# It CAN happen...



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Just a reminder to be very careful out there...it CAN happen to anyone:
https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/michigan-hunter-rescued-stuck-tree-stand-upside-down


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Damn that guy was up there.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Well that'll mess up a stand sight. 
But in all seriousness, that's why you strap in BEFORE leaving the ground. Even if it is a PITA.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

he was a very lucky man. had he fell the 40' and landed on his head it would surely broke his neck and more than likely killed him in the process. he should have went and bought a lottery ticket. one is all he would have needed, LOL.
sherman


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

He is not only fortunate that he didn't fall, but he's also fortunate had access to his cell phone, and had service. Call me paranoid but I always take my 2m/70cm radio on my person along with my phone and have a local repeater programed when I'm out in the field.


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

Dang, that is scary. My hunting buddies and I always know where each other are sitting. Always text if we plan to move. I also take an extra measure and let my wife know where I'm at. I take a screen shot of where I am in the woods and send it to her. The guy is very lucky.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

We have a neighbor boy that is currently in his early 20's that has been in a wheel chair since he was 13 from a 15ft fall from a tree stand.The fall not only left him unable to walk but caused severe nerve damage which over time has caused his arms to be almost unusable as well. To watch this boys health deteriorate over the years has been awful.

With back issues, I don't use my climber anymore. It's a shame cause it's a Tree Lounger, is very comfortable and I really enjoyed being able to set up at different locations. 
I do still use my ladder stands though. And this is a good reminder to strap in even in a ladder stand.

Just be careful out there guys...


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Climbers, even with a safety harness can be dangerous if you lose the foot climbing portion unless it is also tethered to the upper seat/arm portion.


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## snagless-1 (Oct 26, 2014)

Gave up on tree stands,there nice and you can see far,but i now sit on ground or blinds, had a six point walk up to me on ground within 12 feet.Watch the wind ,camo up,use scents and cover scents feel a lot safer.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Shortdrift said:


> Climbers, even with a safety harness can be dangerous if you lose the foot climbing portion unless it is also tethered to the upper seat/arm portion.


That's for sure Shortdrift

And as for ladder stands...they aren't immune either.
I know any metal can fatigue and break after years of use, but I really shy away from some of these cheaper ladder stands. Have looked at some of the thin steel they are made of and some of the little tack welds on them and it makes my back hurt just looking at them.
Actually, I usually buy the steel and fab up my own.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Shortdrift said:


> Climbers, even with a safety harness can be dangerous if you lose the foot climbing portion unless it is also tethered to the upper seat/arm portion.


yes one should always have a strap from the seat section to the platform at all times. you will never be to safe when in any stand. I hunted for yrs without a safety harness. I started using one to get my son and his wife to wear there's. now its just automatic. I should but I don't strap in before going up the tree. but its the 1st thing I do once I'm up there.
sherman


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

"but I don't strap in before going up the tree. but its the 1st thing I do once I'm up there."
sherman

Hey Sherm; You are rolling the dice


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

I have two good friends that fell out of tree stands, one from a ladder stand and broke his back, the other from a climber and broke his neck. Both were several years ago and they are both fine today but the broken back guy is forever a bit stiff in the spine. My daughters ex husband fell out of his climber and hung upside down by his safety harness for a couple hours before his father happened to go check on him because he did not come in at dark. He almost suffocated and it was all he could do, with everything he had, to keep himself positioned is such a way as to keep being able to breathe, he had no chance of freeing himself. Had his Father not come looking he says he is certain he would not have lasted much longer as he was about out of strength and it was getting difficult to withstand the straps pressure that would suffocate him. I hunt from the ground, I've only ever fell off he ground when I was drunk, and I don't drink like that anymore.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Shortdrift said:


> "but I don't strap in before going up the tree. but its the 1st thing I do once I'm up there."
> sherman
> 
> Hey Sherm; You are rolling the dice


Yep, most accidents are on the way up or the way down. Lineman’s belt all the time for me.


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## Fishballz (Aug 15, 2015)

I was once up about 25 feet in my climber. Had my harness on. My hunt was over and as soon as I started to climb down the bottom of the climber slipped off my feet. Watching the bottom half of my climber hit the ground when I was still well over 20 feet off the ground was a sickening feeling I could not even describe. Darkness was setting in and I accidentally left my cell phone in my truck. I was just sitting there feet dangling trying to figure out how the hell I was going to get down. After some thought, I decided to take the part of my safety harness that goes around the tree and moved it to below the seat portion of my climber and made it a little bit loose. I used that to wedge my feet in and basically used it as the bottom portion of my climber. I made it down. I was on private property and my dad knows the area I hunt so eventually would have made it out of there but what a night. Was never so happy to be on the ground

Sent from my LG-SP200 using Tapatalk


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Fishballz said:


> I was once up about 25 feet in my climber. Had my harness on. My hunt was over and as soon as I started to climb down the bottom of the climber slipped off my feet. Watching the bottom half of my climber hit the ground when I was still well over 20 feet off the ground was a sickening feeling I could not even describe. Darkness was setting in and I accidentally left my cell phone in my truck. I was just sitting there feet dangling trying to figure out how the hell I was going to get down. After some thought, I decided to take the part of my safety harness that goes around the tree and moved it to below the seat portion of my climber and made it a little bit loose. I used that to wedge my feet in and basically used it as the bottom portion of my climber. I made it down. I was on private property and my dad knows the area I hunt so eventually would have made it out of there but what a night. Was never so happy to be on the ground
> 
> Sent from my LG-SP200 using Tapatalk


I laugh about it now, but I had that happen too on a trip to KY. But it was before daylight, and at that age I was too dumb to wear any sort of safety device. The strangest part is, I can’t remember how in the world I got down.


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## 3 dog Ed (Apr 25, 2014)

Holy crap Papaw knowing 3 people that fell out of tree stands? What were the circumstances of the falls? Equipment failure or human error?


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

His 1st mistake was using a climber on that type of tree. It is a very hard tree and it was silky smooth. Nothing for the cleats on the climber to dig into. And why on earth do you need to be up 40' for? That makes no sense either. He made a lot of mistakes. 
I always use my climber on soft barked trees. Ones where the cleats really dig into the tree. And I have the stirrups with 2 bungy cords around the back of my ankles. It is very hard to get my feet out of the stirrups with the 2 bungy cords. 
My advise to anyone using a climber is pick your trees wisely. Most important decision


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

Ever since almost falling asleep in a swaying tree. I now hunt from the ground


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

Yes, it is pretty freaky to sit in a stand while the tree sways. A couple of weeks ago, the wind was gusting good and the tree was swaying like crazy. Decided to climb down and hunt from the ground that morning.


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