Found out why they recommend treestand safety harness

[lightsoutcalls]

   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. 

[drenalinld]

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.

[hookedspur]

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.

               

[nctrkyhntr]

Thank God you are safe. 

[LX_Trkyhntr]

A good fall restraint system is worth it's weight in gold!  Glad you had one on buddy!

[ctwny1]

God was with you that day.

[stone road turkey calls]

 

[Basser69]

That is a scary feeling! Glad that it all worked out well for you and you were not hurt 

[lightsoutcalls]

That is a scary feeling! Glad that it all worked out well for you and you were not hurt 

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.     I don't consider myself to be afraid of heights, but the same situation at 20' might have included a bit of panic.   

[longspur]

glad you thought about safety

[mossy835]

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.

[njdevilsb]

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.

[redarrow]

Please listen to Wendell's advise folks.This is the alternative. From 8 feet. I thank God you are ok my brother.

[TClark]

Glad you were wearing it!

[handcannon]

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!