Yep , I am the fool this time.
I have tree stands scattered across the wilderness area behind my house. Some of these stands have been in the woods as long as 3-4 years. Saturday I am out on the first hunt of the year and daylight sees me perched in a stand of Oaks that has been productive in the past.
Midday I go to another stand that I had planned on moving last year and never got the chance. I climb up and take the stand down, move it to another spot about 1/2 mile away and the fun begins. I climb about 20 feet up a huge Buckeye and set the stand, Climb back down , tie on the bow and back pack and back up I go. Now here is the good part, I ease out onto the stand TIE OFF THE SAFETY and sit down. I then hand the Binos up and start to pull up the gear.
Now when the anchor strap broke I clearly heard it pop, clean, And I knew what had happened. What came next was that I could feel the stitches in the harness that are designed to fail and ease the shock ripping. Next I was just setting there swinging in the harness, The stand hung in the Crotch of the tree just above ground level and me on the end of a rope about 17 feet up. I was able to use the safety rope to pull myself around to the tree and then climb back up, get the binos, then back down to tera firma.
Lesson:
1 Always Always WEAR A SAFETY HARNESS!!!! I have been in stands without one, or have not tied off until I pulled up everything and got the coat on. Bad results would have come from either.
2 Check your stuff, my strap had rotted to the point that the tightening device would break it. Stupid...Stupid....Stupid
3 Let people know your plans; I was alone 2 miles deep in a wilderness area. This could have been bad.
4 Take comms. I was lucky that I had the B-Berry; I did plan this so I would have a means of contact and GPS coords. available.
God does look out for us fools
I have tree stands scattered across the wilderness area behind my house. Some of these stands have been in the woods as long as 3-4 years. Saturday I am out on the first hunt of the year and daylight sees me perched in a stand of Oaks that has been productive in the past.
Midday I go to another stand that I had planned on moving last year and never got the chance. I climb up and take the stand down, move it to another spot about 1/2 mile away and the fun begins. I climb about 20 feet up a huge Buckeye and set the stand, Climb back down , tie on the bow and back pack and back up I go. Now here is the good part, I ease out onto the stand TIE OFF THE SAFETY and sit down. I then hand the Binos up and start to pull up the gear.
Now when the anchor strap broke I clearly heard it pop, clean, And I knew what had happened. What came next was that I could feel the stitches in the harness that are designed to fail and ease the shock ripping. Next I was just setting there swinging in the harness, The stand hung in the Crotch of the tree just above ground level and me on the end of a rope about 17 feet up. I was able to use the safety rope to pull myself around to the tree and then climb back up, get the binos, then back down to tera firma.
Lesson:
1 Always Always WEAR A SAFETY HARNESS!!!! I have been in stands without one, or have not tied off until I pulled up everything and got the coat on. Bad results would have come from either.
2 Check your stuff, my strap had rotted to the point that the tightening device would break it. Stupid...Stupid....Stupid
3 Let people know your plans; I was alone 2 miles deep in a wilderness area. This could have been bad.
4 Take comms. I was lucky that I had the B-Berry; I did plan this so I would have a means of contact and GPS coords. available.
God does look out for us fools
