Have you ever fallen from your treestand?

[Bowhunter57]

The First Time: I was standing on a branch in a tree in the Manistee National Forest (west of Cadilac, Michigan), after 30+ hours of no sleep, due to coming off of a mid-night swing shift. It was nice, the sun was setting, a light breeze and there was about 45 minutes left to bowhunt. Next thing I remember was the "breeze" had greatly increased and I was thinking, "Wow! Where's all that wind coming from." Suddenly, the wind/breath was knocked out of me, as I had fallen asleep, pitched foreward, doing a 1 1/2 flip and landed flat on my back. The angels were with me, as all it did was knock the wind out of me and mess up my equilibrium for a few minutes. I called it a day and walked back to the camp. (mid 1970s)

The Second Time: Back in the day (late 1970s) of the Baker climbing treestand. It was like hauling a sack of hub caps and almost as noisy putting it up. I used a Baker hand climber and the platform to climb and once I was up in the tree (before safety belts), I swung the hand climber to the side and turned around to face away from the tree. I had no more than turned around and the platform started "racheting" down the tree. I was doing some sort of vertical tree surfing on the way down and about 6 feet from the ground I gave my bow a pitch...not wanting to "eat" the arrows when I hit. Suddenly, the platform stopped and pitched me out, so I dropped and rolled as I hit the ground.

I was kinda skinned up, here and there, but no major injuries. I don't remember what I did with the stand, but I DIDN'T get back into it.

I went back to climbing trees and standing in the fork of a branch. A few short years later, I purchased a climbing treestand made by a company called Fox Squirrel. It was a great treestand, but they went out of business due to a liability issue.

Have you ever fallen from your treestand?
Thank you, Bowhunter57

 

[ohio mossy oak]

I was just thinking of making a similar thread..Im curious how many guys have fallen WITH a harness or belt....

 

[Hoytmania]

The one close call I had was actually while taking a setup down. I was climbing down the set of climbing sticks and was about ten foot up with a stand in one hand and using the other to climb down. I missed one rung as I was transitioning and fell backwards. At first I thought this was it, bit luckily there was a tree about three feet behind me and I kinda wedged against it as I was falling and that prevented me from going all the way back and landing on my head. I did however land on the stand on impact and thought I broke some ribs. I was very lucky that all I ended up with was a sore side for a few days.

 

[hickslawns]

I have only fallen once when hanging a stand and had to hug a tree and slide down it once (also while hanging a stand). I have been fortunate while hunting. Technically I have never fallen OUT of the stand. I guess this would be a "No" vote then.

 

[epe]

I have not (knock on wood), but dad has. Back in the mid to late 70's, he was up in a treestand with no belt. One of links in the chain (not welded) let loose and he fell. He put his arm out to brace his fall. Hit the ground and went out. When he came back to, he looked at his wrist, it was broken and in the shape of a z. He had to start shooting a bow left handed because of it.

 

[Jackalope]

I was fortunate enough to use my harness once.. I wasn't hunting but rather topping a maple in the backyard a few years back... I laid down and slid out on a limb about 8 feet and was about 30 feet up. ... slung my tether around and used a caribeaner to hook it to itself.. Made the cut with the chainsaw and the limb fell. It was still pre spring an the tree was cold. The limb snapped instead of lowering itself slowly on a hinge... the remaining limb hit me in the chin when it shook and rolled me off. managed to pull myself up some by the strap and get a leg over the limb..... 3 years later i still have 3.5 maples that need trimmed.

 

[cotty16]

A guy I used to teach with fell out of one and broke his back. He quit deer hunting altogether after a full recovery.

About 8 years ago I was in my climber. I removed the front rail because it was just in the way. I had the arm rests though. I had a shooter buck come trotting in from my front and it was going past me on my right. I tried to follow him with my bow and was getting ready to stop him when my bow wouldn't go any farther as I tried to turn. Not taking my eyes off the buck I couldn't figure out why I couldn't turn more. So I gave the bow a good yank and found out it was stuck on the arm rest. The arm rest had made its way between my string and limb. When I yanked on the bow the top portion of the stand sprung lose and I went spinning around. I hung on the tree with one arm and kept my bow in the other hand. Somehow I managed to regain my balance and gather myself.
So, I didn't fall but it scared the bejesus out of me. That buck heard all the commotion and was gone, needless to say.

 

[CJD3]

To date, I have never had that situation happen. Knock on wood
But now I'm older, slower and my stands a bit lower.
(and I'm a lot more careful)

 

[FredT]

I voted no because me and the stand came down together. I put a chain on Summit, I believe, up in a big apple tree loaded with apples. I hooked the chain as I always did, I thought, and stood up in the stand to look around. The chain popped loose and I looked like Maxwell Smart in the phone booth as me standing there and the stand went straight to the ground. I hit a big tree limb part way down with my inner thigh and just snapped that tree limb off and then landed on my back. That limb slowed me down enough that I ended up sore and the wind knocked out of me. My buddy the land owner watched the whole thing. I just laid there until I could determine nothing was broken and all of my limbs could move OK. Next day I told him that I have to put that stand back up and beat this new fear of falling out of tree stands. I've been good after that.

 

["J"]

Haven't fallen out of a tree stands but, was using an old TSS wooden climber (by the way I still have it lol) was climbing a tree (hugging the tree pulling my legs up) about 15' up the tree the toe/heel straps came loose (held in by screws and the rubber strap cracked) needless too say the straps not being held too my feet and the stand dropped down and stopped about 3' from me. I'm hugging this tree and slowly losing my grip and I start that slow slide down. Gently landed on the stand and it locked back on too the tree from my weight..... Lucky for me I watched McGiver and always had my trusty littl tools in my fanny pack (did I tell you this was a bunch of years ago lol) I had rescrewed the strap in place and got back too the ground. Disconnected the stand and flipped it over too get the spare strap that I always meant too change out but figured I'd always do it after the next hunt..... I was wearing a safety belt but at the time it went around my waste and probably would of slid up my torso and would of suffocated if the stand would of went to the ground.... Good thread 57......

 

[rgecko23]

Tried to adjust the bottom of my slimber, before I knew to tie the top and botom together, and down the bottom went. It slid all the way down to the bottom of the tree. I had to yell for my dad to come and help me out. The whole time the seat kept sliding out from under me and I had to keep adjusting it. I don't know how dad got that thing up the tree with a branch but he did it. I thank God I didnt fall cause I was up there pretty far. I'm betting it would have hurt pretty bad.

 

[twireman]

When I was in highschool I had a climber that I used all the time. Didn't tie the top and bottom together....I was just getting situated about 25' while I was sitting on the shooting rail the bottom dropped to the ground. Here I am just sitting with my feet dangling. Had to slide down the tree and come back another day with a different stand to get my top shooting rail. Good lesson learned the hard way.

 

[Buckmaster]

I fell twice the same day while trying to climb up a tree using those screw in tree steps. The step gave out because the tree got punky. After knocking the wind out of myself for the second time in two attempts I ended up sitting on the ground below my stand. I didn't see anything that day. Chalk it up to a bad day and a lesson learned.

 

[Fluteman]

I fell twice the same day while trying to climb up a tree using those screw in tree steps. The step gave out because the tree got punky. After knocking the wind out of myself for the second time in two attempts I ended up sitting on the ground below my stand. I didn't see anything that day. Chalk it up to a bad day and a lesson learned.

Just out of curiosity, how long had those screw in steps been in the tree?

I have had a few close calls early in my bowhunting career which have caused me to change my approach and put safety first when it comes to treestands. I don't care how long it takes me to hang a stand, or how much noise I make, as long as I am safe from the time I leave he ground to the time my feet touch back down.

 

[Buckmaster]

Just out of curiosity, how long had those screw in steps been in the tree?

I would reuse the same holes year after year. The hole gave out not the step.

 

[Schu72]

Back in my teens, I was using an old baker style climber and had it slide out form under me while climbing a tree. The tree was probably to small or I did not have it adjusted correctly. Anyway I was about 12 feet up and when I went to plant my feet and push off again the stand slid out from under me. I started to go down but was able to wrap my arms around the tree and stop my self. I had to slide down the tree, which pulled my shirt up and exposed my bare chest to the tree bark. I was faily skinned up, but it sould have been much worse.

 

[Fluteman]

I would reuse the same holes year after year. The hole gave out not the step.

That's what I was curious about. Thanks for the response.

 

[ohio mossy oak]

I had a scare or 2 in the past few weeks with my new aluminum viper.I am still trying to get over the fear of that. No falls or sup major slips..Just enough to scare me no being used to a climber

 

[bowhunter1023]

I have never fallen (knock on wood). I have had a few puckered ass moments, but never anything major thankfully. I always try to remember to keep three points of contact at all times when hanging and climbing in/out of stands. I'm not a big fan of heights, so I have always been super cautious when doing the whole treestand thing...

 

[rgecko23]

your afraid of heights but hung one of the first crazy high place stands I have ever been in.