I fell tonight.

[JPH]

Not a lot of time to tell the story but I want to at least wanted to put it out there. I've heard it said that if you hunt from tree stands long enough, you are going to fall. Well, I've been bow hunting from trees for 18 seasons and today it happened to me.

I had just hung the stand 15 feet up. It had been stored outside all winter, spring and summer and I had neglected to inspect the straps before taking it out. I had climbed in and attached my full-body harness to the tree, then I shifted my weight to seat the stand more firmly and WHAM! The entire stand fell away and I was falling. Let me tell you, a lot of things run through your head in the fraction of a second before you harness catches you. I was able to spin myself around and get back onto my climbing stick and get to the ground without even dropping my bow, but I am going to be a little sore for a few days.

I've ignored a lot of stories like this one over the years, but I'm hoping it encourages at least one person to be a little more careful up there. I am a fool for climbing into a stand that I had not properly inspected, but I thank God and my Guardian Angel that I was sensible enough to strap in. If I hadn't, this would have ended very badly.

[Woods Walker]

Used up one of your nine lives, did you? Been there, done that. Ain't fun.

Just one more reason why I don't hunt from trees anymore. Not fear(I used to do tree work), but the equipment hassle. Like you say, if you're going to use it, then you HAVE TO inspect and maintain it.

But either way, thank God you're safe!

BTW, you forgot to mention the additional cost of new pants and underwear .............

[kellory]

Glad you were strapped in, and that you are alright.

[JPH]

Used up one of your nine lives, did you? Been there, done that. Ain't fun.

Just one more reason why I don't hunt from trees anymore. Not fear(I used to do tree work), but the equipment hassle. Like you say, if you're going to use it, then you HAVE TO inspect and maintain it.

But either way, thank God you're safe!

BTW, you forgot to mention the additional cost of new pants and underwear .............

Complacency kills!

...but believe it or not, given my history on the subject, my pants survived unstained.

[Ohio farms]

Whew...those cat-like reactions of yours must have saved you. Now aren't you glad that you are still "on the plateau? Seriously, glad that you are ok. I think we will all be a bit more careful now.

[mgemmill]

My buddy fell last year with no harness, shatterd his wrist and now has pins in it.

[bobow]

I am glad you were strapped in and OK.

[Deebz]

My older brother actually had something similar happen this year. He was hanging a stand with my younger bro. They had strapped climbing sticks to the tree and hung a hang-on stand with a ratchet strap. As he stepped onto the platform and turned around the look for shooting lanes, the strap broke. He fell nearly 20 feet straight down. Little bro said it looked like he was Spider Man clinging to the tree behind him as he fell facing away from the tree. He hit feet first and rolled. Luckily, he had only a sore back and fingertips for a few days...