom part of the climber slipped off. I heard a low 'help, help' to see him hanging from the top part with his body fully extended. I thought he was going to fall, I was going to have to call 911. Luckily, he recovered. I never said a thing. I think he learned his lesson to wear a harness. . .at least I hope he did. I usually tell these people I have a few extra harnesses. Please don't forget to check if you need to replace the harness after a fall.
Dang Wendell, that was a close one! I am glad you didni't have far to go!!
I bet you ARE thankful!
Wess
I've owned a harness for a few years now and I hate to say it's still in the package. I think I better open it up and use it!
X 2 on that. One of my hunting pards is laid up with a broken back from an accident in September. He said never again will he even set up a stand without one.