scared of heights?

[at1010]

I know its the cold slow time of year so I figured Id start this topic.

Anyone on here scared of heights?


background on myself. I used to be terrified. I find that now if I wear my harness I am fairly comfortable. I have noticed that I am very comfortable in Ladder stands vs handguns. However if I do use hangons I need to make sure the platform is decent sized so I can draw my bow, and not fee like Im getting pushed off the darn platform. Also helps me when the seat folds up!



Anyone have advice for guys who might be scared of heights? I figured this would be helpful for some out there, especially new folks to hunting!

 

[bowhunter1023]

I don't do roofs. FUGG THAT!

But treestands do not bother me except the very first time I step on to one. Once I have been on the stand and know its good, I don't have any issues with it. I can hang 25' treestands and it does not bother me. The roof on my house is a 2/12 pitch and in places, less than 10' off the ground, yet my balloon knot puckers tighter than a frog's asshole when I have to clean gutters. Go figure... lmao

 

[Buckmaster]

I never had an issue until I went to The Indians game two years ago sitting in the upper deck (felt like I was going to fall forward). I was better around the 4th inning with a couple $8 beers in my belly.

I told the wife next time cough up some more dough and get the lower level seats. Cavs games....same thing.

Tree stands....no problem.

 

[Boarhead]

Treestands heights never bother me.Only time i ever got really nervous was going with my buddy who was Brown bear hunting climbing up side of mountain in Cordova Alaska and looking down over a ledge now that made my heart jump up in my throat.

 

[MK111]

Being a old fart barn roofer 50 yrs. ago I have no problem with height as long as it's steady. It is getting tougher on ladder stands with my MS and older age. I do want large feet areas on stands. I wear a safety vest tied off good and getting a lifeline for up and down before this next season.

 

[Mike]

I was always petrified of heights. Since I started hunting, it's gotten worlds better. I know I don't like hang ons. Give me ladders or climbers. The harness really is the key I think.

 

[at1010]

happy I am not alone.

I am the same way as Jesse! If I get up and test a stand 1 time, I am good. I still always wear my harness...

I don't have a huge foot but I wear a size 11m. I feel like some of these small platforms are just WAY to small for a size 11 or bigger, especially with rubber boots. I think the lifelines do help me a lot.

Sometimes I get more sketched out grabbing my bow, scared to drop it, than I do claiming in/out of the tree hahaha!

 

[ajupsman]

The lifelines are the best thing for hang-ons or ladderstands. Being hooked in from the ground up takes away any fear of heights I may have in a treestand. I don't mind roofs or ladders. Even if it's 30 or 40 feet up. However looking over a cliff or being on a steel beam gets me puckered up in a hurry.

 

[aholdren]

Tree stands don't seem to bother me one bit, but climbing stairs at the 80' mark at work, gives me a very uncomfortable feeling like all the blood leaves my legs.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

I bet this guy would be laughing at this thread .....

 

[giles]

Some things get me while others don't, not real sure why. I've been in multiple different kinds of stands and got that tipping forward feeling, I've never had it in a climber though. You ever try a climber? I've also never gotten it in those stands with the cloth around them.

 

[Bigslam51]

I've done a lot of residential and commercial roofing. About 10 years ago I watched the guy I was working for fall 25 feet off of a ladder pick we had set up that collapsed. I can still hear the thump from him hitting the ground. Scaffolding is the only thing that scares me now. He lived but he was close to checking out, landed in mulch 2 feet from the cement sidewalk. The mulch saved him. About tree stands though, I feel safer in a hang on than I do in a climber, I don't hunt out of ladder stands.

 

[yotehunter]

I'm lleery after about 18 feet in a stand. That's high enough for me, I just can't go any higher. I can do roofs but stands just scare me for some reason. All my hang ons are twenty foot sticks and my stand is usually 16 to 18. and I'm good.

 

[Lumber head 75]

I've done a lot of residential and commercial roofing. About 10 years ago I watched the guy I was working for fall 25 feet off of a ladder pick we had set up that collapsed. I can still hear the thump from him hitting the ground. Scaffolding is the only thing that scares me now. He lived but he was close to checking out, landed in mulch 2 feet from the cement sidewalk. The mulch saved him. About tree stands though, I feel safer in a hang on than I do in a climber, I don't hunt out of ladder stands.

I fell 32' off of scaffolding back in 2000 and it about killed me, I was laid up for a long time. As long as a stand is set and secured right, getting up and down is easy I'm fine at any height as long as I'm harnessed in.

 

[bigten05]

im pretty good with heights we got a job too put a stair case up 168 foot, my boss asked if i could do it, i told him im not sure if i can handle being that high and have to actually work id hate too get up there and freeze up. ill post pics when we get started on this.

 

[Hunter II]

It's all in my head but just having some kind of tree within a few feet of the front of the stand makes me more comfortable.

 

["J"]

Heights never really bothered me... I feel pretty invincible if I'm strapped in.... Spent 4 hours flying 500' off the water down off the coast of Panama looking for a fishing boat that put out a mayday.... Cargo door and ramp wide open as well as the side troop doors which had straps z'd across them strapped in using binoculars.... After the first hour you eyes payed tricks on you constantly.... 160 knots loud and hot and was hard too stay awake believe it or not.... After that tree stands never really bothered me lol...

 

[at1010]

wow I feel like a lot less of a pussy now! haha I don't consider my self scared but I am VERY cautious when climbing. I used to get scared but I started using a climber at like 12 or 13. Probably was a too young but growing up where getting hunting ground was very hard you needed a climber to access more land.

I find that now if I hang a set, I worry more bout being comfy and shot opps then how high I can get. I had a stand I called the leaner because it was 25ft up. Deer never spotted you out of that thing but its a bit sketchy! I did double lung a doe out of that stand!

 

[finelyshedded]

I'm not to bothered by heights as far as hunting from a treestand. Would I have a job like the dude with huge balls above?!? NOPE...lol

 

[Hoytmania]

I have never really been bothered by heights. I can remember climbing my parents triangular antenna tower when I was young enough I couldn't even make the steps. I would have to pull myself up so that my knee could get to the next step. I would climb to the top so I could see the road from over the roof, and my parents have a 2 story house. I have always enjoyed climbing things. Trees rocks, anything that looked like it could be climbed. Always went to Howard when I was a teenager to jump off a abandoned bridge into the river. I have also been bungee jumping 7 times. The highest I have jumped from was 150' and that was a blast. I will eventually someday go skydiving.

Tree stands don't bother me, but I have noticed that as I am getting older I am way more cautious than I used to be.

Here is a video to what Kevin posted up.
Stairway to Heaven: http://youtu.be/tgO4Gd4RhvM