Spencie
Senior Member
As I am sitting here waiting to go to my therapy I am really hoping you are feeling great this morning and are feeling no pain from your fall.
Took a near serious ladder stand fall today
- Thread starter MK111
- Start date
Oh Ric just the guys having fun to lighting up the accident and I took it that way.
I'm little sore across my shoulders and mild mid back tightness where I hit that metal shelving but that's it so all is well. When I hit the shelving I was basicly standing up and just throwed into it.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
Every time I go to resemble one of those ladders I apply grease in the joint connection. Makes for assembly & future disassembly much easier, and no rust.
Glad you're doing OK Frank, scary stuff. I don't want to derail this thread, but rust/ treestand age is something I just thought about over the weekend while hunting. There was a few threads about changing out straps and other items on a stand, but when do you guys call it good from a structure/metal standpoint? I have my own opinions based on engineering/material science information but you can't always tell how much soemthing has fatigued until it's too late. I dusted off the climber 2 weekends back, and after doing a visual inspection and test in the yard, proceeded to hunt out of it a few times. No problems, but in the back of my head is the thought this stand is 14years old and I'm no lighter than I was back then. My ladder stand has been out in the elements for 5years and needs a new seat.
So here we go...when do you retire a tree stand, and what's your criteria?
So here we go...when do you retire a tree stand, and what's your criteria?
I guess all you can do is give it a good once over before you start using it and make sure there's no obvious damage too it..... Shy of having an NDI lab in your hip pocket there's not much more too do....
One thing I've always done though.... I double strap every location that needs a strap.... That way if the strap fails for whatever reason I still have a backup too safe my backside....
One thing I've always done though.... I double strap every location that needs a strap.... That way if the strap fails for whatever reason I still have a backup too safe my backside....
Buckmaster
Senior Member
I have no criteria for switching out ladder stands other than a guess, 7 years perhaps. The ratchet straps get changed every other year.
I have about 20 of them out year round. Most have been changed to double buddy stands so they are relatively new.
The thing I worry most about is the low carbon import bolts they use. I've thought about switching them out to stainless steel bolts but never have,,,,yet.
My older stands get rotated out and enter our annual garage sale. Seems our local Amish community snatches them up pretty quick so they see new life elsewhere.
Ohiosam
*Supporting Member*
This is why I prefer to work close to the ground;-) Any accident where the worst bruises are to our pride can be looked at as learning experiances. Glad your ok frank.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Glad you are OK Frank! I've got a couple ladder stands I need to really look over this year. Been out a long time.
This was a older ladder stand. My big mistake I didn't use the brace half way up that straps to the tree. I guess it was just too much flex on the lower joint and it gave way.
I add chains on most of my ladder stands in addition to the straps.
I add chains on most of my ladder stands in addition to the straps.
Two straps in the middle of the ladder, two straps at the top and a chain/cable for anti-theft from the semi honest people....
Glad you didn't take my suggestion wrong. I envisioned something different when I first read it. Certainly wasn't trying to add insult to injury. Glad to hear you aren't feeling as terrible as you could be. Hopefully tomorrow is better than today Frank!
No worry Phil. I only posted to give a heads up to everyone to learn from my lax mistake of using it wrong and not checking the condition. I was lucky and had a straight down 8 ft sliding fall, someone else higher up in the woods might not be so damn lucky and get hurt or worse.
Yup, my quad accident was a blur.
We need to check a few of our ladder stands on our farm as well!