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I would have fell!!!

Iglow

Iglow

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Out in the woods by myself, go to one of the ladder stands to hang some little cedar trees on the main tree for cover. I go up and put the lifeline on( I take them off in January) then go hook the cedars to the pull up line. After hooking on my climbing harness I go back up and pull the trees up and get them wired on.
Now the fun part… I was pulling the wire tight with a pair of needle nose pliers, I was standing on the foot part pulling and the pliers slipped and back I go, I got ahold of the lifeline and the harness would have caught me if I hadn't but with out that lifeline rope I'd gone head over heels without a doubt.
PLEASE Y'ALL!!!! Be hooked up to that tree from the ground up and back down all the time, every time!
 
Absolutely! I don't wear a harness for myself. I wear that harness for my wife and kids depending on me.

It's extremely humbling to be laid up, not bringing home paychecks and asking for others to tend to you day and night. Also someone's got to get you to more doctors appointments because you were complacent about safety.
 
BSK said:
Sounds like you got very lucky.
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I've got two buddies that I hunt with, we mostly hunt mobile out of our climbers but both of them rarely use harnesses. I remind them at the beginning of the season but they usually pass on using them.

It's all what you get used to. I'm used to my harness and have pouches that help hold my gear. I've got a case that my phone goes in attached to it as well so my phone is handy but also secured.

This thread got me thinking about some improvements I can make. I'm gonna put myself out there to hopefully inspire others to look at few ways they can be safer this year than last year!

I'm bad about climbing up and down in my climber without being hooked in. I always hook up when i get set at the top but I climb with my gun or bow and fanny pack between me and the tree. I don't have to worry about a pull up rope getting hung and I've always got my gun or bow ready if a deer comes in. Yes, I've killed a buck while in the process climbing down 3 years ago.

A lineman's belt attached to tree while I climb would be a major hindrance with my current system.

But by reading this it got me thinking… I might find a way to attach my tether to the top rail rung of my climber so at least I'm attached to something. I'm probably going to tied a loop in an old harness strap to hook into while I climb up and down this year.

I know this isn't the safest, but it shouldn't be too much of a hindrance with what I'm already doing. It's definitely an improvement on what I'm currently doing.
 
I have lifetimes on all my sets and have never taken them down, but doing so is probably a really good idea. I have replaced 2 of mine this summer. Sucks to buy new ones but it's something I feel like I just can't skimp on. With prices of things what they are on everything I fear that's something lots of people will skimp on but I just can't do that. It's not just about me, I have a wife and kids and treestand falls are 100% preventable. I dropped $80 bucks replacing those 2 and I know that's cheap compared to falling but I know in this economy lots of folks won't spend that to replace or initially install. Thanks OP for a great reminder to be safe.
 
Swampbadger has added another great point. I'm also guilty of sometimes climbing my climber without strapping in. Always hook on at top and then come down still strapped in. Bad habit. I should always hook on to the tree at the bottom too. Always do on ladders and loc-ons. The one thing I probably also need to upgrade is the harness I use for hanging stands. I use an old harness for stand hanging and summer trimming. I don't like using the harness I hunt in cause it gets so sweaty and stinky. Truth is, that harness should be the newest cause that's the one I hang in when setting stands. Alll my weight trusting the lineman's rope and lanyard but that's my oldest harness. Probably need to upgrade there too.
 
swampbadger said:
I've got two buddies that I hunt with, we mostly hunt mobile out of our climbers but both of them rarely use harnesses. I remind them at the beginning of the season but they usually pass on using them.

It's all what you get used to. I'm used to my harness and have pouches that help hold my gear. I've got a case that my phone goes in attached to it as well so my phone is handy but also secured.

This thread got me thinking about some improvements I can make. I'm gonna put myself out there to hopefully inspire others to look at few ways they can be safer this year than last year!

I'm bad about climbing up and down in my climber without being hooked in. I always hook up when i get set at the top but I climb with my gun or bow and fanny pack between me and the tree. I don't have to worry about a pull up rope getting hung and I've always got my gun or bow ready if a deer comes in. Yes, I've killed a buck while in the process climbing down 3 years ago.

A lineman's belt attached to tree while I climb would be a major hindrance with my current system.

But by reading this it got me thinking… I might find a way to attach my tether to the top rail rung of my climber so at least I'm attached to something. I'm probably going to tied a loop in an old harness strap to hook into while I climb up and down this year.

I know this isn't the safest, but it shouldn't be too much of a hindrance with what I'm already doing. It's definitely an improvement on what I'm currently doing.
Click to expand...

I use a tree strap when going up and down with my climbing stand. I slip it up or down as I move along. I have an open-front stand and don't climb with my bow or gun. I've had a few times when deer came in on me while going up or down but I just let it go and don't worry about it; it is very rare anyway.

Here is what I use. I bought it a BassPro.

huntersafetysystem.com

Rope Style Treestrap

Continental US orders typically delivers in 3-5 business days *Northern and Western State orders may take 4-6 business days. The 9' long Rope Style Treestrap replaces your current tree strap and serves as an effective LifeLine for climbing style tree stands. The Rope Style Treestrap makes...
huntersafetysystem.com huntersafetysystem.com
 
Never fallen from a ladder stand while hunting, but I sure have while setting them up and taking them down! Two years ago, had a 2-person ladder snap in half as I was climbing up onto the platform. That was an interesting ride down, backwards.
 
swampbadger said:
I've got two buddies that I hunt with, we mostly hunt mobile out of our climbers but both of them rarely use harnesses. I remind them at the beginning of the season but they usually pass on using them.

It's all what you get used to. I'm used to my harness and have pouches that help hold my gear. I've got a case that my phone goes in attached to it as well so my phone is handy but also secured.

This thread got me thinking about some improvements I can make. I'm gonna put myself out there to hopefully inspire others to look at few ways they can be safer this year than last year!

I'm bad about climbing up and down in my climber without being hooked in. I always hook up when i get set at the top but I climb with my gun or bow and fanny pack between me and the tree. I don't have to worry about a pull up rope getting hung and I've always got my gun or bow ready if a deer comes in. Yes, I've killed a buck while in the process climbing down 3 years ago.

A lineman's belt attached to tree while I climb would be a major hindrance with my current system.

But by reading this it got me thinking… I might find a way to attach my tether to the top rail rung of my climber so at least I'm attached to something. I'm probably going to tied a loop in an old harness strap to hook into while I climb up and down this year.

I know this isn't the safest, but it shouldn't be too much of a hindrance with what I'm already doing. It's definitely an improvement on what I'm currently doing.
Click to expand...
I don't use a climber too much anymore but practically lived in one for the first 25 years I hunted, I tied a loop in the tether around the tree above the hand climber at ground level and slid it up , then the hand climber then pulled the base up with my feet X how many times it took to get as high as I wanted. Always hooked to the tree 100% of the time. It took an extra 45 seconds total lifting the tether each time and you'd tie on if you waited till you got up so that's time not counted.
Now if I get in a ladder etc. I've got a lifeline or I don't climb.
 
Evidence that anyone can fall. I paid my way thru college painting billboards. Then 11/11/17 changed my life.
 

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Can happen in a heart beat. I have fallen a couple times. Also got Stuck in the tree on a old climber. They bottom slipped broke the old rope that connected them. Taking stands down we now just cut the straps with a pole saw now. had one with pressure and when i loosened it, it sling shotted me back didnt fall but it was the last one i took down like that
That was interesting. I don't wear harnesses hardly at all. Hanging in the air if you can't pull yourself up or get back on anything is also cause a lot of damage as well.
 
Glad you made it safe. I also don't wear one in a climber till I get up to the point that I'm gonna hunt. Luckily never had a problem doing it that way with a climber. But using steps and hang ons I always have either a tether or linemen's belt around a tree going up or down or sitting. Just felt way safer in my summit viper. Seeing how your surrounded by the stand.
 

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