The TEXT FROM HELL!

“I just got out of the University of MD shock trauma unit today. I fell out of a stand cutting a padlock off one of my stands in Handcock. I laid there for 12 hours yelling for help.

After dark I drug myself to my truck and lit a fire hoping someone would see it, plus to stay warm. I almost burnt up in the fire and almost bled out finally got up into my truck and got to my Apple Watch to call 911 after 121/2 hours. I had a crushed femur and bleeding in the brain but I’m out now.”

Tree Stand Safety

I won’t mention my buddy’s name, but this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this story.  Another fellow I hunted with fell from a stand and told how he lay in the leaves from morning until night.  He could hear his phone vibrating as his wife called repeatedly when he didn’t return.

He believed, accurately, that his back was broken and that he couldn’t move to answer the phone.  Luckily, he usually hunted in the same tree stand and help eventually arrived.  I had the above stand built for the safety of me and my grandchildren.  It probably should have a handrail, but I’m able to navigate the slanted ladder even in the dark.  A box blind is a much safer option than traditional treestands.

Opt for a Ladder

If you count the rungs on this ladder stand, you will note that it’s barely 10 feet above the ground.  I hunt from it as do my three grandchildren and I purposely chose the closeness to the ground, “just in case.”
Ladder stands are easy to climb into, especially in the dark.  I have a steel hook in the tree at the top of the stand so that my safety harness can fit over it easily.  Because the stand is nestled between a tree with two trunks, deer and other game seldom sees me and I’m constantly amazed at how well the stand works at such a low level.

Safety Harness is a Must

Many tree stand falls occur in non-hunting situations.   Apparently, someone chose to lock one of his stands with a padlock and he was attempting to remove it when he fell.  Permanent stands that bind several trees together can be a death trap.

Each year the tree expands in diameter which pulls nail heads through support timbers.  In addition, the constant movement of the tree trunks stresses planks and can easily weaken their ability to support.  You should always wear a safety harness when hunting, but also use it or a safety line whenever you are working on or repairing a stand.

Climbers Too

Self-climbing tree stands may seem a very safe option since you are on the stand as you work your way up a tree.  However, the lower section can lose traction with the tree trunk and you slide down the tree.  Also, and very embarrassing is having the lower section fall while you hold onto the upper rail.  If this happens, what do you do?  Hopefully, a friend is nearby and can rescue you.  Whatever stand you use, make sure you know how to use it and practice before the hunt begins.

Work From the Ground Whenever Possible.

Accidents don’t happen on purpose.  By their very nature, falls occur when people least expect them like reaching beyond the stand platform to trim leaves or break a branch.  You want to trim shooting lanes with a pole trimmer and adjust and tighten bolts on your stand at the ground level, now while climbing 20 feet above the forest floor.

Keep Your Cell Phone Handy

A vest pocket is the perfect place for your cell phone.  There was a time when having a telephone on a hunting trip was frowned upon, yet today a person can feel naked without one.  Aside from entertaining you on a stand, having the device within arms reach is an important safety feature for you and your friends.

Should you have an accident, it’s imperative that you can call 911 with little effort.  Additionally, if a buddy or family member gets lost or hurt, you need to receive the message immediately.  Put your phone on “vibrate” and there’s little risk of alerting game.

Rifle Hunters Too

Tree stand safety is everyone’s job and regardless of the weapon being used, we all need to look after each other.  The person you see in the picture above falling is demonstrating the Hunter Safety System safety harness and it behooves each of us to look out for one another.

If a friend or fellow hunter is taking unnecessary chances, we should tell him or her about the danger.  Despite shooting bullets and arrows, hunting is one of the safest outdoor sports, and with careful thought and cool heads, we can keep it that way.