Departments | Sportsman’s Corner
courtesy Hunter Safety System
Tree Stand Safety
More hunters are injured or killed by falls from tree stands than any other hunting accident. Pure and simple, hunting from a tree can be dangerous whether with a bow or rifle. A sad and recent example is a Maryland State Trooper who fell from his tree stand while hunting in 2005 and strangulated himself when he tried to get down.
According to the Tree Stand Manufacturers Association, the average hunter will be subjected to 100 pounds of impact for every two inches he falls, so a drop of 15 feet is like being hit by a truck. Even a short fall caught by an improper safety device like a strap or climb-up rope puts a severe strain on the body, which can leave you hanging helplessly, perhaps upside down.
courtesy Summit Stands
Several major companies have recognized the danger that tree stands present, and developed products that specifically address safe hunting. Hunter Safety System (HSS) offers a vest and a climbing system that conveniently and effortlessly eliminates many of the risk factors in high hunting. First, their vest can be worn under or over your outerwear, and comes in camo or blaze orange colors. The support system spreads beyond the chest area and attaches under your legs with simple-to-use buckles. The vest attaches to the tree above your head so that you can swivel and shoot 360 degrees. Should you fall, the strap attaches to the belt with breakaway stitching to help absorb the shock of the sudden stop. The greater the force, the more stitches pull out.
Jim Barta, Vice President of Hunter Safety System, demonstrated the fall protection of the vest by intentionally stepping from a tree stand while holding a rifle. His HSS vest enabled him to climb right back into the stand and repeat the process several more times.
In some cases a hunter may not be able to climb back into the stand, which puts him at risk for “suspension trauma.”
“The straps may eventually cut off your blood supply, which can lead to nausea, dizziness, and possibly death,” says Barta, who also demonstrated a solution. The deer drag strap included with the HSS system can be attached and used as a step loop. Barta transferred all of his weight to that loop, enabling him to stand upright while hanging from the tree. Savvy hunters will have a referee’s whistle, walkie-talkie or cell phone within easy reach, just in case.
Summit Treestands offers the popular Seat-O-The-Pants (SOP) device, which is a full body harness that stows in a small fanny pouch that can be worn under or over your hunting gear. When you are ready for the harness, simply rotate the fanny pack around your waist and you have it right in front of you.
If you plan to use a stand more than once, you can attach a Safety Rope above the stand and use the SOP’s unique prussic knot to stay attached up and down the tree. This ingenious knot allows you to attach and slide a knot with incredible ease.
Getting into and out of tree stands is the most dangerous element of tree stand use, followed by falling asleep. Both HSS and SOP offer lineman’s-style ropes that keep you attached to the tree with both hands free. Neither product will keep you awake, so when you get sleepy, climb down and take a nap with your gun or bow beside you. The stillness is bound to lure in a buck.
—Joe Byers