Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Yet Another Unnecessary Death...

GoetsTalon

GoetsTalon

Senior Member
Supporting Member
4,505
139
Walbridge oh
Very sad. The thread on here with the video of the guy that recorded himself after hitting the ground will stick in your mind for a while.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: gjs4
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
39,067
274
Sad.

This is so shocking that I really have to question the validity of that stat. I know tons of guys that hunt and can't think of a one who doesn't use a harness.

"84% of firearm hunters and 91% of archery hunters use elevated stands, but only 33% of archery hunters and 23% of firearm hunters use safety harnesses."
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: Chancegriffis, OhioWhiteTails, Bowhunter57 and 1 other person
Hedgelj

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
8,207
189
Mohicanish
Jackalope said:
Sad.

This is so shocking that I really have to question the validity of that stat. I know tons of guys that hunt and can't think of a one who doesn't use a harness.

"84% of firearm hunters and 91% of archery hunters use elevated stands, but only 33% of archery hunters and 23% of firearm hunters use safety harnesses."
Click to expand...
Of the 13 people that have hunted the farm this season only 3 have used a harness. That doesn't include myself, or any of my kids because we all do each time we go in any stand.

Quantum673 said:
I think ladder stands is what skews the numbers. Most guys that I know that hunt in a ladder stand do not use a harness.
Click to expand...
This, this and this again is the exact reasoning that those that don't use one give.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Quantum673
Quantum673

Quantum673

Black Hat Cajun
Supporting Member
6,056
195
In the Neighborhood
Hedgelj said:
Of the 13 people that have hunted the farm this season only 3 have used a harness. That doesn't include myself, or any of my kids because we all do each time we go in any stand.


This, this and this again is the exact reasoning that those that don't use one give.
Click to expand...
I should have clarified that I am not one of them. I either ground hunt or I am tied in.
 
swantucky

swantucky

The Crew
1,594
136
Swanton, Ohio
I have hunted out of some real contraptions over the years, I have hunted long enough that when you found a "good spot" you would haul a hand saw, 2"x4"s, hammer and handful of nails out. Then wonder why you did not see anything. lol Portable stands were not really a thing, first portable I had was built from a kit, you supply the plywood platform, fugging death trap. Heights never bothered me and even in commercial construction we only wore a waist belt. When I had kids I got the waist belt type fall protection for hunting very grudgingly. It saved me three times I can think of. I have also fallen a handful of times and it hurts.

I got the full body harness maybe ten years ago and we have been adding the ground to stand lifelines to our sets ever since. Not all have them but we are close.

All that being said I got in a hurry a few years ago and did not hook in. I had the tree strap and was just gonna tie off when I got in the stand. As soon as I got both feet on the stand both cables broke. Fortunately it was early season and I did not have a ton of clothes on. I managed to grab a branch and catch myself, lucky as hell. I am too old to fall anymore. I need to get safety lines in the rest of our sets, not worth the chance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: brock ratcliff, Gern186, OhioWhiteTails and 9 others
Fletch

Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,204
136
Here's me going up a tree to about 20 ft with my Baker.. Never wore any safety device... And no one knew where I hunted... Man I cringe looking at that pic...
 

Attachments

  • 20170201_174311.jpg
    20170201_174311.jpg
    102.2 KB · Views: 176
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: Chancegriffis, Sgt Fury, finelyshedded and 8 others
Bankfish

Bankfish

Junior Member
763
71
No pictures but in the late '70's and '80's my older brother would cut a 2×12 about 20"-24", cut a "V" in both ends, jam it in a Y in a tree, standing on it to hunt. One time was enough for me, I'd never been able to shoot as I was holding on to the tree for dear life. Stupit!!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Bowhunter57 and giles
Bowhunter57

Bowhunter57

Senior Member
5,330
195
Roaming the country side....Retired.
Like Jackalope, I find those stats hard to believe. 🤔
I can safely say that I'll never own a ladder stand. I do NOT feel comfortable climbing up into one and not being attached as I climb. 🚫 The past couple of years of my experiences with a tree saddle has enforced the safety of being tied to the tree at all times. 💯

In the early 80s, I got dumped out of a Baker climbing tree stand, when my weight shifted and it started racheting down the tree. 🙄 I was doing some version of a skateboard dance, trying to maintain my balance as it went down. At about the 6 foot mark I reluctantly pitched my bow one direction and I jumped the other. I'm sure a video would've been hilarious, but I was pissed enough to leave that sack of hubcaps out for the garbage man. :mad:

Prior to that, I was just climbing trees with a piece of cord tied to my belt, that I used to pull my bow up. I'd stand on a limb or two and balance myself enough for taking a shot. This was in the late 70s, when I was a tree climbing fool.
I fell asleep after being awake for 34 hours (swingshift job) and fell out of a tree in Manistee National Forest, at about 14 feet. I did a full rolling flip forward and hit the ground flat on my back....asleep the entire fall. 😴 I woke up gasping for air, as the landing knocked the wind out of me. :ROFLMAO: It also knocked my equilibrium off so bad that when I sat up the trees looked like the were growing sideways. After a couple of minutes of collecting myself, I stood up, looked up in the tree at my bow still hanging on a branch and had to climb up and get it, lower it down and walked back to the camper for some much needed sleep. LUCKY....DAMN LUCKY!!! 👍🙄
 
  • Like
Reactions: Left field
Fletch

Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,204
136
There were times I'd sit on the platform of the Baker... How the hell did I do it??? I'd never get up if I even attempted to do that again...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jackalope
Big_Holla

Big_Holla

Senior Member
26,995
247
S.E. MI to reside & S.E. OH to LIVE!
I fell once while putting up a hang-on treestand. It was homemade and part of it failed as I put weight on it to get it to bite into the tree. I completely feel I was so very lucky back then. I always used a waist strap I made while in the stand but never considered one while setting things up or climbing the tree. That waist strap I made likely would have cut me in half had I fallen and really was really only used for stability, not keeping me from hitting the ground.

Nowadays I always use a lineman's strap to go around the tree to my harness while setting up hang-on stands. It is surprising how easy that strap makes it for you to actually climb and use both hands while setting stands. Simply put if you haven't used one for setting up you simply do not know what you are missing. Once those kinds of stands are in place I always have a Lifeline to install for the trip back down. I will not put one up without it and I have extra's now in case I need to replace one.

Climber treestand I always use a strap around the tree attached to my harness, all the way up and all the way down. This is literally one of the easiest ways to stay attached to the tree 100%.

Ladder stands can be a little tough to get strapped to the tree without some risk during set-up. Once they are up I feel they are definitely one of the most safest and stable ways to get up above a deer. That happens when I install the Lifeline in those as well.

There really are no excuses any more when it comes to adding safety equipment and a good harness. I have made it mandatory on our property that if you hunt from a treestand you MUST have a harness on and use it properly, with the aid of the Lifelines as well. If not you will not be asked back to hunt, period. I've heard the complaints (and I used to also be one that complained) from people in the past of not being able to move or get into position for a shot in certain directions. Oh-bucking well :ROFLMAO: buy your own property and do as you wish there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hickslawns, Left field, Bowhunter57 and 2 others
Fletch

Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,204
136
Big Holla you hit the nail on the head using a lineman's belt to hang stands... Frees up both hands and gives you stability while working.. Last year I was helping a friend hang a stand, while putting up the ladder sticks ( 4th one up ) the strap let go and stick let go... I could not grab tree, so I rode the stick away from tree till it finally snapped... Fell about 10-12 feet... Landed flat on my side... OUCH...

Ladder stands I believe are much safer... ALTHOUGH... Putting them up could turn into a nightmare or death... ALWAYS, AFTER LEANING IT AGAINST THE TREE USE A LADDER OR SOMETHING FROM BEHIND TREE TO ATTACH A RATCHET STRAP... NEVER GO UP THE LADDER STAND TO ATTACH STRAP.. THAT THING SHIFTS YOUR NOT STOPPING IT...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stressless and Concordmeadowsfarm
OhioWhiteTails

OhioWhiteTails

Senior Member
Supporting Member
8,481
205
Flatlands
Big_Holla said:
I fell once while putting up a hang-on treestand. It was homemade and part of it failed as I put weight on it to get it to bite into the tree. I completely feel I was so very lucky back then. I always used a waist strap I made while in the stand but never considered one while setting things up or climbing the tree. That waist strap I made likely would have cut me in half had I fallen and really was really only used for stability, not keeping me from hitting the ground.

Nowadays I always use a lineman's strap to go around the tree to my harness while setting up hang-on stands. It is surprising how easy that strap makes it for you to actually climb and use both hands while setting stands. Simply put if you haven't used one for setting up you simply do not know what you are missing. Once those kinds of stands are in place I always have a Lifeline to install for the trip back down. I will not put one up without it and I have extra's now in case I need to replace one.

Climber treestand I always use a strap around the tree attached to my harness, all the way up and all the way down. This is literally one of the easiest ways to stay attached to the tree 100%.

Ladder stands can be a little tough to get strapped to the tree without some risk during set-up. Once they are up I feel they are definitely one of the most safest and stable ways to get up above a deer. That happens when I install the Lifeline in those as well.

There really are no excuses any more when it comes to adding safety equipment and a good harness. I have made it mandatory on our property that if you hunt from a treestand you MUST have a harness on and use it properly, with the aid of the Lifelines as well. If not you will not be asked back to hunt, period. I've heard the complaints (and I used to also be one that complained) from people in the past of not being able to move or get into position for a shot in certain directions. Oh-bucking well :ROFLMAO: buy your own property and do as you wish there.
Click to expand...
Every. Time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.